zero Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 The Japanese auto industry has a long history of "copying what works" and adapting it to their needs. I always assumed they copied someone's rear-axle to use in the dually Dyna buses and pickup cab & chassis trucks. I also know that the wheel bolt pattern of 7.25" X 6 has been used by Ford, Studebaker, IH, and Dodge since the 1940s. I came across specs on 1960s and up Ford "mini" vans overseas. Wheels look very similar, same bolt pattern as far as I can tell, and the tires are 185R-14". They even have single wheels to bolt on to the FF rear with less off-set then the dually wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gulfstream Greg Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 The auto industry has been sharing components and chassis for years. Early international scouts and ford broncos use the same chassis, dash, bumpers etc. But they used different drive trains and engines and suspension. My ford f350 has an international engine. Toyota might have copied an idea with the FF axles but I have never heard of anyone being able to bolt in the 3rd member differential or other axle components from another manufacturer. Dana manufactures axle assemblies for more than one auto builder. So yes it is possible but I think someone would have figured it out by now so my guess is even if it's a copy of an idea it is still Toyota engineering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 . Early international scouts and ford broncos use the same chassis, dash, bumpers etc. But they used different drive trains and engines and suspension. My ford f350 has an international engine. As far as I know, IH Scouts and Ford Broncos share nothing as far a frames or suspension is concerned. My father-in-law was one of the engineers that worked on the Bronco project and that comment is certainly news to him. First 1/2 ton Broncos had radius-arm front suspension and 90" wheelbases. First IH Scouts came in 1/4 or 1/2 ton and both have 100" wheelbases with no radius arms in front. Very different. Gauges and bumpers back then were pretty generic . Ford already had some ideas back from WWII when they built military Jeeps. In fact, Ford got in trouble when they made military Jeeps with independent front suspensions and they were prone to roll-overs. As far as the IH AKA "Navigating the Stars" 446 cube diesel engine goes - it started out as a medium duty gas engine for school buses. Got scaled down to 421 cubic inches when converted to diesel. Then Ford contracted to buy it for use in only heavy pickups (no 1/2 tons). It has long been common to buy predesigned diesels for use in trucks since they aren't sold in the high numbers like gas trucks. International used Nissan diesels, Jeep used Perkins diesels, Dodge used Mitsubishi diesels, etc. Even the newer Chevy Duramax diesels are primarily Isuzu design. RE: Toyota. I never claimed they cloned anything. They copy. When Datsun introduced the Fair Lady sports car into the USA (and quickly renamed it to the 240Z) - it even gave a list of all the other autos they borrowed engineering from including Chevy Corvette, BMW, etc. Toyota rear axles seem to be made from scraps of metal welded together. Maybe that's an Asian thing but it sets them apart from American axles that usually one-piece stampings with DOM tubing stuck into them. The Hotchkiss center-section that Toyota has certainly does not swap into a Ford 9" rear, but I bet it's their copy of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rad wolfe Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 ' When Datsun introduced the Fair Lady sports car into the USA (and quickly renamed it to the 240Z) '- The original Fairlady was a convertible similar in style to a MGB. In 1968 sold as the Datsun 2000 ( in Canada & USA ) it had a 5 speed , SU type carbs , roll bar, and could do over 115 MPH . I owned one and it was a screamer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Even more 'original':- http://www.earlydatsun.com/datsunspl212.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rad wolfe Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 yeah , these were more reminiscent of an AH-100 / MGA look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Austin A40 Sport Tourer. Minus the A-H inspired 2 tone paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 ' When Datsun introduced the Fair Lady sports car into the USA (and quickly renamed it to the 240Z) '- The original Fairlady was a convertible similar in style to a MGB. In 1968 sold as the Datsun 2000 ( in Canada & USA ) it had a 5 speed , SU type carbs , roll bar, and could do over 115 MPH . I owned one and it was a screamer. Yes, I had one of the Datsun "pre Z" sports cars. 1600 cc. As I recall is had a sort-of "Datsun-ized" British Austin engine. I read somewhere that that Nissan got the idea of the name "'Fair Lady" from the 1956 Broadway show in New York City "My Fair Lady." I never understood the connection between the name and the sports car. Must be a Japanese thing. The name got quickly changed when 240Zs came to the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I had a 1962 Datsun L320 pickup the moter was a jap near copy of a Brit M G I was told that mg head gasket would fit it was 12 volt brit style positive ground and had a 4 speed colum shift no sync on first gear and a carbon pile voltage regulater . the shift pattern was not standred low was on the upper outside of pattern. the moter was called E1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 On the subject of the Datsun 1600 Fair Lady, here's a motorhome with the Datsun 1600 cc engine that was being built in 1972 by Perris Valley.Campers in California. Seem either is was not a big success, or perhaps too much of a dog to sell to the public? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 On the subject of the Datsun 1600 Fair Lady, here's a motorhome with the Datsun 1600 cc engine that was being built in 1972 by Perris Valley.Campers in California. Seem either is was not a big success, or perhaps too much of a dog to sell to the public? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rad wolfe Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 If it had the 2000 engine instead of the 1600 that RV would still look like my mailbox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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