Lexus LX 470 / Land Cruiser 100 Series 2UZ-FE to H151F Transmission (1 Viewer)

[DSeanM]

I am planning to convert a Lexus LX 470 to manual transmission, I am currently buys parts. I can use advise from anyone who has done such a conversion. I am yet to see a 100 series conversion so if anyone have the know how, tips, ideas, advice on properly installing please let me know. If anyone who lives in CA Bay Area who can help me with this build I would greatly appreciate it, I can compensate.
Purpose of this build is purely for driving pleasure, this vehicle is not intended to go off road. Anyone with the knowledge and know how who have done a conversion or helped someone with a conversion please let me know.
I have questions like does the firewall have to be drilled out for the clutch/master cylinder or does it have one already or predrilled? Do Clutch and brake pedal assembly have taps on the fire wall or does it have to be drilled out? Can the automatic brake pedal be removed and the manual brake pedal be mounted with out any modifications? Are there known complications during this conversions? Will the transfer case mount to the H151F transmission without issues? anyone know the input shaft spline count? Will the existing cross member work? Do I have to build a new cross member? Any new fabrications needed?

I was offered a Red Pill and a Blue Pill.... I took the Red Pill... I was told "you stay in wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes"

DOH!!!

 

[nukegoat]

You seem ill prepared to commit to this idea

 

[DSeanM]

Wrong Advice!! IF YOU HAVE A WILL YOU HAVE A WAY!

I drove a 2006 Land Cruiser with a manual transmission.... and I am keeping the promise I made to myself 7 years ago.

I am hoping this thread would give some insight to those who are curious... I understand there is money involved.. a lot for that matter.. this build will take time no doubt but we will see how it all goes. I intend to post the full cost and my experience.

If anyone can help me please feel free to post your experience and advice.

 

[apdxyk]

I can not help you, but the main obstacle for me would be coordination and re-programming of more than one on-board computers: integration with ATRAC and VSC is there. Good luck! Quite an endeavour indeed

 

[DSeanM]

Good point, I will keep this point in mind. I am talking to a few sellers about the ECU I will have a chat with them on this matter as well.

 

[hoser]

You can import a LHD 99-06 Land Cruiser with a manual transmission. Might save you some time and trouble. Might even be cheaper.

 

[krice118]

I am assuming it would be relavitly easy for a broker to import a MAnual LHD with a UZJ legally it just takes $$ Similar to the few 2 door convertible G wagons running around that are legal

IF you read the description here https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2005-mercedes-benz-g-7/ You can see the broker used to import and stuff. I would assume its the same process you would need.

Also if you are trying to do the conversion (and not import) I think a 1998-1999 would be much easier than later years. and 2000-2002 would be easier than 2003 - 2007,

 

[gungriffin]

He lives in California. There is nearly no way he can import one. Especially with changes to the transmission that was used to establish the emissions numbers.

 

[gungriffin]

I am assuming it would be relavitly easy for a broker to import a MAnual LHD with a UZJ legally it just takes $$ Similar to the few 2 door convertible G wagons running around that are legal

IF you read the description here 23K-Mile 2005 Mercedes-Benz G500 Cabriolet You can see the broker used to import and stuff. I would assume its the same process you would need.

Also if you are trying to do the conversion (and not import) I think a 1998-1999 would be much easier than later years. and 2000-2002 would be easier than 2003 - 2007,

You can import these G Wagons because a company in the 80s actually did the crash testing required to obtain approval to do so.

 

[krice118]

@gungriffin I dont know much about this but if it is a 2UZ motor I am assuming he could get it legally into the States (not CA) pass emissions adding CAt converters if needed. Are the UZJ100s that have a manual transmission the same as the US spec ones? It would be interesting to know the differences

 

[DSeanM]

Been there... I looked into importing... California has strict laws. There is a 25 years law to importing, No way around it, 93-94 would be years I can import. looking for a rust free, low mileage and good condition is hard to come by with a decent price plus shipping plus fees plus getting it registered. I looked at a 1992 80 series from Dubai, too expensive, converting a 100 series seemed cheaper to me.

 

[DSeanM]

I even looked at 1996 Prado from Canada with a V6 5VZ-FE 3.4l same as Tacoma and 4Runner I still got grief, I couldn’t even bring it to Washington and I could not register in CA until the 25 years completion. I have seen European vehicles, Land Rover Defenders less than 25 years on the road.
It’s risky to import it’s risky to convert.... I am comfortable taking the risk of converting vs importing.
Oh by the way I don’t like to import right hand drive I want left hand drive.

 

[LuisJr]

My hero!!!!!

 

[hoser]

Been there... I looked into importing... California has strict laws. There is a 25 years law to importing, No way around it, 93-94 would be years I can import. looking for a rust free, low mileage and good condition is hard to come by with a decent price plus shipping plus fees plus getting it registered. I looked at a 1992 80 series from Dubai, too expensive, converting a 100 series seemed cheaper to me.

The 99-06 IFS UZJ100L is eligible for import even though it is less than 25 years old. Back in 2012, somebody petitioned for an exemption shown here.

Here is a list of vehicles approved and eligible for import through a registered importer. It shows 99-06 Land Cruiser.
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/elig120115.pdf

CA smog test for 2000+ vehicles require use of the OBDII port. So, I would make sure the vehicle (likely from the Middle East) is OBD2 compliant. If not, I would go with the 1999 model year which undergoes the tail pipe sniffer test only (no dyno). There's definitely an extra hurdle to register in CA but doesn't seem impossible to me.

 

[DSeanM]

Wow! I did not know this... I will try reaching out to a couple of my contacts see if I can pull it off. On my previous attempt I was shut down, told me it would not pass safely regulations even though it’s the same model, won’t hurt to try.

 

[DSeanM]

I was on the phone with my contact today... I knew this but I did not know in this detail. If you read literature on importing vehicles less than 25 years old, it says, vehicles that are similar here in US can be imported, for instance if importing from Canada Dodge, Jeep, ford exact vehicles found in US can be imported, I knew this. What I did not know far as Land Cruisers go and what I was told today was there is something called "Regional Specs" and for that Land Cruiser probably has the most variants, here in US I believe we only have the VX model, in UAE there is a model called VXR which is "North American Specs" he only gave me this model as an example so essentially LC that were spec'd for North American market are running around in UAE and those models could be imported and he is aware 2UZ-FE with manual transmission is available in GXL models which he doubts would not pass safety here in US for a less than 25 year old vehicle. He also told me there is another VXR model with manual transmission but its a V6 and its not a North American Spec'd vehicle he doubts this would not pass US emissions.
He also mentioned non of US made vehicles would pass US safety standards yet could be imported without any issues.... I have heard this before!
In short "yes" can be imported but it has to be "north American specs" which is essentially the same land cruiser we find here.. imported... in automatic only.... 105 series will not pass US safety standards, and most other models even "African Specs" VX Limited model won't pass US safety standards... He said it can be risky, even if he manages to ship it out here in the US they might not release the vehicle... specially here in California he will look into it which I doubt he would.... which is usually the case....
Which kinda brings back to the conversion. Information I have given is really a scratch on the surface I was on the phone for over an hour, I was flooded with information, I knew this.... I had read numerous laws in importing at the time hence I gave up that idea this kinda refreshed me.
In the other hand Diplomats can import their vehicle of choice but then it can't be sold here, or special vehicle status which also means can not be sold or registered to a new owner.
I am not vouching the above statement I am only conveying what I was told, he is in this trade I assume he knows what he is talking about, he sounds dead on to me unless someone who has imported a vehicle that is less than 25 years old that is not North American Specs and prove this information is wrong. I will dig a little deeper into this again if anyone has information and would like to share please feel free, specially land cruisers or Japanese Vehicles... we have already established European vehicles can be imported.

 

[gungriffin]

@gungriffin I dont know much about this but if it is a 2UZ motor I am assuming he could get it legally into the States (not CA) pass emissions adding CAt converters if needed. Are the UZJ100s that have a manual transmission the same as the US spec ones? It would be interesting to know the differences

I cannot even begin to properly explain how hard it is to import ANY vehicle into the US that is less than 25 years old. The only time I am aware that it will not be an exercise in experiencing Hell is if it is EXACTLY like a vehicle that is sold in the US.

Bill Gates struggled to get the 959 into the US... He has unlimited funds and a fleet of lawyers. That says pretty much everything I need to know. In the end the Show and Display legislation exists as the only way they could figure out how to import it. That is why that law came into existence. It actually took an act of Congress...

 

[gungriffin]

The 99-06 IFS UZJ100L is eligible for import even though it is less than 25 years old. Back in 2012, somebody petitioned for an exemption shown here.

Here is a list of vehicles approved and eligible for import through a registered importer. It shows 99-06 Land Cruiser.
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/elig120115.pdf

CA smog test for 2000+ vehicles require use of the OBDII port. So, I would make sure the vehicle (likely from the Middle East) is OBD2 compliant. If not, I would go with the 1999 model year which undergoes the tail pipe sniffer test only (no dyno). There's definitely an extra hurdle to register in CA but doesn't seem impossible to me.

I wish this was true for what the original poster wants to do but it is not.

I was on the phone with my contact today... I knew this but I did not know in this detail. If you read literature on importing vehicles less than 25 years old, it says, vehicles that are similar here in US can be imported, for instance if importing from Canada Dodge, Jeep, ford exact vehicles found in US can be imported, I knew this. What I did not know far as Land Cruisers go and what I was told today was there is something called "Regional Specs" and for that Land Cruiser probably has the most variants, here in US I believe we only have the VX model, in UAE there is a model called VXR which is "North American Specs" he only gave me this model as an example so essentially LC that were spec'd for North American market are running around in UAE and those models could be imported and he is aware 2UZ-FE with manual transmission is available in GXL models which he doubts would not pass safety here in US for a less than 25 year old vehicle. He also told me there is another VXR model with manual transmission but its a V6 and its not a North American Spec'd vehicle he doubts this would not pass US emissions.
He also mentioned non of US made vehicles would pass US safety standards yet could be imported without any issues.... I have heard this before!
In short "yes" can be imported but it has to be "north American specs" which is essentially the same land cruiser we find here.. imported... in automatic only.... 105 series will not pass US safety standards, and most other models even "African Specs" VX Limited model won't pass US safety standards... He said it can be risky, even if he manages to ship it out here in the US they might not release the vehicle... specially here in California he will look into it which I doubt he would.... which is usually the case....
Which kinda brings back to the conversion. Information I have given is really a scratch on the surface I was on the phone for over an hour, I was flooded with information, I knew this.... I had read numerous laws in importing at the time hence I gave up that idea this kinda refreshed me.
In the other hand Diplomats can import their vehicle of choice but then it can't be sold here, or special vehicle status which also means can not be sold or registered to a new owner.
I am not vouching the above statement I am only conveying what I was told, he is in this trade I assume he knows what he is talking about, he sounds dead on to me unless someone who has imported a vehicle that is less than 25 years old that is not North American Specs and prove this information is wrong. I will dig a little deeper into this again if anyone has information and would like to share please feel free, specially land cruisers or Japanese Vehicles... we have already established European vehicles can be imported.

This. You can import EXACTLY what we have. ANY variation to it disallows it from import. I was sweating reimporting a US vehicle that had spent time in Canada for a few years. It was incredibly bureaucratic. You also owe the import taxes when you import one of these vehicles from another country (that has never been a US vehicle) because the taxes haven't been paid yet.

 

[hoser]

You can import these G Wagons because a company in the 80s actually did the crash testing required to obtain approval to do so.

I know there were a bunch of grey market vehicles imported in the 80's. But none of that testing/approval carries forward to newer G-wagens. That Short Wheelbase G-wagen cabriolet is a 2005 and is much different than what was sold in the 80's. NO SWB G-wagens were originally sold in the US. However, it is on the non-conforming eligible list. I've seen one in L.A. driving around.

 

[cruiserjunktion]

I’d shop for a manual equipped 1/2 cut if you are determined to do a 5 speed swap. This would be much easier than trying to track down all the parts individually and wouldn’t require tax and registration issues associated with importing a vehicle and having it registered.