Builds Ikarus' HDJ81 Aussie-Style Build (8 Viewers)

[Will Van]

Stopped by Cruiser Outfitters to buy some stuff for my 200 and made an impulse purchase... just can't beat a classic ARB. Plus I forgot how easy the install is, if I ever find a bumper I like more i'll just zip off a few bolts and replace it. Didn't take many pics of the process cause there isn't much to see.

Installed it myself but it was no problem, frame rails seem straight and it slid right on.

I didn't really plan ahead so I don't have a winch or lights. Probably get a Comeup in the future and a couple round aux lights. Maybe do something about the AC dryer hanging down too if I can track down the parts to relocate it to the battery box.

Looks great! I had been considering an ARB, and this convinced me to pull the trigger. What a classic!

 

[CaptRussia253]

Stopped by Cruiser Outfitters to buy some stuff for my 200 and made an impulse purchase... just can't beat a classic ARB. Plus I forgot how easy the install is, if I ever find a bumper I like more i'll just zip off a few bolts and replace it. Didn't take many pics of the process cause there isn't much to see.

Installed it myself but it was no problem, frame rails seem straight and it slid right on.

I didn't really plan ahead so I don't have a winch or lights. Probably get a Comeup in the future and a couple round aux lights. Maybe do something about the AC dryer hanging down too if I can track down the parts to relocate it to the battery box.

Yes! Best looking bumper on older Toyotas. Such a classic look.

 

[FMC80]

Stopped by Cruiser Outfitters to buy some stuff for my 200 and made an impulse purchase... just can't beat a classic ARB. Plus I forgot how easy the install is, if I ever find a bumper I like more i'll just zip off a few bolts and replace it. Didn't take many pics of the process cause there isn't much to see.

Installed it myself but it was no problem, frame rails seem straight and it slid right on.

I didn't really plan ahead so I don't have a winch or lights. Probably get a Comeup in the future and a couple round aux lights. Maybe do something about the AC dryer hanging down too if I can track down the parts to relocate it to the battery box.

Looks great man!

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Stopped by Cruiser Outfitters to buy some stuff for my 200 and made an impulse purchase... just can't beat a classic ARB. Plus I forgot how easy the install is, if I ever find a bumper I like more i'll just zip off a few bolts and replace it. Didn't take many pics of the process cause there isn't much to see.

Installed it myself but it was no problem, frame rails seem straight and it slid right on.

I didn't really plan ahead so I don't have a winch or lights. Probably get a Comeup in the future and a couple round aux lights. Maybe do something about the AC dryer hanging down too if I can track down the parts to relocate it to the battery box.

 

[ikarus]

Changed the oil today @256K kms (159K mi)

Changed the 200 Series filter in the PDI box.. looking pretty dirty after a decent amount of offroading (but only 5K miles total on the filter) with an unsealed fender and no fender intake device anymore. Need to get that snorkel installed

Unrelated but I'm trying to be more self-sufficient and I'm learning to weld. So far I've got a few hours of practice on MIG, TIG and a little bit of stick but that wasn't very fun haha. Check out my booger welds. What a rabbit hole. fun though

 

[WiscoPat]

I'll be interested in seeing the snorkel, among many other progress updates!

Considering a snorkel myself, mainly for dust. I might have missed it, but did you decide on the brand/type?

 

[ikarus]

I'll be interested in seeing the snorkel, among many other progress updates!

Considering a snorkel myself, mainly for dust. I might have missed it, but did you decide on the brand/type?

Sorry, forgot to reply to this.

I ended up with another Radius 4" stainless but this time the mid entry. Should work with my airbox in theory. Just don't feel like chopping up another fender yet - will probably get to it sometime this winter. And I think I'll powder coat it black to match my ARB bumper.

 

[UT LC200]

Sorry, forgot to reply to this.

I ended up with another Radius 4" stainless but this time the mid entry. Should work with my airbox in theory. Just don't feel like chopping up another fender yet - will probably get to it sometime this winter. And I think I'll powder coat it black to match my ARB bumper.

Outstanding documentation of your process. Thank you kindly. I'm off to Cruiser Outfitters for a lift, then I can mount your prior wheels to my FZJ80!

 

[ikarus]

Outstanding documentation of your process. Thank you kindly. I'm off to Cruiser Outfitters for a lift, then I can mount your prior wheels to my FZJ80!

Nice! Send some pics when you get it all set up!

 

[ikarus]

Haven't had too much to post as I've been spending my free time sifting through the Toyota EPC, Amayama, Partsouq, eBay Australia, talking to someone who knows someone in Pakistan, messaging Mud members in Europe... you know how it goes. Been collecting parts for almost a year but I'm almost ready to get moving on this project - just ordered an H152 from Dave @ Japan4x4 this morning.

This is probably 1/5 of the parts I have gathered, my basement is a mess. I even made an excel spreadsheet to track everything I've bought, though I barely know how to use excel. I showed it to my wife who uses excel professionally and she was like "wtf is this"

Big thanks to @logicbyondreaso for the help as we've been working things out together. He's got a manual swap and an engine overhaul going at the same time

Also I changed the name of the thread to the HDJ81 Aussie-Style build cause it is what is, going all in on the Aussie look. I've been sending all my money there anyway

I even had to hit up @mudgudgeon the other day for an Australian to American translation because for the life of me I couldn't figure out what "bogg" meant haha

 

[SteelHunterFJ80]

Haven't had too much to post as I've been spending my free time sifting through the Toyota EPC, Amayama, Partsouq, eBay Australia, talking to someone who knows someone in Pakistan, messaging Mud members in Europe... you know how it goes. Been collecting parts for almost a year but I'm almost ready to get moving on this project - just ordered an H152 from Dave @ Japan4x4 this morning.

This is probably 1/5 of the parts I have gathered, my basement is a mess. I even made an excel spreadsheet to track everything I've bought, though I barely know how to use excel. I showed it to my wife who uses excel professionally and she was like "wtf is this"

Big thanks to @logicbyondreaso for the help as we've been working things out together. He's got a manual swap and an engine overhaul going at the same time

Also I changed the name of the thread to the HDJ81 Aussie-Style build cause it is what is, going all in on the Aussie look. I've been sending all my money there anyway

I even had to hit up @mudgudgeon the other day for an Australian to American translation because for the life of me I couldn't figure out what "bogg" meant haha

If you need any pics of an installed manual tranny let me know and I'd be happy to send them your way.

 

[ikarus]

If you need any pics of an installed manual tranny let me know and I'd be happy to send them your way.

I appreciate that man, I'll most likely take you up on that!

 

[ikarus]

final pieces of the puzzle showing up courtesy Japan 4x4

 

[ikarus]

Upgraded my headlights.

I originally bought some Depos for an easy LHD headlight conversion and started looking into projectors but I never got around to baking the Depos and opening them up. A friend said he would sell me this brand new set of OEM quads and I figured I'll try some LEDs and see how they do before going down the projector rabbit hole.

Just following in @steezy 's footsteps here, I bought a set of four 4x6 LEDs from JTX in Australia. You can see the JTX lights on top and the stock H4 Koyos in the bottom. I went for the least ricer looking 4x6s and I think they look pretty good. (I do prefer the Holley Retrobright look but these just kind of look like projectors which is ok.) They have a ton of options, black face, chrome face, RGB, halos etc. but they are made in Australia so they have the RHD beam pattern... I'll get to that later.

I also bought their Super Loom wiring harness. Easy installation and it works perfectly. It has 1x ground cable, 1x fused power cable, 1x H4 plug that plugs into your existing H4 socket for signal from the light stalk, some sort of relay box and then 4x H4 connections for your LEDs. Plug it in and go - high beams and low beams both work just like factory.

I didn't know if it was going to be snake oil and I should just wire it myself, but I love a plug and play solution. They say it sets up the lights for negative switching (Toyota style), fixes problems with high beams, better power delivery to the LEDs, etc.

I took apart the front end and got the first set of quads in, did a function check and it looked like all was well.

Hardware: left is for the marker lights, middle is for the headlight/body connection and right is for the trim and grille.

This is how most HDJ81s are wired, as far as I know. One H4 for the high/low combo bulb on the outside, and one fog light connector on the inside. Some people have reported finding a second H4 connector buried in the harness (I believe that's how Australian and EU 80s were wired) but I dug around and couldn't find any. That's why the Super Loom was great - just needed one H4 and that's it.

I think down the road I'm going to see if I can put some fog lights in the ARB using the factory switch/wiring.

To get a decent path for the wiring to cross over to the RH headlights, I drilled a hole in my battery box. I have new battery boxes on the way so I'll probably redo this on the new box with a factory grommet.

For now I just dumped all the cables and the relay box into the space in front of the battery. I'm thinking I can mount the relay box to a Redline Cruisers battery bar w/ accessory plate to clean things up.

Then I ran the cables across the top of the fan shroud with a few zip ties.

Also my 1HD-FT sticker is weird. It's like it got cut off on the sides

 

[MHDownhill]

Let me know if you figure out the best solution to remove the adhesive. I have been doing it mechanically with a plastic scraper, and there are still remnants.

 

[ikarus]

Let me know if you figure out the best solution to remove the adhesive. I have been doing it mechanically with a plastic scraper, and there are still remnants.

Which adhesive?

 

[ikarus]

Once the wiring got squared away, chrome trim/headlight surround goes on next, followed by. the side marker lights and the grille.

Little bit of info about the side marker lights if it helps anyone in the future: the marker lights for standard headlights are different from the quads. Different shape, size and mounting location.

Standard on the right, quads on the left -

The quads I bought came with an aftermarket marker light, but I was able to track down an OEM pair:

The aftermarket set really isn't bad - you can see them side by side here, aftermarket left, OEM right:

But it worked out well to have the aftermarket lights because they came with a plug/bulb/wiring which the OEM did not - and the OEM plug/wiring is NLA. So I swapped it over. Also it's a smaller plug than the one that's used on standard OEM headlight/marker lights so I couldn't reuse my old one.

Marker lights and grille back on:

And last the covers. These seem to be a Toyota Australia exclusive. I've seen them on eBay in the US for upwards of $300 but in Australia they only cost $40 USD or so. I couldn't find anyone who would ship to the US so I used a freight forwarding service to buy them on eBay AU and then forwarded to me.

They seem sturdy, made out of plastic or acrylic. We'll see how they hold up.

All buttoned up:

Took it out for a test drive and I'm very impressed with the light output. I need to test it back to back with my 200's projectors. I wouldn't say these are as good but they're approaching that level. This is with brights on:

That's what low beams looks like. As I mentioned these LEDs are technically RHD so you can see the pattern kind of slopes up to the left. I need to see if i can adjust it enough to make a difference. I drove around for a while and didn't get flashed. haha so either it's all good, or people here are too polite, or they're just used to being blinded by new car LEDs and they've given up... I've noticed a lot of new cars with stock, unmodified headlights can be blinding.

I went to a parking lot and walked facing the cruiser as if I was oncoming traffic. There was a little extra light toward my eyes but it really wasn't bad. Though my eyes are about 6 feet up in the air - I guess I need to try that again a little lower to see what it's like for a sedan etc.

Anyway if it seems like I'm annoying people I'll look into a US solution like Holley Retrobrights.

 

[COS80]

I really like your headlight setup.

 

[ikarus]

Thanks man, me too, very happy with them. OEM+ kinda look without the work of converting to projectors.

 

[COS80]

You effectively have 4 lows and 4 highs, right?