origin of Land Cruiser? (1 Viewer)

[drexx]

03Dec2003 (UTC -8)

Check this webpage out, and search for the word "Cruiser":
http://www.mdjuan.com.ph/jphistory.htm

"... there are reports that the Japanese forces captured a Bantam BRC in the Philippines, brought it back to Japan, where it was used as a model for the first Toyota Land Cruiser whose grille and headlamps located on the fenders are reminiscent of the BRC and the MA."

 

[cruiserman]

TLC FAQL

In 1941, the Japanese government instructed Toyota to produce a small, easily manoueverable truck that could be used in the expansion of their Pacific empire. In response, Toyota delivered prototypes of the 2-ton AK-10 in 1942. Unfortunately, it proved too cumbersome so production of light transport trucks was left to Nissan. No examples or photographs of the AK-10 vehicle exist. The only evidence of the AK-10 is a rough sketch. The truck featured an upright front grille, flat fenders that angled down and back like the FJ40, and headlights that mounted above the fenders on either side of the radiator. It had a folding windshield, and the cowl comes straight down to the floor. The rear tub does not exist as such, instead, there is more of a stake-sided bed. The spare tire stands vertically on the inside of the back wall of the bed on the driver's side. The pumpkins have the familiar offset and look to be similar in design to the Land Cruiser 9.5" and have a 6 wheel-stud pattern. Most of the driveline of the truck was from the model BM truck.

The AK-10 arrived 1 year after the initial MA1 General Purpose was delivered to the U.S. Military by Willys-Overland. The first shipment of MB "Jeeps" didn't arrive in the Pacific until 1943. As a result, it was highly unlikely that Toyota had seen a Jeep, never mind copied one. The Land Rover Series I did not arrive on the scene until 1949 so any influence on the precursor to the Land Cruiser is impossible.

TMC struggled throughout World War II. It was conscripted into making aircraft engines and tried to continue producing trucks with what little raw materials were available. After Japan's surrender in 1945, Toyota was allowed to begin production of trucks to aid in the rebuilding of Japan. By 1947, production had begun on the Model BM truck and the Model SB small truck.

 

[drexx]

03Dec2003 (UTC -8)

Ah yes, but...! To refer to your TLC FAQ's quotation in the second sentence on the second paragraph, it says that Jeeps didn't arrive in Pacific until 1943.

However, in rebuttal from my referred webpage, "Noted restorer Danon Dizon from Angeles, Pampanga and now Baltimore, Maryland has photo evidence of an MA in service in the Philippines prior to December 7, 1941."

 

[Landpimp]

[quote author=cruiserman link=board=1;threadid=8436;start=msg71578#msg71578 date=1070603564]
TLC FAQL
[/quote]

actaully a pic of the WWII vintage AX10 does exist........I have one. I'll post it if/when I can get my scanner hooked up to the new computer

 

[Landpimp]

pic of the AX10

 

[drexx]

05Dec2003 (UTC -8)

You're stuff is unbelievable! Thanks!

 

[Landpimp]

a bit more AX10 info

might have to copy, save, zoom in, to be able to read text.

 

[Landpimp]

the man who named it Land Cruiser, Mr Hanji Umehara....

 

[Poser]

The Japanese were all over the USA before WWII, this is a fact. They also had access to many military bases because of jobs that some had, and to think that they did not have multiple pictures of the Jeep, and countless other vehicles considering the photographs that were taken of so many targets around Pearl and stateside, would be outright foolish.

There is a Japanese WWII historical site that I spent a bunch of time at a few years ago, that had pictures of places all over the USA that were tactical targets, not just Pearl.

There are too many things with the early FJs that resemble a Jeep to not acknowledge the root. Look at the early Nissan patrols. Anyone that has spent time around one of them, and the early Series Land Rovers can see the similarity between the two, from the shape of the bulkhead to the crappy axles, it is a poor copy of a Rover, thru and thru.

-Steve

 

[the shed guy]

poor copy of a rover.....dont you, I say dont you blashamy here!

 

[Poser]

[quote author=the shedguy [Aus/CAC] link=board=1;threadid=8436;start=msg72044#msg72044 date=1070683180]
poor copy of a rover.....dont you, I say dont you blashamy here!
[/quote]

You have to have seen the first generation Patrol, and a Series Rover. They look very similar. I think that the only thing that the Nissan has over the Rover would be that the Prince of Darkness had nothing to do with the wiring. The drive trains on both are marginal at best. I have a 66-88 Rover, and have gone through the thing completely, while I love the truck, it certainly is not anywhere near the strength of a similar year Land Cruiser.

Novelty, they are, bulletproof, hardly. I will take my Rover over a Patrol any day, and a Land Cruiser would pull both their broken butts back to the shop.

Good Day!

-Steve

 

[Landpimp]

[quote author=Poser link=board=1;threadid=8436;start=msg72049#msg72049 date=1070683613]
You have to have seen the first generation Patrol, and a Series Rover. They look very similar. I think that the only thing that the Nissan has over the Rover would be that the Prince of Darkness had nothing to do with the wiring. The drive trains on both are marginal at best. I have a 66-88 Rover, and have gone through the thing completely, while I love the truck, it certainly is not anywhere near the strength of a similar year Land Cruiser.

Novelty, they are, bulletproof, hardly. I will take my Rover over a Patrol any day, and a Land Cruiser would pull both their broken butts back to the shop.

Good Day!

-Steve

[/quote]

 

[kulangot]

I have a D90 and I can tell you first hand that it's a huge piece of monkey s*** and that a Nissan Patrol is a far superior truck.

Get your love for your brand in check and recognize japanese quality! My Defender is such a piece of crap that I would never even think about taking it into the wilderness. In the Philippines where I grew up, even Jeeps are regarded as more reliable than Rovers and Toyota and Nissan RULE.

-Stumbaugh

 

[drexx]

06Dec2003 (UTC -8)

Hey, that's nice to know Stumbaugh! I'll be home for a long time next month, back in the Philippines, so you're welcome to hang-out with our 4wheelin club (http://www.4x4ph.com) if you're ever in the area.

And yup, those bastardized jeeps actually have Toyota engines, drive-trains and chassis in them, but Isuzu parts are very popular too. Ever took a ride in the roof?

 

[cruiserman]

John, Please scan and post the next page (page 15). I'd like to know more about the origin of the 6 cyl engine design. Any discussion of copying the 235 Stovebolt?

Heck, post the whole book .

 

[drohweder]

Man! You guys are quite the Cruiser buffs!! I feel very small having just read a few issues of TT Perhaps someday I will become a CruiserJedi!! Interesting stuff for sure!~