Builds Ikarus' HDJ81 Aussie-Style Build (1 Viewer)

[efjayatee]

Let me get a quote for shipping

 

[ikarus]

Mocked up the center console and shift console. I found the shift console on eBay Australia.

Looks like everything fits fine. The forward mounts line up, but the rear mounts in an auto are on the auto shift plate so I'll need to design a bracket for that.

Worked on widening the airbox inlet. Not the prettiest but it'll work.

Hate to cut up NLA parts but I took a 1/2" off the front of the shift boot metal surround and the rubber boot.

Part no. for the shift boot bolts. The Toyota bolts are NLA but Yamaha shares some part numbers and Impex pulls up all manufacturers at the same time, like Hino, Toyota, Yamaha etc. Thanks for the tip on that one @logicbyondreaso

Looking good, last thing to address is the final bolt on the left holding the OTC plate - it interferes with the shift boot surround. This was my solution, a little time with a die grinder:

 

[MooseMichaels]

I think I've said this 14 times in this thread already, but the attention to detail here is incredible. Kind of reminds me of taking apart my broken macbook in college and being amazed that the inside was beautiful too.

The Toyota bolts are NLA but Yamaha shares some part numbers and Impex pulls up all manufacturers at the same time, like Hino, Toyota, Yamaha etc. Thanks for the tip on that one @logicbyondreaso

I had no idea this was a thing. THANK YOU

 

[ikarus]

I think I've said this 14 times in this thread already, but the attention to detail here is incredible. Kind of reminds me of taking apart my broken macbook in college and being amazed that the inside was beautiful too.


I had no idea this was a thing. THANK YOU

haha thanks man, appreciate it

I'm sure you're familiar with the overseas parts companies at this point but for anyone else reading, here's a run down of what I've learned in my time buying parts. I'm not an expert like some people here on Mud but I have bought enough parts that some people from Toyota USA wanted to pick my brain recently on how to make their parts site better... haha it was actually an interesting conversation. long story.

Anyway -

Partsouq - Nice to have the EPC to find parts. Things get shipped surprisingly quick, often faster than US dealers. They don't have as much in stock as other companies, but if they say they have it in stock, it's actually in stock.

Amayama - Also nice to have the EPC. They seem to have a lot more random/obscure parts but their system often tells you an item can be ordered, only to be disappointed in a week when they get back to you and say it's actually not available.

Impex - No EPC so you have to know your part number. Allegedly just a couple guys working out of a garage in Japan ordering parts from Toyota. The price difference is impressive - I priced out a $400 Amayama/Partsouq order and bought it through Impex for $250 just yesterday. The con is that they're often much slower than Partsouq. Sometimes you'll be waiting around for parts for weeks

Some other Impex-like sites are MegaZip and Yoshi Parts. Unfortunately I don't think there are any magic warehouses full of exotic forgotten parts - everyone is ordering straight from Toyota so they're all pretty similar at the end of the day.

And then of course there's Dave at Japan4x4. I buy obscure stuff from him all the time. Super helpful guy. Goes above and beyond to find what you need and it's nice to be able to talk things over with a human (and native english speaker)

And this site is a nice resource: Best prices for Toyota OEM parts | Cruisin4Parts.com - https://cruisin4parts.com/

 

[ikarus]

Changed my oil today and it was red, you guys ever seen that before?

jk jk it's time to get this transmission out of here. Took off the PDI trans cooler and removed the lines. The cooler is riveted onto a bracket and bolted onto the intercooler so very easy to remove, now it's a manual spec intercooler.

One of my trans cooler lines was leaky so the IC is covered in a mix of atf and dirt. Need to clean it up. Lots of atf leaking underneath too, from the cooler lines back to the transfer case. That's actually what got me thinking about a manual swap in the first place. As I started chasing the leaks I started thinking how nice it would be to simplify everything

 

[ikarus]

Removed driveshafts, radiator, and fan shroud. I'm going to knock out timing belt, water pump etc. while this is all torn apart.

Removed kick down cable, oil cooler brackets and dipstick. Not much info about the dipstick in the FSM but it's very simple, unbolt it and remove the vacuum lines and it lifts right out - seals with an o ring.

I'm held up where the oil cooler lines connect to the transmission. Anyone have any tips for disconnecting these? Hard to get a wrench up there. I'd rather not cut the lines

My fender well insulation has been looking sad. Tried to lift it a little and it just started crumbling....

hopefully Japan wasn't using asbestos in 1997...

 

[FMC80]

Removed driveshafts, radiator, and fan shroud. I'm going to knock out timing belt, water pump etc. while this is all torn apart.

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Removed kick down cable, oil cooler brackets and dipstick. Not much info about the dipstick in the FSM but it's very simple, unbolt it and remove the vacuum lines and it lifts right out - seals with an o ring.

View attachment 3967740

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I'm held up where the oil cooler lines connect to the transmission. Anyone have any tips for disconnecting these? Hard to get a wrench up there. I'd rather not cut the lines

View attachment 3967745

My fender well insulation has been looking sad. Tried to lift it a little and it just started crumbling....

hopefully Japan wasn't using asbestos in 1997...

View attachment 3967742

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Have you tried a “crows foot”?

 

[ikarus]

Have you tried a “crows foot”?
View attachment 3968310

Just ordered a set this morning. Gonna try that next

 

[FMC80]

Just ordered a set this morning. Gonna try that next

I often used those when I turned wrenches on fighter engines. Many tight spaces. The crows feet work, but suck to use at the same time. Good luck, I know you’ll get it.

 

[ikarus]

I often used those when I turned wrenches on fighter engines. Many tight spaces. The crows feet work, but suck to use at the same time. Good luck, I know you’ll get it.

That's rad. I've been slowly adding tools to my collection every time I run into a snag. Works well if you don't have to daily the truck and it can be down long enough for a HF run or Amazon Prime. I'm getting to the point where I have a decent set of tools, though I have about 20 different brands in the tool chest

 

[ikarus]

Fender well cleaned up nicely after removing the insulation.

Timing belt looks great. According to the Japanese sticker it was last replaced 6 years and about 65K kms ago.