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Sixty's Guy

Sixty's Guy

Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Threads
46
Messages
644
Location
Tasmania, Australia
Hi all. I bought my FJ55 yesterday. So yesterday morning I took the 1 hour plane flight from Launceston (Tasmania, Australia) to Melbourne. From the airport took the 30 minute bus ride to the train station. I then took the 1.5 hour train ride to Ballarat. Picked up the FJ55 and drove the just over one hour drive to Geelong to meet up with some friends. Then drove one hour to the ferry and took the 11 hour ferry ride to Devonport. Then the one hour drive back to Launceston. So in just over 24 hours I got the 55 back home!

I have been a HJ60 owner for a few years now and have always had a soft spot for them - so I bought one!

Here's some pics;

Existing 60;
DSCF1300.jpg


New 55;
DSCF1301.jpg


DSCF1290.jpg


DSCF1291.jpg


DSCF1294.jpg


Interior;
DSCF1298.jpg


Little bit of rust;
DSCF1292.jpg


DSCF1296.jpg


All in all I'm rather happy with my purchase. It doesn't have too much rust in it. After taking three 1 hour drives in it though I know that I want power steering. Also will get some greaseable shackles and pins and probably some Bilstein shocks. Front disc brakes would be nice too. Other than that just clean up the bodywork a little.

I need a big shed now!
 
Great for you mate:beer:Looks like a clean rig and you've already got hours of drivin' to prove she's right. You know, some don't like the ambi doors but I must say they look right on your 55. I'm pretty much utilitarian and since I have no back glass and my tailgate is ****--I wish I had them. Good luck with your pig/welcome to the sty/ and look forward to hearing more about your work on her----------------Greets, Dave
 
romegadave said:
Great for you mate:beer:Looks like a clean rig and you've already got hours of drivin' to prove she's right. You know, some don't like the ambi doors but I must say they look right on your 55. I'm pretty much utilitarian and since I have no back glass and my tailgate is ****--I wish I had them. Good luck with your pig/welcome to the sty/ and look forward to hearing more about your work on her----------------Greets, Dave
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave. She starts first time and all an probably doesn't drive as bad as I thought it would. I never thought I'd say it though, but my 60 felt luxurious when I drove it this afternoon!
 
Excellent! Your testosterone will now sky rocket!!

And remember....basset hounds and volkswagen buses promote world peace.....FJ55's keep world peace;)
 
:cheers:Welcome to the pen :flipoff2: Don't forget to add the piggie to your sig!
 
I'm afraid to ask how little you paid for that sexy beast. Love the ambulance doors!!!!! I would guess $2800 AUD.
 
fjdaveinoz said:
Is that the one I seen on Ebay? is a nice looking truck, one of the better ones sold recently.
congrats!

Dave
Click to expand...

Yeh, was on Ebay briefly............. until I saw it! I missed out on a nice one a few weeks back so I snatched this one up straight away.
 
That is indeed one fine looking swine. Well, maybe except for the white wagon wheels...
And the interior looks pristine. Even the dash. is that the original dash or a dash cover?
Would like some engine pics. Was Toyota still using the vacuum advance dizzy in Oz in 1975?
I like my tailgate, when it works, 'cause I cook on it. I think the tailgate is more useful than ambulance doors...but over here, ambulance doors would be way cooler than a tailgate.
 
Pighead said:
That is indeed one fine looking swine. Well, maybe except for the white wagon wheels...
And the interior looks pristine. Even the dash. is that the original dash or a dash cover?
Would like some engine pics. Was Toyota still using the vacuum advance dizzy in Oz in 1975?
I like my tailgate, when it works, 'cause I cook on it. I think the tailgate is more useful than ambulance doors...but over here, ambulance doors would be way cooler than a tailgate.
Click to expand...


Thanks. I'm thinking that I will put the wheels and tyres off the 60 in the top pic and put my 35z back on the 60. Dash is original. It does have one large crack on the top near the passenger that can;t be seen in that pic. Engine pics in a few days. Not sure on the vacuum advance. I wasn't too fussed with the rear doors - I just wanted a 55!
 
I have done some suspension work to the old girl in the last few days. I bought new bushes, greaseable shackles and pins, U bolts and a new steering damper, all from Belton. I baulked at buying new springs though. At $860 plus freight from Belton I decided to get out of it cheap and make up my own custom packs.

I got given a 2nd hand set of OME +2" 60 series springs, so I set about using those on the 55. I had a good look at it, but decided that I didn't want to weld on new hangers etc or muck around with different size bushes. So I swapped the top leaf (with the eyes) off the 60 series pack for the top leaf off the 55. This then means that the springs bolted straight up to the 55.

I pulled the 60 leaf packs apart and gave them a clean with a wire wheel on the end of my drill. I them gave them a liberal coat of Killrust black paint. I bought the 'pads' from between the springs and new centre bolts from the local springworks. I put moly grease on all of the leaves and bolted them up together again. The old packs had a free camber of 183mm. The 55 packs had a free camber of 125mm. My 'ghetto' spring packs had a camber of 175mm.

Whilst doing the springs my new Bilsteins arrived - woohoo. I used F4-B46-0247 shocks for the front. These are for a standard height FJ60. The shocks have lengths of 526mm extended and 333mm compressed. I bought OMEB11 bushes to convert the large bottom eye to suit the 16mm pins. Apart from that they bolted right up.

All up I gained 50mm, so I'm rather happy with my cheap ass efforts. As for the rear pack, they already have an add a leaf, so I am going to add a long leaf from a front 3" lift 60 series spring pack and then remove some of the smaller leaves. I'll get around to that in the next few weeks. I'm hoping for a 25mm lift from that with a much smoother ride.

Pics;

New friction pads;
DSCF1454.jpg


'New' springs;
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Original springs made by Mitsubishi?
DSCF1438.jpg


Bilsteins;
DSCF1458.jpg


End result;
DSCF1456.jpg


The night before I decided to reinstall the thermostat - I had taken it out to show the local auto shop so they could order me a replacement. Broke a bolt when putting the top thermostat housing on. Had to drive 5km to get the 55 to my workshop - here's my bush mechanic fix - worked too!
DSCF1442.jpg
 
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I got the rear springs done on the weekend. The existing spring pack had 9 leaves and was hard. I removed the add a leaf that was in there as well as the bottom 4 springs. I replaced these with springs out of a 60 series front 3" lift pack. I used the longest leaf with the military wrap (cut off each end of the spring) and also a medium length spring. So 6 leaves all up. The free camber on the 55 springs was 175mm, the new packs have a camber of 190mm. The rear has now been raised by approximately 15mm and the ride is a lot softer. I haven't been able to take it for a decent run yet as I am waiting on the replacement bottom thermosat housing to turn up, but it does ride nicely over the speed humps on the street. I also installed the Bilstein shocks on the rear (F4-B46-0258) and replaced the rear sway bar bushes with nolathane bushes.

I do have an issue with the front springs though. I have 'Landcruiser Lean' to the drivers side of about 15mm - not much, but enough for me to notice. I am considering removing the PTO winch and if I do that I'll remove another leaf from the front pack and swap them from side to side.

Pics;
DSCF1464.jpg


DSCF1460.jpg


Next project is the power steering - I now have all of the hardware to do it, but I need to do some work on my Jayco van first. Power steering will have to wait a month or so.
 
My 45 Series also has these 'Mitsubishi' Marked Springs. Mine is a 1975 model. Something crazy going on...!
 
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