What Vehicle Is this?

[Highway-Star]

HI Everyone

Sorry for a thread which isn't explictly 'tech', but I think it belongs here. Anyway went up the bush this morning to see if this old, what looked like an FJ45 land cruiser had a gearbox to measure sizes (gearbox turned out to be gone anyway). Anyway the thing is not a cruiser in my opinion. Closer inspection seems to show its a 2WD truck chassis or something with the remnants of a land cruiser body on it.

The Chassis is made of C-channel, the front is an ericson style rigid axle, with sprung over leaves, and rear appears like the D35 in the back of the XJ. Oh it has front drums (5 stud I think they were), rear brakes are missing, has the steering box behind the front axle, and apeears to have brackets for running boards on the chassis.

I reckon its an early Willys truck or something similar, looks very American to me. Got some photos, can post some more up if people intested. Just like to know what people reckon it is? Its been there for years, someone might want it for chassis to play with, I dont know...

[xenith]

very early 40 series has bango rear diff not many of those around

[Gwagensteve]

very early 40 series has bango rear diff not many of those around

It must be a very, very early 40 series with a semifloating DANA rear diff, 2WD with a beam front axle outboarded rear springs and about 18"more wheelbase than a 40 series

Dude, it's not a 40 series chassis. Highway even says so in the post.

Can't help with what it actually is though... early International maybe?

Steve.

[bludnut]

the body is early 40 series. as for the chassis anyones guess.. its a early truck but as for make???

[ofr57]

i didn't know 40's utes had 2 rear windows

[Emo]

The cab looks like a 40 series but it doesn't fit. It doesn't have the fins on the front guard and the window configuration on the door is wrong.

[Highway-Star]

No one really sure yet either. This thing has me bamboozled. Even if the early 40's did have such a rear diff (and I have haerd of some being 2WD), it doesn't account for the C-channel chassis, the 5 stud (only the latest cruisers are 5 stud), the overspringing, the jeep like styled rear spring hanger and the not quite right cab.

The interesting thing is the cab has two holes in the tunnel, as if for a transfer stick, yet the chassis has no accomodation for a 4WD setup. Thats why I reckon its a body swap; but I'm only guessing. The body does have the under seat fuel tank setup that I belive the early cruisers had.

Heres the inside of the cab for those not sure if the cab at least is a land cruiser. What about a so called 20 or 30 series landcruiser? I've heard one or two mentionings of these, but know absolutly didly about them.

[Highway-Star]

Sorry to post twice in a row.

Dad just informed me a few years ago a motor and box was still in it. The engine mounts look modified so this is probably useless info but anyway.

The engine looked like a straight 6 petrol, flat top (i.e. sidevalve). And he reckons it was a big lump of a motor, nothing small.

[r0ck_m0nkey]

The cab looks like a 40 series but it doesn't fit. It doesn't have the fins on the front guard and the window configuration on the door is wrong.

The early 45 Pick Ups, didn't have the vents there and the windows were like that in the doors. They also never had the small windows in the rear corner of the cab.

I think it's safe to say it's a Cruiser cab mounted on the chassis of something else. Would have been a beast when it was all going.

Maybe they were trying to build one of these for the farm

[Dozoor]

i didn't know 40's utes had 2 rear windows

Two windows ,

[xenith]

i was told once by this old bloke in a very old cruiser who i was replacing the rear axle that he suppled for it. that they borrowed dana diffs same diff internal c clip and all. he also said they stole the c clip idea for a while in there own diffs they had a tin hat on the back or something to get it out before they went to there normal carrier type. he was also in to landrovers (i know sick) but dont know about 2wd thing i do know that internationals had same stud pattern as falcons as i had a 1946 KB1 . could b wrong through

[MUD EMPIRE]

That is an early 45 shell (can't remember the model designation)
The chassis is something else tho. Some sort of light truck, by the looks.....

[Dozoor]

The cab looks like a 40 series but it doesn't fit. It doesn't have the fins on the front guard and the window configuration on the door is wrong.

The early 45 Pick Ups, didn't have the vents there and the windows were like that in the doors. They also never had the small windows in the rear corner of the cab.

I think it's safe to say it's a Cruiser cab mounted on the chassis of something else. Would have been a beast when it was all going.

Maybe they were trying to build one of these for the farm

Rockmonkey where did you bog that from , i want um, i NEED to read about it

Larry

[Gwagensteve]

i was told once by this old bloke in a very old cruiser who i was replacing the rear axle that he suppled for it. that they borrowed dana diffs same diff internal c clip and all. he also said they stole the c clip idea for a while in there own diffs they had a tin hat on the back or something to get it out before they went to there normal carrier type. he was also in to landrovers (i know sick) but dont know about 2wd thing i do know that internationals had same stud pattern as falcons as i had a 1946 KB1 . could b wrong through

In many markets, landcruisers ran (run) semifloating rear diffs. Most 40 series in the US are semifloating (even up till 80 series, you didn't get full floating unless you ordered factory lockers) The early 40 series do have a bolted cover, but the diff itself still looks like a cruiser diff (removable third)

Toyota did use some dana diffs in about 1978 for the very first 4WD hiluxes - dana 35 rear/30front I believe, but this was a very small number I believe into the US market only. I read this in a Fourwheeler about 20 years ago and have never heard it referred to again.

I have never heard of Dana diffed factory cruisers.

Steve.

[fool_injected]

Funnny that you post that 'hot rod' pic
I was going to say the chassis is 1932-34 Ford
the brackets are for running boards
Has the front got frame horns like in the pic?

[fool_injected]

mmm. next project maybe, that's what i'm thinking always loved rod esp 28 Ford pick ups

[super jeep]

it's not an old jeep pick up truck like willys or cj8 chassis with cruiser body that would expain dana diffs

[fool_injected]

http://www.motorpasion.com/2006/11/01-t ... er-rat-rod
translate from spanish with http://babelfish.altavista.com/
http://www.jalopnik.com/photogallery/landcruiser/

[Highway-Star]

The 40 looks better as a rod then it ever did as a 4WD!

Not that I dont like the style of them as a 4WD.

I did a fair bit of searching yesterday on the net, and managed to trawl up some chassis drawings of early cruisers, Jeep BJ, FJ20, FJ40 etc... Anyway the Jeep BJ model did have a C-channel chassis and did have running board brackets on the chassis. 20 series didn't seem to have the running board brackets, but were partially C channel still.

The FJ20 seems to have been imported into Australia by Thiess for 2 years, before Toyota themselves imported the 40 series from 1960 onwards. I also found one or two brochures from Japan, for the early cruisers, one of the brochures for the FJ20 seems to infer a centred rear diff. They are all still undersprung, and all 4WD, but I'm starting to wonder if it might be a very early Cruiser chassis, but with some suspension mods, including shorter front springs that dont come to the front, with the drop beam axle.

I can't find the web page I found them on (I hate I.E.7, cant find the history button ). Anyway I'm still just guessing and feel free to disagree.

[Gwagensteve]

Nah, there's no way that's an early cruiser chassis. Outboarded rear springs... Dana diff - it's north american or a north american design. It also looks way too long to be a cruiser.

I think people need to stop getting confused by the cruiser cab, even Highway-star said it was just sitting on the chassis.

Steve.

[HotFourOk]

I can't find the web page I found them on (I hate I.E.7, cant find the history button ). Anyway I'm still just guessing and feel free to disagree.

Press the star which is your favorites button, and the first line under that has a history button.

[Highway-Star]

I can't find the web page I found them on (I hate I.E.7, cant find the history button ). Anyway I'm still just guessing and feel free to disagree.

Press the star which is your favorites button, and the first line under that has a history button.

Thank you very much!!! I hate it a little less now, but still dont like it. Now I'm at uni so my history is useless anyway.

OK Steve, yep I'm very prepared to except that its a north American chassis etc, but as for being too long, no, its sort of too long for a SWB cruiser, but too Short for the proper cruiser ute.

BTW anyone want it? They are clearing the area where it is at the moment for a bloody housing estate, probably get dumped when they get to that part.

[Loanrangie]

With the beam front axle, i reckon a postwar gmc/ studebaker/ dodge/desoto/ chassis, is the body botled to it or just sitting there ? I had a 1929 chev truck that had a very similar chassis to that.

[v8zuki]

where abouts is the chassis i would like to have a look to see if it will suit me please you can call me if you like
mick 0415156693

[jessie928]

The cab looks like a 40 series but it doesn't fit. It doesn't have the fins on the front guard and the window configuration on the door is wrong.

The early 45 Pick Ups, didn't have the vents there and the windows were like that in the doors. They also never had the small windows in the rear corner of the cab.

I think it's safe to say it's a Cruiser cab mounted on the chassis of something else. Would have been a beast when it was all going.

Maybe they were trying to build one of these for the farm

Rockmonkey where did you bog that from , i want um, i NEED to read about it

Larry

YOU CAN DOIT LARRY


Jes

[Highway-Star]

With the beam front axle, i reckon a postwar gmc/ studebaker/ dodge/desoto/ chassis, is the body botled to it or just sitting there ? I had a 1929 chev truck that had a very similar chassis to that.

Bodies bolted, but not in the typical body mount style I'm used to with the Zukes and Lux etc. It looks (cant remember for sure), like the body bolts go into the chassis rails themselves...

The body does sit quite high from the chassis, and no it doesn't look like someones done a bodylift to it.

You wouldn't happen to know where the early GMC etc trucks had chassis numbers on the rails? Or didn't they bother that far back?


V8zuki, PM sent.

[Dozoor]

YOU CAN DOIT LARRY


Jes

I was thinking 2" more on the roof chop,loose the chrome hinges.
And throw some black on the roof would have it looking pretty cooool !

Yep im hopless lol

[bj on roids]

its definitely a 45 cab who cares what frame its on

[oops]

could it be one of them toyota trucks that pre date the cruiser, i think there are some pics of that on the 4wd monthly forum and a guy asking about them

[Loanrangie]

With the beam front axle, i reckon a postwar gmc/ studebaker/ dodge/desoto/ chassis, is the body botled to it or just sitting there ? I had a 1929 chev truck that had a very similar chassis to that.

Bodies bolted, but not in the typical body mount style I'm used to with the Zukes and Lux etc. It looks (cant remember for sure), like the body bolts go into the chassis rails themselves...

The body does sit quite high from the chassis, and no it doesn't look like someones done a bodylift to it.

You wouldn't happen to know where the early GMC etc trucks had chassis numbers on the rails? Or didn't they bother that far back?


V8zuki, PM sent.

Even the very first mass produced vehicles had chassis numbers, they are usually stamped into the chassis in a number of places - near steering box, in hump above rear axle or on one of the engine /gbox crossmembers.