I thought I would close out on my time with this truck a second time!
I was in Boise, Idaho for about six weeks, four or so weeks of that I drove this sucker. I got to break it in and even took it on a 600 mile round trip drive to Wyoming and back. I put around 850 miles on it from first start to pretty much last Sunday. I left the truck with
@Krazytoy who very obviously has also done a lot of the work in this build. While I had it those four weeks I installed the National Luna second battery kit, the new batteries, ScanGuage2, LED light bar as well as did some other things to it. The v8 LX is an absolute dream to drive and every time I drove it I was grinning ear to ear. 208 Motorsports who tuned it estimated it is at about 425hp, they dialed in tach and speedo without the need for any aftermarket modules even with the 315s and stock gears both are spot on. Got to love working with people that know what they are doing! All stock gauges work and are accurate because our wiring guy adapted Toyota sensors to the Chevy v8. On the HWY at 80-85mph it doesn't even down shift or slow down on grades until they get good and steep. Strong head winds don't phase it either until they are over 40mph and then it simply down shifts a bit more on grades and mpg goes down a bit, still holds 80-85 easily. Down very steep grades, like Teton Pass in Wyoming, downshifting to 2nd and I hardly had to brake at all which is something nobody could complain about. Up grades like that it will do 70+mph easy if you ask it to.
Since it got the 1.25" body lift which it really needed to clear top of engine to hood the owner wanted to fix the look of the bumpers so that is getting done this month along with the last few things.
Any ways a v8 LX or 80-series is just about my favorite Cruiser there is. So much fun to drive and all around better when it comes to power and mpg. I saw as much as 17.5mpg with a tailwind on the highway flats. In the end not a cheap project but it breathed a whole new life into this truck giving it another 20yrs or more of enjoyment and reliability.
By the time I see it again it will be with the owner who is a good friend of mine. Until then, I say see ya later to this super awesome Cruiser!
Cheers
