Builds Red Dragon - HJ61 Build (1 Viewer)

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A few more of summer trips.

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Which size of wheel and tire did you end up with. I haven’t seen it in person since it’s been built up:)
 
Which size of wheel and tire did you end up with. I haven’t seen it in person since it’s been built up:)

15x8 steel wheels with a 33x10.50 tires. Totally happy with the setup.
 
Back to the build...

Finished the rear bumper and license plate bracket using OEM Hilux and 4x Series parts.

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Steering refreshed

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Next up was the Long Range tank from @wardharris & @orangefj45 . I've done extended range tanks on my 40, 100, 200 and countless customer vehicles... it was a no brainer for this build too.

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All finished...

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First drive

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Wiring the license plate light and reverse lights. I threaded some holes in the @TRAIL TAILOR bumper. Really happy with the setup.

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Fueling up for my trip to Montana. I pulled a ~2500lb trailer up there and it pulled it without problems. Coming home I calculated an impressive 19.5mpg. That gives me nearly 700-750 miles on a single fill :cool:

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I absolutely love driving it. The power output is great (12HT may be my favorite motor) and the suspension rides/handles really well. I'm still debating the front bumper. I dont love the porch/PTO but it hasnt stopped me on my travels thus yet and the light duty exploring is exaxtly what I envision it seeing down the road too.

I'm part of a volunteer off-road recovery team here in Utah, basically we do recovery in places commercial tow operators cant/wont. We had a call for a rolled Jeep last week and the HJ61 was the perfect machine. I pulled it backwards as we winched it upright.

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More summer pics

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Camping in Montana rain

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Pits at our recent Canguro Racing desert race
 
(12HT may be my favorite motor)

folks that haven't driven one .. or neither understand the way it was build couldn't appreciate it's value ..

I truly believe Mt. T knows it .. and that's the reason they just stop making it ..
 
Wiring the license plate light and reverse lights. I threaded some holes in the @TRAIL TAILOR bumper. Really happy with the setup.

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Fueling up for my trip to Montana. I pulled a ~2500lb trailer up there and it pulled it without problems. Coming home I calculated an impressive 19.5mpg. That gives me nearly 700-750 miles on a single fill :cool:

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I absolutely love driving it. The power output is great (12HT may be my favorite motor) and the suspension rides/handles really well. I'm still debating the front bumper. I dont love the porch/PTO but it hasnt stopped me on my travels thus yet and the light duty exploring is exaxtly what I envision it seeing down the road too.

I'm part of a volunteer off-road recovery team here in Utah, basically we do recovery in places commercial tow operators cant/wont. We had a call for a rolled Jeep last week and the HJ61 was the perfect machine. I pulled it backwards as we winched it upright.

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Please tell me about which license plate light/mount you used. I'm lucky to have not gotten pulled over yet with 70% of my plate hidden behind my spare tire, but I haven't driven through Provo either.
 
Please tell me about which license plate light/mount you used. I'm lucky to have not gotten pulled over yet with 70% of my plate hidden behind my spare tire, but I haven't driven through Provo either.

It's a non-US Hilux plate mount modified to use the 40 Series License plate light.

I could set you up with the parts, the bracket is ~$20 and the license plate light is $22.50. I did have to drill through my license plate but it's a clean solution for my wants/needs.

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It's a non-US Hilux plate mount modified to use the 40 Series License plate light.

I could set you up with the parts, the bracket is ~$20 and the license plate light is $22.50. I did have to drill through my license plate but it's a clean solution for my wants/needs.

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I like it! I've looked at a few and none have yet seemed quality enough. And as many times as I have paid tickets for a perfectly functional license plate lights (VW days), I haven't yet been stopped in my 60. PM sent.
 
It's a non-US Hilux plate mount modified to use the 40 Series License plate light.

I could set you up with the parts, the bracket is ~$20 and the license plate light is $22.50. I did have to drill through my license plate but it's a clean solution for my wants/needs.

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Hello Kurt ..

It's a LED one .?
 
Hello Kurt ..

It's a LED one .?

Nope, just the factory 40 series version. One could add an LED bulb but it's a standard bulb offering.
 
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Love this beast. When life slows I’ve got a 2M radio and ARB fridge harness to add in. Those are the only two items that have been irking me when taking it on recent trips. I’m still thinking of a rear drawer system and ARB front bumper too. I don’t mind the front porch for the type of off-roading this vehicle is seeing but the PTO winch just doesn’t work for my recovery wants/needs (Primarily a bunch of recovery on others vehicles).

Anyone want a complete PTO winch/bumper setup? :D
 
Camping @ 10k feet this weekend :cool:


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Out hiding from satellites on the bomb range.

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And playing in the sand

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And a twinner from the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum Cruisers & Coffee today :cool:

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Alright, how married to keeping things original am I? I have a 5spd manual HJ61 with a vacuum shift 2WD/4WD split transfer case. It arrived from Japan without any stateside service work by my request. I got it up on the lift to do full fluid change and found some Japan local FIPG repair on the tcase and a nearly stripped tcase fill plug, glued in with more FIPG. It wasn't leaking so I swapped fluids and considered it a future Kurt problem.

Fast forward a few years and it's on the lift again. I had a leaking front output seal and a weeping PTO seal. No biggie, drain the case and swap seals. The front output flange had a bit of wear on the seal surface so I swapped flanges. In the process I found that the front output has a tad bit of play at the bearing. Time for a rebuild, no biggie. But between the play in the front shaft, the stripped fill plug and whatever leak they caulked up on the bottom... I'm really considering just installing a brand new manual 2-4wd split case, I know a guy with a few dozen of them :D The only thing hanging me up is ditching the vacuum shift (novelty) on an otherwise completely rebuildable/repairable case. It's not a beauty queen and it's not bone stock, I've added suspension, sliders, a rear bumper and long range fuel tank. Everything about the manual shift is more reliable really. I've given less thought to a home purchase :D

One of my biggest hangups would be the mismatched pattern on the glovebox door decal :D

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I'd keep the vacuum shift unless it's a reliability concern of the vacuum actuator. It's kind of unique. What about adding some low range gears?
Alright, how married to keeping things original am I? I have a 5spd manual HJ61 with a vacuum shift 2WD/4WD split transfer case. It arrived from Japan without any stateside service work by my request. I got it up on the lift to do full fluid change and found some Japan local FIPG repair on the tcase and a nearly stripped tcase fill plug, glued in with more FIPG. It wasn't leaking so I swapped fluids and considered it a future Kurt problem.

Fast forward a few years and it's on the lift again. I had a leaking front output seal and a weeping PTO seal. No biggie, drain the case and swap seals. The front output flange had a bit of wear on the seal surface so I swapped flanges. In the process I found that the front output has a tad bit of play at the bearing. Time for a rebuild, no biggie. But between the play in the front shaft, the stripped fill plug and whatever leak they caulked up on the bottom... I'm really considering just installing a brand new manual 2-4wd split case, I know a guy with a few dozen of them :D The only thing hanging me up is ditching the vacuum shift (novelty) on an otherwise completely rebuildable/repairable case. It's not a beauty queen and it's not bone stock, I've added suspension, sliders, a rear bumper and long range fuel tank. Everything about the manual shift is more reliable really. I've given less thought to a home purchase :D

One of my biggest hangups would be the mismatched pattern on the glovebox door decal :D

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