LJ70 Build Thread!

[StarCruiser]

Looking' good Ben. Good luck with the carrots. They can be tricky wotsits to grow if the soils not just right. [emoji4] like the raised beds. I made two for Lynn at the end of our garden out of reclaimed sleepers. Blunted the chainsaw cutting through them! They seem to work well.

 

[Ben]

Thanks guys.

Had an interview for an alluminium welding job yesterday. The interview went well, I passed the welding test they asked me to do and they offered me the job.

But when we got down to talking about money they too wouldn't even go to $30 let alone $40!

Talking to the guy interviewing me he was saying all the companies around Brisbane/Gold Coast are paying about that but that they all struggle to get decent reliable guys. I wonder why!

So I've pretty much given up on the idea of carrying on working as a welder/fabricator at the moment.

Had an interview with a recruitment company and they seem certain with all my qualifications they can get me some carpentry work, paying much better money. I'm hoping they can get me on some of their shop fitting contracts as their paying really good money, specifically when you go over 8 hours a day or work a weekend as its all double time.

Hoping to hear back from them in the next week or 2, in the mean time I will keep looking and applying for carpentry jobs.

 

[StarCruiser]

Shop fitting is rush and tear work Ben, pressure and deadlines, at least it is here. Good money is good money though.

 

[Ben]

Yeah similar here.

I need to work hard and earn good money for the next few years, just while we buy a couple of houses to renovate and sell on.
My hope and belief is if we buy the right properties in the right areas and for the right prices, I completely renovate them, fit new bathrooms, kitchens, paint etc. and do all the work myself.

Then we should make enough then to be able to buy some rural land where I can build us an off grid eco house. Then we want to start some business ventures on our property and just work from home.

Thats the dream.

 

[StarCruiser]

Good luck with the dream Ben. I'd lay money on you doing it too. Graft and make the money while you're young.

You could do Cane Toad clearing on the side for pocket money. [emoji4]

 

[Shayne]

Your an unknown quantity there at the mo Ben when you get to grafting i'm sure word will get around and opportunities will come to you .

 

[Paddler Ed]

Thanks guys.

Had an interview for an alluminium welding job yesterday. The interview went well, I passed the welding test they asked me to do and they offered me the job.

But when we got down to talking about money they too wouldn't even go to $30 let alone $40!

Talking to the guy interviewing me he was saying all the companies around Brisbane/Gold Coast are paying about that but that they all struggle to get decent reliable guys. I wonder why!

So I've pretty much given up on the idea of carrying on working as a welder/fabricator at the moment.

Had an interview with a recruitment company and they seem certain with all my qualifications they can get me some carpentry work, paying much better money. I'm hoping they can get me on some of their shop fitting contracts as their paying really good money, specifically when you go over 8 hours a day or work a weekend as its all double time.

Hoping to hear back from them in the next week or 2, in the mean time I will keep looking and applying for carpentry jobs.

What about taking the work and saying that you'll do a months probation and renegotiate the wage after they've seen what you can do?

I think the mines are distorting the wages, and that is what is drawing the guys away from the local work. My mate who is a boilermaker (qualified for 20+ years, and worked in that area for much of it) here is only on about $25ph or so, maybe nearer $30 now that he is full time at one of the local steel fabrication places.... when he was doing work down in the Hunter for the mines he was on $40+... and now look at what's happening to the mines they're all now "no longer economic to run" in a lot of cases... I wonder why?! If the value of what you are digging out drops like a sack of $hit, then it's not really a surprise that the very high wages are going to impact the operating costs.

The business owners know what they can afford to pay to be competitive, and what their costs are for the infrastructure etc. Staff wages are about the only bit they can control, so to remain competitive they need to shave the wages to the Award rate (double check what it is for the work you are looking at doing).

Think about it, if you were paid $40 instead of $25, then that's an increase of $15ph (+ on costs such as Super and Workers Comp premiums - which is calculated on the wage bill IIRC), so if the job takes 8hrs that's an extra $60+OC (around 40% more in total), and that might be enough to make the job uncompetitive when compared to other options. When you were at Piranha there wasn't really anyone else in that field (Aus made vehicle accessories), so the prices could be higher and people would accept that.

Keep looking, something will turn up... also get out and meet people through something, you never know where the next useful contact will be. I'd be knocking on doors at the fabrication places, just trying to pick up some casual work. Also look at the local builders yards to see if they have a board that you could advertise on.

Edit: I'm not a fan of the mines as you may have gathered; I think they're more destructive than people realise... this article about Dunedoo (a cool little town that we visited when we drove to Melbourne) shows the problems that they cause, and goes in part to explaining why the mines claims of creating jobs is a crock of $hit - they displace the existing workforce and once they leave, the workforce does not recover as the previous employment opportunities have disappeared, as can be seen in what happened when Dunedoo was threatened with a mine.

Edit 2: Just seen my mate who is the boilermaker; he says that to get $30-40ph you often need at least 3-5 years of experience post qualification, and there are a lot of guys coming out of the mines with that experience.

 

[Paddler Ed]

Seen this article (or a variation of the release) a couple of times, finally remembered to grab it for you... may be an extreme way to educate Lexi...

 

[Ben]

Thanks guys.

I had a call from an agency yesterday with a well paid carpentry job!

Did my first day today and it went great!

A commercial site building a sports pavilion for the up coming Common Wealth games, right next to the sea. Going back for more work next week. Also spoke to the other agency and they said the shop fitting contracts are starting at the end of February.

 

[Paddler Ed]

That's the way; play to what they can see you do well, and see what else they can come up with based on the other skills you have.

 

[Ben]

A Visit To Toyota!

I went in to one of my local Toyota dealers this week to inquire about buying a new 79 duel cab ute.

Unlike the other 99% of Toyota 70 series buyers (who go for boring white) I want a midnight blue one, the same as LJ and that will mean a 3-4 month wait while its built in Japan as Toyota Australia only really had white ones in stock.

This is the latest brochure for the 70 series range.

I'm keen to source a genuine style sided tub which is something Toyota Australia wont import and sell, so I will have to source one from South Africa or UAE.

Not only will I then have a much better looking truck but I will be able to fit the mirrors off the wagon version (like on the pic below) rather than the hideous ones that they fit to the ute models here, which obviously stick out further to see past the trays which dont follow the lines of the cab and mount half way down the doors.

I found it interesting that the Troopy model is so limited and is only available in 3 colours and it cant be bought with central locking or electric windows!

I found it interesting that they make a point of mentioning the fact it has side impact bars in the doors and a collapsible steering column. I'm guessing to try and convince potential buyers that its still a safe car, even though its only got a 3star ANCAP rating, as these features were standard on the 70 when it first came out 30 years ago!

I dont want the factory diff locks (which are standard on the GXL) as there shit and I'd much rather fit Eaton E lockers, but I want central locking and electric windows (which is only available on the GXL), so sadly I cant have both.

So I think I will just have to get the GXL and put up with the diff locks, or try and remove them and fit E lockers.

Bottom left is the Midnight Blue one I want!

Out of the optional extras I want the weathershields which are great if its raining and you want to have the windows down an inch to stop the windows steaming up and dont want water dripping in.

Towbar and the fitted rubber floor mats.

I will of course want a bullbar but theres only one winch I would want to fit and thats a Warn 8274 High Mount, so I will have to get a high mount bar from ARB.

I found reading the specs interesting.

The single cab ute uses 11.5 litres per 100km/60 miles, where as all the other models use 11.9.

The single cab ute and troopy both have 180 litre fuel tanks where as the wagon and duel cab ute only have 130 litre tanks.

Another thing I found interesting is that the single cab and duel cab both have exactly the same length of vehicle and wheel base, meaning the only difference is the length of the tray. The wheel base is also only very slightly longer than a troopy.

 

[StarCruiser]

That looks nice Ben. [emoji108]

Have you looked at getting one from SA delivered into Aus or having the spec you want from the factory? If you have to wait for your colour maybe it's worth asking if they can provide the rest of the spec you want. It's a long shot and maybe not a goer but an email to Toyota Japan might yield more than the local dealer. Just a thought.

Not envious at all Ben, not a bit. [emoji6]

 

[Paddler Ed]

The wheelbase difference is why the cut down Troopys (an early way of making a double cab... typical Aussie solution...) always look a bit funny... and also why there's the funny blank on the double cab where the wheelarch would be on the wagon...

 

[Ben]

We've had some great news!!!

Little Lexi had her vet check and injections yesterday and the vet has said shes ready to go to her forever home. So tomorrow were getting to go and pick her up and bring her home a week early!!!!

That looks nice Ben. [emoji108]

Have you looked at getting one from SA delivered into Aus or having the spec you want from the factory? If you have to wait for your colour maybe it's worth asking if they can provide the rest of the spec you want. It's a long shot and maybe not a goer but an email to Toyota Japan might yield more than the local dealer. Just a thought.

Not envious at all Ben, not a bit. [emoji6]

Thanks mate, I cant wait to order one!!

I would struggle to order a complete one from a different country as Australia is pretty strict with personal imports, especially with newer cars. It was meant to protect Australia's car industry which sadly now doesn't exist.

I will attempt to order the exact spec I want and hopefully with $70k on the table they may order what I want but I suspect the computer will say no!

I just wish they would offer the style sided tubs here like every other country that gets the 70!

I suspect they all enter the country without any trays, in the "cab chassis" configuration. Then they fit either an alluminium or steel tray, or sell it as a cab chassis depending on what the customer wants. I've seen quite a few in dealer show rooms in the cab chassis configuration so I guess they just bolt on whatever tray you choose.

With my old bosses single cab 79 series he imported a style sided tub from South Africa and had a body shop fill and paint the holes in the middle of the doors left by the hideous mirrors.

 

[asheddie]

I think the tray back comes down to practicality. Lets presume 80+ % of Landcruisers are bought by farmers in Australia, now the mines aren't buying them in big numbers. When a farmer wants to shift a big load, he doesn't want a tub getting in the way, he wants to lower the sides and come under the load with a front end loader or forklift. Have you ever tried loading a tub with round bales of hay? It's not going to happen!!!
Also remember that dark colours show up the fine Aussie dust and scratches a lot worse than white. White also retains the best resale price believe it or not. My favourite colour is maroon, but that shows up the dirt and scratches also.

 

[Shayne]

Must admit being mildly surprised you would be satisfied with a new cruiser Ben even if it was blue , would have thought with your skills building something unique would appeal more , like a 70 series pickup re-bodied to become a wide 40 series double cab

 

[Firewout]

Must admit being mildly surprised you would be satisfied with a new cruiser Ben even if it was blue , would have thought with your skills building something unique would appeal more , like a 70 series pickup re-bodied to become a wide 40 series double cab

Or a lengthened 80 chassis with a double 70 cab like this one :

 

[StarCruiser]

Or a chassis cab and build your own back for it. Even a detachable pod system for different backs. Tray/flat, box with your tools in, detachable sleeping pod, all on legs to easily mount. With your skills you could produce some great stuff. Could even start making / adapting for others.

 

[stumog]

Must admit being mildly surprised you would be satisfied with a new cruiser Ben even if it was blue , would have thought with your skills building something unique would appeal more , like a 70 series pickup re-bodied to become a wide 40 series double cab

Shayne if you have seen a v8 d4d you would understand they are amazing cruisers. I certainly would love one.

Good luck Ben hope you get sorted soon if you need help sourcing a bed in sa I can put you in touch with a chap in Toyota there. What's the price on the double cab in aus?

 

[AndyCook]

Truck looks great, and even better gettin Lexi tomorrow, looking forward to more puppy pics


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