70 series... A few Q's

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chicago

chicago

Joined
Jan 18, 2006
Threads
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9,610
Location
Reno, Nevada
I'm CONSIDERING trying to get a 70 series.
Since this is the premier site for all Toyota 4wd vehicles, I thought I'd start here.
I love cruisers!! Had an fj62 which was the first rig I built and what started my love of cruisers and toyotas and I just completed an fj40 build.
I've recently developed a love for the 70 series that I would use as a DD and "expedition" type rig.
The questions I have....

How are the diesel motors on fuel or what type of mileage do you get w/ them!?
How are they as far as hwy speeds?
Is there a particular year or motor that is BEST??
Are parts hard to source?
What type of routine maintainance is required?
I'd want a LHD... How and where is the best way to source these??
What is the import process like and what should I expect to pay for one ( I know this will vary, but for a decent, clean 70 series)?
I'd sell my Tacoma (06) for this.

Thanks for any and all input.

Keith
 
Tons of info in this section, search is your friend;)

chicago said:
How are the diesel motors on fuel or what type of mileage do you get w/ them!?better than the gassers, high teens to mid 20s depending on the engine, truck, gearing, tire size, etc...
How are they as far as hwy speeds?
pretty good, the 5 speeds roll pretty good on the highway, rubber overdrive helps too
Is there a particular year or motor that is BEST??
I'm partial to the 1HZ myself but mostly the trucks with the B and H are importable right now.:meh:
Are parts hard to source?
depends on the motor/truck, but that is always a concern. There are a few good vendors, some in the US, a bunch in Canada, that carry parts for non-USA trucks.
What type of routine maintainance is required?
Nothing outside of what any other landcruiser would need
I'd want a LHD... How and where is the best way to source these??
now that the 70 series are getting to be over 25 years, hence outside of the EPA and DOT import regulatory ass pain, you see more for sale. You have to watch the classifieds here, eBay, Craig's list, etc.
What is the import process like and what should I expect to pay for one ( I know this will vary, but for a decent, clean 70 series)?
with importing, anything older than 25 years are a snap to import. prices? since they are "rare" they draw a premium compared to the 60 series trucks of the same year.
Click to expand...
 
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chicago said:
The questions I have....

How are the diesel motors on fuel or what type of mileage do you get w/ them!?
How are they as far as hwy speeds?
Is there a particular year or motor that is BEST??
Are parts hard to source?
What type of routine maintainance is required?
I'd want a LHD... How and where is the best way to source these??
What is the import process like and what should I expect to pay for one ( I know this will vary, but for a decent, clean 70 series)?
I'd sell my Tacoma (06) for this.
Thanks for any and all input.
Keith
Click to expand...

Keith, Here are a few responses... definitely not meant to be answers.
MILEAGE: I have averaged about 24 miles per US gallon over the past few decades.
SPEED: If you want speed, do not get a diesel Land Cruiser.
PARTS: Not too difficult to find, but getting harder with time.
MAINTENANCE: Change filters and liquids mostly... and keep it lubed.
IMPORT: Anything over 25 years can be imported easily into USA.
SOURCES: Canada, Mexico, or Central America are possible sources for LHD.
 
You will greatly enhance your choices if you are open to RHD models. :)
 
1990 - 1997 HZJ75 pickup/troopy w/1HZ [aftermarket/factory turbo a must]
1985 - 1989 BJ74 MWB [a little short on room for an expo truck - but great]
1998+[?] HZJ78/79 pickup/troopy w/1HZ [aftermarket/factory turbo a must]

I'd get my hands on a diesel truck and take it for a test drive first. I officially volunteer 1978HJ45's truck as he is closer than I. Though admittedly until it gets it's Kangaroo's Crossing sign it's performance will be lacklustre :cool:
 
For RHD you will be mostly limited to the mid-eightys BJ70 from Canada.

If you were open to buying from EU then the whole range becomes available. 61,70,75,77,81

Check these sites for EU cruisers.

http://www.autoscout24.eu/
http://www.mobile.de/

There are lots of mudders in EU and I'm sure that help with an EU purchase would be easy to find.

My experience with diesels is that they get about 50% better milage on the highway and maybe 100% better milage on the trail.

They are comparable in fuel consumption to newer big three diesel pick-ups I would say.
 
cult45 said:
1990 - 1997 HZJ75 pickup/troopy w/1HZ [aftermarket/factory turbo a must]
1985 - 1989 BJ74 MWB [a little short on room for an expo truck - but great]
1998+[?] HZJ78/79 pickup/troopy w/1HZ [aftermarket/factory turbo a must]

I'd get my hands on a diesel truck and take it for a test drive first. I officially volunteer 1978HJ45's truck as he is closer than I. Though admittedly until it gets it's Kangaroo's Crossing sign it's performance will be lacklustre :cool:
Click to expand...

I will gladly forward my mailing address so you can ship my "kangaroo crossing" sign. :) I am always looking for ways to increase my lack luster performance. :D
 
chicago said:
I'm CONSIDERING trying to get a 70 series.
Since this is the premier site for all Toyota 4wd vehicles, I thought I'd start here.
I love cruisers!! Had an fj62 which was the first rig I built and what started my love of cruisers and toyotas and I just completed an fj40 build.
I've recently developed a love for the 70 series that I would use as a DD and "expedition" type rig.
The questions I have....

How are the diesel motors on fuel or what type of mileage do you get w/ them!?
How are they as far as hwy speeds?
Is there a particular year or motor that is BEST??
Are parts hard to source?
What type of routine maintainance is required?
I'd want a LHD... How and where is the best way to source these??
.

Thanks for any and all input.

Keith
Click to expand...

The 1HZ diesel engine is probably the best if you consider price+ availability of parts in NA+ availabilty of engine+reliabilty+ease of maintenance.
The 1HZ will get 12-14 litres/100klm at 60-70 mph on the flat.
Maintenance doesnt come any easier than oil and filter changes.
But getting a 25 yo vehicle with one of these will not happen as they are only 22 years old.

If I was in your shoes and had some mechanical knowledge,I would get the nicest FJ62 I could find and do a 1HZ diesel and 5 sp conversion.
One of your american vendors has just starting making engine mount brackets for this conversion,the rest is fairly easy as the 1HZ is very similar in size to the F engine
Most of the diesel units will be from Australia or Japan and will be RHD

You may want a 7* series,but in reality the 60 series is the same in terms of quality and offroad abilty compared to a LWB 75/78/79 series.
In fact the 60 with its wider track probably handles better on the road.
Everything else is the same almost ,diffs ,brakes,electrical,t/case(although the US vehicles are a bit moe different,much of it is a straight bolt on.)
 
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Rosco, is there a 60 series that comes in mid to short wheel base...or are they all the four door wagon style? From what I found online I've only seen the four door style, but I'm not extremely bright when it comes to Toyota and all of their series within 4/6/7.

edit* I just read 75/78/79...I'm an idiot...I'll blame it on the couple drinks I've had.
 
1978HJ45 said:
I will gladly forward my mailing address so you can ship my "kangaroo crossing" sign. :) I am always looking for ways to increase my lack luster performance. :D
Click to expand...

I'm on it, slowly but surely. The conditions must be right for theft - location, time of night and not 100mph on my way to some fxxxing thing.
 
cult45 said:
I'm on it, slowly but surely. The conditions must be right for theft - location, time of night and not 100mph on my way to some fxxxing thing.
Click to expand...

The odds are in your favor ..... Go for it. :D
 
Thanks for the great info here gents.
Search?? What's that?! ;)
I'm actually surprised to find that this info isn't stickied in the FAQ?!?
The 60 series are Bitchin, but the 70 series are very unique.
I'm not a hot rodder by any means, but cruising at 70 mph is a pretty common travel speed in these parts.
Seems that Canada would be the easiest and most logical place to look for one in a lhd?!
Thanks for the links Kevin!!
 
Do you want A/C or have you gotten accustomed to the "dry heat"? I believe most of the Canadian BJ70's will be minus A/C. :)
 
Estancio said:
You sure about that? I only saw LHD BJ70s in Canada in 1985-86-87.
Click to expand...

Yeah, sorry. By RHD i mean Right (Correct) Hand Drive. ha ha

What I should have said was LHD models will be limited to mid-eightys BJ70s. Most of which are quite rusty. The odd one comes up though. Hang out on the Coastal Cruisers section on this forum to keep up with what is for sale. Chech BC kijiji as well.
 
If it is your intention to import from Europe you will need to consider the exchange rate between the U.S. Dollar $ and the Euro £ which is certainly not in your favor.
 
Yes there are lots of bj73 landcruisers here in spain BUT,

Almost all have the vm5 2.5 turbo diesel from the italian engine builder vm motori wich is the same engine used in old alfa romeos.(build in the same region most ferrari maserati and lamborgini engines are build;))

That particular engine has a verry bad reputation as being unrelayable and verry much problems of all kind.

But buy the car cheap and throw a mercedes 602 diesel(or other overengineered diesel) in and your golden !:eek:
 
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