Finally, after 8 months, I finally have my FJ here in the UK. I made use of the space inside it to ship a few 'goodies' too as that meant I paid no additional shipping other than from the suppliers to the dealer.
So here he is, just 5 days after I collected him, complete with Toytec Ultimate lift, Demello Hybrid Sliders (laughed loads as these were fitted by the dealer in the US and when I went underneath I found they'd stuck the Demello sticker to the frame by the mount points!) Richochet skids protect the underside and a Baja basket and ladder, and Tuffy console inside. TRD wheels shod with 285/75 R16 Goodyear Duratrac.
Lights and some accessory sockets yet to be wired.
My thanks to all the vendors and forum members who gave me advice and help in selecting my mod's.
Just curious, since it looks like a left hand drive I assume you bought it from the US. Did you look into buying an Australian model to get right hand drive and if so was the shipping cost prohibitive?
Looks good though, just seems like it would be annoying driving from the curb side.
Yes I did buy from the USA. I could have bought a right hand drive from Australia or South Africa but there are several reasons not to. They are much more expensive outside the U.S., (though you do get the long range fuel tanks). The shipping is much more expensive. And strangely it is easier to get a LHD through the UK vehicle approval as it accepted as 'foreign' than a right hand drive, even if the car is otherwise identical. I actually quite like left hand drive, I wouldn't have a sports car in lefty as you can't see to overtake but in a high vehicle there isn't too much disadvantage.
I'm very impressed with the DuraTracs... I've run MT's for ever! Thanks to the Forum for the heads up on them. They looks heaps better in the flesh than on the pictures too. The wheels were a bit of good luck too, here the equivalent size tyre for 17" std wheel is about $150 more each than the same for 16" so no brainer to swap wheel size. I saw these for sale used on the Forum and tracked them down new.
Raised floor finished I am having a bespoke aluminium tank made up to slide underneath, either for 80 litres of fuel or 60/20 fuel/water for long distance trips.
Compressor fitted in 'dead' space created by dog box, air line connection on the front grille for ease. Same unit I had in my old TLC proved powerful and reliable, fills at 150 litres/min (about 4 mins to inflate a 285 from flat)
And the cabin, the Carling switches wouldn't be my first choice, I'd have preferred OE type switches but what I found out of breakers didn't fit well enough, and little choice of switches or outrageous price for anything like OE that I could find. These work fine I guess. All wired through a BlueSea type fuse box mounted left side footwell. So from a big bank of spares (I have the off-road package so just one switch here), I now have just one spare (1st switch is to the compressor but need to label).
GPS and Sat Nav mounted nicely not in the screen and wires tuck away neatly enough for me
Found some storage boxes that fit the space perfectly. Though the ones underneath will go if I install the fuel/water tank I have designed for the space. Currently trying to see if I can install a tank underneath the body instead at a sensible price.
Decided to go for a dual battery set up, here's progress so far... Bluesea 7622 and a solar controller mounted on the LH fender. Found a battery tray from a Volvo 850 was an perfect fit for the space on the right. switch mounted inside... Now to get a battery and wire it all in.
A first camping trip with my new Engel and the Vango Awning tent... all worked well. The Vango Kela is almost made to measure, works best on the Left side (door and bedroom configurations).
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