Thiess Toyota Australia

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and a final one

Pedr Davis quotes Hideyo Tamura (described as a senior toyota executive in australia and japan)
"When Sir Leslie Thiess approached Toyota, it was our first real step into a Westernised market. Our success there led Toyota to recognise the export potential." pg42

some of Pedr Davis information above is somewhat confirmed by press articles already in this thread.

thread#42
20 sep 1957
twelve landcruisers in transit (JohnnyC - you have a newspaper source for this article?)

thread#47
jan 1958
there are already 50 vehicles here and more due

thread#52
8 apr 1959
thiess obtain queensland franchise. (the new subsidiary and associated name change mentioned also documented by Pedr Davis)


a close comparison of the bodywork of fj25s remaining in australia would be an interesting exercise and may answer some questions raised earlier if patterns emerge.

all of which brings me to my home state of WESTERN AUSTRALIA of which i have more to add shortly. and the so called fj43. but right now im off for a beer.
 
west aussie thats all GREAT information ....thanks a ton for the posts...it all sounds like the beginings were a bit of a struggle...however when thiess took over it all went up hill :)
 
i am of the opinion that the japanese olympic vehicle of 1956 and left in melbourne was not a landcruiser. "truck" in the australian context usually means a vehicle with loading capacity of several tonne of more and rarely a "pickup" or "4WD" as is common usage in north america. after re-reading post #47 (? think thats the right one - the newspaper article that mention same) the jouralist states something like "there are already 50 landcruisers here" and "toyota trucks due in july" and "oltpis truck being used by a melb. transport firm". the aust. toyota book quoted above also mentions B&D importing a few toyota "trucks" in 1956. i think is worth keeping the common aust. usage in mind. isnt that right aussies?
 
i am also interested is the various chassis modifications as they happened in australian dealerships. every example of the fj45 i have seen of the 1962 to 1964 type chassis (7 vehicles) has aprox 5 inches added into the chassis at the rear of cab. this involved relocating the rear cab mounting point. the original rivets were simply crudely blown out with the oxy acetylene and the cab mounting bracket welded directly to the chassis. i once spoke to an old family friend (now deceased) who was employed at agricultural parts supply (the very original toyota dealer in westralia) who literaly cut the new tojos in half and did the welding fabrication. would love to have asked him more. his name was john pugh. he couldnt recall that this happened to each and every tojo but seemed to recall the modification was something to do with regulations regarding the trayback rear. i am guessing regulation regarding allowable amount of overhang behind the rear axle? i am really guessing the traybacks themselves were prebuilt and it was cheaper to modify the chassis than scrap the trays. 6 of the vehicles i have viewed are traybacks and the 7th (and oldest my 1962 fj45 bones) has a tub rear of unknown manufacture. all have had the chop mod.

fwed told me he has a 1962 fj45 chassis that has not been cut.

i havent really spoke to any other (non westralian) aussies with this early fj45 chassis type.

this extension takes the modifyed fj45 wheelbase out to neatly 109 inches

quote Pedr Davis pg49 [re: thiess]
"by 1962 they were selling FJ40, Fj45 and FJ43 (96, 104 and 109inch wheelbase lengths) Landcruisers, the RK45 Stout 1.5 tonne tray utility and"
is this chassis modification the fj43 mentioned? remember this is 1962.

the post 1965 fj45 tojos of my aquaintence have all been extended too but i have not made a proper study of them yet. or determined when the factory fj45 chassis sorta caught up in length.
 
west aussie said:
quote Pedr Davis pg49 [re: thiess]
"by 1962 they were selling FJ40, Fj45 and FJ43 (96, 104 and 109inch wheelbase lengths) Landcruisers, the RK45 Stout 1.5 tonne tray utility and"
is this chassis modification the fj43 mentioned? remember this is 1962.

the post 1965 fj45 tojos of my aquaintence have all been extended too but i have not made a proper study of them yet. or determined when the factory fj45 chassis sorta caught up in length.
Click to expand...

here in the us we got the fj40 90", fj43 96" (this also goes for the fj28 and fj24 96") , fj45 104"

so the fj45's had been extended from 104" to 109"?
 
excatly. but its just a local thing i wouldnt be too hung up on the naming as such. EVERY old (shall we say 1960's) fj45 chassis i have ever seen has been extended. guess i wondering if this the case australiawide? my little pet love is the 62-64 split rear window fj45 chassis type (or did thiess locally call them fj43; to ease confusion if someone required a replacement tailshaft?) . or create confusion for lonely westralian mudders haha?
 
a few different styles of pick-up

https://forum.ih8mud.com/fj25-owners-group/272740-aussie-fj28.html

13032009001.jpg


https://forum.ih8mud.com/fj25-owners-group/327150-fweds-25-28s.html
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Toyota Landcruiser FJ28 - 1958, Australia | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
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https://forum.ih8mud.com/fj25-owners-group/273579-thiess-toyota-australia-2.html
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west aussie said:
...perhaps best if you read same in its entirety and formed your own conclusions. if you care to pm me some postal details i may be able to photocopy same and send it with good old fashioned stamps across the equator for your perusal and assessment.
Click to expand...

Got an envelope in the mail today :D

Great information in there...I am perticulary interested in the fact that "The People's Car Company" imported a Toyota FX in 1951.

the BX which would be the same as the FX but with a B engine came out in I think 8/1951.

I have some pictures of the BX in 1951 which was also called a BQ and used as a weapons carrier for the National Police Reserve Force in japan in 1952.

Ithinkl the F hadnt started to be produced till 1952? I'll have to check on that info...they may have imported a BX in 1951...or it could have been in 52 not 51 :meh: ....either way....THAT would be a cool truck to find :)

Great read sooooo far :)
 
yea lots of info but none of it referenced much so have to take it at face value. wonder if Pedr Davis still alive and contactable? the original a nice hardcover book by the way if you ever find one for sale.
 
if you're reding fwed that is the same 25 tray pic i was going to forward to you.

i have been badgering on about early 45 frame extensions a fair bit. anyway finaly just posted some pics in the 45 owners forum of the extension i mean. every one of the 7 split rear window 45s i have seen in west australia has the same modification. i guess i am trying to determine how this compares with other australian states? an elderly family friend of ours worked at the original
 
sorry i continue

an elderly family friend of ours worked at the original west australian toyota dealership, Agricultural Parts Supply Co Ltd, in the perth suburb of Bassendean. his name was John Pugh now deceased. he was the boilermaker who did some of these early extensions and seemed to recall the reason was something to do with regulation concerning allowable rear overhang of the tray but was not 100pc sure. he did not think he did each and every trayback but was not sure about this either. Ag Parts lost the dealership in (i think) 1963 and the same style extension continued on.

anyway i welcome any (esp aussie) input on this one. the thread with pics in the 45 area is called i think "1964 fj45 SWB or LWB" or something similar.
 
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