Another Crusier owner from down under here.

[Beno]

Hey all. Name is Tony and I live in a shack on a swamp in East Maitland ,New South Wales , Australia.

I have had a few cruisers over the years ranging from my first being a 1980 FJ40 to a BJ40 also 1980 then onto a 1985 Hzj75 short change to a 1994 v6 Forunner then back to a 2003 HZJ 105 and updated that 2 years ago to a 2012 VDJ200R Gxl. We still have the 200 but recently I purchased something I also wanted.
It's a 1985 BJ73 LX. It has power steering,Air Conditioning,Power Windows. Bulbar,tow bar. It only has 263,400 klms on it. It has the 3B motor with a set of extractors fitted. It has been maintained very well Mechanically. I does have rust around the windscreen frame so that will be replaced in the near future with a new one .
I will post some pictures of it tomorrow when I get a chance.
Looking forward to talking and sharing experiences with you all .

Regards
Tony

 

[Chas]

Welcome to the forum Tony, we shall all be waiting with bated breath for your pics.

 

[Ben]

Welcome to the club Tony.

I love 73's/74's!

 

[Beno]

Thanks guys. I tried to post some pictures but I forgot that I have to post 15 posts before in can post pictures hosted from photo bucket. All good.
I had bit of a sticky eek under the bonnet today and adjusted the idle up a bit as it was too low. Now around 650 rpm. Replaced the air filter and will be changing the Engine oil and Filter and Fuek filter this week as well to get a clean start.
Bit old school I am. I like to change the Engine Oil & Filter every 5000 klms.

I will take a few pictures of the Engine bay and the Interior Tomorrow.
Cheers
Tony

 

[Beno]

Bit of an update for the BJ.
Ok as mentioned i was going to change the filters and oil. Well thats all been done and whilst driving it i have noticed it took some time to warm up so.
I checked and found no Thermostat so ordered a new Thermostat and Toyota coolant. The old green coolant was flushed out 4 or 5 times and cycled to make sure it was all out and the fan and heater inside the cabin cycled to make sure it was all out as well. Then fitted the new Thermostat and filled with fresh Toyota coolant although i am a bit conncerned as the manual says it should take 13 or so litres but i would have been lucky to get 10 litres in.
None the less it all seems ok so far and the level seems to be staying the same.

Whilst checking around the BJ i also noticed i had no reversing lights so upon investigation i found some frayed wiring ready to catch on fire so that was repaired and now i have reversing lights so that was a good find.

Also when i purchased the BJ of the previous owner he had mentioned that the Passengers door electric window switch was dodgy so i order another switch Through Allfourx4 in Newcastle. New Switch delivered to my front door and installed and now that window is all good. Slowly getting on top of a few things. Hopefully this week a set of TJM XGS Gas Shock Absorbers will arrive for the Rear and i will be able to fit them. I know the left rear is totally shot as it is clunking when you roll down a small gutter.

I got the 2 shocks delivered from TJM Dandenong in Victoria to my place for $ 139.00 which seemed a pretty good price.

Hopefully fit them up this weekend and then Start on my Headlight upgrade from very average to a 90 wat low beam to 100 watt high beam which is similar to a prevoius HZJ75 i once had.

Also washed it and polished it over the weekend just gone, to make it look a bit more respectable

Ben i have slowly Started to read your build Thread mate and wow you have been busy. Hope you like Downunder. Down south in the Vic High Country is a wonderful place thats for sure. Congrats on a great read mate.

 

[Ben]

Sounds good Tony!

Were still waiting for pics though!

Thanks mate, its been one hell of a journey but I'm loving it!

Vic High Country is amazing! Planning another trip over the Easter long weekend.

 

[Beno]

AOk a couple of Pictures of my BJ73

 

[Ben]

Looks awesome!

 

[Bob]

Great looking truck... I do like Aussie bull bars... It's something that's stuck with me since our neighbour had a 40 series with a 'farm gate' on it when I lived near Liverpool NSW in the 90's....I'm intrigued now as to what you measured with the callipers that was 5.35mm wide..

 

[Beno]

Great looking truck... I do like Aussie bull bars... It's something that's stuck with me since our neighbour had a 40 series with a 'farm gate' on it when I lived near Liverpool NSW in the 90's....I'm intrigued now as to what you measured with the callipers that was 5.35mm wide..

Are sorry about that Bobi saw that there but not being that good on computers just took a bit to work out how to get rid of it.All good now.
They are a pair of Vernier Calipers that i am selling and somehow a picture got selected by mistake.


Yep they do make a resonably Bulbar downunder. Having said that the Government have recently ammended the Laws in NSW to stop anybody having a 5 post Bulbar on there vehicle. It will make alot of the younger generation with there Ford and Holden utes very unhappy.

 

[Ben]

I didn't realise 5 post bullbars are now illegal in NSW.

IMHO their hideous and completely ruin the look of vehicles!

We had a new 70 series troopy in work the other day with one fitted and not only did it look really shit, it weighed a ton so it cant have done much for the vehicles handling!

 

[Gav Peter]

Yoiks, unsee, unsee, unsee!!!!!!

 

[Beno]

I didn't realise 5 post bullbars are now illegal in NSW.

IMHO their hideous and completely ruin the look of vehicles!

We had a new 70 series troopy in work the other day with one fitted and not only did it look really shit, it weighed a ton so it cant have done much for the vehicles handling!

Yeh mate that style be the ones. September last year i was up outback Queensland and every second vehicle that went past had one of those Tuff Bulbars fitted.

 

[Paddler Ed]

I didn't realise 5 post bullbars are now illegal in NSW.

IMHO their hideous and completely ruin the look of vehicles!

We had a new 70 series troopy in work the other day with one fitted and not only did it look really shit, it weighed a ton so it cant have done much for the vehicles handling!

Yeh mate that style be the ones. September last year i was up outback Queensland and every second vehicle that went past had one of those Tuff Bulbars fitted.

The issue with those bars are as follows:
-Lack of sticker to say they pass a particular ADR to do with airbag compatibility
-The way they lean away from the bodywork (ie they don't follow the bonnet line)
-Number plate positioning (not visible from a wide enough arc)

The reason why people choose them is because no matter how good your ARB/TJM type bar is, they don't always stop a 5-700kg steer, nor do they do much against a big red 'roo...

Do I like them? Hell no... see a lot around here in Armidale, especially at one of the University colleges!

NSW RMS have this document that shows why they aren't legal; one of our friends here got a defect for the Tuff (or similar) bar fitted to their HiLux, and had to get a new bar to clear it.

 

[Paddler Ed]

Oh, and welcome! I used to have an FJ73 (but poverty spec) when I lived on the Central Coast... now up in New England and have an old 4Runner (and a lot quieter trails )

 

[Bob]

Yeah the 5 post bars are a bit much, especially the chrome ones, but Tony's is a nice unit... Suits the truck well I think..

the one on the Holden ute is just stupid....

 

[Ben]

The issue with those bars are as follows:
-Lack of sticker to say they pass a particular ADR to do with airbag compatibility
-The way they lean away from the bodywork (ie they don't follow the bonnet line)
-Number plate positioning (not visible from a wide enough arc)

The reason why people choose them is because no matter how good your ARB/TJM type bar is, they don't always stop a 5-700kg steer, nor do they do much against a big red 'roo...

Do I like them? Hell no... see a lot around here in Armidale, especially at one of the University colleges!

NSW RMS have this document that shows why they aren't legal; one of our friends here got a defect for the Tuff (or similar) bar fitted to their HiLux, and had to get a new bar to clear it.

I'd rather take the chance with an ARB bar and if the car gets totaled call the insurance company!

I think the ARB bar on this 200 series enhances the vehicle!



Where as the other one.................

 

[Beno]

I'd rather take the chance with an ARB bar and if the car gets totaled call the insurance company!

I think the ARB bar on this 200 series enhances the vehicle!

View attachment 17967

Where as the other one.................

Ben the Picture of the 200 with the ARB Bulbar is basically what my 200 looks like same colour and Bulbar with Ipf Hid Driving Lights and a Avenger 12000 winch. I don't have the roof cage or the side brush bars. The side brush bars are still on the to do list. I will post some pictures of it soon.

 

[Ben]

Sounds like a very nice 200 you've got there mate!

 

[clivehorridge]

Ben the Picture of the 200 with the ARB Bulbar is basically what my 200 looks like same colour and Bulbar with Ipf Hid Driving Lights and a Avenger 12000 winch. I don't have the roof cage or the side brush bars. The side brush bars are still on the to do list. I will post some pictures of it soon.

I have ARB side bars on my 80 and although they're too lightweight to protect against a crash, they do what they're intended to do, protect the wings against slow sideways encounters with trees and bushes, and on one occasion a bloody great rock.

I was was sneaking past it on a side-slope of about 30 degrees, it was wet, muddy and quite slippery. Needless to say, I slid sideways but the wing was saved from any damage from the big rock. They're not the prettiest of attachments, but they're functional. They also serve as a good handrail if you're precariously positioned off-road, trying to get around the outside of the truck in the mud, something to grey hold of, to save that inevitable fall into the mud whilst getting the recovery gear from the rear of the truck to the winch on the front.