77 Series Build Thread - WildSouth, New Zealand
Hi all, and welcome to another one of my build threads (my other one is for my main daily driver, a 100 Series 1HD-FTE).
Over the past few years I have been casting my eye over all sorts of vehicle sales, looking for something with character - I had a Land Rover Defender, in fact two, both very briefly. Too unreliable, too hard to source parts, too many “random” small failures and faults (window mechanisms, lights, wiper/turn signal arms breaking, etc). Since owning my 100 Series Cruiser, I have thought that maybe I can fill this “character” void in my garage with some sort of old school Land Cruiser. BJ73/74’s are very common in New Zealand here, as are KZJ78 Prados; so I was tending towards a Troopy or a 77 Series. My preference being the latter, as having the four doors is much more practical.
With a 77 Series in mind, I started really hunting, for over a year. Only two came up - one was rusty and on it’s last legs, the other had been in a big accident and needed all sorts of rebuilding (engine, body, etc). The two aforementioned trucks were both “nearly” vehicles - they both were automatic, when I wanted manual, and both didn’t have diff-locks, which I also badly desired but knew were PROBABLY a dream, and only a dream, that wouldn’t be possible.
77’s are rare, just about everywhere in the world bar Japan, so I was becoming exhausted with the search. That was until one day recently, I happened to be on Facebook Marketplace and a 77 Series to pop up. I started reading…..one owner….silver…..manual……factory diff locks front and rare! THIS WAS IT. For two years I had waited, so I had to be quick.
Two hours later she was mine.
My ultimate plan will be explained soon, but in the meantime, here she is:
