Best model for expedition base?

[cruiser_guy]

If you drive a 100 series to South America, you'll have every eye staring at you and your ride both good eyes and bad eyes. I've been to many remote villages and sketchy towns throughout South/Central America, a 100 series will bring too much attention IMHO

55/60 maybe a scratched up or dented 80 is what I'd go with.

I'll second that! As a white guy driving a '60 with Canadian plates in Guatemala we do get looks though I doubt it's as bad as it would be if we had a '80 or '100 series. We have also heavily tinted all but the front and drivers/passenger window as well to keep prying eyes out.

I actually think that our '55 gets more looks than the '60! Maybe because it's in such nice shape compared to what's down here, not that the '60 is bad.

 

[hks3sgte]

HJ61

Land Cruiser of choice for veteran Saharan traveler, Chris Scott...

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Is the question about expedition travel for inside the USA or out? If inside the USA a stock or mildly lifted 80 would be the choice.

If it's world wide travel you want, then a 60 would be a much better choice. Obviously you give up a lot of power and comfort, but you make it up in simpler mechanicals, far less electronics, and less of a truck that screams rich and foolish Americans inside.

Re 55s. The drive train is not as strong, and they tend to be much more rusty. One could be built into a fine expedition machine, but a 60 starts closer to the ideal.

Everything else being equal, a diesel would be more desirable than a petrol fueled vehicle.

 

[Sherpa 60]

Back door import of a 70 series troopie would be it for me.

80 series? in U.S. form IMO it is way to complicated to be a serious expedition vehicle. I loved the ride and power of my 80, but electric glitches really put me off...and the cost to repair was astronomical. Thank god for extended warranties. And, remember you gotta flat tow those beasts, or pull the driveshafts (as I had to do coming out of Canyonlands!).

Sold the 80 ten years ago and built my 60. Properly set up it is a decent long range vehicle and dead nuts reliable. Can't cover ground like my 80, but it is a whole lot simplier and that can be big plus.

The 70 series is kind of the best of both worlds, newer technology, but simple as well...and readily available in North America with a diesel.

 

[BillyGHusk]

Is the question about expedition travel for inside the USA or out?

both but in the end more outside the US

Re 55s. The drive train is not as strong, and they tend to be much more rusty. One could be built into a fine expedition machine, but a 60 starts closer to the ideal.

I can envision part of the build being a drive train swap, mainly to get the diesel....

 

[BillyGHusk]

Back door import of a 70 series troopie would be it for me.

The 70 series is kind of the best of both worlds, newer technology, but simple as well...and readily available in North America with a diesel.

By readily available in NA you mean Canada?

Back door import?
Don't know exactly what you mean but I like the way you think...

 

[Dave-T]

60's are simple and great looking, but an FJZ80 would be more comfortable for long hours on the road.

For Toyota engines I would say the 2F, 1FZ-FE, or a turboed 1HZ (1HD-T) with a H55F five speed tranny.

 

[Sherpa 60]

yep

 

[LC_Hamma]

s , 60's or 62's. Cummins 4 or 6BT, NV4500, Atlas II, D60's would be my fav. setup. Bob the bed, 4 link F & R, coils, tube the rear, add your racks, etc.

 

[Sherpa 60]

By readily available in NA you mean Canada?

Back door import?
Don't know exactly what you mean but I like the way you think...

Yep, Canada. There was a BJ78 for sale on eBAY Canada recently for about for C$9,100.

Bringing a Troopie into the U.S. will be a challenge. There was a article in the latest issue of Toyota Trails about importing trucks. Be a couple of years until importing a70 is an option, as I believe 25years old is the magic number for a reasonably straight forward process.

Otherwise...got a friend at the DMV?

 

[hks3sgte]

s , 60's or 62's. Cummins 4 or 6BT, NV4500, Atlas II, D60's would be my fav. setup. Bob the bed, 4 link F & R, coils, tube the rear, add your racks, etc.

I can imagine all of that breaking while overlanding.

KISS

 

[LC_Hamma]

I can imagine all of that breaking while overlanding.

KISS

I'd trust that setup WAY more than anything Toyota ever offered

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I'd trust that setup WAY more than anything Toyota ever offered

Yes, but stock is what you can get fixed in the 3rd world. Try finding a tranny input bearing for an NV4500 in South Africa. You need one for a Cruiser, no problem. What about Atlas parts anywhere besides the USA? Custom set-ups are nice, but not for this kind of travel. A Cruiser diesel would be OK, but a 4BT in the middle of the Silk Road...?

I can't think of a less satisfactory 3rd world set up. The closer you stay to stock, the better off you will be.

 

[BiG BoB]

Yes, but stock is what you can get fixed in the 3rd world. Try finding a tranny input bearing for an NV4500 in South Africa. You need one for a Cruiser, no problem. What about Atlas parts anywhere besides the USA? Custom set-ups are nice, but not for this kind of travel. A Cruiser diesel would be OK, but a 4BT in the middle of the Silk Road...?

I can't think of a less satisfactory 3rd world set up. The closer you stay to stock, the better off you will be.

This dude speaks the truth! I spend most of my time travelling in vehicles here in Australia (mineral exploration) and if something breaks, and its stock (to that model) then its easy to get bits Just a quick sat phone or Flying Doctor radio call and a description is all thats needed - as the toyota parts guys can figure out the rest

If however it's a vehicle thats been repowered, or heavily modified then issues can arise! One vehicle that my boss thought was a good idea at the time was a 75 Series trayback modified to be a dualcab, with a full length tray on an extended wheelbase chassis. When the carrier bearing and a uni went on the custom made driveshaft, and I was 2 days from the blacktop, it was kinda hard to get a new one!!

In the end I got out ok, after dropping the tailshaft out completly and driving out on the front wheels only - with a second vehicle riding shotgun (mostly incase of bogging).

If it had of been a stock cruiser, I could have had a chopper drop the driveshaft parts off a few hours after it happened, and been back at work in no time

Sean

 

[LC_Hamma]

Yes, but stock is what you can get fixed in the 3rd world. Try finding a tranny input bearing for an NV4500 in South Africa. You need one for a Cruiser, no problem. What about Atlas parts anywhere besides the USA? Custom set-ups are nice, but not for this kind of travel. A Cruiser diesel would be OK, but a 4BT in the middle of the Silk Road...?

I can't think of a less satisfactory 3rd world set up. The closer you stay to stock, the better off you will be.

Hmmm.... Good point. I really didn't give it that much thought about traveling to other countries. I'm building my for expedition style wheelin for the US & that drivetrain would suit me well. I guess I'm trying to merge a rock crawler w/ an exp. rig. :shrug:

 

[hks3sgte]

Hmmm.... Good point. I really didn't give it that much thought about traveling to other countries. I'm building my for expedition style wheelin for the US & that drivetrain would suit me well. I guess I'm trying to merge a rock crawler w/ an exp. rig. :shrug:

Nice build, by the way.

 

[cruiser_guy]

Yes, but stock is what you can get fixed in the 3rd world. Try finding a tranny input bearing for an NV4500 in South Africa. You need one for a Cruiser, no problem. What about Atlas parts anywhere besides the USA? Custom set-ups are nice, but not for this kind of travel. A Cruiser diesel would be OK, but a 4BT in the middle of the Silk Road...?

I can't think of a less satisfactory 3rd world set up. The closer you stay to stock, the better off you will be.

EXACTLY!! I'm here in Guatemala and I went looking for parts for my tranny (second gear is acting up). I was shown several trannies complete for a "B" series engine as well as various parts all in the matter of an hour or two this morning (I ended up buying a complete H41 setup for the "B" series engine for just over $100). I was also looking for parts for the Ford full size van we have here at the school but NO LUCK on that!

In the U.S. it would have been the exact opposite. Tons of parts for the Ford but NOTHING for a Toyota "B" series diesel. I expect that applies throughout the developing world. That's why it is important to determine where you will be travelling BEFORE deciding what modifications you want to make.

btw Our '55 is not stock in the strict sense of the word but it is comprised totally of stock Toyota components including the driveshafts so parts are also readily available for that.

 

[Teebag]

Yes, but stock is what you can get fixed in the 3rd world. Try finding a tranny input bearing for an NV4500 in South Africa. You need one for a Cruiser, no problem. What about Atlas parts anywhere besides the USA? Custom set-ups are nice, but not for this kind of travel. A Cruiser diesel would be OK, but a 4BT in the middle of the Silk Road...?

I can't think of a less satisfactory 3rd world set up. The closer you stay to stock, the better off you will be.

well said, out here stock it best, even oversized tyres can cause a problem, most carry 2 spares.

 

[Grolar]

I'm always raving about the 105. I'd buy one in a snap.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Once you get a turbo you will love your truck. Also a neat trick I learned from the Canadians with their 3Bs powering 38" tires is to pull your head, polish the pre cups (with a cheapo autozone porting and polishing kit), and put it back on, and all of a sudden you have a 3B that can breath really well. Should take about a day for the operation. Night and day in the 3Bs I have driven. You can also do a hopebrew turbo a little cheaper if need be, I did it with my HJ60 and it it turned out excellently. I think you already own your expedition vehicle!