Build OL'BETSY ZX: 1991 HZJ77

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Wow Phil, looks like you put some holiday time to good use! I either did not realize, or (more likely) I forgot that your AC is not working. Hopefully this remedies that issue for you as it is nice to be able to cruise along in quiet comfort as you make some of your summer camping trips.

Looks like a nightmare indeed! I know who to invite over now if I ever need to re-re my HVAC stuff! 😃 Way to go bud, and thanks for sharing!
 
Yeah hopefully it charges up with no issues?

Dove into the rear sides today. Plan is new rear speakers, and some kilmat on the sheet metal... But the buildout is currently in the way. 🙄
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Making progress! Kilmat is now applied to both sides out back. Just two sheets in each. Not looking for full coverage here, but simply sheet metal resonance damping. New speakers are installed as well. Finally, did a por15 application to the bottom of the rear quarters (you can see the black in this pic) to back up the sheet metal work I did when I first got this rig. Messy, nasty, and my left rubber glove had a hole in it. 😏 Realized this after. And I'm a lefty. 😉
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I need to replace my foam as well. Not really looking forward to taking everything out to fix that…
I have an A/C in my truck that hadn't been running for at least five years. I was wondering last summer whether I should fill it and give it a try, but eventually postponed it. Reading along here to get an impression on what I might need to do or fix to get it running, but man, if it shows any issues and doesn't just work from the beginning, that's gonna be a lot of work and cost...
Thanks for sharing these insights anyway.
Cheers Ralf
 
I've been running Android Auto via a Sony XAV-AX3000 almost since I got this rig. I love AA and can't seem to go without anymore but for whatever reason, the angles and reflections with this combo in this truck just didn't make for optimal viewing on sunny days. Unavoidable sometimes, but I wondered if there might be a better combo. Today I decided to swap a headunit from another one of our vehicles, in hopes that I can angle it slightly differently, given its form factor. Here is a shot this evening, after install...

Really difficult to capture a headunit the way your eye sees it, without the white balance being one extreme or the other. So here's both...

PXL_20230106_172409976.webp

PXL_20230106_172358360.webp


This is a Sony XAV-AX8100 - its a single DIN "floating" style, with a massive 10 inch screen. Because of the way it mounts, I can change the angle to suit. We'll see if it makes a difference in the cold light of day. ;) So far I don't mind it. Because there is space all around the OEM opening, this doesn't actually cover anything up.
 
I've been running Android Auto via a Sony XAV-AX3000 almost since I got this rig. I love AA and can't seem to go without anymore but for whatever reason, the angles and reflections with this combo in this truck just didn't make for optimal viewing on sunny days. Unavoidable sometimes, but I wondered if there might be a better combo. Today I decided to swap a headunit from another one of our vehicles, in hopes that I can angle it slightly differently, given its form factor. Here is a shot this evening, after install...

Really difficult to capture a headunit the way your eye sees it, without the white balance being one extreme or the other. So here's both...

View attachment 3212316
View attachment 3212317

This is a Sony XAV-AX8100 - its a single DIN "floating" style, with a massive 10 inch screen. Because of the way it mounts, I can change the angle to suit. We'll see if it makes a difference in the cold light of day. ;) So far I don't mind it. Because there is space all around the OEM opening, this doesn't actually cover anything up.
It’s a nice radio - I have one in my 4Runner and run CarPlay on it. Like the ability to run map apps on such a large screen.
 
Wow. That screen is a monster. Nice one. You can even play movies on it with Android Auto, which is almost impossible with Apple CarPlay.

I've got a Sony XAV-AX1000 in mine, only because I'm addicted to that physical volume dial knob.
 
Wow. That screen is a monster. Nice one. You can even play movies on it with Android Auto, which is almost impossible with Apple CarPlay.

I've got a Sony XAV-AX1000 in mine, only because I'm addicted to that physical volume dial knob.
I liked the AX1000 as well. It went with the prado. Having physical volume buttons is almost as good. Possibly easier to manage on certain terrain since you can rest your hand on the lower ledge... But knob is king.
 
So after blanking the acsd last weekend, I've been having even longer smokey starts so perhaps my acsd wasn't as inop as I thought it was?

Today I took the unit and disassembled it part way and greased the sliding pin, pulled the snap ring and slid the wax pellet up and down a little bit, and generally got it loosened up. At this point I figured why not try it again? The stub that goes into the injection pump looks like brand new, with no wear on the end as I've seen in so many other posts where it disintegrates.. so. I went about the contortionist process of putting it back in. Not a lot of fun. Then I reset the idle, reset where the acsd engaged with the throttle linkage, and generally mucked about, until it started looking like it was supposed to.

When I cold started it right after, it pushed the idle up a little bit to about a thousand rpm, (before I had to turn up hand throttle to eliminate bumpity bump) and then slowly came down as the wax pellet heated up.
Screenshot_20230114-173757~2.webp

No smoke, no drama. I just can't see why someone would pull it when it functions so well. It's just really too bad that it's no longer available as a new item. I would buy another in a heartbeat. It makes such a difference in cold climates. Yes I can plug in, but I don't always want to plug it in when it's 0° c. The acsd eliminates the need to do this.
 
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It is time to maybe pretty up the old girl a bit, especially after she got that fright last month when she thought she was being replaced. Let's call this a makeup gift? 😉

Back story: I've always loved the body lines of the 70 series narrow nose, but the two tone always seemed to me to change colors too low on the beltline, to the point where it's pants were too low on the hips? Solid colored units don't suffer from this ummm... Fashion faux pas.

Add to this I love (as does everybody) a retro stripe. So why not a retro stripe at 4 inches, that lifts the visual beltline? Here's what I have ordered...
11809_1_toyota_landcruiser_troopy_4x4_land_cruiser_doors_retro_old_school_side_retro_vintage_...webp


(Yes it's a troopy stripe but the extra length may allow me to wrap around the back door too?)

PXL_20221205_165435576.webp
 
I've been running Android Auto via a Sony XAV-AX3000 almost since I got this rig. I love AA and can't seem to go without anymore but for whatever reason, the angles and reflections with this combo in this truck just didn't make for optimal viewing on sunny days. Unavoidable sometimes, but I wondered if there might be a better combo. Today I decided to swap a headunit from another one of our vehicles, in hopes that I can angle it slightly differently, given its form factor. Here is a shot this evening, after install...

Really difficult to capture a headunit the way your eye sees it, without the white balance being one extreme or the other. So here's both...

View attachment 3212316
View attachment 3212317

This is a Sony XAV-AX8100 - its a single DIN "floating" style, with a massive 10 inch screen. Because of the way it mounts, I can change the angle to suit. We'll see if it makes a difference in the cold light of day. ;) So far I don't mind it. Because there is space all around the OEM opening, this doesn't actually cover anything up.
Are either of those head units 24v or are you running it off your 24v-12v converter? I’d like to find a 24v head unit but am not finding good options here in Canada.
 
Are either of those head units 24v or are you running it off your 24v-12v converter? I’d like to find a 24v head unit but am not finding good options here in Canada.
Does your truck not have an inverter behind the glove box? It's got a constant 12V and an accessory 12V lead coming out of it. Super simple to wire.

I believe the stock radio was 12V regardless.

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Are either of those head units 24v or are you running it off your 24v-12v converter? I’d like to find a 24v head unit but am not finding good options here in Canada.

Yep, as @ATL Cruiser cruiser said, run it off the stock converter. 12v stereo gives you a world of options, and it's what the hzj77 did from the factory. I wouldn't pull an amplifier off it, but headunit works fine.
 
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So you plan to run the stripe through the door handles?

Yep that's the plan. Front one is already cut out so maybe I'll use that as a template for the rears? Then around the back. Appears to be the exact size to fit in the bodyline bracketed groove that runs around the truck.
 
Yep, as @ATL Cruiser cruiser said, run it off the stock converter. 12v stereo gives you a world of options, and it's what the hzj77 did from the factory. I wouldn't pull an amplifier off it, but headunit works fine.
Thanks for the pointers JDM and ATL!

Yes 12v is definately the way to go. I'll have to do some poking around under the dash and do some testing with my voltmeter to see what alterations, if any the PO did. Who knows, as my head unit currently looks like this:
Head Unit.webp

I took the trim off to repair it and took off the mounting brackets for the head unit and the dash cubby too.
 
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