Cowboy45
Old Landy: An HJ45 Story/Build Thread
Hey guys just wanted to start a question and answer thread on my FJ45.
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Old Landy: Question and Answer Thread
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Cowboy45
Old Landy: An HJ45 Story/Build Thread
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Hey everyone welcome to thread. I created this thread to share the story and unique history of an FJ45 that @ceylonfj40nut and I recently purchased from Kodiak, Alaska. As this thread continues your input and advice would be much appreciated as we go on in this new journey. Thanks to @Rock Island for preserving this rig all of these years and letting someone else treasure it as much as you did.
Cowboy45
Old Landy: An HJ45 Story/Build Thread
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Lets start at the beginning...
Truck was originally an ambulance in Lesotho from 1978 to 1981. Purchased in 1981 by a Swiss electrical engineer named Andres. He built the shell and turned it into a camper. He drove it all over Africa and the Sinai Peninsula through the 80's and 90's. I think he would park it and return to Switzerland to work and then drive it on his holidays. I have never meet Andres (well get to that later), but he had a website that documented his travels (it has since been taken down, but I copied all the photos so I have pictures of this truck going back to 1981). It was stripped down to the frame and rebuilt sometime in the 90's (I have a few photos).
In 2009, Andres shipped the truck to Maryland with the intention of driving from Prudhoe Bay to Tierra Del Fuego. He made it from Maryland to Prudhoe Bay, then down to Valdez, AK where he blew the head gasket. He meet a guy (who's name I'm forgetting) who owned a construction company and had a shop where Andres worked on the truck in Valdez. He decided to replace the whole engine (possibly because it was so high mileage). He had another H engine shipped to Valdez (I think from Specter in California). It arrived, he installed it, and it also had a bad head gasket. At this point, Andres went to Anchorage and bought a brand new Jeep and continued on his way to Tierra Del Fuego (I do not understand how to drive a Land Cruiser for 30 years and then decide you're a Jeep guy...)
Anyway, he left the truck in Valdez, giving it to the guy who's shop he'd been using as payment (I think he used the guys shop and stayed with him and his family for over a month). This guy didn't really care about Land Cruisers, but he knew enough to know that it was rare/valuable. He sent it up to Fairbanks to a friend of his who ran an auto repair business. At that point, they realized how hard it is to find parts for these things and it sat in a private equipment yard for a while. That's where I found it in 2012. (By: @Rock Island)
Here are some pics:
Truck was originally an ambulance in Lesotho from 1978 to 1981. Purchased in 1981 by a Swiss electrical engineer named Andres. He built the shell and turned it into a camper. He drove it all over Africa and the Sinai Peninsula through the 80's and 90's. I think he would park it and return to Switzerland to work and then drive it on his holidays. I have never meet Andres (well get to that later), but he had a website that documented his travels (it has since been taken down, but I copied all the photos so I have pictures of this truck going back to 1981). It was stripped down to the frame and rebuilt sometime in the 90's (I have a few photos).
In 2009, Andres shipped the truck to Maryland with the intention of driving from Prudhoe Bay to Tierra Del Fuego. He made it from Maryland to Prudhoe Bay, then down to Valdez, AK where he blew the head gasket. He meet a guy (who's name I'm forgetting) who owned a construction company and had a shop where Andres worked on the truck in Valdez. He decided to replace the whole engine (possibly because it was so high mileage). He had another H engine shipped to Valdez (I think from Specter in California). It arrived, he installed it, and it also had a bad head gasket. At this point, Andres went to Anchorage and bought a brand new Jeep and continued on his way to Tierra Del Fuego (I do not understand how to drive a Land Cruiser for 30 years and then decide you're a Jeep guy...)
Anyway, he left the truck in Valdez, giving it to the guy who's shop he'd been using as payment (I think he used the guys shop and stayed with him and his family for over a month). This guy didn't really care about Land Cruisers, but he knew enough to know that it was rare/valuable. He sent it up to Fairbanks to a friend of his who ran an auto repair business. At that point, they realized how hard it is to find parts for these things and it sat in a private equipment yard for a while. That's where I found it in 2012. (By: @Rock Island)
Here are some pics:
Great idea. I don't know much because I'm learning 45's too but will do all I can. I'm definitely excited for you! Will be fun for sure.
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Love the story. You'll probably find parts more quickly if you refer to the truck correctly. H motor = HJ45. 2H = HJ47. F/2F = FJ45.
Michael B
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An impostor!
Michael B
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Nope. Just asking the question of Daniel.
Wow. Great find & great story.. Good to hear you're keeping the truck alive!
Hello, this is Vagner, Andres friend and jus got back from Brazil visiting Andre, los my Cell phone and your contact, please send to my email or give a call when you have time and I’ll call you to schedule a visit, regards
I will PM you our email and phone number
