Project LXXIV - 1988 BJ74 Land Cruiser Build

cruiseroutfit

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Introducing Project LXXIV

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Project LXXIV as she sat in port awaiting transport to the US earlier this year

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Check out all that chrome :D

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That will clean up nicely!

Basic Specs:
1988 Toyota Land Cruiser
Model: BJ74V-MNX LX Trim
Engine: 13BT 3.4L Turbo-Diesel
Trans/TC: H55F 5 Speed & Split-Case
Axles: 9.5"/4.11 R&P & Factory Cable Locking Diffs

Purpose/Scope: The purpose is straightforward, build a simple yet highly functional Land Cruiser while highlighting the JDM platforms. We have partnered with LandCruisersDirect.com to source these and other models and will be using this particular BJ74 throughout the year at various 4x4 events as a showcase of both their vehicle platforms and our product offerings. CruiserOutfitters.com is in the process of adding JDM specific parts to our growing inventory and we are now stocking parts ranging from tune up items specific to the diesel power plants to suspension and weatherstripping for these non-US rigs.

Phase 1 Build Plans:


Front Wincbar
24V Winch
Sliders
Suspension
Rear Bumper
+2 Tire Size

Future: I'll get a good feel for the vehicle as I enjoy a few days of remote travel as part of the Cruise Moab event next week. From there I'll formulate a list of follow-up needs and future mods that would benefit the vehicle and my needs for future travel plans.

With that all said, it's time to get started on this build... after all Cruise Moab is next week! Thankfully I'm able to put the call out to my pals in the Wasatch Cruiser club and we'll have some ringers here tomorrow to help rock this thing out in Death Star fashion. Pics to come!
 
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NM-Frontier

Explorer
This is gona be sweet! But, I do not need this kind of temptation right now! I'v been spending way to much time looking at BJ74s lately and this won't help. Looking forward to the build, I'm sure it will be top notch as always!:sombrero:
 

4Rescue

Expedition Leader
WoWza!!!!!! Talk about a dream rig!!! Just looking at that dash/interior and imagining looking out over the bonnet make me get all nostalgic and miss the Station. Gettin up at 4am to start the waters isn;t so bad if you get to wheel in a 70-series Cruiser aye.

Any particular reason you went with a 74 -vs- say a Troupy??? Also, is the 74's size like the BJ43 -vs- BJ40 was in that it has the slightly longer W/B, more akin to say a 1st Gen 4Runner??? This is going to be a neat build. Subscribed!!!

Cheers

Dave
 

stolz

Adventurer
Man, so jealous of this. Will deff be watching this thread as it progress. Congrats on the rig. :drool:
 

Sempertoy

Explorer
sweet snag Kurt, that thing will be a lot of fun! Cool to see you working with those guys, I have seen a few of their rigs on craigslist. When the time comes, maybe you can get me a jdm mid 70's celica.
 

SpongeX

Rust does a body good.
I want a 70 so bad. One of these days I'll manage to get one.

Sent from my VS950 4G using Tapatalk
 

cruiseroutfit

Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
...Any particular reason you went with a 74 -vs- say a Troupy??? Also, is the 74's size like the BJ43 -vs- BJ40 was in that it has the slightly longer W/B, more akin to say a 1st Gen 4Runner??? This is going to be a neat build. Subscribed!!!

Great question and the answer is two-fold. The 75 Series are rare in Japan so while there are legal imports en route (we have two coming) they are from Australia and that means rigs that have likely have harder lives. Along with that is cost, they are still prize possessions in Aus and the prices reflect it. The pricing is still completely reasonable imo but it would push the build budget that much more. Part two is off-road, the wheel base of the 74 is near perfect for 2 people and more technical trails. Your absolutely correct, the BJ73 and 74's are longer than the 70/71's, etc. I'll snap some comparison pics tomorrow as I happen to have a BJ70 (15k original kms :cool:) and the Project LXXIV in the shop but the length is 12" different between the 70'71 and 73/74, 90" and 102" respectively.

Man, so jealous of this. Will deff be watching this thread as it progress. Congrats on the rig. :drool:

sweet snag Kurt, that thing will be a lot of fun! Cool to see you working with those guys, I have seen a few of their rigs on craigslist. When the time comes, maybe you can get me a jdm mid 70's celica.

Thanks guys! :cool:
 

cruiseroutfit

Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
Looks like it coming along nicely! Some thing other than ARB?

OME Suspension & ExpeditionOne prototype bumpers front and rear. My good friend at ExpOne contact us a few months ago about borrowing a 70 Series, we let them take one for a few weeks to mock up bumpers without any immediate plans to run them as I had an ARB on the shelf and a Kaymar en route from Aus. The Kaymar got hung up in shipping (totally understandably this time of year) so we moved things around on this build. I'll use the Kaymar and ARB front for the next build project we have lined up in a few months that is going to maintain a true Aussie Outback look :cool: The Kaymar is an absolutely a fantastic bumper and it has some neat features this prototype doesn't have but this bumper turned out really slick and I'm excited to have more options for the market.
 

NM-Frontier

Explorer
As much as I love the ARB bull bar it is always nice to see a build with something fresh and new. I am curious to see how you build up the cargo space compared to your 100. Keep it up!:sombrero:
 

cruiseroutfit

Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
Where to begin? Our build night was an absolute success. While I had planned to be working through Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, we took it for a post build voyage just after 11PM with 6 gents crammed into the rig. :D

I'll try and document each major component of the build, the truth is I was literally just bouncing back and forth finding nuts/bolts and looking up torque specs while my crew did the grunt of the work :cool:

Step one was the front suspension. We quickly broke the lug nuts free and had the front end on jack-stands while the front bumper crew started test fitting the bumper and sourcing hardware for the bumper brackets. James at ExpeditionOne literally built this bumper in a two-week period and it is still a working prototype they don't have instructions or hardware kits set up quite yet, no biggie we had it covered.

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Bumper getting test fitted by committee

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ExpeditionOne Bumper ready for install

While they were working out the brackets, the suspension was getting installed. Full OME package in the front, Emu Dakar leafs, Nitrocharger Sport Shock, anti-inversion greasable shackles and pins, u-bolts and the steering damper.

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Old Man Emu suspension complete, new tires and wheels installed

All finished with the front for the night :cool:

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Matt inspecting the finished product, QC.
 

stolz

Adventurer
Man that front bumper came out great, it made a huge difference on the overall look of the front!. Is it weird if this is my favorite build thread so far, and it's only just begun?
 

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