1988 HJ61 12HT Land Cruiser project Denmark - update July

[JVangDenmark]

Hi all

This is my project. It is build for daily driving and overlanding for the weekends and holidays. We like to travel to Norway and Sweden. Dreaming about more and other countries. This truck is imported fra Spain to Denmark. It had a respray in 2019. Sadly it is not a very good bodywork but the chassis and body is in pretty rustfree condition. My plan is to make it all work - technical and make the car drive as good as possible. So far so good

The car has a very clean and dry 12ht diesel, twin lockers, aircondition, 24 volt and a lot of chrome.

I have already done:

- complete suspension ARB 2" heavy duty front and rear
- rebuild the front and rear axels
- new windscreen, seal and chrome mouldings
- new ARB bullbar
- new ARB Solis lights
- new Bushranger winch
- new ARB roofrack
- new 16x8 ET-35 black steel rims
- new 285/75/16 BF AT tires
- new chrome grill and brezels
- new stickers is coming

And all other small things. More to come

 

[kevin in okinawa]

gorgeous looking 61! that red really pops now. Well done!

 

[duncanrm]

Spectacular!

No money shot though (Engine Bay)?

 

[Gimme a 60]

Amazing truck! It will defiantly be worth it when you sell it.

 

[JVangDenmark]

Thank you - I hope I can keep this truck for a very long time. It is not build for sale. I have had some Toyota trucks in the past - I have regret all the sales. sadly it was necessary at the time. I have build HJ45 PU, HJ45 Troopy and a HZJ75. Had a LJ70. And I will be doing one more HJ61. When this truck is done. This HJ61 replaced my 120 Prado.

 

[Gimme a 60]

Thank you - I hope I can keep this truck for a very long time. It is not build for sale. I have had some Toyota trucks in the past - I have regret all the sales. sadly it was necessary at the time. I have build HJ45 PU, HJ45 Troopy and a HZJ75. Had a LJ70. And I will be doing one more HJ61. When this truck is done. This HJ61 replaced my 120 Prado.

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Truly these trucks are amazing. If I could find them down where I live I would hopefully have more than just a rusted out 62 series…… think a 70 series is my next stop if I can find one. Cool trucks though, sucks you sold them especially the 70, don’t think I will sell mine ever too!

 

[JVangDenmark]

Land Cruisers in Denmark is very rare. They are all rusted and gone. More or less. That is why we are looking south when we will purchase one. The are becoming very expensive and very hard to find parts. The 40series is easier when we need parts. More aftermarket parts is manufactured as you know.

The LC is just amazing and worth keeping and restoring in my opinion.

 

[HueyDriver]

Love the red and black color combo... How did you fill the existing holes after removing the OEM roof rack?

 

[JVangDenmark]

I simply clean it all up - put a little sealer (UV resistent etc) in the tread holes and on the stainless steel bolts. Screwed them in and done

 

[HueyDriver]

Nice. What size tires were on the OEM rim? 31's?

 

[JVangDenmark]

Nice. What size tires were on the OEM rim? 31's?

Yes

 

[CenTXFJ60]

Hi all

This is my project. It is build for daily driving and overlanding for the weekends and holidays. We like to travel to Norway and Sweden. Dreaming about more and other countries. This truck is imported fra Spain to Denmark. It had a respray in 2019. Sadly it is not a very good bodywork but the chassis and body is in pretty rustfree condition. My plan is to make it all work - technical and make the car drive as good as possible. So far so good

The car has a very clean and dry 12ht diesel, twin lockers, aircondition, 24 volt and a lot of chrome.

I have already done:

- complete suspension ARB 2" heavy duty front and rear
- rebuild the front and rear axels
- new windscreen, seal and chrome mouldings
- new ARB bullbar
- new ARB Solis lights
- new Bushranger winch
- new ARB roofrack
- new 16x8 ET-35 black steel rims
- new 285/75/16 BF AT tires
- new chrome grill and brezels
- new stickers is coming

And all other small things. More to come

Man that is a beautiful 61. Do not see many of them in that color. I'm curious what you're going to do with the factory rims you took off. I'm sure it's not economically sound, but I'd love to buy them to go on one of my 61's. I'm having some locked axles picked up at Cruiser world which I believe is in the Netherlands. Look forward to seeing your progress on this sweet truck.

 

[JVangDenmark]

Man that is a beautiful 61. Do not see many of them in that color. I'm curious what you're going to do with the factory rims you took off. I'm sure it's not economically sound, but I'd love to buy them to go on one of my 61's. I'm having some locked axles picked up at Cruiser world which I believe is in the Netherlands. Look forward to seeing your progress on this sweet truck.

Thank you - I like the freeborn red more and more. Well - I have one more HJ61 1987, 24v, 12ht and locking axles. My plan is to mount the wheels to that truck. Yes - I also buy stuff from Cruiserworld in the Netherlands.

 

[JVangDenmark]

Hi all

Did some test fitting of the new cheap Pioneer HU. The reason for this HU was the ability for a rear camera - saving a lot of time hooking the trailer on Still amazed that the brackets in the old truck just fits on a HU from 2021 Did have to integrate a 24v to 12v converter. Correct voltage for the HU and the electrical antenna.

Just need to do some wiring route for the rear tailgate and find a suitable placement for the camera - I think I will mount it in the rear tailgate handle. More to come. Other than that I am working on a new hitch.

 

[JVangDenmark]

Today I build the hitch for the truck. I wanted a detachable hitch and a adjustable hight. I think it looks okay and the fact it can be removed will save me for some bruses on my knees

 

[JVangDenmark]

Spent some time figuring out the placement for the reversing cam and made a sample on the old tailgate handle before cutting the brand new one. I think it turned out great and it is now very easy to reverse to the trailer

 

[JVangDenmark]

Yesterday I started renewing my steering column. I found loose bolts, broken wire for the tilt function and of course some wear.

 

[relaxedcruiser]

Hi there,

very clean truck and impressive colour - congratulations !

I did much the same with my steering column two year ago - and still had some sort of a rattle. Very annoying. Turned out to be minor torsional play in the sliding shaft at the steering box. A smear with Red "N" Tacky Lucas grease solved the problem very since satisfactorily since then.
I don't know if you get that grease in Denmark but for sure any sort of tacky grease will do the job.
Some have added a grease nipple to that shaft - but if you put too much grease in it - maybe even in the inner end cavity then you'll loose the imact saving properties of that shaft in the hopefully very unlikely event of an collosion.
Just a thought...

 

[JVangDenmark]

Started my build of the truck yesterday. We have some priorities - Fridge, space for our dog and space for food and water. Anything else has to be on the roof rack! sounds easy - but really isn't! well depends on how much crap we have to carry the plan is a cabinet at the right hand side with a top acces and cabinet around the fridge. The cabinet at the left side of the fridge has to have the air compressor and storage for longer items. On top of the fridge and left side cabinet my plan is to build some sort of storage - don't now how to yet!

 

[Silveredition]

Gday mate, this is the back of my 1988 Hj61… I have tool boxes either side (sub woofer in the middle… I now have the sun over to the right and have a 57L Engel in a slide on the left with a steel mesh cage over it…
Might give you some ideas…