2nd thoughts on the practicality of owning a nice bj60 (1 Viewer)

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Nov 27, 2007
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Hi fellow 60 series'ers!

just thought i'd ask for some input on my sistuation. i picked up a sweet canadian lhd bj60 (1984) just under a year ago. since then we've found out that we're expecting a 2nd baby. i've taken the rig on roadies and camping and we (mostly me!) really liked how it performs and serves it's purpose.... BUT... i'm now thinking down the road, long term ownership and how practical it will really be to owning a meticulously maintained legend. been told not to wheel it and go overboard, i agree. i believe she's one of the last nice ones left in original shape.

so, im in southern ontario with bad winters and lots of salt on the roads... i've been using her as a DD and she will be used in the winter time. the PO heated garaged the rig and used a winter beater which explains why it's in such good shape (regular oil spray and detailed maint. records since new). so there's that.

then there's the other things like not having AC, not having rear head rests, and the plain fact that she's not the fastest thing out there (but she get's me there)... so we do a lot of convoys with fam and friends and i know i'll be slowing the crew down...especially on long gentle uphills...lol. thanks to the 3B!

but don't get me wrong, i freakin love this rig! there's just something about it's simplicity, robustness, and reliabilty that i love very much! i like cruising in the slow lane and drivng the 5spd... she could use a turbo, but she's just to nice to mess with if ya know what i'm saying?? so i moslty think she should be kept stock, maybe a mild lift...

in the end, she'll eventually sucumb to the winter/salt and will end up being one of those high mileage 60s with strong engine/tranny but body is gone.... a part of me wants to see this thing staying rust free in a place where there's better climate (maybe the USA) and living a long healthy life with a good owner. or at least be a hobbyists rig where it get's less than average use and stored in teh witner time.

it'll still be a while before i'll really get to enjoy this rig with bigger kids (have a 2year old + new one in the new year, god willing).

finally, maybe it's more practical to have a minivan so the aging inlaws can go on our road trips and not have to drive (so i thought about JDM mitsubishi delicas, turbo diesel 4x4)... we're lucky that the wife has the 80 and we're likely to keep that rig for a longer time. she loves it and it's perfect for trips with just us.

feels like i owe it to the cruiser gods to keep this girl running rust free and healthy for a long time, lol.

am i making sense or whaaa?

IMG_5373.jpg



and a vid (in preparation for putting her up on the classifieds...:( ):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlmb1FzUGws

cheers.
romey

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IMG_5377.jpg


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IMG_5387.jpg


oh yeah, only 238K kms, 5spd, new exhaust, rad, and she's running like a top!

the 40 will need to go soon too i think, too built to have young kids in it and it'll still be a loooong while before i can take that out to the woods with my son...??? if all else fails, at least we still have the 80 for our main family rig.
 
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a lift, turbo, AC, and rear bench with head rests just amounts to too much money (and down time i don't have) that i can't justify spending, especially if she might just loose the battle with rust in the long term....or maybe i should mod and use her up till she's spent and ready for parts dismantle! :(
 
drive her till she dies!! Probably a safer family vehichle than any modern minivan.
 
Keep it and drive it till the body's rotten or the engine quits. It needs nothing. An affordable lift and some 33s would be nice, but probably wouldn't add much to its usefulness to you. Unless you sell the 40 and need something to wheel.

Really nice truck, by the way. Pure classic.

(If you do keep it, spring for some used stock wheels. Then it's that much cooler.)
 
thanks guys. i do have the original stock chromies (5) with the right size tire, but all seasons. these are 245/75/16's TKO's on jdm 80 rims.

forestdan7, that's exactly what i've been mullin through my head the last few months.. it would be usefull b/c it'll feel more comfortable than the original springs and shocks it still has! lol. right now i can still live with it, funny enough, and i make these "boing" noises when we hit bumps and my son just cracks up, lol.

really finding it hard to find wheeling time these days (and can't justify insuring the 40 for just a half dozen uses during the year if i'm lucky), even more so when #2 kid shows up. then i figured i could use whatever i got for the 40 on the 60... even if it's just ome's all around..maybe 33x9.5's then she'll really struggle up hills!
 
I'm in SoCal\, so if you want to send her down here, I will keep her nice and exercise her often. Then you can come down in the winter to visit and drive her too...

I do feel your pain and concern. I feel lucky that my 60 is for fun only and not my DD. I do enjoy driving her, more than any other vehicle I have owned. Something about the simplicity, ruggedness, plus the just fun and cool factor can't be beat.

Rust is the enemy of all LC's, especially where you are. Family and the lack of modern safety features is something only you can answer. But I know my 10 year old daughter wants our 60 when she turns 16! If it was up to her, we would drive it everywhere, every time!

Almost every other vehicle is more practical than a LandCruiser, if practicality is what you want and/or need. I drive a Ford 12 passenger van for a DD because it suits my needs and is practical. But I don't get a smile on my face when I drive it like I do in my 60.

I would say it's just a car...But it's not, It's a LandCruiser!

Good luck on your decision.

Doug
 
agreed Doug! well, i can only wish i had the sun and dry weather you have. THENN i would totally be keeping the 60! but i think a lot of tlc's are practical...or maybe all the diesel ones...;) cuz then i certainly couldn't justify driving gassers especially since we're lucky to have a choice for a jdm 15 year old diesel cruiser... this is why i'm diggin the delicas which are now the craze in western canada, waaay better i think than a westfalia and it's diesel....

been thinking too, we have a roady to maryland and florida next year, we can't all fit in the 80 (2 babies, wife, and just one extra seat), so the inlaws will have to drive...and they really don't like driving let alone 24 hours south! (well, i guess a plane will do, both cruisers would mean the wifey drives one and i the other, she wont like that though)...and i'd like to take my folks out west maybe...one diesel van is better than 2 cruisers (or a cruiser and a matrix let say)...hmm, but then again, you got 2 cruisers and not one van! hahaha.

fuzz, maybe i'll just put a feeler out on the classifieds...

in terms of modern safety features, guess we're talking airbags/abs/onstar/etc... all of which, i think i'm comfortable w/out. airbags wouldn't be good for wee ones anyway..etc..etc..which is why all ofus mudders here still use older tlc's for family haulers...

but you're damn right about the smile on my face, i get it every morning when i start her up and drive off, and when i'm on a country road with my wife and kid sleeping, wind blowing in my face, diesel crackle rumble in the background, elbow out the window...it's pure bliss, lol.

i find driving the 60 vs the 80 like driving an old vtwin motorcycle compared to an inline 4 sport touring with doodads and refinement...and i'll admit, even though the 80 is plush and awesome, the 60 gets that nerve for me.
 
fyi, it's not going to rust away over night.

true, true...but if you saw all the 60's for sale in canada right now...man, it's scary! lol. it's amazing though the mileage i'm seeing with them and they're still going strong...up to 600K kms, and maybe an average of 300K kms, frames shot, holes everywhere, sooo sad.
 
it's not all rainbows and sunshine down here either. over the winter..dec-mar/apr if it's below freezing and any kind of precipitation is coming down, they salt the wee out of it, be it rain, sleet, freezing rain or snow. people call holy hell if they do not see yellow trucks dumping s*** if it's doing something and its cold out.
 
It took the parts from 12 cruisers to save my Canadian wagon. If you sell that thing you are an idiot...

Tony
 
absolutely right Tony. i know i'll never find another one like it! or it'd be realllly really hard to. there's a couple nice CAN hj60's that come up from time to time, but man are they rare in relatively clean shape...
 
Hey Romey, I'll trade you my beat up 62 for it. That way you'll have a Cruiser you don't mine driving it in the winter and I'll keep the 60 tucked away in my shop while the weather is bad. Honestly, don't get to excited to sell off the Cruiser collection. i had my kids out wheeling at an early age in car seats and they love it to this day.
Dave
 
absolutely right Tony. i know i'll never find another one like it! or it'd be realllly really hard to. there's a couple nice CAN hj60's that come up from time to time, but man are they rare in relatively clean shape...

I wish my BJ was that clean. Not that I am sorry I have the one I do but don't sell it. Not even the 40. A friend of mine wheels the hell out of a 40 and takes his 5 year old and 8 year old with us. We all even went to Rubicon in august and yes he had his kids in car seats with him.

If you have to, garage it in the winter. My BJ came by way of Lethbridge so I can feel your pain about your winters. Boy do they love the salt in Lethbridge.

By the way, I always thought about putting that style of rim on one of my wagons. I think it looks great, couldn't figure out why Toyota never did it as they were using that rim on 4 runners while still making the 60 series.

Tony
 
So, do you want to sell her?

I PM'd you, do you want to sell this sweetheart? Say how much and we can probably work a deal.
 
lol, i hear all of you guys loud and clear. thanks Dave, you're not making this easier, haha. and i remember the same chat at the meets ;).

on one hand, it's just a piece of metal, did i just say whaaat?! i could just move on and find another one (doesn't have to be a 60) down the road if/when my kid(s) ready for some fun wheelin...thats maybe 5 years from now...i wouldve moved on and i'm sure can find another rig (heck, it could even be the 80 by then!! and then, it'll still be mild stuff so i could risk a nicer rig...which is also in my back pocket) this is when the long term thing comes into play... we get our fix from the 80 enough that we can chance it bangin on some rocks and havin fun...hopefully we'll have a replacement family hauler vehicle by then...

so if i'm headed there anyway, why not just let the 60 go...wait a few years (maybe keep the 40, park it, leave fire/theft and just wrench around with it)...take them chitlins out on the 80 which will have close to over 200K kms i'm sure...and it's share of maint/repair history...and have fun. i could do my best to keep the rust out i guess...let alone getting it the proper mods and such...and just using the 80 for the long family hauls. yeah, guess i could do that.

hmmm. i guess if the 40 was gone...the 60 would be a more practical family fun rig that could be parked in the winter time..and then i can have some other car as a DD...hmm.
man, i'm tired and can't think straight! lol

fellas, much appreciate all your insight and comments!
 
I wish my BJ was that clean. Not that I am sorry I have the one I do but don't sell it. Not even the 40. A friend of mine wheels the hell out of a 40 and takes his 5 year old and 8 year old with us. We all even went to Rubicon in august and yes he had his kids in car seats with him.

If you have to, garage it in the winter. My BJ came by way of Lethbridge so I can feel your pain about your winters. Boy do they love the salt in Lethbridge.

By the way, I always thought about putting that style of rim on one of my wagons. I think it looks great, couldn't figure out why Toyota never did it as they were using that rim on 4 runners while still making the 60 series.

Tony

i hear ya on the rims. i was never sure if n.america got the 16" in that alloy pattern? my jdm 80 has the same rim but in 15" which also came in the american 80's and runners... so as back up, i could get me some 255 tall skinnies on the 80 if and when...the tko are just awesome.

if i garage it, the 40 has to go cuz it's getting garaged (no room!), lol...it's the whole compromise not having too many toys thingy...sheesh.
and you know with really young kid(s)...it's not quite the time yet for them..i mean 5 years is still a while away....
by the way, the 40 is locked on 4.88's and she's real mean and ruff! not ideal for little kids, and no back seat and just needs extra attention...
but i should count my blessings...bitchin about what rig to keep or sell....when there are many less fortunate ones tryin to make things work with one vehicle in the family...:frown:
 
I think you should sell it to someone that can see and appreciate the value of the rig. If you need to ask the question, I feel your not deserving of such a rig.


Hi fellow 60 series'ers!

just thought i'd ask for some input on my sistuation. i picked up a sweet canadian lhd bj60 (1984) just under a year ago. since then we've found out that we're expecting a 2nd baby. i've taken the rig on roadies and camping and we (mostly me!) really liked how it performs and serves it's purpose.... BUT... i'm now thinking down the road, long term ownership and how practical it will really be to owning a meticulously maintained legend. been told not to wheel it and go overboard, i agree. i believe she's one of the last nice ones left in original shape.

so, im in southern ontario with bad winters and lots of salt on the roads... i've been using her as a DD and she will be used in the winter time. the PO heated garaged the rig and used a winter beater which explains why it's in such good shape (regular oil spray and detailed maint. records since new). so there's that.

then there's the other things like not having AC, not having rear head rests, and the plain fact that she's not the fastest thing out there (but she get's me there)... so we do a lot of convoys with fam and friends and i know i'll be slowing the crew down...especially on long gentle uphills...lol. thanks to the 3B!

but don't get me wrong, i freakin love this rig! there's just something about it's simplicity, robustness, and reliabilty that i love very much! i like cruising in the slow lane and drivng the 5spd... she could use a turbo, but she's just to nice to mess with if ya know what i'm saying?? so i moslty think she should be kept stock, maybe a mild lift...

in the end, she'll eventually sucumb to the winter/salt and will end up being one of those high mileage 60s with strong engine/tranny but body is gone.... a part of me wants to see this thing staying rust free in a place where there's better climate (maybe the USA) and living a long healthy life with a good owner. or at least be a hobbyists rig where it get's less than average use and stored in teh witner time.

it'll still be a while before i'll really get to enjoy this rig with bigger kids (have a 2year old + new one in the new year, god willing).

finally, maybe it's more practical to have a minivan so the aging inlaws can go on our road trips and not have to drive (so i thought about JDM mitsubishi delicas, turbo diesel 4x4)... we're lucky that the wife has the 80 and we're likely to keep that rig for a longer time. she loves it and it's perfect for trips with just us.

feels like i owe it to the cruiser gods to keep this girl running rust free and healthy for a long time, lol.

am i making sense or whaaa?

IMG_5373.jpg



and a vid (in preparation for putting her up on the classifieds...:( ):

YouTube - MVI_5337.AVI

cheers.
romey

IMG_5341.jpg


IMG_5346.jpg


IMG_5377.jpg


IMG_5384.jpg


IMG_5387.jpg


oh yeah, only 238K kms, 5spd, new exhaust, rad, and she's running like a top!

the 40 will need to go soon too i think, too built to have young kids in it and it'll still be a loooong while before i can take that out to the woods with my son...??? if all else fails, at least we still have the 80 for our main family rig.
 

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