Toyota Land
Cruiser
The Toyota Land
Cruiser is a series of four-wheel
drive vehicles produced by the Japanese car maker
Toyota
Motor Corporation. The Land Cruiser, along with the
Hilux
utility, has been used in the world's
most gruelling terrains and climates. Design of the Land Cruiser
began in 1951 as a Toyota
Jeep-like
vehicle and production began in 1954. The Land Cruiser has been
produced in many different versions such as the convertible,
hardtop, station
wagon and utility. In many places, the term Land
Cruiser has even become a generic term for an off-road vehicle. It is
currently Toyota's flagship SUV.
Chronology
Prehistory (1940–1945)
The AK10 used
the 2259 cc, 4 cylinder Type
C engine from the Toyota
Model AE sedan
with a three-speed manual
transmission and two-speed transfer gearbox connected
to it. There is no mechanical relationship between the AK10 and the
postwar Toyota Jeep BJ. Most of the AK10's were not actively used
(unlike the US Jeep) and there are almost no photographs of it in the
battlefield.
In 1941 the
Japanese
Imperial Army occupied the Philippines,
where they obtained a Bantam
Mk II, and promptly brought it to Japan. The Japanese
military authorities commanded Toyota to make a similar vehicle but
to not model the appearance on the US Jeep. The prototype was called
the Model AK and was formally adopted by The Japanese Imperial Army
as the Yon-Shiki
Kogata Kamotsu-Sha (四HYPERLINK
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The Imperial era 2604th model compact cargo-truck ).
Later in 1941
the Japanese
government asked Toyota
to produce a light truck for the Japan military campaign. Toyota
developed a 1/2 ton prototype called the AK10 in 1942. The AK10 was
built using reverse-engineering from the Bantam
GP. There are no known surviving photographs of the
AK10. The only known pictorial representations are some rough
sketches. The truck featured an upright front grille, flat front
wheel arches that angled down and back like the FJ40, headlights
mounted above the wheel arches on either side of the radiator and a
folding windshield.
First generation - Model BJ and FJ (1951–1955)
1950 - The
Korean
War created demand for a military light utility
vehicle. The war put a Jeep
on Japan's
doorstep. The United
States government ordered 100 vehicles with the new
Willys
specs and Toyota
was asked to build them.
1951 - The
Toyota
Jeep BJ prototype was born in January 1951. This came from the
demand for military-type utility vehicles, much like the British
Land
Rover Series 1 that appeared in 1948. The Jeep BJ was
larger than the original U.S. Jeep
and more powerful thanks to its Type
B 3.4-liter six-cylinder OHV
Gasoline
engine which generated 85 hp
at 3600 rpm
and 215 Nm torque
at 1600 rpm. It had a part-time four-wheel
drive system like the Jeep.
Unlike the Jeep, however, the Jeep BJ had no low-range transfer
case.
1951 - In
July 1951, Toyota's test driver Ichiro Taira drove the next
generation of the Jeep BJ prototype up to the sixth stage of Mt.
Fuji, the first vehicle to climb that high. The test
was overseen by the National
Police Agency (NPA). Impressed by this feat, the NPA
quickly placed an order for 289 of these offroad vehicles, making
the Jeep BJ their official patrol car.
1953 -
Regular production of the "Toyota Jeep BJ" began at Toyota
Honsya Plant (Rolling chassis assembly), and body assembly and
painting was done at Arakawa Bankin Kogyo KK, later known as アラコ
(now an affiliate of Toyota Auto Body Co.). The "Toyota Jeep
BJ" Series was introduced alongside the following:
BJ-T
(Touring),
BJ-R
(Radio),
BJ-J
(Cowl-chassis for a fire-engine).
1954 - The
name "Land Cruiser" was created by the technical director
Hanji Umehara. "In England we had another competitor - Land
Rover. I had to come up with a name for our car that
would not sound less dignified than those of our competitors. That
is why I decided to call it 'Land Cruiser'," he recalls.
1954 - The
125 hp, 3.9-liter
Type
F gasoline engine added for the fire-engine chassis.
Models are renamed as:
BJ-T
(Touring),
BJ-R
(Radio),
FJ-J
(Cowl-chassis for a fire-engine).
20 Series (1955–1960)
1955 - The
Second generation, 20 Series was introduced. It was designed to have
more civilian appeal than the BJ for export reasons. It also had
more stylish bodywork and a better ride thanks to longer four-plate
leaf springs which had been adapted from the Toyota Light Truck.
Under the hood it sported a more powerful 3.9-liter six-cylinder
Type
F gasoline engine. The interior of the vehicles were
made more comfortable by moving the engine 120 mm forward. The 20
Series still had no low range but it had synchromesh on the third
and fourth gears.
1958 - The
first Station wagon Land Cruiser was introduced with an even longer
2650 mm wheelbase
(the FJ35V; wagon and van). The FJ-25 production started in Brazil
being the first Toyota
vehicle built outside Japan.
1959 - The
first Toyota
vehicles were exported to Australia
initially for use in mines, dam construction spot, and snowy areas.
4-door Station Wagon, FJ35V was added.
40 Series (1960–1984)
1960 - The
20 Series was upgraded to the now classic 40.
Toyota
made many production changes by buying new steel presses.
Mechanically, the FJ40 was given a new 125 hp, 3.9 liter F
engine and the Land Cruiser finally received low-range gearing. The
Brazilian
model was rebadged the Bandeirante and received a Mercedes-Benz
built Diesel
engine generating 78 hp.
1965 -
Global production surpassed 50,000 vehicles. The Land Cruiser was
the best selling Toyota
in the United
States.
1968 - The
100,000th Land Cruiser was sold worldwide.
1972 - The
200,000th Land Cruiser was sold worldwide.
1973 - The
300,000th Land Cruiser was sold worldwide. The first diesel Land
Cruiser was introduced for export on long wheelbase
models and it had a six-cylinder H
engine.
1974 - A
four-cylinder
3.0-liter B
diesel was offered. The introduction of this engine boosted sales in
Japan
by putting the Land Cruiser in a lower tax compact Freight-car
category than it's 3.9-liter gasoline
version. Note: the new B
diesel
engine was different from the B
gasoline
engine used in the original BJ.
1975 - The
3.9-liter gasoline
engine was replaced by a larger, more powerful
4.2-liter 2F
unit. The FJ55 received front disc brakes.
1976 -
United States-version FJ40 Land Cruisers received front disc brakes
like the FJ55. The Toyota Land Cruiser Association was founded in
California.
1977 - The
Irish
Army took delivery of the first of 77 FJ45 Land
Cruisers. Although fast, reliable and with good off-road performance
the type tended to rust excessively in the wet Irish climate. A few
which did not succumb to the effects of weather were repainted in
gloss olive green and survive as ceremonial gun tractors at military
funerals.
1978 - The
first BJ / FJ40 and FJ55 models were officially sold in West
Germany with both diesel (BJ40) petrol engines (FJ40
/55).
1979 -
United
States-version FJ40s were updated this year with a
new wider, square bezel surrounding the headlights.
Power
steering and cooler
were offered in FJ40s for the first time. The diesel engine was
improved, evolving into the 3.2-liter 2B
only in Japan.
Model 55 and 56 (1972–1980)
1967 -
Production of the FJ55 began. The FJ55 was a 4-door station
wagon version based on the FJ40's Drive-train,
replacing the 4-Door FJ45V (I). It was colloquially known as the
"Moose".
It has also been referred to as a pig or an iron pig. The FJ55 had a
longer wheelbase
2710 mm and was designed to be sold in North
America and Australia.
Model 56 is
in Japan
only, with 2F engine (Jan. 1975 - Jul. 1980 ).
60 Series (1980–1990)
1980 - The
60 series was introduced. While still retaining the rugged off-road
characteristics of previous Land Cruisers, the 60 was designed to
better compete in the emerging sport
utility vehicle market. The 60 was given a variety of
comforts like air
conditioning, a rear heater and an upgraded interior.
The FJ60's "2F" petrol engine was left unchanged from the
"40" series while six-cylinder 4.0 litre 2H and
four-cylinder
3.4 litre 3B diesel
engines were added to the product line.
1981 - Land
Cruiser sales surpassed 1 million
and a high-roof version was introduced. The 60 was introduced to
South
Africa when a stock Land Cruiser competed in the
Toyota 1000km
Desert Race in the punishing wilds of Botswana.
1984 - This
was the final year for the 40. Specialist suppliers of aftermarket
parts and restorers who return old FJ40s to better-than-new
condition replace Toyota dealers as the main source of Land Cruiser
expertise.
1984 -
Alongside the 60, the Toyota
LandCruiser 70 Series were introduced. 70Heavy as a
soft-top, hard-top, FRPtop,
utility, cab-chassis, and Troop Carrier (inward facing rear
seats).The petrol engine was replaced with a 4.0-litre 3F engine.
The 70 Light had a four-wheel coil spring solid-axle suspension for
better ride quality. This lighter duty version of the Land Cruiser
had the 22R 2.4-litre gasoline
engine, 2L and 2L-T (turbo ) 2.4-litre diesel
engines. The 70 Light was sold in some markets as the
Landcruiser II, later called 70 Prado. The 70 Prado eventually
became popular and evolved into the 90. An automatic
transmission (A440F) was introduced making it the
first four-wheel
drive Japanese vehicle with an automatic
transmission.
1985 - The
Direct-injection
12H-T and 13B-T turbo
diesel engine were introduced.
1988 - The
petrol engine was upgraded to a 4.0-litre 3F-E EFI engine. The FJ62G
VX-Series was introduced allowing the Land Cruiser to be sold in
Japan as a passenger vehicle.
1990 - The
80
series station
wagon was introduced, replacing the 60. The 80 was
initially offered with a choice of three engines; the 3F-E
six-cylinder petrol engine, a six-cylinder the 1 Hz diesel and 1HD-T
direct
injection turbo-diesel.
1990 - All
80s sold in North America and Europe now have a full-time four-wheel
drive system. In Japan,
Africa
and Australia,
a part-time system was still available. 80s produced between 1990
and 1991 had an open centre differential which was lockable in 4HI
and automatically locked in 4LO. From 1992 onward, vehicles with
anti-lock
brakes had a viscous coupling that sent a maximum of
30% torque to the non-slipping axle. The differential was lockable
in 4HI and automatically locked in 4LO.
The Sixth
and Seventh generations of the Land Cruiser are still being produced
and sold in African and Latin American regions, Venezuela
is one of them, the Sixth generation is sold under the nickname of
"Machito" (MACHO in spanish is a very strong man, MACHITO
is his son.English)
and the Seventh being nicknamed "Autana" (After a mountain
in the Gran
Sabana region of Venezuela).
The 70 series (6th generation) is also still marketed in Australia
as 4-door medium wheelbase, 2-door 'Troop Carrier' and 2-door
utility.
70 Series (1985–present)
1984 - 70
Series was introduced.
1990 -
New-generation diesel engines were introduced including a
five-cylinder SOHC naturally aspirated motor (1PZ),and a
six-cylinder
SOHC
naturally aspirated motor (1
HZ).
1993 - An
advanced 24-valve, 4.5-litre six-cylinder petrol engine, 1FZ-FE was
introduced.
1999 -
Toyota updated the 70 series in several ways. The solid front axle
received coil-spring suspension. The rear leaf springs were
lengthened for increased ride comfort and wheel travel. The six-bolt
wheels were replaced with five-bolt wheels. Several smaller
modifications to the drivetrain provided increased durability. The
long-wheel-base models received new designations: 78 for the troop
carrier, and 79 for the pick-up.
2002 -
HDJ79 is introduced to Australia
with the 1HD-FTE 4.2-litre six-cylinder 24-valve turbo-diesel
EFI engine.
2007 -
Toyota's first turbo-diesel V8
engine, the 1VD-FTV was released in some countries
for the 70 Series Land Cruiser. Other modifications include the
addition of a 4-door medium-wheel-base model (the 76) and a
significantly altered front look on all models.
80 Series (1990–2008)
The Land Cruiser
80 series was introduced in late 1989 as the 1990 model year. It had
swing-out back door, but they where replaced a winch
door in 1995. The equivalent, right-hand drive models were called the
Toyota Burbuja that was sold in Colombia,
and the Toyota Autana.
1990 -
New-generation diesel engines were introduced, a six-cylinder SOHC
naturally aspirated motor (1
HZ) , and a six-cylinder SOHC turbo-charged engine
(1HD-T). Land Cruiser sales reached 2 million vehicles. The 80 was
introduced to the Australian
market with two diesel and a four litre inline six-cylinder petrol
carb engine.(3FE Engine)(derived from the earlier 2F petrol motor
from the 60 series.)
1993 - An
advanced 24-valve, 4.5-litre six-cylinder petrol engine, 1FZ-FE
was introduced. Larger brakes were added and the total wheelbase was
made slightly longer.Front and rear axle lockers (code k294)
appeared as an option.
1994 - A limited edition
Landcruiser Blue Marlin was introduced into the Australian Market
and only 500 where made, limited to Australia.They have 4.5L petrol
motors. The car is Blue from the Blue Marlin fish and they have the
Blue Marlin logo on the back door.They were standard GLX models but
as this was the Blue Marlin it had more features such as altimeters,
power windows, leather trim, manual or automatic, chrome handles and
sidesteps and a limited Bull Bar which is very hard to find these
days. Here is a picture of the Blue Marlin:
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