Project Fauxverlander 200 Series Land Cruiser Build Thread

[cruiseroutfit]

Suspension update. Still love it!

My BP-51 is one of the oldest installs to date, over 3 years old now, lots of flogging and still comfortable and compliant. I did add some trim spacers front and rear and a larger set of General X3's right before departing for the B1K. My loads have changed, I wanted taller tires and it was time to recharge the Nitrogen in the shocks. I topped off everything to 300psi, made some small rebound/compression tweaks and we hit the road south.

I've still got a great deal of things to install but it's totally workable at currently I want to finalize my electrical as I'd like a few more outlets at the rear drawers and the dual batteries are still lingering on completion. I've also got plans to do a Long Range tank shortly. Time... anyone have some spare time?

 

[fireball]

what size x3s?

 

[mep1811]

Remember that electric solenoid rear hatch all 200's come equipped with? Well without power and I couldn't open my hatch, which mean I couldn't open my tailgate, which means I couldn't open my drawers

Have you come up with a hack to open the rear hatch ?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Have you come up with a hack to open the rear hatch ?

From the inside with power, yes. We have an interior switch kit. From the inside without power, a 9V battery would suffice. From the outside without power, a rock

 

[mep1811]

Sounds like a challenge

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Behind on updates

Lots of little updates, mostly just been using it this past year and still cleaning the dust out from the last two Baja 1000 trips. I've had a bunch Swell, desert and Moab trips so it was time to get it in the shop and do some cleanup.

I've had what I suspected was a bad drivers side motor mount. We've dealt with them in the Canguro 200 so it really wasn't much of a surprise when this one failed. Thread on the failure on ih8mud here: Failed motor mounts - URJ200 - Anyone had it happen?

Video of the failed mount:

 

[JduRunner]

Did you just do a nitrogen charge on the shocks or a full rebuild?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Did you just do a nitrogen charge on the shocks or a full rebuild?

Just a recharge. That said I did do a full shock swap out before a Baja 1000 trip a few months back. The originals were some of the oldest (thee oldest?) and the fronts were still great, my rears were weeping oil.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I’m long overdue on updates to this thread. I’m still rocking the 2008 200 and it’s still getting frequent trail use for work, play and race support. I’ll dump some pics to update where I left off

April, 2019: We just took delivery of the new stainless steel drawer tables and bags for the ARB Outback drawers. Totally digging these!

View attachment 1953020

View attachment 1953021

October 2019: Hanging with siblings

View attachment 2105913

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I’m long overdue on updates to this thread. I’m still rocking the 2008 200 and it’s still getting frequent trail use for work, play and race support. I’ll dump some pics to update where I left off

April, 2019: We just took delivery of the new stainless steel drawer tables and bags for the ARB Outback drawers. Totally digging these!




October 2019: Hanging with siblings

 

[cruiseroutfit]

November 2019: Lots of updates but I haven't taken the time to document in the last year or so. The ARB Linx is fully setup with the pressure control, rear locker, dual control, fridge control, etc. I've been absolutely loving that. Installed the 12 gallon LR aux tank, new OME rear springs to accommodate the added weight and a front suspension refresh. My BP51's were the oldest in the US and still working great but it was time to do PM in prep of an upcoming Mexico trip. I did new upper ball joints at the same time. A few pics until I have time to document.


Updating the ARB Linx with the latest modules


Beach camping with Canguro Racing during the Baja 1000


Snow in Baja Mexico

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Some 2020/21 pics

 

[cruiseroutfit]

June 2021 Update: No real exciting updates, just working this 200. This machine has been on some serious trail/race pit support duty the last few years, annual trips to the Baja 1000 and other dersert races supporting Canguro Racing & Jaos in their LX600, King of the Hammers supporting Rusty Nail Racing, Mint 400 supporting @landcrusher909 and a bunch of Lexus/Toyota projects. All this and some fun personal trips too.

We recently hosted Chief Engineer Sadayoshi Koyari at Cruiser Outfitters along with a run down to Central Utah to show him some of our Canguro team's favorite desert spots. As Koyari-San was Toyota's Chief Engineer for the 200 Series. He was most generous with his time, signing things at the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum and here at the shop. I asked him if he would be willing to sign the sun visor from this 200 Series and he was kind enough to do so. I'll likely remove it if/when I ever sell the vehicle, but in the meantime it's a fun memory.



The last few months have seem some occasional 'dry-dock' time, new front OEM lower control arms, new rear calipers, rotors and pads, new windshield, and last week it got a new OEM steering rack and TRE's, a low-mile front diff assembly (it had the typical mount bolt weep/leak), OEM wheel hubs (it's nice just stealing fully assembled unit bearings from the shelf ) and a new set of Toyo tires. It then got loaded with a ton of gear to support a Toyota/Lexus project this last week in the desert. I'll share some photo's there when I can but it was an OVER the top TRAIL experience

 

[cruiseroutfit]

June 2023 update: From our recent trip. We were able to spend a wonderful weekend in the desert with friends from Toyota/Lexus including the Cheif Engineer (Tsukasaki-san) and Project Manager (Kitamura-san) of the new GX550. Both have been with Toyota for many years and worked on a variety of Land Cruiser platforms prior to the GX. They have a great deal of excitement for the new platform and it's siblings. It was an honor share some of my favorite spots with them in some unique vehicles.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

May 2024 update: Sometimes it's not about the vehicle but the experience you get to have with a vehicle as the medium for transportation. I found that this is very often the case with Land Cruisers and the Land Cruiser community and last week's trip really highlighted that.



It‘s often quipped, “you should never meet your heroes". I disagree, I want to meet every one of them. The heroes I'm referring to are the brave men and women that serve or have served the call of duty to protect this great nation. Respect for our soldiers and veterans took on a much deeper understanding this last week in what I can only describe as one of the most humbling events I've been part of. I was fortunate to be part of a group that shared some of our favorite Utah back country spots with six veterans with a wide variety of combat and leadership experience. The crescendo of the week was the opportunity to raise a 40'x80' USA flag high into the air, emotional and sobering.



Such a powerful week and deep way to lead into the Memorial Day weekend, a remembrance of those that paid the ultimate sacrifice. One day, one weekend, one week, one month... it's simply not enough to honor these heroes.