8cam's 97 turbo (1 Viewer)

[8cam]

Time to start a thread to track the next phase in the turbo's life. If you missed the first installment, I bought this unique Safari Turbo Land Cruiser from none other than @LandCruiserPhil and got it home in a two-day cross-country run that was absolutely a perfect drive.

8cam's 1800-mile 80 acquisition

Now that it's in the garage, it's getting to know the other local inhabitants. My 2004 C5 Corvette, a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 and my wife's 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo (yep not the only turbo in the garage, they are still sizing each other up). We took it to dinner last night, my wife's first ride, and I think she's warming up to the Land Cruiser thing.

First camping trip will be in the next few weeks, maybe second week of December. Just for a first getaway and fun trip.

The good news is this truck is so solid there's not really a lot to do other than have some fun. But like any other 20+ year old vehicle, there are a lot of little things I'll be getting to over the next X weeks. It's always dangerous to post up a to do list, but what the hell.

Fixes

• Heater - works fine but the blend door isn't working well
• Passenger door power lock
• Passenger seat track gear
• Driver's seat fore/aft button
• Exhaust leak
• High beams - flash works but not the on position
• Non-functional subwoofers
• Power steering pump leak
• Little play in the steering
• Oil pan leak
• Steering wheel restoration - stuff is ordered, starting this next week
• Annoying squeak in the overhead panel
• Washer tank bracket - need to relocate a bit to clear the turbo piping
• Power antenna - get rid of it, no longer needed with the fancy stereo setup
• Rear swingout post light

Fun stuff

• FrontRunner folding table for the swingout - ordered
• FrontRunner camp utensil set, just 'cause it's cool - ordered
• Weathertech floor liners - ordered
  
• Camp fridge/freezer
• RTT - watch this space, I think we're going to prototype something custom
• Awning
• Digital scan gauge
• Double DIN head unit with Car Play
• Lights, lights and more lights
• Second battery system - but not what you're used to seeing
• Control unit for lights and everything else - this will be custom too
• Winch...it's a Warn 12k unit, steel cable, might replace with a lighter duty unit
• Weather station - cause I'm a nerd for this stuff

Any other ideas? Time to have some fun!

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Slee make a nice washer bracket but no 100% sure if its turbo compatible.

Make sure you post the video when you track it

 

[8cam]

I have some fixes to do, but the first real project was inspired by @Metric997 and his steering wheel restoration thread. I have never tried to restore a steering wheel before, certainly never did my own stitching, but for a first attempt I think it turned out pretty well.

Since I did this over Thanksgiving, I figured it was a good idea to be inside instead of in the garage, so I used a 2x4 to make a quick jig to hold the wheel while I worked on the cover. Before anyone gives me a hard time, my 50th birthday was Sunday, so we actually combined it with Thanksgiving and celebrated on Sunday. That meant Thanksgiving day was wide open for me to play around, and sitting in front of the TV made the hours go by a little easier. My wheel wasn't nearly as bad as Metric997's so I didn't really have to restore any foam.

 

[8cam]

So now that I've done this once, there are definitely some things I'd do differently, and some places that I didn't do so well. But for a first attempt, it'll do. I may decide to do it over now that I know what I'm doing, but for now I just want to drive it.

 

[8cam]

Since I was doing a color change from brown to black, I picked up the same SEM Color Coat in satin black and went to town on the column covers and the airbag. This stuff is awesome, works really well, but make sure to use it in a ventilated place! I did three light coats and I'm happy with the result.

 

[8cam]

Final result, I love it! Like I said, it's far from perfect but wow what a difference from the old nasty beat up leather!

 

[8cam]

The Loncky cover is only $60 on Amazon, and the color coat is another $15. The rest is just time and sore fingers. This is your primary connection with the truck and for that price, everyone should get it done. It's really not that difficult, just time consuming. I've got about 6 hours total in it, with most of that on the stitching. Huge difference.

 

[BILT4ME]

The Loncky cover is only $60 on Amazon, and the color coat is another $15. The rest is just time and sore fingers. This is your primary connection with the truck and for that price, everyone should get it done. It's really not that difficult, just time consuming. I've got about 6 hours total in it, with most of that on the stitching. Huge difference.

Please state the things you'd do differently for those of us that are looking to do this, so we can think about it ahead of time.

 

[8cam]

Please state the things you'd do differently for those of us that are looking to do this, so we can think about it ahead of time.

Biggest thing is my stitching skills improved a ton between hour 1 and hour 5. The hardest part is starting each new section in the curves around the spokes, and you have to be super careful to count the stitches so that you end up evenly at the end. I missed it a few times, which resulted in some short stitches. The kit also includes some double-stick tape to better tack down some of the more contoured areas and I didn't use it very well. Now I know better, and that tape would really help the contours around the spokes, and if you use it correctly, will make the stitching around there much easier.

If I get OCD, I'll pick up another kit and do it again, better the second time around. But like I said above, I'm really happy with the result and I'm just going to drive for a while!

 

[Metric997]

It came out great!

You could've left the old leather on it for an even thicker feel, I did it to my first one and the new cover will give enough to fit. Regardless it looks good.

For the future..... What I did at the bottom center seam, is start in the seam and then stitch left of the seam and then right. I found this helps with a tighter stitch around the radius. For the smaller sections, I'd start just before the radius and then sew in the long direction. I'd then start sewing the shorter side in the other direction.

 

[8cam]

Thanks! Your advice is spot on and that’s how I’d approach it next time. FWIW I tried to put the silicone cover under it like you did but I think there’s some variation in the Loncky covers. Mine was impossible to stitch with the silicone cover in there, just too thick and the leather cover wouldn’t stretch enough. I proved it by breaking a stitch! So in the end I just put the new cover over the foam and that worked the best.

 

[Rifleman]

Your steering wheel recover looks real nice. Just as an FYI, if you have access to a hot steam gun you can use it on the leather. It will iron out those small wrinkles next to 9, and 3, helping to make them completely disappear.

 

[Metric997]

Thanks! Your advice is spot on and that’s how I’d approach it next time. FWIW I tried to put the silicone cover under it like you did but I think there’s some variation in the Loncky covers. Mine was impossible to stitch with the silicone cover in there, just too thick and the leather cover wouldn’t stretch enough. I proved it by breaking a stitch! So in the end I just put the new cover over the foam and that worked the best.

You're more than welcome, I'm just glad you're happy with the outcome.

 

[8cam]

Work has been nuts and combined with the holidays, haven't had a chance to do much other than drive it around a bit. However today I did get to run two tests. First my new Li-Ion jump box works great, the econo-battery in the truck, not so much. A red top will find its way in there soon. Second, I got out in the misty afternoon and the old Warn 12k works like a champ, pulls the truck easily. Hopefully I'll get a trail ride in this weekend and have some fun.

 

[8cam]

Nothing serious, but at least I got to get out on a beautiful day and enjoy a couple of the hills around here.

 

[8cam]

Haven't had anything to update here in a while because the weather has sucked. It's been raining for the last 4 months and this week has been ridiculous with temps in the teens. But this weekend is absolutely fabulous and I'm giving the turbo some love. Projects today included relocating the license plate to the Kaymar bumper (it was totally blocked by the spare tire), and replacing the winch line with synthetic. I didn't take any pics of the license plate, but tomorrow I'll be wiring an LED light for it, among other electrical items.

Replacing the steel cable in the winch turned into more of a project than I planned. Not a lot of pics, but here's the scoop. I pulled the steel cable off and noticed a number of kinks and frays in it, so replacing it was definitely a good idea. Removing the old roller fairlead was a serious pain in the ass, and I couldn't get the bolts out of the fairlead, so I needed new ones. I ordered a new Warn hawse fairlead, but the bolts they supplied were totally wrong for my ARB bumper and M12000 winch. Crap.

So after a run to Tractor Supply, I had the appropriate 7/16 grade 5 bolts to attach the fairlead. But. The opening in the ARB bumper was shallow, meaning the new synthetic line would have been scrubbing against a steel edge, no good. Three Dremel cutting wheels later, and I had the bumper notched and smoothed to allow the room the fairlead needed. A little black paint to cover the notched edge, and I was able to bolt the fairlead on and make it right. Spooling the new line on was straightforward and damn it looks better than the old random kicked-up steel cable. Should be a worthwhile improvement, if I ever need it.

I will say this. You don't realize how long 100' actually is, until you pull it off the winch, and then spend a ton of time spooling the new line on. My hands ache.

Crap steel cable anyone?

 

[Saito]

Curious what brand synthetic rope you chose and the price. That’s an upgrade I still need to justify to myself. Just the weight savings alone would be worth it I would think.

 

[ChaseTruck]

I will say this. You don't realize how long 100' actually is...

Cry me a river...
On the other hand, 100 feet of steel cable that'll do the 'sproing' thing in any unpredictable direction at any time you'll try and reduce the amount of space this thing wants to take - now there you have my sympathy.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

How large is 12,000 lb rated synthetic rope?

 

[cjmoon]

Curious what brand synthetic rope you chose and the price. That’s an upgrade I still need to justify to myself. Just the weight savings alone would be worth it I would think.

Its mostly about safety. not weight I'd put myself on a diet before my winch if that was the only reason. steel winch cables are a loaded weapon. I still treat my synthetic like steel cable for habit sake. you'll get a situation start pulling someone else's cable not thinking that your pulling steel. its a good mind set to be in. treat it like it will kill you. treat it with respect..