Imagine If You Will - The Expanded 50 Series Line (3 Viewers)

[RUSH55]

*Note*
This is purely for fun, for the sake of imagination and dreamers


The year is 1968. Toyota’s release of the FJ55 in the American markets had mixed results. However, the Land Cruiser design team and heads of sales felt strongly enough about their new direction to convince Toyota’s corporate board to drop the 40 series entirely and push forward with the new 50 series. In order to satisfy the demands of world markets, the design team was challenged with the task of recreating their internationally recognized vehicles with their new design changes. The factories also needed to upgrade their facilities to include the additional tooling required to make changes required for short customized production runs for military and governmental needs.

The design team needs your help finalizing the details of the design crossover, as well as their respective numerical designations.

 

[RUSH55]

I start this because at some point I want to build a pig-up, similar to HaffHawged, with full independent cab, but with an extended frame and possibly a factory styled bed (could require 2-3, 55’s to build).
That being the case, IF the factory had ever actually built a truck based on the 55 design, what would the designation be? 55 pick up?
FJ57?
What if there were a 2 door, swb version? Full hardtop and removable top versions? A 2 door extended wheelbase, full hardtop and removable hardtop? 55 troopy? ? ?
What would they look like?

 

[wngrog]

1968.......

 

[wngrog]

All of the above would look like the 70 series.

 

[RUSH55]

Pretty closely anyways. Precursorish.

 

[RUSH55]

1968.......

Fixed.........

 

[Ol Yeller]

The 2 door would be a 52?

The long box fleet side pig-up would look cool for sure.

 

[RUSH55]

A 52 instead of a 50?

Yeah, I think about what a factory 55 pickup would look like all the time. Separate bed with matching body lines and curvatures, 6ft or 8ft - or a bed that is somewhat between the 45 pickup and the 70’s Toyota pickups, with the inverted section below the overhung bed rails with tie-off hooks every couple feet.

 

[J Mack]

Yeah, I think about what a factory 55 pickup would look like all the time. Separate bed with matching body lines and curvatures, 6ft or 8f

If you look what Toyota was doing at the time they were all over the map but yeah agree I think a separate bed would have been appropriate.

WheelsAge

en.wheelsage.org

 

[bobm]

You own a Sawzall go for it . Buy @LAMBCRUSHER less expensive in long run.

 

[RUSH55]

If you look what Toyota was doing at the time they were all over the map but yeah agree I think a separate bed would have been appropriate.

WheelsAge

en.wheelsage.org

Sure. And what most have done since when converting the wagon to a pickup style is what is possibly considered more of a unibody pickup, which actually could/should be considered here since it retains the wagon wheelbase but utilizes the short cargo area as the bed. Not exactly a pickup by traditional design but, well, I don’t know. Is it something the manufacturer may have offered (in this scenario)?

 

[RUSH55]

You own a Sawzall go for it . Buy @LAMBCRUSHER less expensive in long run.

Not now @bobm , someday... my driveway is out of room. Probably have to move in order to realistically pursue that fantasy. At one time I considered to cut up Fly By Night, but no way in the world would I do it now!

 

[gonzopancho]

I’ve also considered buying @LAMBCRUSHER’s pig-up, but I have too many examples of Mr. T’s product right now.

Dear wife is tolerant, but only to a point. She likes the product of Mr. T. She owned this exact truck when we met. Red wasn’t her color of choice, but it’s what the dealer had.

WheelsAge

en.wheelsage.org

That URL is from unthread.

She’d wanted a fj62, in white, but they were too expensive for her then. This is why she has a white 89 with zero mods (and 131k on the odometer) in the garage (next to her 2008 Z4).

I took her white 88 (with a blown 3FE) that we've had since 2005 and am marrying the body to a 96 fjz80 frame with a 1fZ-FE and a H151 5-speed. FJZ142?

Anyway, @LAMBCRUSHER will likely have long since sold his truck by the time I can clear down the inventory. I’d love to complete it, but ... I’d like to stay married, too.

 

[RUSH55]

HaffHawged is one of the few examples of a separate fabricated cab.

Several years ago I recall seeing this thumbnail pic of a guy supposedly down in South America fabricating what looked to be an FJ55 pickup cab. Never saw anymore than the one pic, and even based off of that you couldn’t really tell any details.

 

[bobm]

Guy in Hawaii did 1 to. They wouldn't let him register it.

 

[RUSH55]

Did he not already have a title for it?

 

[RUSH55]

Here’s an example of the 2 door hardtop (non-removable).

FJ50 or FJ52? Additional nomenclature?

 

[gonzopancho]

Did he not already have a title for it?

Hawaii is really weird about registering modified cars. I had a bunch O’ phun getting the fj40 past them.

 

[J Mack]

I'm not a fan of the El Camino look.

Should have a separate bed.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Defender 110 pickup has a separate bed. I would agree that would be the way to go. Apologies, only photo I took of this one.