New (old) BJ45 flatdeck from NZ (2 Viewers)

[LT1-62]

Hey cruiser heads, after 10+ years outa the cruiser owning/building game I picked up a new truck and she is a beaut.

Is a 1984 BJ45 RP-K3 flatdeck, ie the very last year of the 40 series cruisers. Is running the original 3B and 4 speed so thinking longer term upgrades will be 5 speed, turbo and front mount, power steering and maybe bigger brakes. Also keen to stocker up the interior as much as possible (has velour drivers seat outa who knows what in it), and some period steel wheels prolly also on the cards. Also has a disc brake front end and body is pretty clean though will need attention again sometime in the next few years no doubt. Anyway, pics:

Dog is happy to have a functioning ute again

Even has a hitch pin linkage on the back, need to invest in some implements:

I bought to daily drive and do a bit of work on the block so near term upgrades will be focused on making commute tolerable. Already has a bunch of window and door seals replaced but mostly steel in the interior (mats removed) so still makes a lot of noise at highway speeds. I only picked it up last week, and when I bought it the little spring mechanism on the indicator stem was shagged and would flick randomly to high beams every 10-60 seconds, made for an interesting first drive (7hrs home up the North Island), managed to blind a few strangers and anyone I was following must've thought that I was looking for a fight. Pulled the stem to bits and managed to fix that, and replaced the exhaust manifold gasket yesterday as that was also blown to bits and super noisy under acceleration.

Anyway thanks for looking, no doubt will be stopping in here regularly looking for info and advice

 

[Indestructible 47]

Hey welcome back into the cruiser business she looks like a really neat truck that you have there nice score. It looks like it has had a repaint at some stage?

Also, just a bit of personal preference here but i reckon that white rims lools better than black rims on the old 40s. I had a mustard 40 and the new owner has gone back to black rims. I reckon that it looks terrible. Hey at the end of the day everyone has a different opinion but i have attached some pics of my old 40 so see what u think. Cheers

 

[TOY350]

Welcome back!

 

[Pauciflora]

Nice truck. Old mate looks pretty proud of himself sitting out on the bed.

 

[ozcrusier]

Nice score looks rust free.

 

[LT1-62]

Yeah there's the odd brown stain starting to appear outa joins in the odd spot, but is remarkably clean compared to most (all) I looked at when shopping for one.

Re wheels, there'll be some new steels on the cards at some stage, not a big fan of the white though.

In other news been researching 5 speed swaps as dude on another NZ forum has a parts BJ70 he is looking to strip. Starting to get scared off it given would need to cut the floor panel ,so thinking maybe just a diff swap to get a bit more legs. Anyone gone to 3.7s behind a 3B and 4speed and care to comment how much practical difference it makes?

 

[cult45]

Hey @LT1-62,

I have a 1970 45 with 3.7's. Have run both a J30 and a H41 with said ratios. I like them. I think 4.11's are for your true off road rig. IMO anyway. Re that BJ70 H55 - it'll bolt straight up to your 3B. Chuck and hair dryer on it and call it good. While you're there, grab the front and rear axles off the BJ70 for instant disc front and handbrake drum rear. Then an 80 series booster will have you stopping like a Lambo..

 

[LT1-62]

Thanks man, it's true that I'd have to cut new holes for the trans and transfercase shifters though no? Other than being able to use a later model transfer, is the rear drum mounted handbrake provision that much better than the one off back of t/c? Also I'm assuming new d/shafts would be on the cards with the BJ70 box?... A hairdryer is definitely on the cards, would be good to be able to keep up with the flow of traffic

 

[Indestructible 47]

Hey mate in regards to the handbrake the later one on the rear axle is definitely better but beware i have a 75 and the handbrake doesn't work. We call them the "cruiserbrake". Yeh definitely need new driveshafts and will need to make some amendment to the trans tunnel because the top hat on the gearbox is set a good length back. I'd go hairdryer before 5 speed. Make the cruiser livable at the lower speeds before u worry about top end.
Cheers

 

[tlaporte]

In other news been researching 5 speed swaps as dude on another NZ forum has a parts BJ70 he is looking to strip. Starting to get scared off it given would need to cut the floor panel ,so thinking maybe just a diff swap to get a bit more legs. Anyone gone to 3.7s behind a 3B and 4speed and care to comment how much practical difference it makes?

Is this true for a post-10/82 LWB (needing to cut the hump)?

I thought I remembered reading a post, maybe from @Living in the Past, that talked about the hump being different on a post-10/82 and that they were all the same(?) for 4-speed and 5-speed.

 

[Living in the Past]

Is this true for a post-10/82 LWB?

I thought I remembered reading a post, maybe from @Living in the Past, that talked about the hump being different on a post-10/82 and that they were all the same(?) for 4-speed and 5-speed.

Yes the floor changed 10/82 for the five speed. The footprint for the inspection cover changed. The floor in front of the inspection cover was also higher. Toyota only made a single inspection cover. The opening for the transmission cane was the same. The lever for the five speed was a little further back. Posted pictures of the 1/79-9/82 inspection cover as well as the both cover from the 10/82+. Next time I'm on the computer could post again. Believe it was in Nov. last year in a thread about installing a five speed in a 40 series.

As for a H55F, anything but a 4X series the shifter will be further back than the one used in the 4X series. On a V8 conversion could bring it back in place. The rest will be further back.

 

[tlaporte]

As for a H55F, anything but a 4X series the shifter will be further back than the one used in the 4X series. On a V8 conversion could bring it back in place. The rest will be further back.

Would one need to cut the transmission hump even on the late-model 40-series if using an H55F with a 60- or 70-series top plate?

 

[Living in the Past]

Would one need to cut the transmission hump even on the late-model 40-series if using an H55F with a 60- or 70-series top plate?

Yes you would. Both shifters are further back on 60/70 series H55F. I know at some point a reproduced 40 series top cover might be available but until then yes you would need to cut the inspection cover even on the 83+ 4X series. The 4X series was only available with a five speed in 83/84 models. Then only on BJ42 and BJ46, with a few FJ40s getting them. None were ever imported to the US in either the 40 or 60 series. Believe Canada got them in the BJ42, BJ60. Maybe some HJ61s but most I see are from JDM. Down side to the ones out of the BJ series is the input shaft needs to be replaced. Which is where I am at. But would rather deal with input shaft and have the shifters in the correct location.

For anyone wanting to look original the transfer case shifter that goes thru the floor is about as hard to find as a H55F from a 4X series. The boss on the transmission is further back and the four speed shifter will not work. 60/70 shifter would be further to match the transmission on the 70/70 series. Could probably source a skinny transmission cane easier.

 

[LT1-62]

Thanks all. From my reading of this site and others, the later model 40s got a different transmission tunnel cover that prevents the H55F case from fouling, though the shifter output from non-40 series boxes will still be 3-4" back and therefore require cutting new holes to allow these to come through into the cab. Sound correct? There's a thread on this site that's also looking to remanufacture the part of the case that houses the shifter output to reposition to 40-series style and allow the (much more plentiful) non-40 series H55Fs to be used with no trans tunnel cover mods, would be a nice solution if it happens. Also read about people moving the whole engine 3" fwd to compensate, would be nice as could also leave driveshafts alone but otherwise seems pretty drastic, and Id quite like to get a front mount up there where there's currently tons of space.

Dude parting the 70 is after 4.1 diffs so maybe a straight swap for his 3.7s and I'll see how that changes the driveability. In the meantime hopefully the remanufactured H55F output 'top plate' appears...

 

[cult45]

Thanks man, it's true that I'd have to cut new holes for the trans and transfercase shifters though no? Other than being able to use a later model transfer, is the rear drum mounted handbrake provision that much better than the one off back of t/c? Also I'm assuming new d/shafts would be on the cards with the BJ70 box?... A hairdryer is definitely on the cards, would be good to be able to keep up with the flow of traffic

The 7x series H55 has the shift tower in a different location to the 4x series. I believe you'll need to address this with the BJ70 box.

Re the argument for/against the handbrake styles, I personally like the handbrake rear axle type. I've had six Landcruisers:

1985 RJ70 - handbrake rear axle
1980 BJ40 - handbrake transfer case
1978 FJ40 - handbrake transfer case
1982 HJ47 [w/H55] - handbrake rear axle
1988 BJ74 - handbrake rear axle
1970 FJ45 - handbrake transfer case

In all of them I've had the handbrake assembly refurbished and fully adjusted and the only time I felt truly safe was when it was on the rear axle. The transfer case type just seems too twitchy. Probably because you can feel the slack in the driveline take up.

New driveshafts, yes. But the flanges should be the same pattern as your truck. FYI cutting down a DS is much cheaper than extending one. You can always use a cut down rear on the front.

Generally with the H55 swap into a 40 series it's an all or nothing approach. Lots of areas need modification. If it were me I'd find a rusty but mechanically sound HZJ75, buy the whole truck and swap in the entire driveline. Engine, trans/transfer, driveshafts, axles. Then you get 4 wheel discs, a handbrake on the rear and a nice, smooth 4.2L 1HZ. Sell the 3B and recoup some cash. But that's just me.