1981 HJ47 Toyota Landcrusier

Engine - 4.L 12HT
Transmission - 5-speed Manual
Suspension - Drivetech 2inch lift
Tyres - Bridgestone M/T 671 7.50r16
Equipped for - Daily Driver/ Tourer

This hj47 has it all! Tell us how you got your hands on it? And about the modifications?

I got the car back in 2017, I had been on the look out for a 40 series troopy for a while for my first car. I missed out on a couple here and there. I got in touch with the owner of one cruiser which I missed out on and he put me onto this 12HT 5-speed hj47 which was up in Darwin. My dad and I spoke to the bloke selling it and we organised to ship it down on a car carrier site unseen. My dad picked it up from the car carrier yard and it had trouble starting so he had to get it towed to the nearest workshop to get it sorted. I still remember the old mechanic telling us we should sell it because it was not worth the trouble (hahaha). All mechanical components were perfect however, the body was pretty shot with rust, so I had the body restored from bare metal, to make sure all the rust was eliminated.

With all the tasteful and practical mods you’ve done to the hj47, how much has it transformed the car for long road trips and off-road work?

The car goes really well on long-distance highway trips with the 12ht and 5-speed combo. It’s able to sit on 110km/hr and provides comfort inside the cab with air-con and power steering. I recently just did an overhaul of the cooling system and planning to put some new suspension under it to prepare it for an around Australia trip in the future. Off-road it goes well, but the suspension under it at the moment is a bit stiff with $10 SCA shocks not helping with the comfort.

What advice would you give to someone interested in buying a 40 Series Landcruiser?  

Well I guess it depends on the person who’s buying it. If your mechanically minded but have no clue about the welding and bodywork, then I would suggest to look out for one that’s pretty straight with little to no rust. If it has mechanical problems get yourself the engine manual and you should be able to figure them out. Alternatively if you like getting stuck into the bodywork, buy one that’s good mechanically and do the bodywork yourself. There’s no escaping the problems associated with these old rigs so I suggest being prepared to get stuck in one way or another.

Whenever you want to sell it...You'll let us know right?

Hahahaha, yeah I think you’ll have to negotiate with my next of kin.

Photos by Sunday Garage