FJ45/47 what is it? Help!

[Neusel]

Hi all. New to the forum but hope someone can help. I have just bought the FJ in the picture, but am not sure what it is! Main questions:
Was it factory built or custom and who by? It is from South Africa, has 4 doors, one on the back, two on the left side and drivers on the right. I can’t find any like it on the internet ( one similar only ). It is registered as a pick up, first registered 01/01/1984. The chassis number starts FJ45 but the previous owner told me it is an FJ47. Petrol 4.2, fitted with a fairey overdrive.

I can post more pictures / info if needed

Thanks if anyone knows anything about this vehicle !

 

[Neusel]

Another pic

 

[Paddler Ed]

Petrols stayed as 45's, but the diesel of the same age became the HJ47

I suspect it's a custom body built on a pickup chassis.

Hope that helps,

Ed

 

[StarCruiser]

Welcome to the forum Neusel. That’s an interesting truck you have there. At a guess it looks like it may have started life as a pickup and has had everything from the cab back custom coach built as a minibus.

 

[Neusel]

Petrols stayed as 45's, but the diesel of the same age became the HJ47

I suspect it's a custom body built on a pickup chassis.

Hope that helps,

Ed

Thanks Ed, much appreciated. So as an original petrol it is definitely FJ45.

The body looks well made, so probably a coach builder of the time, built on the pick up as new. Must have been an expensive truck.

I will keep digging on SA coach builders.

Thanks again

Larry

 

[StarCruiser]

Possibly something made for transporting mine officials perhaps? It does look to be well made.

 

[Neusel]

Welcome to the forum Neusel. That’s an interesting truck you have there. At a guess it looks like it may have started life as a pickup and has had everything from the cab back custom coach built as a minibus.

Thanks, I couldn’t not buy it but didn’t quite realise how big is was! So I am not sure what to do with it. It is being shipped to the UK and I think I will try and find someone to restore it and turn it into a camper

/Larry

 

[CruiserScot]

What Ed said! No such thing as an FJ47 only HJ47.

Custom bodies are quite common in South Africa for safari/game viewing vehicles. It could be one of those. Once you get it home it may have a makers name plate on it.

Ali

 

[Rodger]

It looks to me that a LR 109 back has been grafted on - roof line and rear panel.
There was a similar one for sale in Oz based on a 28. The seller wanted big money but it is still for sale - not pretty looking at all as it was too short.
Your FJ45 would make a nice camper.

Regards,
Rodger

 

[tonytoyota]

Hi and welcome love that it is a one of Cuttom would like to see it have fun with it from Tony.

 

[Neusel]

What Ed said! No such thing as an FJ47 only HJ47.

Custom bodies are quite common in South Africa for safari/game viewing vehicles. It could be one of those. Once you get it home it may have a makers name plate on it.

Ali

Hi , I am famialr with the game viewers , but it isn’t one of those - I think mining company , commercial maybe the thing ; as it wouldn’t have been a cheap conversion

 

[Neusel]

It looks to me that a LR 109 back has been grafted on - roof line and rear panel.
There was a similar one for sale in Oz based on a 28. The seller wanted big money but it is still for sale - not pretty looking at all as it was too short.
Your FJ45 would make a nice camper.

Regards,
Rodger

A friend of mine thought that too, looks like a series 2/3 roof , but of course the cruiser is wider and the flutes in the roof would be added.

Definitely going down the camper route

 

[Neusel]

Thought someone might be interested. The conversion was by Meano in South Africa, they confirmed it. This post was a couple of years ago. Since then I have driven it around for a while until it just leaked too much!

Now it is getting an Extreme Makeover’, however I need encouragement ; money flying out of the window and get sh**t from the boss about “sinking money into that old truck”.

So, tell me it will be worth a fortune when it is finished (even if it is a lie!) , I need some moral support!

 

[Rodger]

Great that you found the maker. Did they say how many they had built? Not many I would think which makes it rare or even very rare and the rarer that a model or variation is the more valuable it is!

When finished it will be a great truck

Regards,

Rodger