Mark’s Restored 1985 Toyota FJ60
 
I stumbled upon this 1985 FJ60 on Craigslist while looking for a capable four wheel drive for my metal detecting trips.  Little did I know, owning a classic 4x4 like this can be really satisfying for someone who enjoys fixing and tinkering with things.   You also tend to meet  some very cool “Cruiserheads”  that are just as eager to help you work on your rig as their own.  They tend to hang out at www.ih8mud.com   My screen name there is mrlocksmith
 
Below you will find some photos and modifications that I have made to my Landcruiser.  Please let me know if they are of any help to you in modifying your own rig as I have done most  all the work myself.
 
 
 
SPECS: 1985 Toyota FJ60 Expedition Rig
 
Here is quick list of the mods and additions I have added to the rig.   Otherwise it is mostly stock.
 
  1. ★Nickname: Leaky (Cause I’m always fixing some type of fluid leak)
  2. ★H55F 5 Speed Manual Transmission and Rebuilt T-Case
  3. ★Ron Davis Aluminum Radiator
  4. ★BFG AT 33x9.5x15’s
  5. ★Mean Green 200 AMP Alternator
  6. ★Longfield Birfs  (Yup I broke one)
  7. ★Poly Performance Semi Float Axles
  8. ★Dual Battery HellRoaring System w/ Optima Batteries, Urban Landcruiser Battery and Ground Cables, VTE Marine Fuse Buses  (Click Here for a Write-up)
  9. ★OasisII Roof Top Tent (RTT) mounted on Yakima Bars
  10. ★ARB Bull Bar (Front)
  11. ★ARB Old Man Emu (OME) Heavy Springs    (Talk to Kurt at CruiserOutfitters)
  12. ★Warn XD9000 Winch
  13. ★4Plus Rear bumpers w/Jerry Can Holders
  14. ★Custom Rear Plywood Cargo Cabinets for Gear Organization (Click for Write-Up)
  15. ★SOR Cordura Seat Covers and Rubber Floor Matting
  16. ★CoolCruisers Center Tuffy console
  17. ★Dual Band 144/440 MHZ Ham Radio   FCC LIC: K7VQU  (My Late Grandpa’s Call Sign)
  18. ★RigRunner Fuse Block/Power Dist
  19. ★CB Radio
  20. ★Ram Laptop Mount
  21. ★On Board Topo Navigation
  22. ★Recovery Gear: HyLift Jack, Pull Pal, Misc Tree Savers Etc.
  23. ★Onboard CO2 Tank.
 
Other Stuff on Board for Most Trips
 
  1. ★Pett Toilet
  2. ★Outback Privy Shelter
  3. ★Kelty Car Port Deluxe Awining
  4. ★Coleman White Gas Stove
  5. ★Spare Parts, Hoses and Belts
  6. ★Air Compressor
  7. ★Prospecting Gear
  8. ★Bug-Out Bag
  9. ★Petromax Lantern
 
For a list of Gear/Spares I carry click here
 
REAR CARGO CABINETS
 
Anyone who has gone car camping with a respectable amount of gear can sympathize that an unorganized mess can quickly make your trip a struggle to keep things where you can find them.   I wanted to be able to keep a base level of water, food, spare parts, tools and recovery gear at hand and organized at all times.  Hence I build this set of cabinets that are mainly designed around the larger cases that needed to fit in to shelves and cubbies.  I then made smaller sub shelves to hold smaller items.    The build was simple and took the most of a weekend.  I first made a cardboard mock-up and then cut ant test fit each piece on my table saw and made  adjustments as necessary. Outdoor carpet was then glued to the top surfaces and aluminum angle  were used to trim the edges. Please do not ask me for dimensions as they were made for my needs.  I drilled holes in the bottom of the floor and used 5/16 x 18 carriage bolts to bolt the bottom of the cabinet to the frame.  Pocket Holes were used instead of DADO cuts to mount the shelves.  Hold downs were morticed in the top to strap larger items to the top deck.   The large compartment behind the seats hold some of the larger, bulky recovery gear and spare parts.
 
This project was not hard and can be done with a skill saw and a drill.  I found that things are not always square and many of the pieces had to be custom cut on non standard angles for a close/custom fit to the side of the inner quarter panels.
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OasisII Roof Top Tent (RTT) This tent is the “bee’s knees” as far as I am concerned. I had tried out a first generation Mombassa RTT and found that it’s 120 pound weight made my FJ60 way too top-heavy off road and it was way too big for me. The OasisII comes in at 40LBS + 15LBS for the ladder. The floor of the tent is much like that of a trampoline and is very comfortable to sleep on. I have been very comfortable sleeping in the tent in northern Nevada under cold 30F weather with 20-30 MPH winds. I have a +60 to -60F Warmlite Down sleeping bag with a 2” Mountainsmith sleeping pad under me and I have installed a reflective heat barrier on the bottom of the tent under the mattress cover. The heat barrier is a double mylar layer sandwiched between a layer of bubble wrap and is commonly found in the insulation dept. of the “big box” home improvement stores. The ladder hooks that secure the ladder have been modified with “truck hooks” as the OEM hooks are flimsy and bend easy. Here is a view of the rear of the truck with the OasisII Tent, Kelty Carport Awing, and Camp Table with Stove. Photo was taken in a placer gold bearing region of Nevada. Since I get asked about the tent all the time I plan to write a review of it soon. HAM RADIO/CB INSTALL Here we have my Kenwood TMV7A and Cobra CB Radio mounted on the Cool Cruisers Center Console. The Kenwood Radio is mounted inside the console with a remote mounted head. The Antenna Coax exits via the rear cargo hatch and runs to a Diamond Mag Mountedn antenna. The CB Antenna is mounted on the ARB bumper. Camping Without a Fridge/Cooler On most trips I don’t bother with a cooler and have no plans for a 12V fridge at this time. I have found that you can eat very well by making your own pre-packaged meals that use common and heathy foods from canned and prepared foods. Information on how to do this can be found at http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/. Dirty Toy School 2008 Here I am at Dirty Toy School (DTS) at Anza Borrego Park in Southern California. I decided that I had better learn how to drive off road safely rather than wreck my FJ60. All I can say is if you want to learn how to drive a capable off road vehicle Bill Burke and his crew at DTS are awesome !!! You will learn a bunch and be challenged in many ways. My 6500LB FJ60 did very well !! Click on the photo below for a short Quicktime(TM) Movie. For private training and other classes Bill’s Website is www.bb4wa.com Well worth the effort and money !!!! http://www.racktents.com/OasisII.htmlhttp://www.warmlite.com/bags_In.htmhttp://www.freezerbagcooking.comhttp://www.dirtytoyschool.com/http://www.bb4wa.comshapeimage_3_link_0shapeimage_3_link_1shapeimage_3_link_2shapeimage_3_link_3shapeimage_3_link_4
email: mrlocksmith (at) sbcglobal (dot) net
 
If you need a good Cruiser Mechanic in the bay area call Brian White at
Bay Area Speed-O-Motive
650-216-7200
He drives a super modified FJ45 pickup and knows his stuff !!!!!