Landcruiser 70 Series Auto Conversion
Published by Peter Harris on 28th Sep 2017
The 70 Series LandCruiser is a great 4X4, no doubt. It’s also a great vehicle for modification and improvement. One of the best things you can do is convert it to a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Automatic transmissions are a superior setup over manual, especially for off-road driving. You don’t have to button off the accelerator to change gears, which means you can maintain momentum. And a good gearbox setup with a torque converter gives you a lot more flexibility for on-road driving under load and up big hills.
You’re getting a wider spread of gears, and you’ll also pick up better comfort, smoothness, performance and economy. Compared to standard, the automatic conversion knocks almost 1,000 rpm off your tacho at highway speeds. 2,500rpm goes down to 1,550rpm, making your 70 Series quieter and more efficient.
And of course, when you’re loaded up and towing, there’s no sweat when you’re pointing uphill. Simply press the accelerator, and off-you go. Let’s have a closer looks at some of the details of the conversion.
THE ULTIMATE CONVERSION
The automatic conversion we fit is supplied by Wholesale Automatics, and it uses a new Toyota AB60 6-speed automatic gearbox featured in the Landcruiser 200 Series, which is rated for up to 900Nm of torque from the crankshaft. Tough enough for a Toyota V8, even a tuned one? You bet.
Even though the gearbox is a tough unit, a heap of upgraded parts get thrown into the package. Stuff like a billet torque converter and Nomad valve body assembly, along with great controls and cooling capabilities, take this from being a great conversion to being the ultimate conversion.
The gearbox comes with a billet CNC-machined adaptor, which mates up to the original transfer case. That means the rest of your vehicle: differentials, chassis, universal joints and driveshafts, all stay factory.
KEEPING IT ALL COOL
Heat is the enemy of any gearbox, so if you’re working your LandCruiser hard off-road or towing big loads, you can keep an eye on how hot things are getting with the built-in temperature gauge. This conversion also comes with a genuine Toyota cooler setup that has double the cooling capacity of a standard 200 Series LandCruiser, so your auto won’t be getting hot in a hurry.
THE BEST CONTROL
Another great addition of this conversion is the Torque Converter Lockup. With this setup, you can choose between an automatic or manual lockup setup, which has heaps of benefits. You can go into manual lockup for economy on the highway, and also get awesome engine braking off-road. Or, leave it in auto for the extra flexibility. And for when you want to choose gears yourself, you can shift the gearbox over to tip-tronic manual gear selection.
THE COMPLETE LOOK
Inside, it looks like factory. A custom centre console is used, which mounts up to the interior like it was always meant to be there. The Compu-Shift display and controls are within easy reach, and you even score a couple of 12V and USB plugs, as well as cup holders and a carpeted storage compartment. To complete the conversion, new floor carpets, complete with Dynamat noise insulation, go in to suit the new interior look. If you didn’t know about it, you wouldn’t think it was a conversion.
This conversion suits all 70-Series V8 LandCruisers: 76 Wagon, 78 Troop Carrier and 79 Single or Double-Cab Chassis
Want to know more?
If you would like to speak to one of our Auto Conversion Specialists you can:
CALL US on: 02 4041 4080
or
CHAT HERE in real time
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GET A QUOTE HERE and we'll get back to you within 4 business hours