'96 FZJ80 potential purchase

[96 FZJ80]

Short time member, long time LC lover here

I recently found a FZJ80 that is fairly local to me I'm looking into buying, and figured the opinions on this forum would help make my decision of whether to go with it or not, and what a good price would be.

For context, it's a 1996 80 series with triple lockers, and has 199k miles on it. Current owner installed a 3.5" OME lift, has new 315/75/16 KO2s, and has done a handful of misc repairs to prolong it's life. Including castor correction brackets, rear panhard bars, LSPV delete, replaced all coolant hoses, new belts, replaced the oil pump cover gasket, distributor ring seal and front main seal, as well as bypassed the rear heater core. The body is in mostly good shape, with the main rust being on the rockers, which he has a replacement for the passenger side that I could have installed. It's lived it's whole life here in Michigan, so having some rust isn't a real big concern to me. Has a decent size dent below the drivers tail light, but the light housing is not broken. All electronics work, no lights on the dash, and the interior has the usual wear a vehicle with 200k miles would be expected to have.

I'll occasionally use this as daily driver for now, but also have a second (much more fuel efficient) vehicle once the "new car high" has worn off, then it will be used mostly as a trail rig. I just don't want to fall into a mechanical nightmare trap if I can avoid it.

Thoughts?

 

[bhsdriller]

only important bit of info is what are they asking

 

[96 FZJ80]

Whoops, forgot to add that to the original post they're asking $12k for it

 

[Kernal]

You'll get 27 opinions but IMHO that is way high for a rust belt vehicle with rust in need of a major repaint. But that's just cosmetic,
post up photos of the undercarriage, axles, engine bay. Check the rear hatch for rust up around the mounting brackets for the wind/dust deflector.
Same for the roof where the roof rack "feet" are, rust tends to start underneath, might be rust staining showing up flowing out from underneath.

What service and repairs has it had done?

Is the head gasket original? Leaking head gaskets (not valve cover) are very common, cost to repair starts at $5000++

Has the owner added any block/head gasket sealers?

Any history of overheating?

There's a tow bar at the front, was this towed behind an RV?

 

[96 FZJ80]

You'll get 27 opinions but IMHO that is way high for a rust belt vehicle with rust in need of a major repaint. But that's just cosmetic,
post up photos of the undercarriage, axles, engine bay. Check the rear hatch for rust up around the mounting brackets for the wind/dust deflector.
Same for the roof where the roof rack "feet" are, rust tends to start underneath, might be rust staining showing up flowing out from underneath.

What service and repairs has it had done?

Is the head gasket original? Leaking head gaskets (not valve cover) are very common, cost to repair starts at $5000++

Has the owner added any block/head gasket sealers?

Any history of overheating?

There's a tow bar at the front, was this towed behind an RV?

Yeah $12k seemed kind of high for a vehicle in this condition to me, but then again searching FB marketplace I see a lot of 250k+ mile units going for $10k+ also, and I know these things, especially the 3x locker, go for a good chunk of change.

My thoughts with the rockers was to replace them and bed liner them (not super worried about color matching them as I will be getting rock sliders so they'll be mostly hidden anyway. Scuffs and scratches/dents I'm not overly concerned with as this will be built to be anything but a show truck.

Here's a few pics of the axles and undercarriage, owner said he went through the entire frame and POR15'd it, as well as wire wheeling the frame and etching it to inhibit what surface rust was starting.

I didn't ask about head gasket work yet, or if he added any type of sealers to "hide" a HG leak, but I will. Will also ask about history of overheating, as well as what the tow bar up front was used for

I'll be sure to check the rear hatch and around the roof rack for signs of corrosion when I go look at it

 

[bhsdriller]

looks rough

i'd pass

 

[Kernal]

Yeah, significant erosion/pitting on the undercarriage components/frame. Need to get underneath and look up at the body mounts, check the area above/near
the spare tire, often the worst frame rust is back there.

Problem is that the rust will never get better, the POR-15 may slow it down depending how well it was cleaned before applying.

Biggest ticket item is if the head gasket has leaked in the past (and someone dumped sealer in, they will never disclose that) so you have to look for tell-tale signs of left over sealer in the cooling system or overflow tank. or better, disconnect one or two coolant hoses and check the inner lining. If there's a thin fragile crust coating the ID it's possible a sealer has been added.

Either way, there's no way to predict if/when the HG will leak in the future, might last another 100,000 miles or might leak on the drive home (happened to me, and others). There are methods to check for a current leak in the head gasket.

 

[96 FZJ80]

Yeah, significant erosion/pitting on the undercarriage components/frame. Need to get underneath and look up at the body mounts, check the area above/near
the spare tire, often the worst frame rust is back there.

Problem is that the rust will never get better, the POR-15 may slow it down depending how well it was cleaned before applying.

Biggest ticket item is if the head gasket has leaked in the past (and someone dumped sealer in, they will never disclose that) so you have to look for tell-tale signs of left over sealer in the cooling system or overflow tank. or better, disconnect one or two coolant hoses and check the inner lining. If there's a thin fragile crust coating the ID it's possible a sealer has been added.

Either way, there's no way to predict if/when the HG will leak in the future, might last another 100,000 miles or might leak on the drive home (happened to me, and others). There are methods to check for a current leak in the head gasket.

It's gonna live as my project vehicle, so as long as the rust hasn't affected the frame it's something I don't mind tackling, and I have a borescope I'll be sticking down the frame rails to make sure they aren't rotting from the inside out.

I'll be sure to check around the spare, probably even drop it to look above and around it better, and all the other areas mentioned to see if it's to far gone, or if it's still salvageable.

The head gasket issue is definitely my main concern, so I'll be sure to bring a combustion leak detector with me, and I'll be extra vigilant about looking for signs of an improper repair.

Thankfully, I'd say I'm quite mechanically inclined (aviation/turbine engine repair & overhaul tech) so even if it's a bit of project, I'm up for the challenge

Really appreciate all the advice and giving good spots to look out for and what to check to make sure I don't get screwed over with it!

 

[AgentOrange]

That crossmember being a bit deformed worries me also. And hitch pin mod Definitely pass on this one. There will be another

 

[Fj80oregon]

Hard pass even if that truck was 7k you will spend thousands bringing it up to standard. Spending some more upfront on a truck that is not sprayed with fluid film or wool wax will make life a lot of easier doing repairs. I get the excitement of a new vehicle but you came here for advice from a group that has walked the path ahead of you and know the journey well. If you can wait it out for the right one it will be worth it. I get it’s Michigan and the average vehicle has rust and its not a huge deal but I’m sure you can find a better example for the price. Good luck!

 

[96 FZJ80]

Hard pass even if that truck was 7k you will spend thousands bringing it up to standard. Spending some more upfront on a truck that is not sprayed with fluid film or wool wax will make life a lot of easier doing repairs. I get the excitement of a new vehicle but you came here for advice from a group that has walked the path ahead of you and know the journey well. If you can wait it out for the right one it will be worth it. I get it’s Michigan and the average vehicle has rust and its not a huge deal but I’m sure you can find a better example for the price. Good luck!

That's exactly why I posted to ask about it. Figured no one knows more about these things than this forum, and I was fully prepared for people to tell me it's not a good deal.

Figure I'll still go look at it, but I'm also fully prepared to walk away if there's a lot more hidden than what I've been told so far. I've no problem waiting for a better one to show up

 

[ppc]

Are you aware of the reason for this and possible ramifications?

 

[96 FZJ80]

Are you aware of the reason for this and possible ramifications?

I didn't notice it at first when I was messaging the seller earlier, but I will be asking why it's there tomorrow and why the proper bolt wasn't used. It's a huge red flag and makes me wonder what other corners he's cut...

 

[Kernal]

I missed the hitch pin mod also (so much to see!) along with the missing (rusted off?) brake dust shields.

If you look closely the visible brackets (connecting arms, etc) appear to have significant corrosion,
maybe not a problem if you like cutting and welding steel.

 

[SpenserAK]

I don't like how much has been covered in fresh black, while you can see other visible rust. What's hidden? Hard pass for me. Not to mention if it has that type of rust in areas, what's it going to be like working on the undercarriage fasteners over time.

 

[CrabCake]

First thoughts were $12k for a triple lock with 200k...not bad, possibly a decent deal. After seeing your new pics, I wouldn't touch it...too many sketchy things that would make me nervous (such as the "hitch pin mod"), especially since you are in head gasket issue mileage range. It's one thing to need to make a bracket and do some welding in a weekend, but a motor pull is a big to-do both time and $$ for parts, even if you do it yourself. That said, the best looking rig on the road with 200+K on it could blow a HG without warning too.

 

[96 FZJ80]

Got a few more answers this morning... Definitely passing on this one, and I won't even be entertaining going to look at it.

Head gasket is original, EGR system is still installed, and the "hitch pin mod" is supposedly for better flex off road, but comes at at cost of bending brackets.

He even provided a pic of what the frame looked like before he "repaired it". Needless to say I'm still in the market for a 80 series lol

 

[jpoole]

Definite pass at anything above a budget/trail rig price.

Looks like another 80 in the background of the last photo above, the non-beat and non-rusty replacement perhaps?

 

[96 FZJ80]

Definite pass at anything above a budget/trail rig price.

Looks like another 80 in the background of the last photo above, the non-beat and non-rusty replacement perhaps?

That last pic is older, and the owner said he's had multiple, but this is currently the only 80 he has

 

[Brindleboxer]

I would pass, I know rust tolerance varies by State and experience but IMHO this one looks to have been done to flip not so much preserve the vehicle. The POR-15 is on things that you will see if glancing under the truck but if you would lay down (as seen in the pictures) there are several metal items that have not been touched. Also, like others have said there seems to be excessive pitting under the paint that is on the frame and components.
Perhaps, you could find a truck from outside the rust belt and potentially buy and ship one to your door for near what this seller is asking. The prices are coming down from the crazy COVID bubble and I am seeing decent looking rigs for 8-12k (around here - PNW) albeit most are not 3x locked but in reality the average owner will never need 3x anyway. My .02 cents