Troopie, 12 years in storage, sees sunlight

[ki7xh]

After 12 years in a dry Wyoming storage building, my 1985 HJ-75 finally hitched a ride back up the dirt road to the workshop. And after those 12 years, she fired right up when connected to an 1100 CCA AGM battery I keep around. I did shoot a tiny squirt of ether in the air intake, after a cranking it a bit with the IP off, to build some oil pressure. Believe it or not, the clutch hydraulics were still working (tho' no brakes).

I'm going to let the cats have at the rats for a couple weeks, then start tearing it down.

You guys on mud have been a great resource, and I'm sure I'll need your help along the way.

Best regards from Wyoming...

 

[Hltoppr]

12 years and starts right up...gotta love Land Cruisers!

-H-

 

[jonb96150]

That's petty cool. Was it equipped to drive on rail tracks? Also very nice mitsu fuso in the background, I've always been interested in those. You got some nice rigs there pardner!

Just noticed your u/n, greetings from KE6GFB.

 

[Pskhaat]

Drool.

 

[ki7xh]

That's petty cool. Was it equipped to drive on rail tracks? Also very nice mitsu fuso in the background, I've always been interested in those. You got some nice rigs there pardner!

Just noticed your u/n, greetings from KE6GFB.

Yes, I still have the Hi-Rail gear in the shop. It was massive, and I ditched it while I was still driving the HJ in the mid 90's.

The Fuso camper is what I build in my business - Welcome to RUF-Inc.. Been building them since 2003. I'm not sure where to go now, as the new DPF-equipped trucks are having strange problems, and there's no longer room underneath for the big Marmon transfer case. If the DPF goes outboard, I lose space for the generator and storage box. It's always something!

 

[Clint79]

How come it was put away for 12 years you sure are strong not to sneak into your shed and have a drive sometime

 

[roscoFJ73]

Yes, I still have the Hi-Rail gear in the shop. It was massive, and I ditched it while I was still driving the HJ in the mid 90's.

!

What was the role of the troopy? .Was it to detect the corrugations that rail lines get every so often.

 

[Clint79]

What powers the rail wheels or do the rear tyres sit on the tracks as well or something

 

[ki7xh]

What was the role of the troopy? .Was it to detect the corrugations that rail lines get every so often.

There was another big rail car that I never saw in person. I have an 8x10 of it around somewhere. As I understand it, the big rail car had all of the ultrasonic rail test gear in it, and the troop carrier was used to shuttle stuff to it. SSTech had a really nice building in Guernsey, Wyoming, but moved out long ago. I think the Guernsey Chamber of Commerce is in it now. When I bought the Troopie, I got the original invoice from the Port Hedland Toyota dealer. Kinda neat.

What powers the rail wheels or do the rear tyres sit on the tracks as well or something

The tires power the vehicle on the tracks. I don't know too much about railway gauge, but the Land Cruiser's standard axle width puts the tires right on the rails. US domestic vehicles (pickup trucks, mainly) that are converted for rail service usually have specially narrowed axles with inset wheels to match the narrower track gauge.

How come it was put away for 12 years you sure are strong not to sneak into your shed and have a drive sometime

I finally put it away for good when the 2H's oil pressure got so low that the engine control servo started to shut the engine down on me. Back in 1997, I was building a house, and just didn't have the resources to take on the restoration. The odometer shows 299,000 km, but I bet that 2H idled for years.

Now that I have a 12H-T and another 5-speed for the Troopy, I hope to rebuild the 2H that's currently in there and install it in a 1985 FJ-60 we have. (A couple years from now, I'd guess.) I just can't get enough mechanical diesels.(And I've been bitten badly by these new computerized ones. Thanks, Fuso.

 

[roscoFJ73]

There was another big rail car that I never saw in person. I have an 8x10 of it around somewhere. As I understand it, the big rail car had all of the ultrasonic rail test gear in it, and the troop carrier was used to shuttle stuff to it. SSTech had a really nice building in Guernsey, Wyoming, but moved out long ago. I think the Guernsey Chamber of Commerce is in it now. When I bought the Troopie, I got the original invoice from the Port Hedland Toyota dealer. Kinda neat.

.

I get it now .SSTech were an Aus company That was bought by Herzog and they shipped the equipment back to the US.
They would have been upgrading and repairing the rail in and out of Port Hedland for the iron ore mines.
Just curious,I had a friend who was doing rail mainenance in that area for a dutch company

 

[cicak]

Awesome love to see troopies being driven and restored.