Build Build: my 77 to 78 series and back again. Again.

[BiffS]

Long story short.

A few years back I attempted inverted driving in my 1991 77 series. As expected, it didn't go as well as you might think it would.

So at the time I managed to retain my truck from insurance and thanks to John at Radd Cruisers I had a new (to me) 78 series Prado body and my 77 was resurrected as a two tone LJ 78 on paper.

For some reason I decided that it would be easier to swap out all the 12V stuff in the 78 donor body for my 24V stuff just to keep it "easy".

Fast forward to now and I've happened upon a parts 78 series that is the same color that my truck used to be and also very low KM (49,000 KM) and all the interior and doors close so nicely!

So now the plan:

12 Volt conversion on my 1PZ engine which never came to my knowledge, in a 12V variant. This will mean messing with VCDS, glow charging etc. I'll also be keeping/ deleting related wiring from the donor 2 LTE body in order to retain as factory an appearance and function as possible.

I'll also be transferring over all my other goodies and try and document that process as well.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of concise information available about these steps so I'll save this section below for edits and summary.

I welcome your comments and of course find my sale thread elsewhere about all the excess 12 and 24 volt stuff for sale to help finance this endeavour. For Sale: - 77 series 24volt stuff and 78 series truck nearly complete. in Van, BC Canada

 

[ForealBoreal]

I'll be watching this.
I may need to buy the odd thing off you

 

[broth9640]

Well Hell, your this deep, might as well pile on a 1 HDT swap too!

 

[BiffS]

Meh....

Well Hell, your this deep, might as well pile on a 1 HDT swap too!

1PZ-T been working good for nearly 10 years. Km are low and I've had it for nearly 110K of those km so I know it's a sound motor. Thought about the HDT but I can't justify that expense too....

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Nice sprung over PZJ77! Sorry to hear about the roll over a few years ago. Did it happen while wheeling? Or a driving accident?

I will also be interested in some of the stuff you will be selling.

I've always been curious about the subtle differences between the 77 and 78 trucks (other than the obvious engine and front body differences). I'll be following your thread with interest.

I found a KZJ78 that has been rolled, and was tempted to buy it and swap my LJ78 body onto it. Seems like a lot of work for a mediocre engine upgrade though. Was going to retain the LJ78 4.88 diffs, as they are perfect with 35" tires. Anyhow, curious to see how much work it all is....thanks for sharing.

 

[BiffS]

Nice sprung over PZJ77! Sorry to hear about the roll over a few years ago. Did it happen while wheeling? Or a driving accident?

I will also be interested in some of the stuff you will be selling.

I've always been curious about the subtle differences between the 77 and 78 trucks (other than the obvious engine and front body differences). I'll be following your thread with interest.

I found a KZJ78 that has been rolled, and was tempted to buy it and swap my LJ78 body onto it. Seems like a lot of work for a mediocre engine upgrade though. Was going to retain the LJ78 4.88 diffs, as they are perfect with 35" tires. Anyhow, curious to see how much work it all is....thanks for sharing.

Well now having had two different LJ bodies pass thru my hands I can tell you these differences thus far. "50A" was the carpet number.

The firewall back, the 77 and 78 series are virtually identical. The LJ series has a 3rd row seat and the mounting points on the body to reflect that. The seat buckets are there below the carpet. The carpet number is different as well. It looks like this specific body does not have mounting points to accept my factory suspension seats, but i haven't compared very closely yet either.


Doors, trims, etc only vary depending on the trim level, but the dash and all of those parts are the same. Really the only other major difference is the 12volt and 24 volt parts. This LJ and the original two tone one were both automatic, but the floor plates etc all allow for my manual transmission plate and power clutch assembly.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Well now having had two different LJ bodies pass thru my hands I can tell you these differences thus far. "50A" was the carpet number.

The firewall back, the 77 and 78 series are virtually identical. The LJ series has a 3rd row seat and the mounting points on the body to reflect that. The seat buckets are there below the carpet. The carpet number is different as well. It looks like this specific body does not have mounting points to accept my factory suspension seats, but i haven't compared very closely yet either.


Doors, trims, etc only vary depending on the trim level, but the dash and all of those parts are the same. Really the only other major difference is the 12volt and 24 volt parts. This LJ and the original two tone one were both automatic, but the floor plates etc all allow for my manual transmission plate and power clutch assembly.

Good to know, thanks!

Are you running the R series or H series transmission?

 

[BiffS]

Good to know, thanks!

Are you running the R series or H series transmission?

R 151F. as from factory.

 

[BiffS]

Well a long night in the shop has resulted in the bodies being face swapped over. at least in principal. There's some exhaust holes and a bit of body rust that i'm going to fix before i mate it all up again. in the mean time, the Prado looks a lot more... Prado. and my 77 looks more.. Non-Prado. excellent!

 

[divemedic]

Beautiful... Here is a buddy of mine's. Same same but different. It's doable and awesom!

 

[BiffS]

Well... At long last i've finally got some time to get back to work on the truck. She's been sitting sad and parked for months, driven here and there, but mostly... not.

Updates:

Finished the body swap: did a 12V conversion... took a lot of time to figure out all the little gremlins which i still am fighting against: turn signals, reverse lights, headlights, glow units, A/C.. depressing just typing it.

hush now

• BiffS
• Mar 14, 2017

put a thick layer of peel and stick around the body to absorb some of the road noise. It's like...

Rolling out of the shop

• BiffS
• Mar 14, 2017

ready for May long

• BiffS
• Mar 14, 2017

Whipsaw

• BiffS
• Mar 14, 2017

Whipsaw: blending in the scratches

Went to OZ and NZ in the fall, and hit the motherland... ARB factory just outside of Melbourne,

ARB headquarters

• BiffS
• Mar 14, 2017

Just outside of Melbourne

Toyota store in NZ

• BiffS
• Mar 14, 2017

Found my dream version of this truck... with the 1VD-FTD! 4.7L twin turbo V8 DIESEL! working on getting my cousin to send me one over. that would be great!!!!

So. Much. Want.

• BiffS
• Mar 14, 2017

newer 76 series in NZ with 1VD-FTE

and she made it thru the holidays....

Ho Ho Ho

• BiffS
• Mar 14, 2017

that's a 9' tree

plans for the coming weeks will be:

- get my rear bumper installed
- sort out headlights and lighting gremlins
- more armour
- stereo upgrades
- hydro assist
- water to air intercooler
- installing my Aus spec hood scoop
- exterior lighting
- interior lighting
- - everything else...

wish me luck!

 

[chappohj47]

Truck looks good mate that vdj79 wagon is a 4.5L single turbo v8 the 200 series is the 4.5 twin turbo

 

[BiffS]

Truck looks good mate that vdj79 wagon is a 4.5L single turbo v8 the 200 series is the 4.5 twin turbo

yep. i got my spec wrong.

 

[ForealBoreal]

Truck is looking good.
The truck is a VDJ76, 79 is the ute variants.

As for bumper directions, I cannot find the build thread for the life of me. There was one built in the 70 series section on an HZJ73.
Chris also built one out of the same kit.

 

[chappohj47]

That's it vdj76 I couldn't remember that