Blasphemy

[Jamie_grieve]

Find me any 3 or 2m side blast tested armoured Land Cruiser that's worth riding in, no reputable armourer uses them without reinforcement

One good example would be all the B6 armoured land cruisers as currently used by the UN use original equipment for the doors, additional protection comes from extra locks which are employed once the occupant is inside. You'll see the same for the Chevy suburbans and some G wagons as well deployed at various locations with the same B6 / B6+ rating.

I take your point though, I was more referring to the mechanical stresses from the additional weight rather than being adequate to offer protection from internal overpressure. I'm as equally surprised as yourself at their use, it's the very reason I highlight them. Many different firms in their wisdom and testing must have found them adequate. I have them onto the inspection forms as a separate check.

The ballistic protection offered by this level of armoured vehicles is for high velocity projectiles like small arms fire and shrapnel. In the unfortunate event that they are subjected to internal pressure resulting from being to close to a blast, often as the result of a direct attack, they open up like sardine cans at this level of ballistic protection. Literally, the roof armour peels off and the windscreens pop out. Generally, the door skins open out but the doors usually stay closed. Remember, they are up armoured to a particular standard, they're not tanks.

This is the level at which we need to be thinking of vehicle integrity, add on the Euro NCAP tests and the bar's been set pretty high for anyone else to beat the land cruiser, or indeed the other vehicles mentioned.

With regards to the OP question, one word of warning with Toyota spare parts, their equivalent of Britpart is Alibaba which is basically a guarantee of Chinese origin. Stay well clear of any parts sourced through Dubai as well as they are generally from China unless you actually go to the main dealers there.

[Lewis]

I haven't looked at the latest UN tender, but I didn't think they required a decent level of side blast protection, as you say they are B6 which is a ballistics rating and has little bearing on the load the door hinge or latch will have to withstand - it could be armoured with aramids or hppe and still withstand the ballistic threat (except ss109). If you look at current European armourers which who are building to a decent spec and you'll find that 9mm high hardness steel door armour has necessitated properly engineered door hinges and considerable reinforcement to the door cheek around the latch to prevent stress cracking from the extra load.

Do you find the crews actually use those additional shoot bolts on the doors? By the time you've fiddled with that ridiculous r-clip you've got to wherever you were going anyway

[honitonhobbit]

Some years back I was doing some driver training for Toyota Gibraltar Stockholdings - the guys who supply white Toyotas for aid organisations. We ran 100 Series GS vehicles; V8 for the State Department (loaded with luxury necessities) and non turbo Aussie spec for the rest. We also ran 78's and 79's (Troopies and Third World APC's). The best of the lot for all round reliability, off road and on road capability, fuel economy, comfort et al was the RoW spec Hi Lux crew cab, fitted with a 2.8/3.0 NAD, TJM Suspension, rear e locker and front LSD, TJM bumpers and some blast blankets for ballast - fantastic truck. Despite this I'd sell a kidney for a 70 series Troopie

[mettisse]

For my tuppence worth, I own a Toyo Bruiser 80 series with all the kit, 4.2 diesel, had it for 10 years, I had 300 di disco from new, with all the same kit, ( old man Emu) winch etc, BFG s, my son still has this car, both done 300K miles, they are both 94 year, the difference? The disco has been as reliable as you can ask, the Toyo disappointing, however the whole wear and tear bit, the Toyo is streets ahead, original headlining etc however, secondhand parts are far easier for the L R, I like both, one thing I like, the Toyo came with all the lockers from the factory, they work, are quick, reliable. Ultimately I have a hankering for a classic Rangie, more style, road presence, so I would like to build another car, ( the Rangie) but I don't have time, ( 66 and spending as much time over landing as I can) anyway, the Toyo affectionados are as good a bunch as the Landy guys, have fun, Bill Westley

[Davo]

For my tuppence worth, I own a Toyo Bruiser 80 series with all the kit, 4.2 diesel, had it for 10 years, I had 300 di disco from new, with all the same kit, ( old man Emu) winch etc, BFG s, my son still has this car, both done 300K miles, they are both 94 year, the difference? The disco has been as reliable as you can ask, the Toyo disappointing, however the whole wear and tear bit, the Toyo is streets ahead, original headlining etc however, secondhand parts are far easier for the L R, I like both, one thing I like, the Toyo came with all the lockers from the factory, they work, are quick, reliable. Ultimately I have a hankering for a classic Rangie, more style, road presence, so I would like to build another car, ( the Rangie) but I don't have time, ( 66 and spending as much time over landing as I can) anyway, the Toyo affectionados are as good a bunch as the Landy guys, have fun, Bill Westley

Funny you should say that - I've almost finished rebuilding my old Rangie, and I did it because there isn't a Toyota that could match it in the things I wanted. I remember driving a Troopie a while ago after I'd been driving only the Range Rover for a long time, and despite having spent many k's in LandCruisers I was shocked because i'd forgotten just how bad the ride, noise, and even the steering ratio all were. I understand why people buy the things, but for the money involved you don't really get much.