Question for you Nick…. Have you ever driven a 70 series? Any diesel Landcruiser?
I‘m not trying to change your opinion, just qualify it. You seem to be arguing fairly hard for the negative position here, and unless you have actual real world experience in those vehicles, your points are moot.
I have owned and driven plenty. I dig ‘em. I drove a 3B powered 60 series from Canada to southern Mexico, and all around the western USA (including a lot of time in western Colorado) as well as lots of time in Australia and loved every minute of it. There were a LOT of minutes mind you, but I’m not always in a hurry.
I've driven an older 60 with a 2H and I owned a 1978 FJ40 with a really well tuned 2F and a FZJ for a short stint. I know the 2F's have more power than the 1HZ's and are generally considered higher performing, so based on those experiences, I've extrapolated (without question) but I think it's well founded position. Now it's not fair to say "you've never driven one you don't know", I don't need to drive it to know it's going to massively lack performance while fully burdened and it's towing and payload numbers are published metrics.
I've spent a lot of time in a Merc 240D, 4-spd manual 88 hp, 4244 GVWR,
.02 hp/lb absolute dog
Owned a VW with a TD 6-spd manual 140 hp, 4189 GVWR,
.033 hp/lb, nice little rig
My FJ40 4-spd manual, 135 hp, 5071 GVWR,
.026 hp/lb
FZJ80 auto, 212 hp, 6746 GVWR,
.031 hp/lb
70 series loaded up, 5-spd manual, 130 hp, 7040,
.018 hp/lb
That tells at least part of the story, a loaded 70 is going to be really slow.
Sorry if I am coming across like that, I think 70's are the coolest rigs there are, I just struggle to see how they fit into most peoples lives....I had the same issue with my FJ40, awesome rig, but sold it since it just sat....tried a long drive over the pass once and about froze to death.
