So, who's buying a Hilux ute?

**vifferman** · 1st November 2004, 13:40

Originally Posted by Velox

I was watching it on video but the last 5 mins cut out. What did it look like after they demolished the building?

It looked exactly like you'd imagine - every panel was seriously munted, and there wasn't a straight or undamaged bit on it. Like Jim2 said, the chassis was broken, and they made the point that the bodywork was holding the chassis together, instead of the other way around.

It looked almost like one of those cars that had been flattened to put in a pile at the wreckers.
BTW - that clip of the building blowing up is on the interweb somewhere - I saw the clip last year.
Try this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/downloa..._broadband.ram

**Devil** · 1st November 2004, 13:48

I forgot which engine was the one on top gear, but the 2.4 turbo diesel was shit. Known for the head gaskets going pop. We had the 3 litre turbo surf and it was pretty good only problem was a radiator issue. The newer intercooled one has some guts.

**vifferman** · 1st November 2004, 14:27

Originally Posted by Devil

I forgot which engine was the one on top gear, but the 2.4 turbo diesel was shit. Known for the head gaskets going pop. We had the 3 litre turbo surf and it was pretty good only problem was a radiator issue. The newer intercooled one has some guts.

The one we wrecked was the petrol engined one. After driving the 6-cylinder LandCruisers around the farm, it just seemed so gutless. Maybe that was the reason it fell down the hill...

**Motu** · 1st November 2004, 14:40

Of course it was a diesel,so it can be made to run isolated from everything around it - all it needs is a wire to work the shut off solenoid and a starter to crank - try that with any modern petrol engine,the sea water would off wiped out all the electronics.The 2L is pretty good for a small Jap diesel,but prone to cracking heads if cooked - Jennings has a pile to the roof.The 2LT in the Surf dropped valve seats,that was a bad one.The 3L is a big improvement - but it breaks cranks.The latest 1KZTE I don't know about yet - none have come in on a tow truck....

**750Y** · 1st November 2004, 15:59

I've got a 92 hilux 2.4 diesel. it has been a really good workhorse to date.

**Jackrat** · 1st November 2004, 18:34

I had a four cylinder Hilux surf when I lived in OZ.
It was so gutless I thought the motor must be over the hill,so I bought a reco'ed motor an dropped it in.
Was still the same, just didn't blow smoke.
Was ok off road but hope less on the highways.
My first 4x4 was an early land Cruiser,BLOODY PRIMO!!
One place I worked on when I had the cruiser had a willow choked stream running thru' it.
We had people on the dole coming out in a bus each day clearing the willows.
(Remember the work for the dole days)early 80s.
Well one of these scum bags had robbed a bank in Hamilton and the cops came out to the farm to arrest him.I was coming down the main race when I see this Commodor stop by the bus and these two blokes jump out an run around the place looking lost.I stop an ask WTF an get told their Gov't workers or something like that.After I tell em' the dole people are out the back they ask for a lift out there.So we're on the way out the back,driving along a ridge track I'd not quite got the nerve up to try going over the edge of when I realise these two are coppers.That pissed me off a bit coz' they'ed bullshited me about who/what they were.
So I took a big breath and chucked the cruiser over the edge,flicked her into third an put me foot down.By the time we got to the bottem she was bouncing big time an chucking big lumps of dirt an grass in the air.Both cops hit their heads on the roof a couple of times and by the look of em' they thought they were gonn'a die.One of em' said something about WTF did I do that for.I just muttered about lying bastards an we left it at that.
They didn't catch said scumbag either,he saw us coming an did a runner over the naibours place.Had an 1800 land crab as well,for two years it used to bottem out on gravel roads.I mentioned this to a guy in a garage workshop up Dargaville.He got under the bonnet with a hose an next thing I know the landcrabs sitting four inches higher.
Ah well,didn't know about that.

**Motu** · 2nd November 2004, 21:37

Those old Cruisers were the real deal alright,we had one with a PTO winch that we used to pull all sorts of shit with (and 1800s) One day we were on a vineyard and there was some construction going on,we had to divert on the grass and they had covered a water hose with some 4x2s...so the guy driving came up real slow and just nudged the 4x2 so not to knock it around - but when he went to go over it the Cruiser just wheel spun...'I'll put the hubs in' I said and jumped out,but they were already in! It just sat there spinning one front and one rear wheel on dry grass! Some old guy came along in a Charade and just went over no worries,but the almighty Landcruiser was stuck on a 4x2!!!

The 1800 was the best car I've ever driven on gravel.We had to wind up a steep,twisty rutted and corugated road both to and from home - our Singer Vague (Hillman Hunter) would be in 2nd gear axle tramping the whole way,it was a pig of a thing.But the 1800 with it's long wheelbase,lots of weight and hydrospastic suspension just floated up the road in 3rd,a bloody awesome machine.But when they got old they didn't suffer fools gladly - it took all my skills to keep them running.

**Eddieb** · 3rd November 2004, 11:03

http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/prog28/toyota.shtml

The whole program segment is here, plus all sorts of older Top Gear stuff. You'll need Realplayer though.