This is a appreciation for owners or lovers of the greatest 4x4 the world has ever seen, the 80 series Toyota landcruiser. The 80 was made to counter the Nissan GQ Patrol which came on the scene in 1988, Toyota realised the old 60 series wouldn't last long in the ring with the new GQ The 80-series was born in the favourable environment of an economic boom in 1989. However, it did not suffer when the boom cycle ended -- the 80-series lasted for nine years, getting larger and more luxurious until it was eventually replaced in January of 1998 with the 100-series Land Cruiser. The transition to the next generation was made when the 80-series still enjoyed a high level of popularity, much the same as had happened earlier when the 60-series made way for the 80-series. The 80 was introduced to the Australian market with a few different engines Engines were 1HZ,4164cc DIESEL 96kW,271Nm 1HD-T,4164cc,TURBO DIESEL 115kW,357Nm 1HD-FT,4164cc,TURBI DIESEL,4 VALVE,125kW,380Nm 3F, 3955cc, CARBY FED PETROL, 110kW, 284Kw 3FE,3955cc, INJECTED PETROL, 112kW, 290Nm 1FZ-FE, DOHC 24 VALVE EFI PETROL, 158kW, 373Nm If I have missed a engine please leave message 1992 - An advanced 24-valve, 4.5-liter six-cylinder gasoline engine, 1FZ-FE was introduced, and it was worth the wait! When it made its debut this high tech engine produced performance figures that were unheard of for that time, the mighty 1FZ-FE, 4.5 inline 6 produced 158kW @ 4600rpm which is 212hp! Back in 1992 this had the other car makers crapping their pants! Also wack a turbo on these donks and you have transformed your 80 into a serious machine, blowing most V8 sports cars away from the lights with 0-100kmph of 7.5 seconds and a mind blowing 240 kW and 550 Nm of Torque Now in Brisbane petrol prices are about $1.60 a litre LPG conversion is a must for these beasts of donks as they can suck over 20ltr per 100 kms. 1995 - Driver and passenger airbags were introduced as were adjustable shoulder-belt anchors and an anti-lock braking system. The Land Cruiser was withdrawn from Canada this year and was replaced by the Lexus LX. 1996 - In the Dakar Rally, a pair of Land Cruisers finished first and second in the unmodified production class. All American and British 80s adopted anti-lock brakes and airbags as standard equipment.

THE TOYOTA HISTORY;

Sakichi Toyoda was born in Yamagushi, Japan in 1867. In 1907 he founded the "Toyoda´s Loom Works". Sakichi devoted his life to the construction of fabrics with the conviction of create a factory that was able to build the fabric automatically, and it did. "Toyoda´s Loom Works" was renamed "toyoda´s automatic loom Works" (TALW). His son Kiichiro, also shared the success of the family in the manufacture of fabrics, but this was not his fascination, and in 1927 he began to experience in the manufacture of automobiles. In March of 1930 decided to begin the manufacture of the first prototype in a corner of TALW. The first engine, a 3.4 liters of type A, was completed in September 1934 and by May 1935 the prototype was fully completed, it was called the A1. Due to local restrictions on the manufacture of automobiles Kiichiro decides to focus its production towards work vehicles heavier. On August 25, 1935 arrives the first proposal: the G1 model. In July 1936, it was decided that automobiles produced by the Automotive Division of TALW were commercialized under the name of TOYOTA. On August 28, 1937, Kiichiro Toyoda founded "toyota Motor Co., Ltd" (tmc). Koromo plant was officially opened in November 1938. This plant would later be known with the name of "honsha plant". The first vehicle produced at the plant would be the BM truck. A new version of the engine of the World Bank have would be the first engine of the Land Cruiser.

With the advent of World War II the priority for Toyota and other factories of cars of the Japan would be military. During the war, Toyota produced a variety of vehicles 4 x 2, the KCY 4 x 4 truck and an amphibious version of the KCY. After the capture of an American Jeep, came the development of the AK-10 (predecessor of the Land Cruiser), which quickly gained a reputation of being much better than the Jeep for their performance in difficult terrain. The AK-10 was assembled with a variety of pieces and parts of Toyota vehicles, and was powered by a 4-cylinder with 45hp engine. But the development of the AK-10 came too late to think about producing it in number during the war. The tiny Kurogane type 95 "black medal", would still be 4 x 4 of the Japanese army. Other sources say that it was highly unlikely that Toyota developed the AK-10 for the capture of a Jeep, when the first shipments of these vehicles (Willys MB) who came to the Pacific Coast did in 1943, a year after the appearance of the AK-10, so any influence, was impossible.

After the surrender of Japan in 1945, Toyota began production of trucks to help the reconstruction of Japan, the World Bank and the SB were the proposals at that time. By 1948 Communism is implanted in China with the revolution Mao Tse Tung while friction between USA and USSR were becoming more serious. On July 25, 1951 Korea of the North invades South Korea and begins the war of Korea which lasted until 1953. For Americans it was too costly to transport Jeeps from USA to the shores of the Pacific Ocean, it is then when, in 1950, at the request of the American army and the newly formed Japan defense forces, Toyota developed a 1/4 ton called the BJ Jeep Toyota 4 x 4 vehicle in only 5 months. Toyota Jeep BJ was equipped with a gasoline engine of 6 cylinders, 3386cc, type B of 85hp@2400rpm and 159lb/pies@1600rpm. This engine dates from 1938 and was designed originally for the truck, 1 1/2 ton called BM. The engine of the World Bank derived from a Chevrolet of the 1930s. In principle, this massive engine contrasted with the small engines of British competition (Land Rover) and American (Jeep), however, the decision of the President of the company, Eiji Toyoda, to go to compete with the great, was applauded as a dominant decision. The chassis of the Toyota Jeep Bj was based on the SB truck originally created in 1947, is for this reason that the BJ was longer and wider than the Willis Jeep.

Resembling more than something to the Willys, Toyota Jeep BJ was built as a commercial and vehicle, as military. Because of its resemblance with the Jeep American was accused by some of being a copy, however, at the technical level, the Toyota Jeep BJ was built with a completely different philosophy. The Willys had been designed to be as lightweight as possible, using a small engine 4 cylinders with origins in the car. Due to the characteristics of low torque of the Willys, was forced to use a reduction to allow circular by difficult terrain and reach high slopes. On the other hand, the Toyota Jeep BJ was built using parts of trucks of 2 and 4 tons. The high torque of its 6 cylinder engine did not require a reducing, for the box of 4-speed with a good relationship of first 5.53:1 speed was sufficient.
Toyota Jeep BJ won some early points in July 1951 becoming the first motorized vehicle to reach the sixth station of the Mount Fuji led by Ichiro Taira test pilot, no doubt, a great feat. Unfortunately the conjuring trick did not convince the Americans and failed the big contract, but if it was well received by the forces of defence and the police of Japan; It was also used for commercial purposes such as agriculture among others.

In 1953 after 2 years of negotiations, the first 298 BJ were produced for the defence forces of the Japan. It was agreed manufacture the BJ with plant Arakawa Bankin Kogyo KK (ARACO Corporation). Toyota Motor Corporation would send the chassis pieces then transported to Arakawa Bankin Kogio KK where placed you the body and the rest of the body of the vehicle to be assembled in TALW. They would be finally transported back to TALW for review by officers of the

Read More