LJ70 Build Thread!

[Ben]

This started off as a build thread for my L70 LandCruiser as I began modifying it to improve it for my needs, but then developed into a complete blog of my life including me emigrating from the UK to Australia with my LandCruiser and all my worldly possessions.

It details the ups and downs of starting a fresh in a new country on the other side of the world, the amazing 4wd trips, all the interesting jobs I have had, right up to where I am today.

Here we go......................................

I'm going to be doing a lot of work on my 70 over the next few months, so thought id start a build thread.

i guess i should start from the beginning, so below is the story of my 70 from the start, unashamedly stolen from my cruiser of the month thread.

apologies to everyone whos already read/seen all of this.

ive owned and off roaded 4x4's for the past 5 years. previously ive had 5 suzuki vitaras, including one in Australia. i fancied a change, and chose a cruiser! id have loved an 80 if they had done a shorter wheel base, but as they didnt, i chose an LJ70.

after a month or 2 of searching i found one on ebay and bid and won it. after travelling down to Essex, i arrived at what was a traveller site. the chap selling it seemed genuine and honest enough, but the V5 had 3 different names on it and hadnt been sent off since the gypsy's got hold of it about 3 years previously!

i should have walked away, but i didnt and bought it. luckily a week later to my amazement the V5 came through in my name.

a week later and the mods began!
i used west coast for my +2" ironman lift kit and snorkel. i can honestly say there 1 of the worst 4x4 company ive ever dealt with, and ive dealt with a few.

ebay bargain sunstrip made to my spec, £9.99 delivered.

fitted the snorkel.

it took a bit of modification to get it to work as it was designed for a 75 + 79 series cruiser and not an LJ70, which has a different air box.

fitted a piper-cross induction kit.

got the sus lift kit on, and realised i needed bigger axle stands.

flexed much better.

made the winch tray next.

tested it!

next i decided to add a bumper, which consisted of 4" x 2" box section steel.

cut some 3mm steel end caps on my guillotine.

next i bought some 35"s off Paul in Shrewsbury, via this club.

got them fitted and did a lot of off roading!

gave it a good service, courtesy of milner off road!

decided to lift the rear number plate light and fit a square number plate, for that more modern look.

next i fitted an intercooler off a 2.8 derv frontera.

made a cb aerial mount.

built a centre console/arm rest/cb holder.

used it for towing.

intercooler pipe work arrived off ebay.

bought a 35" tyre for the spare off Tony-toyota.

off roaded it some more.

new alternator from milner's.

took it to the Peek district with the frontera club.

following a slight confrontation with an Audi on an icy road the bumper wasnt looking very straight, so i decided to build an ARB style bumper.

wooden template.

scaffold tube makes perfect bullbars!

loads more bumper pics, and full build, here:- viewtopic.php?f=22&t=9856

my girlfriend came to stay from OZ, and bought me some lights.

roof rack.

had the windows professionally tinted.

wired the lights up.

won Lincomb.

since then its had new boots.

future plans include rock sliders, rear bumper, bigger engine, new rear panels to replace the rot, and diff locks.

just trying to get it finished before my magazine photo shoot, but work keeps getting in the way!

Start of my build thread then:-

yesterday i ordered a pair of rear arch repair panels from Germany.

http://www.autoblechteile.de/index.php?cPath=48_81

today i removed the bumper and winch tray ready for them to be sent off to be powder coated on monday.

couldnt believe how much mud and clay was in the winch tray. i need to drill a few big holes int the tray with a hole saw before its powder coated, so that future mud can be washed out easily.

new batteries and starter went on yesterday, so my truck is now drivable again. i must still have an electrical fault some where though as ive got a lot of warning lights on the dash lit up, but these go off when the voltage charging regulator is unplugged, so i suspect this may be at fault, even though this was replaced not long ago. might have to get an auto electrician look at it.

didnt see any point in butchering the wiring to my spot lights so ive temporarily secured them in place with cable ties and a bungee strap until the bumper goes back on.

i decided to re-fit the original bumper and indicators on the front to make the truck look a bit more road worthy, until the bumper and wicnh tray comes back from the powder coaters.

im picking up the steel i need to make my rock sliders tomorrow, so work on those will begin on monday hopefully.

at the start of August im hoping to take my cruiser off the road for a month to 6weeks so i can strip it down and rebuild it after rust killing, painting, and waxoiling everything.

i want to remove the axles, radius/trailing arms, props, bumper, winch tray rock sliders, suspension etc. and then rebuild it all after all the paintwork is done.

 

[Simon_LJ70]

Sounds good, what have you got planned? Your trucks got nearly everything done

 

[Red Oktober]

this is going to be an ineresting thread

looking forward to seeing what you've got planned

 

[sae70]

Didn't see you mention gearing or a 3.0TD anyware

Good to see someone getting on, Fierys just sat in my back yard looking a bit sad @ the mo

 

[roscoFJ73]

Nice work Ben
I think the bumper would look even better if you filled in the vertical bits with some plate,it would give it a bit more strength as well.

 

[Ben]

thanks lads.

ive got planned:-

powder coat winch tray and front bumper.

treat all rust and paint and underseal.

remove the interior, seats and carpet to check for rust on the floor pan.

underseal/waxoil the whole of the underneath, including inside chassis, sills, doors, etc.

weld in new rear arches, as the current ones are rotten.

remove axles, radius arms, props, clean up and paint them.

make and fit rock sliders and rear bumper, probably with a swing away wheel carrier.

i still want to fit a bigger engine at some point, but i will look into changing the ratio in the diffs. if i am re-building the diffs with new ring and pinions, may aswell stick some lockers in there at the same time.

i picked up the steel today for the sliders. i then went to my mates and used his bender to bend the tube, and then cut and drilled the box section for the high lift jack points.

should hopefully get it welded up on monday after work.

still need to work out how im going to attach it on the drivers side as the exhaust runs down the length of the sill.

im considering body lifting it, as ive got some 2" box that would make perfect spacer blocks, would just need some longer bolts, so would only cost me about £5 all in. but id then need to modify the brackets on the front bumper, and it would obviously make the truck feel even more unstable on side slopes.

 

[Red Oktober]

sounds like you've got it worked out Ben ....

 

[Ben]

did a bit more tonight.

first i drilled 6 50mm holes in my winch tray. so thats all ready for powder coating now.

i then cut 4 pieces of tube, that will form my high lift jacking points in my rock sliders.

i then welded these in place in the sliders.

next i hammered the 2 dents out of my front bumper, and then welded a piece of 25mm box along the back edge, as it had become apparant that the 3mm steel x 25mm wasnt strong enough and kept bending when being stood on.

next i started making the body lift spacers.

so i cut 8 50mm pieces of 50mm box.

i then marked the centres and centre punched them ready for drilling.

i then drilled through both sides with an 8mm drill bit followed by a 12mm bit.

im going to weld a plate on one of the open sides of the box, to add a bit more strength. then i just need to buy some bolts the right length.

hoping to add some high lift jack points to the front bumper tomorrow, then it will be ready for shot blasting and powder coating with the winch tray, and body lift spacers on wednsday.

hoping to fit the body lift at the weekend, then i can finish the sliders, and then get them powder coated.

 

[spackrackman]

Good work ben! I am sat in my living room looking at how hard you are working instead of being out in my shed doing shit myself. Damn it I need some energy

 

[Ben]

Good work ben! I am sat in my living room looking at how hard you are working instead of being out in my shed doing shit myself. Damn it I need some energy

thanks Johnie.

im not getting things done as quickly as id like, there just doesnt seem to be enough hours in the day, or enough days in the week. started work at 6.30am today and worked till 5pm. then spent 3.5 hours working on my bumper and sliders. at 8.30 i decided to come home for a shower, dinner and beer.

 

[Red Oktober]

Looks Grand so far Ben ... can't wait to see the finished vehicle

 

[Ben]

so tonight i cut the ends of the 2 pieces of bent tube to the correct andgle and welded them to the sliders.

laid the slider over the tube to mark the angle.

cut and ready to weld.

both welded.

that was it on the sliders for tonight.

need to get the bumper finished ready for powder coating, so i cracked on with that next.

first i drilled 2 37mm holes in the front of the bumper, where i want my high lift jacking points to be.

i then cut and welded some tube in place.

testing how well my high lift jack adapter fits.

i also starter cutting and adjusting the mounting brackets for the bumper, as obviously after the 2" body lift goes on the bumper will need to be 2" higher.

my body repair panels arrived from Germany today.

the quality of the panels seems ok, but there are a few areas that i think will need filler.

more tomorrow.

 

[Ben]

Looks Grand so far Ben ... can't wait to see the finished vehicle

thanks mate.

you coming to Lincomb? should be some where near finished by then.

 

[Roger Fairclough]

What, where and when is Lincomb?

Roger

 

[Ben]

What, where and when is Lincomb?

Roger

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=11298

 

[Red Oktober]

Looks Grand so far Ben ... can't wait to see the finished vehicle

thanks mate.

you coming to Lincomb? should be some where near finished by then.

Hopefully ....

will be a bit nervous though ... first club meet and all that

 

[Roger Fairclough]

Is this the Lincomb just South of Stourport on Severn?

Roger

 

[Red Oktober]

Is this the Lincomb just South of Stourport on Severn?

Roger

believe so

 

[Annamarie]

i get anxious to scared of being travel sick do you know of a few bed and brakefast places over there

 

[Roger Fairclough]

i get anxious to scared of being travel sick do you know of a few bed and brakefast places over there

Stourport on Severn is a sort of mini inland holiday resort. B&B's as far as the eye can see.

Roger