My project build - 2003 HZJ105 diesel (1 Viewer)

[muzza01]

I thought I would share a thread on some of the mods I have completed on my Cruza. I guess it is a little different to most of the 100 series Cruzas on this forum. Firstly it is a diesel 6 cylinder and it has barn doors at the back. It also has a live front axle (not IFS).
Well our Cruza is pretty basic on the inside and is not as flash as some I have seen on the forum. (some bloody nice cars on this forum). Anyway, here she is:

We had a 75 series Troopcarrier diesel for ten years and the kids were getting too big to be sitting in the back going bush. We love our camping and 4wding so another capable 4WD was needed as the old Troopy had taken us to many great destinations. I spent a lot of time researching a replacement for the Troopy. It was time to dump leaf springs and search for something capable with coils. I started searching for a diesel Landcruiser 105 series as we wanted something with a front live axle and I am not in to luxuries when it comes to a 4WD. A 105 looks like a 100 but it is a little different.
After a lot of tyre kicking and research I found this one. Almost Stock standard, with bulbar, snorkel and cargo barrier. Just under 140K or 87 000 miles on the diesel, regularly serviced, very well looked after.

 

[muzza01]

I sold the old Troopy diesel with 211000 miles on the clock for $7700. I originally only paid $8900 for it ten years previously.
Here is the old girl:

 

[roma042987]

damn those are some nice rigs

 

[muzza01]

Thanks Roma.

The OM double DIN radio got the flick next. It got replaced with a nice DVD/CD Radio with small screen, USB, MP3, SD and IPOD dock standard and the UHF tucked nicely underneath filling the double DIN slot.

Purchased some canvas seat covers and deep mud collecting floor mats to protect the interior.

 

[muzza01]

Split rims and skinny cheese cutter tyres have their purpose and place but the Cruza was in desperate need of some new shoes and socks. She also needed a little spring in her step as she only had the OM springs and shocks. Off to me mates tyre shop “Please order qty 6 black ROH steel wheels and some BFG tyres.. I rang another mate and ordered 4 HD foam cell shockies, H/D steering damper and HD coil springs for the front and XHD coil springs for rear. I got the big springs in advance as I knew what mods were coming up next

got the new shoes fitted on a Friday and the next day my nephew came around and helped me drop the suspension and fit the new gear. Picked up 3.25 inches in the front and 3.5 inches in the rear. Took it for a test drive on a 4WD track nearby and couldn’t believe the difference.

I noticed the lack of protection underneath at the front so I manufactured a bash-plate to protect that area. And installed a set of home made extended diff breathers.

 

[fireball]

Very cool, I'll follow along!

 

[muzza01]

Very cool, I'll follow along!

Thanks Fireball
A mate of mine rang me a month later and said ‘I have an brand new ex-display model steel rear bar with twin wheel carriers for sale for your 105 Cruza, You can have it for $ 1000 cash. Picked that up and paid for it 5 minutes later. I fitted it over a weekend. Bloody heavy bar. I had to remove the wheel carriers so I could lift it. I used 6 milkcrates stacked 2 high and sat the bar on it. I managed to fit the bar myself on the Saturday without any difficulty and wired the lights in on the Sunday. Nice bit of kit, especially the price. I had one on the old Troopy that I had manufactured myself but was a massive job. I was more than happy to buy this one for the price in lieu of making another one.

 

[muzza01]

Another opportunity/bargain then presented itself. I then bought a Diesel 80s Cruza for $2500 and then on-sold it to my mate 45 minutes later for him to do up and sell. My asking price was $2500 cash plus a 12K lb winch and duel battery management system with monitor fitted by him to my 105. Both of us happy as we both made money. The winch has an isolater fitted under the bonnet and the dual battery has an override switch to join them up in parallel when I use the winch.

Lighting for the front was a little ordinary so I wired in some spotties on the front bar.

 

[muzza01]

I then ordered a roofrack and fitted that. PITA to fit but happy with the extra storage .

I also added on the Highlift jack and shovel holder to the rack.

After playing in the bush one weekend I damaged the lower sill on one side so I quickly decided that I needed to fit some brush bars and side steps. (Open the wallet again) The new 105 was finally starting to gain as many mods as the old Troopy had before I sold it.

 

[uzj100]

Really like it. Looking good. The manual windows and manual transmission are sweet.

 

[OGBeno]

So, the important question is how does the 1HZ do in pushing that 3 ton brick anywhere? Especially, non-aspirated?

Beautiful truck by the way--we in North American drool for those "poverty pack" 105's.

 

[muzza01]

Really like it. Looking good. The manual windows and manual transmission are sweet.

Thanks UZJ100. I prefer a manual of 4X4s.

So, the important question is how does the 1HZ do in pushing that 3 ton brick anywhere? Especially, non-aspirated?

Beautiful truck by the way--we in North American drool for those "poverty pack" 105's.

Good point beno, the NA diesel 1HZ is a bit of a slug compared to the V8 petrol. Once you get in to 5th gear it will happily sit on 110kmh or 70 MPH until you hit a hill. The diesel was very slow as soon as you started climbing, the power immediately drops off especially if you are towing something. It didn't worry me too much until we got a camping trailer. The camper weighs around 1.4 ton when loaded. The Cruza happily towed the camper on flat ground but once agin when climbing it became ridiculously slow. The solution was strapping a hair dryer on and putting on a better exhaust system. I got a DTS turbo system and a Taipan 3 inch mandrel exhaust. The Taipan is a great system with ceramic dump pipe and hi foo CAT. The result is that my power has doubled and the Cruza is just a completely different truck to drive.

 

[muzza01]

Here is a pic of the hair dryer.

The amount of torque I had before the turbo was really good but now it is amazing.
As normal more power uses more fuel but in the case of my diesel there has been very little difference. I have gone from 13 - 13.5 lts per 100 pre turbo to 14 - 14.4 lts per 100. This equates to:
20.9 - 21.7 miles per gallon to 19.6 - 20.1 miles per gallon. Now I have the benefits of a Diesel engine and snorkel and have solved the power problem (or lack of). The exhaust has a sweet note to it now it really sounds like a beast.

 

[muzza01]

I got a 20 inch life lightbar for the front. Wow that made a big difference at night time.

 

[RichElliott]

This is a super cool rig, man. I wish we could get this kind of setup here in the states.

 

[muzza01]

Thanks For the comments Rich.

 

[mgilvan]

nice nice nice

 

[e34croak]

STREWTH! Nice Rig!!!

 

[canman]

Very nice.
Looks like you live in a beautiful place as well.

Can someone please tell me again why Toyota can't/won't sell something like this in NA.

 

[muzza01]

Thanks mgilven, thanks e34croak