Early steering wheel? (1 Viewer)

[Exiled]

Guys, this may not be FJ25-specific but it's certainly early FJ40 and very oddball. I was flipping through my archives looking for steering wheel pictures and came across this picture. It's one of three shots I saved a LONG time ago (at least 3-4 years) of an early JDM FJ40 that was for sale on Japanese Yahoo. At the time I didn't pay much attention, but now I am very curious. Anyone else ever seen this steering wheel? I am very curious. The rest of the Cruiser was bone stock, so while there's no way of proving it, I believe that this is the OEM steering wheel....thoughts?

 

[LandCruiserSteve]

Hey Henry!!

Cool steering wheel - very 'retro' looking if that's an OEM. Plus, 160 km/h on the speedo? (That's optimistic. )

That backing plate on the ignition switch is kinda cool. Any idea what year that old beast is?

 

[Landpimp]

looks like 67+, the LHD dash changed in 67(no corrugations) but on the RHD rigs it continued for a few more years.

I have never seen a wheel like that, my gut feeling is its not stock, but prolly from a Toyota(the red thingy in the center is a T , like on the early hub caps)

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

I have never seen a wheel like that, my gut feeling is its not stock, but prolly from a Toyota(the red thingy in the center is a T I think)

That's what I'm thinking also. I just can't get my hands on a '62 or so Crown interior shot, later ones are similar but the spokes angle down. If you look close, there's some kind of funkiness going on between the wheel and the turn signal switch.

Great to have you here Henry, if you find anything else in that library of yours, we'd love to see it!

 

[LandCruiserSteve]

If you look close, there's some kind of funkiness going on between the wheel and the turn signal switch.

Is that the remnants of a previous 3-on-the-tree shaft going down the right side of the wheel? There's a rounded cut-out as it enters the dash.

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

Steve, that's the turn signal shaft, it's on the opposite side for the RHD. I believe the notch for the column shifter came with the start of the FJ40......and never went away.

 

[LandCruiserSteve]

Steve, that's the turn signal shaft, it's on the opposite side for the RHD.

So it is. Hard to tell from the picture that was a protruding turn signal lever rather than a shaft running parallel to the steering column. These old eyes.

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

See, the later Stouts and Crowns were like this one. Similar.....yet different.

 

[Exiled]

Guys, when that FJ40 went up for sale EVERYTHING on it was pretty stock, it looked fairly unmolested. I think there's a chance that it was a funky, JDM-only steering wheel.

Flipping through the archives I came across this drool-worthy item...

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

AAaaaaaaaaah, you do know how to tease. But did you know that work of art is a cheap metal stamping?

 

[65swb45]

I would say from the amount of space between the wheel and the turn signal housing that the wheel was a replacement. I also was thinking early Stout, but I don't remember where I archived my pics from the TORC rally.

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

Process of elimination here. It's not out of a '65 Tiara like this one. ;p

 

[Archie 1962 FJ25]

I know there are spline difference between the years for steering shaft but are there different shaft diameter as well? on my 25 it is 3/4" shaft and steering column is 1 3/8"

 

[cult45]

Ribs continued in RHD markets til '71/'72.