Toyota Landcruiser HJ47 Ute with Isuzu 4BD1 conversion Build

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Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Threads
1
Messages
49
Location
Perth, Western Australia
Hi everyone, I'm new here, but I've been a reader for a number of years!

Ive begun a project recently, Converting my old HJ47 from 2H power to 4BD1 power!
Mainly in the name of fuel efficiency but also because I was given a 60,000km old 4BD1 by my dad, and the 2H is on its last legs.

I paid $1000AUD for the old ute which is about 1/4 what you would normally pay around my area for a 47 in its condition. It needs plenty of work, but thats normal!

I have a big trip planned for later in the year, a 12 month trip around Australia.
This will be the noble(!) steed to carry me on my journeys.

I chose this ute because I have previously travelled around the country in a BJ40, an it was a fantastic trip! There is an abundance of spare parts littered around the cattle station country up in the far north from decades of Toyota abuse in those parts.
Another good reason to take a 40 is that when you roll up to a small town in the bush in a 40 series, you immediately make friends with the locals because they all grew up driving them and have fond memories of them. Australia was practically built by people driving Landcruisers.

The scope of work:

-Install Isuzu 4BD1 (its non turbo, but I'll sort that out soon enough!) into the Ute

-Fit a H55f gearbox (already have it sitting in the shed) to said 4BD1

-Fit power steering (have that also, down in the shed) all genuine 40 series stuff

-fit a Hydroboost brake booster. (on its was from eBayland as I type)

-fit slotted, dimple drilled disks to the front end,and braided flexi lines all round (already have the parts)

-Strip all old paint and rust from exterior of body, and clear coat the bare steel (nearly done) photos to come.

-Sort out worn suspension, replace shock absorbers with Tough Dog Big Bore Shockies

-Fit PTO winch from a 60 series (already in the shed)

-Air conditioning! Don't judge me, I've done it once without aircon and it was ok, but to keep the relationship between my girlfriend and I healthy, I'll just do it.

-I have an aircon compressor converted to run as an air compressor, but I'm not sure I'll be able to find a spot to fit it on the engine, so thats a maybe

-Fit ARB diff locks (in the shed) and 3.7 diff gears (got 'em)

-Build an aluminium (I'm Australian we spell it like that!) slide on camper to fit the tray, with space for an aluminium dingy on top, a pair of mountain bikes in the back and a permanently set up bed. The main frame work is already complete. Photos to come.


So there is a lot of work to do! I hope this interests some people out there, Ive been reading these forums for years but haven't yet contributed. Time to repay the debt!

Cheers!
Haydo.
 
Definitely sound good mate I want to see this project need som photos
 
Hey mate can you send me the info or item number of the hydroboost will soon be rebuilding my brakes
 
Hey mate, good to see another Aussie here. I like your plans for this build,I will be following it closely.....

Cheers from tassie
 
Hey mate can you send me the info or item number of the hydroboost will soon be rebuilding my brakes
The Sellers name on eBay is sterlingworth16

here is the add

Ive been speaking to him about fitting it all up, he has made brackets to bolt straight in to the cruiser. I haven't recieved it yet so I'll be sure to let you know how i goes when I do.
 
I'm writing on the 4btswaps forum about the same build up I'll probably focus more on the technical side of the engine conversion there and the whole build will be blogged here.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=860326&stc=1&d=1391671342

This is the ute in its current state. it looks a mess but its actually still driveable and licenced for the road etc. I just have some panels removed.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=860327&stc=1&d=1391671342

And this is the 4BD1 motor that will be going in.
20140206_101539.webp
20140206_101335.webp
 
welcome to the Forum ... interesting build and interesting trip you have planned ... would love to see some pics of your odyssey ...
:cheers:
 
Bare metal HJ47?? Yes please. I love it man, any more pics?
 
I visited my local turbo retailer yesterday, looking for a Garrett GT2259 which should allow me to max out my stock injector pump at about 25 PSI boost. I have a large front mount intercooler on the shelves which should help. Apparently you can get 180kw at the flywheel with that turbo. That might mean 130ish at the wheels. Thats quite a bit for an old smoker!

I also have a 5" chrome truck exhaust stack off a Cat highway truck of some kind, I'm not normally the type to fit that kind of thing to my cars, but it's been sitting in the shed for quite a few years so I figure I might as well put it to use. I'll use it as a side pipe coming out in front of the LH rear wheel. I'll post a mock up photo later.
Its gonna be a wild machine!
 
Turbo ordered.
I'm looking around for suitable air filter arrangements. Most of the Donaldson units are rated for fairly low CFM's until you get into the 6 inch pipe sizes! That's pretty massive for an old cruiser. I calculated I'd need about 470 cfm at full tilt using Donaldson's online calculator.
I intend to fit a 4" fabricated snorkel up the side of the car but I can't find a 4 inch ram/head. might just have to make something up or use a pre filter.

suggestions welcome!
 
Most trucks are running large ram air heads have you tried your local Kenworth dealer.

I have't asked around yet but my mate works at a CAT dealership who are also a Donaldson dealer. If I can give him a part number, he should be able to get me the parts at cost price. Donaldson don't seem to have a 4" ram, they only list a 6" on their website. I'll have to keep looking!
 
Regarding stripping to bare metal and clear coating.
I hope to save you some trouble and suggest you try it on a scrap panel or fender first then leave it in the weather for a few months.
Maybe test a few options so when you do the whole rig you know it is going to work.

I did this with a CJ7 in the 1980s and it didn't hold.
Used sanding disks on an angle grinder to put an engine turned looking swirl pattern all over it.
It looked great for about 2 weeks then the steel began to discolor & blush rust under the clear coat.
Within 3 months I was repainting the whole thing again with a color.

That was 1980's acrylic lacquer clear.
A modern 2 part urethane clear may hold up better but I suspect you need the anti corrosive properties of a primer.

Having been through it once to know what doesn't work, I'd probably try a light coat of a non-surfacing primer reduced so it goes on like water and so it doesn't fill the grinder swirl marks. Maybe follow it with an equally thinned metallic silver color coat, then the clear.... on second thought it will probably be really difficult to make it look like bare metal.

I'd love to see what it looks like when you are done.

Good luck!
 
you won't see the 130 at the wheels very often and as long as you don't dump the clutch when taking off the H55 should stand up quite well. i would suggest and equalizer tube between the tranny and the t/case, that intermediate seal has eaten up a number of t/cases - trannys over the years.
subscribed.
definately interested in the camper build portion. any basic ideas at this point?
 
Regarding stripping to bare metal and clear coating.
I hope to save you some trouble and suggest you try it on a scrap panel or fender first then leave it in the weather for a few months.
Maybe test a few options so when you do the whole rig you know it is going to work.

I did this with a CJ7 in the 1980s and it didn't hold.
Used sanding disks on an angle grinder to put an engine turned looking swirl pattern all over it.
It looked great for about 2 weeks then the steel began to discolor & blush rust under the clear coat.
Within 3 months I was repainting the whole thing again with a color.

That was 1980's acrylic lacquer clear.
A modern 2 part urethane clear may hold up better but I suspect you need the anti corrosive properties of a primer.

Having been through it once to know what doesn't work, I'd probably try a light coat of a non-surfacing primer reduced so it goes on like water and so it doesn't fill the grinder swirl marks. Maybe follow it with an equally thinned metallic silver color coat, then the clear.... on second thought it will probably be really difficult to make it look like bare metal.

I'd love to see what it looks like when you are done.

Good luck!

The whole clear coat is not going to be a permanent thing. My aim is to get 12 to 18 months out of it before it needs repainting. I'm confident I will get that.
The basis for that choice is simply that I had 4L of acrylic clear sitting in the shed from a previous project, and the cost of buying new good quality 2 pack and all the hardeners, etch primers, high build primers and abrasives would get up to around $600-$800 and the time involved is just massive compared to what I have spent spraying the clear.

At the end of the day a rushed clear on steel paint job looks better than a rushed colour paint job IMHO!

I just hope I get more than 2 weeks out of it!
 
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