1973 Aussie FJ55 Resto

[TheToyman75]

Hi my fellow FJ55 owners,

I figured it was time I started a thread for the FJ55 build I am undertaking. I have purchased an Australian delivered FJ55 with the Tailgate and manual rear window.

It is complianced and sold as a January 74 model so is a 1973 spec build.

It has the front and rear bench seats and the rear underseat heater. It needs a lot of love but I really like this model and finding an early non Barn door variant was exactly what I wanted.

It has seat belts for 3 people front and rear and is a 4 speed manual with the 3.9l engine.

Lots of bits need work and I will add more pics but I am madly trying to get it roadworth so I can get it registered in my State (For the other Aussies I bought it in Adelaide and drove it back to Sydney via the Great Ocean Road. Was an eventful trip)

So this is it:

Its two remaining biggest issues outside the rust is the brakes are well expired and a reverse light is missing.

I have located a 78 model FJ55 with a factory Disc brake front end. the complete front diff is being shipped to me next week. Apparently the 55 it is in came from South Africa, it also had AC but someone beat me to that. Hopefully the front brakes are in good order as they cost me half the purchase price of the truck itself to get them.

Biggest hurdle at the moment is to find a replacement for the missing reverse light. No joy at all so far locally. Happy to pay to have one shipped from anywhere if its in good condition and the right one.

 

[Fitzgerald]

Nice looking 55!

Are you just needing the missing lens in back, or is there more to it?

 

[TheToyman75]

Just the lens will get me out of trouble. A whole reverse light or even pair of reverse lights would be even better as I can then restore the lights and refit them.

I want to get all the housings blasted and re-coated plus polish up the lenses. So a spare set means I can do that and not take the 55 off the road. But in terms of missing bits, that lens is the only part I need to get it through a rego inspection.

 

[PabloCruise]

Very cool!
I think a few of us here in the states would love to have your problems: the "rust" you claim to have, brakes, and a missing reverse light lens.
Looking fwd to it!

 

[PabloCruise]

PS: I replied to your post I'm the owner's thread, I'd love to see pics of how your 3 point belts are mounted in front and rear...

 

[TheToyman75]

Thanks Pablo,

I bought this one because it was the least rusty I had seen. It only has a rust hole in one Guard, both sills and the Left hand rear corner that I have found so far. Other than everything under neath it of course. The previous owner used it for 5 years to put his boat in and out of the water. From the inside tho the floor seems to be pretty good. Only a couple of spots that will need a clean up. I still need to remove the rear seat and rear rubber mat but in the front its pretty good.

I will get some seat belt pics up for you soon.

 

[TheToyman75]

Belts

Pablo,

Here is where the belts mount. They all have the TEQ logo so I assume are factory fitted and Genuine Toyota items. Pretty sure they were a compliance item here in Australia by 1974.

 

[Fitzgerald]

^ Love those TEQ belt buckles... too cool!

 

[Delancy]

^ Love those TEQ belt buckles... too cool!

No doubt.

What's the story on those? Love to have.

 

[PabloCruise]

Pablo, Here is where the belts mount. They all have the TEQ logo so I assume are factory fitted and Genuine Toyota items. Pretty sure they were a compliance item here in Australia by 1974.

Thank you. So they look to be adjustable, not retractable, in front and rear?
I can feel those rear anchor points, I would love to get a seat of those rear belts. Do they connect with the lap belt at the buckle?

Also, I have see a Pig from Oz that had the seat-belts for front mount on the actual B pillar. Have you ever seen these?

 

[TheToyman75]

Pablo,

The belts are adjustable ones for all 6 passengers. The B pillar bolt belt fitment was done on a lot of cars that came in around the same time as belts became a requirement. Locally made vehicles here did not have the mounting points for the belts, so it is how they were all done to meet the social or legal demand to have them.

A lot of the places doing this work did not realise that every pretty much any Toyota after the late 1960's had the factory mounting points in place so rather than look for them, they just did what they did to everything else. Another reason this happens is when people want retractable not adjustable belts, if you dont mount them vertically they are harder to unwind (but do work fine IMHO).

Engineers here push for retractable belts when you do conversions, but the actual requirement states lap sash not retractable. If you know the actual guidelines and not just what your engineer wants its easy to get adjustables approved and no new holes are required.

Its a shame as even my old 1970 Crown wagon had the Seat belt mounts in it (even for the 2 children intended for the dicky seat in the boot)

 

[dancar]

I can't believe it... I'm in Adelaide and have been looking for months/years for a tailgate 55... My search ended up in Melbourne (twice, first visit wasn't successful), I'm heading there tomorrow to trailer the 55 home.

Can you tell me where you found it? It looks to be in great condition. How much did it cost?

Congrats!

Dan

 

[Brenno]

Wow nice find!
Those seatbelt placements in between the b and c pillars, and the one that is above cargo window look very odd. I don't doubt that they came from the dealer like that but I haven't seen another FJ55 with them.
My retractable front belts are directly in line on the b pillar, and same with my adjustable rear seat belts which are on the c pillar (1978 model).

btw if you ever want to let your front bench go let me know!

 

[TheToyman75]

Hi Dan, Just read through your thread.

My 55 was advertised on Car Sales. Like yourself i wanted a Tailgate version not a Barn Door and I wanted the front bench Seat. So when this popped up I bought it sight unseen and flew over to get it.

It needs a LOT of work mechanically, but I am still happy with it. When I picked it up the rear tyres were so old they had spit, The radiator was short 6 litres of water and the oil had had not been changed since 2009.

Everything under the Cruiser leaks oil and the water pump collapsed and ate the radiator between The great Ocean Road and Albury. A $500 tow and a temp Radiator only made it to the NSW Border borefore it split a hose and just shy of Canberra it blew outthe bottom radiator tank. So we chilled out in the ACT for two days while it was recored.

But again, I am still really happy with it. And it was $1800. The round trip which i took my son on me with, and we went via 2 nights on the great ocean road was $5500. So its not a cheap Cruiser for whatit is, but it was a pretty cool road trip and holiday.

 

[dancar]

Awesome, reminds me of my first Adelaide /Sydney trip in my 40.... I ended up on the roadside at Albury with radiator issues too.

Great to hear your story, glad to hear you shared it with your son.

Dan

 

[Toyo_Judson]

But again, I am still really happy with it. And it was $1800. The round trip which i took my son on me with, and we went via 2 nights on the great ocean road was $5500. So its not a cheap Cruiser for whatit is, but it was a pretty cool road trip and holiday.

This attitude is what I love about the Aussies I have come in contact with! Defines most Cruiserheads I know too...

 

[PabloCruise]

Pablo,

The belts are adjustable ones for all 6 passengers. The B pillar bolt belt fitment was done on a lot of cars that came in around the same time as belts became a requirement. Locally made vehicles here did not have the mounting points for the belts, so it is how they were all done to meet the social or legal demand to have them.

A lot of the places doing this work did not realise that every pretty much any Toyota after the late 1960's had the factory mounting points in place so rather than look for them, they just did what they did to everything else. Another reason this happens is when people want retractable not adjustable belts, if you dont mount them vertically they are harder to unwind (but do work fine IMHO).

Engineers here push for retractable belts when you do conversions, but the actual requirement states lap sash not retractable. If you know the actual guidelines and not just what your engineer wants its easy to get adjustables approved and no new holes are required.

Its a shame as even my old 1970 Crown wagon had the Seat belt mounts in it (even for the 2 children intended for the dicky seat in the boot)

Thanks for the reply!

I am trying to discern from your pictures if the rear seat outer shoulder belts must attach to the lap belts, like what I am guessing your fronts do? My adjustable 3 point belts for the front have a fastener for the shoulder belt to clip to the lap belt before you buckle. This means you can wear the lap belt seperate from the shoulder belt.

The material looks different than the material in my belts. do you think they were replaced at some point?

 

[PabloCruise]

Wow nice find!
Those seatbelt placements in between the b and c pillars, and the one that is above cargo window look very odd. I don't doubt that they came from the dealer like that but I haven't seen another FJ55 with them.
My retractable front belts are directly in line on the b pillar, and same with my adjustable rear seat belts which are on the c pillar (1978 model).

btw if you ever want to let your front bench go let me know!

Those mounts came from the factory that way. If you push around on your headliner you can feel the mounts. I have the front and rear mounts in the same positions as the pictures.

I did see an Aussie Pig with 3 point belts on the B pillar. It sounds like those are an aftermarket install.

 

[TheToyman75]

Hi Pablo,

I understand your question now. The shoulder strap on these does not clip into the sash separately.

My MS51 2 Door crown coupe had those, very cool style of belt. These are your typical non retractable Lap sash belt. These are much the same as in my 73 Celica had so I am pretty sure they are a factory fit item.

 

[PabloCruise]

Hi Pablo, I understand your question now. The shoulder strap on these does not clip into the sash separately. My MS51 2 Door crown coupe had those, very cool style of belt. These are your typical non retractable Lap sash belt. These are much the same as in my 73 Celica had so I am pretty sure they are a factory fit item.

Okay, so somewhere on the belt is a fastener that connects with the buckle? If you see a set would you grab them for me? Thanks!