1974 FJ40 through the Sahara and sand dunes!

[flx]

Looks like rush hour!

Where did you get the "backpack" on your spare tire and what do you store in it?
Great Photos by the way! Really enjoying this trip.

It's from a UK company called Exmoor Trim, they are mostly making canvas things for Land Rovers...
In the pocket I have all my recovery straps + trash bag. The rolled things strapped is my ground tarp I use under my tent and living area.

 

[Living in the Past]

Looks like rush hour!

Where did you get the "backpack" on your spare tire and what do you store in it?
Great Photos by the way! Really enjoying this trip.

Search Trasharoo. Our local club had a group buy.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Search Trasharoo. Our local club had a group buy.
View attachment 3515333

Same. Rising Sun up here in Colorado did similar ones with our logo for the club. I used to think they were kind of dorky until I used one once - they’re really so useful that I don’t care if I look like an “overlander”.

 

[fjwagon]

Seems your trip keeps getting better, sweet.

 

[ryanwk628]

Checking in, all is well I hope?

 

[RevISK]

Checking in, all is well I hope?

You should listen to the Classic LandCruiser podcast episode where Dan @mtn biker interviews him.

He’s alive and back in France.

 

[ryanwk628]

You should listen to the Classic LandCruiser podcast episode where Dan @mtn biker interviews him.

He’s alive and back in France.

Glad to hear that!

 

[flx]

Checking in, all is well I hope?

Hi, thanks for upping this thread!
Yes I'm back in France for a little while now but I really should finish this story =)
(spoiler alert it's the end for offroad action)

In the meantime (in the past future) the FJ40 was used as a grocery shopper and taxi to carry around friends coming to celebrate NYE at my family place in the Cevennes mountains.

Still have half of the Sahara in the back...

(A FJ40 is hiding on this picture)

Cheers!
(and promise I'm finishing the Morocco story soon)

 

[Living in the Past]

Since your trip is over will bring up a few options to help with keep heat out and moving it out of the cab. Since the heat shield that clamps to the muffler is next to impossible to find (bought my new over thirty years ago when they were still available) would suggest using the 75-78 right behind the skid plate.

Then the 1/75+ that fits under most of the back floor.

I installed the vent windows in a 73 hard top more than 40 years ago. Helps a lot with moving air threw and out of the back.

Few questions on your 74. Looking at Amayama Trading I see 1/75 as the date for the start 40 series in Europe. Can tell the rear sill is not original. Three footman loops on each barn door ended in 1971. That makes me wonder about the front bench seat. Thought that style ended 9/72?

Curious how the exhaust under the skid plate survived your trip? Around 1990 I bought the OEM header pipe, muffler, tailpipe and muffler for my 68 while they were still available. Removed it shortly after installing. Put a dent in the leading edge where it went under the skid plate. A lot more rock than sand in Northern Arizona. Sure it's still in my pile of exhaust parts. The above the skid plate routing started melting the PTO case. So pulled the PTO winch. Probably go back to stock on that cruiser or on my 73 FST.

 

[locklaw]

Few questions on your 74. Looking at Amayama Trading I see 1/75 as the date for the start 40 series in Europe. Can tell the rear sill is not original. Three footman loops on each barn door ended in 1971. That makes me wonder about the front bench seat. Thought that style ended 9/72?

3/4 Bench seat ran all the way to the square bezel change in countries other than the US. Not only third world countries. My Oz sourced survivor 10/72 and 8/78 40's both have 3/4 bench seats like the OP has. Spare wheel position is also on the other side for RHD models than the OP's on my 10/72.

Just like the current 70 series, there are numerous options and configurations that came from Toyota.

 

[flx]

Since your trip is over will bring up a few options to help with keep heat out and moving it out of the cab. Since the heat shield that clamps to the muffler is next to impossible to find (bought my new over thirty years ago when they were still available) would suggest using the 75-78 right behind the skid plate.
View attachment 3535482
Then the 1/75+ that fits under most of the back floor.
View attachment 3535483

It's an interesting option but I guess the 75+ tub must have mounting points under to install them? On my 74 it would mean drilling the body and having nuts inside? (and hopefully not getting in an non accessible cavity)
But for sure the lack of thermal protection here can really be felt...

I installed the vent windows in a 73 hard top more than 40 years ago. Helps a lot with moving air threw and out of the back.
View attachment 3535487

I often wanted to install sliding windows, it sures would help. When not in a too dusty environment I often drive with the hatch partially opened in summer, love the big breeze coming from the back.
Now for ventilation I got it set for this trip, quarter windows in bug catcher mode for low speed, feet doors always opened, and a little USB fan installed to ventilate the back of my head (and when not moving).

Few questions on your 74. Looking at Amayama Trading I see 1/75 as the date for the start 40 series in Europe. Can tell the rear sill is not original. Three footman loops on each barn door ended in 1971. That makes me wonder about the front bench seat. Thought that style ended 9/72?

Not sure where you see that? On the European EPC the FJ40 is listed from 1969:

Toyota Land Cruiser - FJ40LV- complectation - Genuine parts

Electronic parts catalog for Land Cruiser FJ40LV- complectation. Engine, chassis, body and and electric spare parts for FJ40LV- Land Cruiser.

toyota-europe.epc-data.com

In France 1974 is the first year of import but some other countries got them a good bit earlier. Noticeably Switzerland started imported a few Land Cruisers as soon as 1968 with the famous FJ55 of baron de Rothschild: Toyota FJ55 Une voiture de maitre - Pièce occasion - Casse 4x4 - https://www.modulauto.com/toyota-fj55-voiture-maitre

Yes on mine the rear sill was re-done and the barn doors had to be changed... The one I sourced in the US had the 3 loops and I let them but yes my original only have 2. In France we kept the barn doors on the 40 until the end but the hinge are different on barn doors from 1976+ and you can't mix... so very hard to find a correct one here.

For the bench seat it's the factory configuration of mine, title is 3-seater and seat mounting points are different from the 2 seaters version on the tub.
Original owner had the original seats replaced by Bostrom suspension seat. The original passenger bench seat was installed in the back where a jump seat would go. When my father bought it he also got the original driver seat with it... when doing the restoration he was positive he had kept it in one of the basements of the house... let me say that I returned every square inch of those basements searching for it and it had disappeared
I now have installed a 1973 driver seat (and I also found a 1975-1978 driver seat) but I am missing the very very rare 09/73-07/74 only driver seat for 3-seater configuration with both a tall back and a wide seat...
Seats are a long story
The complete story here: Front bench or not? - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/front-bench-or-not.1208426/

Curious how the exhaust under the skid plate survived your trip? Around 1990 I bought the OEM header pipe, muffler, tailpipe and muffler for my 68 while they were still available. Removed it shortly after installing. Put a dent in the leading edge where it went under the skid plate. A lot more rock than sand in Northern Arizona. Sure it's still in my pile of exhaust parts. The above the skid plate routing started melting the PTO case. So pulled the PTO winch. Probably go back to stock on that cruiser or on my 73 FST.

Changing the exhaust is the very last thing I did before leaving for Morocco. The tailpipe was full of holes because the exhaust had moved a little and it was oriented in a way it was collecting water...
But Silencer and center pipe were still good.
Changed all of them for an OEM silencer + reproduction pipes sold by Euro4x4parts (kept my original parts in storage).
The new OEM silencers took 40 days to come (so probably coming from far) and came in absolutely no packaging and full of logistic stickers on it, only the Toyota PN sticker was easy to remove... Also welds in the part where you insert the pipes were not cleaned flat and I had to do it to be able to fit the pipes....................... complete PITA
(checked on my factory one and all inside welds are perfectly cleaned flat)

But for your question, no I did not get any issue with exhaust in my Morocco trip... It never touched and did not went over big rock (and did not got bogged in sand).
My old center pipe touched a few time on offroad situations in Europe but never got damaged by that.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

3/4 Bench seat ran all the way to the square bezel change in countries other than the US. Not only third world countries. My Oz sourced survivor 10/72 and 8/78 40's both have 3/4 bench seats like the OP has. Spare wheel position is also on the other side for RHD models than the OP's on my 10/72.

Just like the current 70 series, there are numerous options and configurations that came from Toyota.

@Living in the Past unless I misunderstand your question, that split bench front seat went all the way through the end of the 4X series (1984) in the GCC.

 

[Living in the Past]

@Living in the Past unless I misunderstand your question, that split bench front seat went all the way through the end of the 4X series (1984) in the GCC.

What I was wondering is with the huge improvement in the 9/72 in the new bucket seats imported to the US is if the bench seats got an improvement also. Looks like the only change was to the left seat. That looks like they just switched to the style used in the FJ45 pickup. Not sure they also got the cover that bolted to the outside. My 65 FJ45LP-B was missing that piece. This my 3/79 FJ40LV KCJA.

The 60% seat is out of a Middle East FJ45LP. This 6/84 HJ47RV from Australia.

It had great front seats. Different than the pickup. If there were RHD would have probably purchased them . So no I wasn't thinking the bench seat was gone after 9/72. I also didn't think Europe did not get any 40 series prior to 1/75. More that Amayama Trading does list any. They were the easiest to search for part numbers. While back they changed the diagrams to choose a section to search..figured that one out but notice how accurate they listing are is not that good.

 

[ryanwk628]

Glad to hear your trip went well! My wife was following along and asked me if something had happened.

Changed all of them for an OEM silencer + reproduction pipes sold by Euro4x4parts (kept my original parts in storage).
The new OEM silencers took 40 days to come (so probably coming from far) and came in absolutely no packaging and full of logistic stickers on it, only the Toyota PN sticker was easy to remove... Also welds in the part where you insert the pipes were not cleaned flat and I had to do it to be able to fit the pipes....................... complete PITA


View attachment 3536360

What were the part numbers for the pipes? Shipping from France may end up being cheaper than what SOR charges.

Edit: Nevermind, I found them.
HTP1519 equivalent to 17401-60041
HTS1344 equivalent to 17431-60220

 

[flx]

What I was wondering is with the huge improvement in the 9/72 in the new bucket seats imported to the US is if the bench seats got an improvement also. Looks like the only change was to the left seat. That looks like they just switched to the style used in the FJ45 pickup. Not sure they also got the cover that bolted to the outside. My 65 FJ45LP-B was missing that piece. This my 3/79 FJ40LV KCJA.
View attachment 3536724
The 60% seat is out of a Middle East FJ45LP. This 6/84 HJ47RV from Australia.
View attachment 3536725
It had great front seats. Different than the pickup. If there were RHD would have probably purchased them . So no I wasn't thinking the bench seat was gone after 9/72. I also didn't think Europe did not get any 40 series prior to 1/75. More that Amayama Trading does list any. They were the easiest to search for part numbers. While back they changed the diagrams to choose a section to search..figured that one out but notice how accurate they listing are is not that good.

For Amayama this is weird because my understanding is that they are the one behind epc-data.com (at least it conveniently redirects to Amayama to buy parts and has the same graphical chart).

As for seat evolution, from 1973 the feet changed quite a lot with th center piece going over the transmission that support both seats (similar to the bucket seats) and no more tool box under the driver seat.
Global seat shape stayed similar to a 1972 (non-US, without the center split), but from 09/1973 the backrest became taller, from 47cm to 50cm (small difference but really helps for comfort, shoulders are better supported and headrest is finally at a useful height for comfort purpose). From 07/1974 the driver seat went from 48cm width to 42cm to accommodate the wider new style door... The feet and metals parts also went from gray painted to black painted somewhere around 1975, but same on bucket seats.

I'll add that pickup bench seats are visually the "same" than the 3-seater non-pickup but the feet are completely different and particularly for the passenger bench they can't be exchanged easily (at least not bolt-on).

After that no change as far as I know up to 1978. And in 1979 when the tank went under the body the seat completely changed as in your picture. Lighter gray vinyl, driver seat very close from a bucket seat and aligned with steering wheel, passenger bench less wide than before so losing capability to carry 2 real adults, different construction, different headrest.

Glad to hear your trip went well! My wife was following along and asked me if something had happened.

What were the part numbers for the pipes? Shipping from France may end up being cheaper than what SOR charges.

Edit: Nevermind, I found them.
HTP1519 equivalent to 17401-60041
HTS1344 equivalent to 17431-60220

Sorry for not giving news... Started a pause for the Holidays and since then never stopped being very busy at life and getting back to it

Good on finding the references
I'll add that from the stickers on them the manufacturer is the Italian company Imasaf and the reference used by euro4x4 seems to be the reference from Imasaf. Now, it's probably simpler anyway to order from Euro4x4, particularly for an international shipping (and not like they are selling them for a crazy price).

As a feedback on the pipes, they are globally good reproductions and feel a lot more sturdy (probably thicker) than the original pieces, but I'll put 2 little notes:
- Tailpipe: the final bend curve is not the same than original as can be seen on my picture. All angles are perfect and it out exactly where needed so it's really being picky and good luck to anyone to notice without putting the original part next to the reproduction.
- Center pipe: At the manifold connection, the "lip" where the flange pull the pipe is a little small (and the flange hole a little too wide), had to fiddle a little and do a few tries so it was correctly installed without leak but since then it has been good. All angles are correct to the original.

 

[flx]

View attachment 3515046

As you can notice I got caught up by a group leaded by Ford Ranger and followed by 5 rental LC 150.


View attachment 3515048

View attachment 3515049

View attachment 3515050

View attachment 3515051

After Anergui I took the mountain road to Imilchil and went to find myself a campspot rrecommended by the lodge owner, on a plateau over the Tislit lake.
View attachment 3515052

This is 2300m altitude and I really froze my ass as soon as the sun disappeared
Still cooked myself a real meal, for only the second time on this trip.
Hopefully after a couple of hours in the swag, temperature inside got better and I had quite a good night.

After 2 months of pause it is finally time to continue this story!
Sorry for the delay, those last 2 months were buuuuusy both in perso and pro life.

But now is finally time to finish it, particularly that after finishing this story I will have a new Toy to present

 

[flx]

It is time for me to start heading North toward my return boat and I plan to do a little more touristy/cultural visits on the way.

Today target is to go from Imilchil to the former imperial city of Meknès.

I don't have a very specific route plan for the day so when at a stop on a little café ont he side of the road someone tells me that I should visit Khénifra national park I decide to divert and go through it instead of taking the main roads.

That was the last light offroad of this journey... I then reach Meknès at night and after getting some lost in the old city finally find somewhere to park and walk to my hotel with a very nice view over the city.

 

[flx]

Today is really a visit day and for this morning visiting Meknès old city and the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail.

 

[flx]

I then go not too far to visit the former Roman city of Volubilis.
On the background can be seen Moulay Driss, one of the saint city of Islam. It seems that people living in this area, spread over 3 different millennials, all decided to build their capital in this here, for some reason.

I then head North to Chefchaouen.

On the way I get a last grease job for the FJ40, the 3rd one since in Morocco... How cool is-it to still be able to have a quick real full service at a service station?
For 2€ they will grease every single zerks they can find, included the PTO.

Finishing the day at the Chefchaouen camping, not the wildest camping but at walking distance from the city.

 

[RevISK]

So cool.

And then?