LOL... "A real 4x4" By my definition, that means 4 powered wheels, solid axles, and a transfer case with low range, yep, that Toyota fits that description, so do most Jeeps, as do quite a large number of other vehicles.
As for comparing a FJ70 to a Jeep,lets think about this for a bit, the Toyota FJ is in all other markets the biggest, heaviest rated truck you can get from Toyota, this is not a different body on a Hilux chassis, and outside of size, is comparable in ratings to a SRW F350 of the early 90's, back before you could buy a 400hp half ton with a 10,000 lb tow rating. Not exactly a fair comparison, the FJ diffs are about the same strength or maybe a little better than a stock D60 and the rear is a full floater, a Wrangler will have.

No real sense arguing that though, that particular model of Toyota isn't sold to the general public in North America, they are pretty popular in mines as underground vehicles though.

A friend of mine is working on turning his YJ into a "real" 4x4 that has enough power for him and doesn't spit out axles left right and center with 36" tires. Drive train is a 69 302, T18, 205, EB 44 and 9"... Not much Jeep left there is there?
Don't get me wrong, I like a Jeep, and I almost bought an 06 Rubicon Unlimited new, until I put some research into it, and realized that by the time I had it reliable enough axle wise to run the tire size I wanted(38's) I would pretty much have 1 ton stuff under it. I decided to buy an ATV with my down payment and built my 460 truck instead...

I actually have no desire for either of those two features, they were just neat to see on a pickup body. The kind of wheeling I do is best mated with closed windows and a solid top, a healthy big block and 1 tons are also very much a good thing too. I'm also silly enough that my barely street legal, dedicated play truck has a completely brand new a/c system.... LOL

Now, my buddy has a CJ2A rolling chassis that is completely restored and just needs a body, that is a proper open top 4x4, I am contemplating picking it up, buying a body for it, and restoring it to 100% bone stock condition, that would be a great runabout and mild off road rig.

As for a copy of a CJ, you need look no farther than Mitsubishi, their J53 and J54 are/were pretty much based directly on the CJ3B....
Luxury Imports - Calgary, Alberta

 

Never saw the mitsubishi jeep before. Looks nice. 100Hp may no sound like much, but unless you need to tow 5000lbs at 75 MPH, this thing will move with the best of them off road. I real off road capable jeep that can get good fuel economy as a DD, now there's a concept! (damn EPA)

 

I'm suprised that you haven't seen one, considering BC seems to be a hotbed for grey market imports, and I've actually seen a few of them on the trans Canada all the way over here.
As for perfomance, a 100hp diesel in a 2500lb or thereabouts vehicle doesn't take much math to figure out, put it in low range and you've got more than enough power. Heck, the ****** versions did just fine with 72 hp.

 

The Jeep and FJ40 have very little in common other than a very basic body shape and the idea of being a multipurpose 4x4. And it should. It was originally designed and built to be the Asian counterpart to the Jeep for overseas use by the US military. That may explain the original designation of FJ- Foreign Jeep.

The Toyota has an advantage in almost every category. Frames are stronger, stouter drivetrain, better engineered and more reliable overall. The only thing to knock the FJ would be the lack of V8 power. But the F series I-6 made up for it with an abundance of torque.

I wouldn't consider a non Jeep, to not be a real 4x4. They may have been the first, but there were (and still are) other brands that do it better.

Jason

 

Mainly delica vans over here. They're almost as common as chrysler minivans by now. Also tried to sell skylines and other street racing machines but kids these days have less money to burn it seems and I haven't seen too many of them lately.

Our TD ranger probably isn't putting 100Hp to the flywheel and weighs a lot more than 2500lbs, but it will do 80 MPH empty and in low range is unstoppable. The Japanese (mitsu in particular) really know how to pair a turbocharger and small diesel engine together. Low end boost is impressive but these engines will also go past 20 PSI if you disable the safty systems on them (stock is usually little more than 10-12 unless its intercooled then closer to 15).

Those little japanese turbo diesel 4 poppers will punch above their weight.

 

I wasn't saying jeep is the only way to go just like to pick on the yotas is all. They make some unstopable little trucks I will admit.

 

Jeep guys have no business picking on Yota's. You have to swap out the entire drivetrain just to keep up with the early Broncos on the trail without breaking...

Jason

 

The only yota I ever owned was I belive a 71 FJ40 a tough built rig no way around it.
The thing had more than enough torque to do anything it was designed for and more.
These were also built to work on either 4 or 6 bolts and the whole frontend tilted over out of the way like a semi the water pump bolted together so you could rebuild it so did the brake booster. all in all a very sweet rig that I wish I had kept.

 

Hey Quagmyer er I mean Jason what all do you have done to your bronco any ways?

As for breaking on the trails mine seems to be the exception to the rule or something I've got a stock dana 30 up front with 33"s and I haven't broken it yet except for the hub that exploded due to imbalanced wheel causing the bolts to loosen. My 20 in the rear has been beefed up with summers brothes one pice shafts.

 

There are a lot of old Toyota FJ (Land Cruisers) around here with a GM motor,trans., X-case, and rearends and the owners still want to claim "Toyotas Rule" everytime they top a hill.
I have absolutely nothing against Toyota, it doesn't even bother me that they are in Nascar, but they should be giving credit to Chevy in these cases. The Jeeps with GM or Ford drivetrains are the same thing. At least if you put a 360 or a modern Hemi and Dana axles in one you'd be able to somewhat legitimately claim "Jeeps Rule".
I feel like rigs like this, that work well, are more a testament to the builder for picking and installing the right components as no factory can really take the credit.
I do see a lot more "built" LandCruisers with their origional axles/rearends though.

 

I have driven several fj's with a 350 chevy for my kind of wheelin they are better stock by far.

 

I definatly prefer an I6 to a V8 for crawling and trail riding.

 

Everybody wheels differently.... I'm perfectly happy to row through the gears in low range, and putt along on the trail at sub 1000 rpm in 4th low, for 50% f the trail riding I do, I don't need 1/4 of the power my truck has and a 300 wold be fine, but, for that other 50 percent of my wheeling time and racing, well, it takes lots of TQ, HP and rpm to make Boggers work as they should... Unfortunatley outside of racing, most of the places that I need that power around here have no bottom, meaning my tires are too narrow and my truck is too heavy, so, I usually end up on a strap... LOL

Trucks like my buddy's Toyota based rig that are only Toyota in body and frame like was already said, the credit there goes to the builder, not the OEM of the body. Bill's Truck doesn't even fit the normal Toylet stereotype, it's just a plain old mutt, he's running Dodge D60's under it, not full Chebby drivetrain, and at that the front axle is sporting Ford outers....

 

It's really tame by todays standards of hybrid axles and Rockwells. But it works well enough that I haven't seriously wanted to change it. Plus, with kids and family obligations, I don't get to take it out as much as I used to. So, I'd rather be wheeling than modifying it
Here are some specs

• 88 SEFI 5.0 HO
• NP435 4 speed 6.69 1st
• Dodge 203 range box 2.00 low
• Ford Dana 20 2.46 low
• 9"- '77 gusseted housing 4.56's, Detroit Locker 31 spl Curries
• Dana 44 4.56's, Ox Locker, Superior alloy axles CTM u joints GM disc brakes
• 6.5" total lift on 37" MTR's

I've been envisioning a FJ60 Cruiser build for a couple of years. Something with 4 doors and a little more room for the kids on extended trips. With 351W power and 1 ton Chevy drivetrain otherwise.


Jason

 

Sounds like a pretty stout machine to me. I'm not realy in to the super over built rigs and tube buggies.