Toyota
Land Cruiser
Mine Truck
Mine Truck
Miller Technologies in Canada built this Land Cruiser specifically to serve in a Canadian mine. Its job was to transport miners through the mine safely. To make this truck ready for safe mine use, the transfer case was permanently locked into low range, which limits the transmission to first and second gear. The brakes have been removed and are now operated through a manual hydraulic pump located on the front passenger seat. The maximum speed of this truck is 15 mph.
It is rare to see a mine truck in complete form since most decommissioned mine trucks are destroyed immediately after use.
The unparalleled success of the Land Cruiser J4 made it a legend. However, by the mid-1980s the venerable J4 began feeling its age. Toyota saw how the marketplace was evolving and responded with an updated J4, known as the J7. Being indestructible was a major element of the Land Cruiser brand, so Toyota spent three years developing the J7, ensuring that it would be as rugged and as powerful as its predecessor.
The J7 needed to satisfy the demand of diverse groups around the world: Australian miners in the Outback, suburban Americans, African safari tour guides and many more. The J7 would have a popular option known as the “heavy duty” Land Cruiser. Another would be the “light duty” model, designed to weigh less and offer greater fuel efficiency. The J7 would be capable of handling the most punishing terrain while offering multiple body styles, wheelbase sizes, and 20 different engines. This allows for over 100 different model configurations within the J7 model line.