55 Series?

[marki]

What's the go with the 55 series? I hardly ever see them on the road, I've hardly ever (never?) seen a thread or posting in this forum where they are discussed, and one online classifieds site I went to only had 1 out of about 200 Landcruisers.

What's the go - were they the Datsun 180B of Landcruisers or something? (Or, were they an incredibly good model that no one really appreciated - and those that have them are hanging onto them and never driving them much because they are just such good vehickles.....)

[Irk]

I think most of them have just rusted away :) they arent a bad old rocket as long as you can keep the fuel up to them , a bloke I know has a good one on gas . For their day they were a good vehicle IMO

[Lugh]

They are not a bad vehicle at all. The reason you don't see many is because not very many were sold in comparison to the 40's and 60's. The only real problems with them are:
- Rust.
- No diesel. they only came with the 2F petrol
- Bugger all aftermarket support. This is mainly because there are so few of them.

Have a chat to Goliath on the forum, he has a '78 55 that has been in his family since new. There are also one or two in the buildups section.
Check out Bushboy's buildup thread. http://www.4wdmonthly.com.au/forum/f22/fj55-iron-pig-bullbar-rebuild-soon-5892/

Hope this answers some of your questions.
Cheers,
Dylan.

[roscoFJ73]

Actually the 180B comparison is good,both were rust buckets. The problem with the 55 is the inner and outer metal skin is very close together . Its traps moisture and makes repairs difficult.
Apart from that they were as solid as a 45 series .

I heard that the 55 series uses the same chassis as the early Dynas:eek:

[nilla60]

I saw a pretty good 55 for sale a few months back, you don't see them too often.

My uncle bought on way back when most people (like dad) were putting snow chains on Kingswoods and replacing axles after each trip. He tells me it was very different then, so few people had 4WD and they could drive into the top of Kosciusko and never see another car all week (the 55 was stupendously expensive and a few people thought my uncle was nuts to buy it).

Interesting on the Dyna, we had a '78 Dyna and I never twigged (the 55 seemed closer to our 40 series in terms of running gear). So happens there's a Dyna down the street, so maybe I'll go look (the Dyna did run the 2H though).

[84FJ60]

I'ts a shame there are so few of them left, I had the chance to buy one but passed it up for my FJ60:crazy: , i'm sorta regreting it now, not that i dont like the 60 but the 55 is way :cool:cool

i would kill for a 55 or if someone has one they wanna give away for me to restore:D

[marki]

I'ts a shame there are so few of them left, I had the chance to buy one but passed it up for my FJ60:crazy: , i'm sorta regreting it now, not that i dont like the 60 but the 55 is way :cool:cool

i would kill for a 55 or if someone has one they wanna give away for me to restore:D

There's a very nice looking one for sale here in VIC - I drive past it every day - that's what prompted me to start the thread in the first place.....not sure how far you want tpo go to get one but I'll check it out if you like.

[84FJ60]

yeh victoria might be a bit far, don't really feel like doing a 2000K roadtrip in a 55 that i know nothing about, sounds expensive. i just gotta keep my eye out localy n hopefully i'll find one in a backyard or something, maybe put an ad in the local rag.

[irish murphy]

The 55 are like tanks,as has been said rust and fuel were big downfalls.My uncle has had 3 over the last 20 years.Very tuff out bush.A few mates have had them,one with a 350 chev in it on gas.That one was a lot of fun.There is one up the road from my place,its lime green and it looks like a comp truck,chopped into a dual cab.Very tuff looking truck.

[bad_religion_au]

I saw a pretty good 55 for sale a few months back, you don't see them too often.

My uncle bought on way back when most people (like dad) were putting snow chains on Kingswoods and replacing axles after each trip. He tells me it was very different then, so few people had 4WD and they could drive into the top of Kosciusko and never see another car all week (the 55 was stupendously expensive and a few people thought my uncle was nuts to buy it).

Interesting on the Dyna, we had a '78 Dyna and I never twigged (the 55 seemed closer to our 40 series in terms of running gear). So happens there's a Dyna down the street, so maybe I'll go look (the Dyna did run the 2H though).


They were ahead of their time, more intended for the US market, and that's why we didn't see many of them. We were still stuck in the mindset that 4x4's had to be 40 series and series 3 landrovers... that you couldn't have a family wagon with 4x4. they are the precurser to the 60 series, before family 4x4's became popular, so most people just bought a 40 series.

that and some people think they're plain ugly (they have the moniker "the iron pig")

drivetrain wise, they are identical to the 40 series (only differences are a universal joint in the steering column, spring lengths, and driveshaft lengths). the chassis from my observations is so close to a 45 series chassis it's uncanny. dunno about a Dyna chassis. offroad they're as good as a 60 or 45 series (same drivetrain etc).

they are an old car, and rust, but don't have the cult following of the 45, so that's why you rarely see them.

[marki]

that and some people think they're plain ugly (they have the moniker "the iron pig")



Got that right. If you were ever going to make a horror movie with a 4WD in it, you'd use a 55. And dontcha just love that brown colour scheme they came in...

[D Hall]

I have been told and read some were on the web that Dyna used the chassi of a 55 series.the 1970`s dyna`s were cab forward not cab over because of this.The used the H diesel.I have a Toyota repair manual for the H diesel covering both the Dyna and the landcruiser.The late 1960`s Dyna`s even had the gaurds simular to the 45 series with a bit of fill in at the front.
Cheers

[MYTANK]

I don't see many of them anymore...

Real pity how they rust so much.

There is a really cool 55 series that's green (enters Tuff truck)

Imagine on with a Diesel, SOA, Dual Lockers.. :P

Dreaming again.. *doh*

Dan

[Turbotojo]

55's did come out in diesel but not here. I think they ran H and B series diesels. There was one for sale in Morayfield but now it is just sitting further back in the yard with the sign gone. It was going for $800.
A mate had one with a broken chassis he drove around with in the forestry.

[bad_religion_au]

i know they came with the B engines. never heard one with the H's, but i've not seen every cruiser option in the world.

[fullmetaljacket]

B and F engine's only, the 55 stopped production 2months before the H engines started to be factory fitted. Not to say they were not fitted after, just not as a stock option

got a soft spot for the pigs. Dont know why, they are ugly as sin.........

[bad_religion_au]

i used to hate em, till i bought one as a parts rig... then they grew on me