A 1990 HZJ80 mini-refurb from Saudi Arabia

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Thank you gentlemen for the kind words. Not that I would ever seek applause or recognition for work I didn't do myself, but its always nice to get a pat on the back knowing others at least share the same appreciation for this horrible cruiser disease we have:cheers:

13 months and it will be eligible for US import? Yes it will, but I'll never be able to recoup a 10th of what I put into it, and such as that diesels are rare here, she's a keeper. Keep your hands away boys;)

Mcladin, no next project for now. But definitely one day I'd like to do a FJ40 crawler to tackle the new boulder spots we found. Thats going to be a great project if we ever get around to it. It takes two to tango, and I aint going out there alone!

Can you see yourself below?



And perhaps when the wee boy is 12 or so, we can restore a FJ43 for him to drive to school by the time he's 16. That would make him the coolest cat in class:steer: I've got 11 years to put aside parts and find a suitable clean base to work with.

For now, he's happy to ride along in the 80

 
boozewz,
That's gonna be one lucky boy:bounce:

Curious about what appear to be only lightly tinted windows, considering the load that is likely on the air conditioner through all that glass. Is that the law, personal preference, or just something further down the list of things to do?
 
Again, awesome build boozewz! It's cool seeing a spec of this kind with so many detailed photos.

Anyone know the factory color code for the original paint? I've toyed with the idea of a similar color when I repainting some day. Beno?

Boozewz, I don't suppose you have any detailed pics of the supports inside behind those steps would you? I'm sure it's pretty close to what people would assume, but I've always seen speculation on how it's reinforced and was just curious.
 
TeeDiggs,
I am working on gathering info on this myself. Boozewz sent me a couple pictures from a wrecked vehicle with the steps. In the next week or two I plan to start a thread for the steps.

In short, there are reinforcement plates inside the body with weld-nuts for attaching the steps. They seem to be welded to the body with 3 or 4 spot welds each depending on position. I'll put more info in my thread when I get a chance to type it up.
 
Thanks Golgo. Just PM'ed you as not to hijack.

Golgo13 said:
TeeDiggs,
I am working on gathering info on this myself. Boozewz sent me a couple pictures from a wrecked vehicle with the steps. In the next week or two I plan to start a thread for the steps.

In short, there are reinforcement plates inside the body with weld-nuts for attaching the steps. They seem to be welded to the body with 3 or 4 spot welds each depending on position. I'll put more info in my thread when I get a chance to type it up.
Click to expand...
 
greentruck said:
boozewz,
That's gonna be one lucky boy:bounce:

Curious about what appear to be only lightly tinted windows, considering the load that is likely on the air conditioner through all that glass. Is that the law, personal preference, or just something further down the list of things to do?
Click to expand...

Well spotted. Initially I went with a lighter tint as the mrs hates darkly tinted windows, and so I obliged. A few trips in the truck at midday and the AC was working overtime to cool the cab. I worry with the kid in the back seat as there's no rear AC. So yes its on the list of to do things, which I am compiling as we speak. Its not an extensive list, but a few small bits and pieces and it'll help me get rid of that nagging doubt in my mind that the project is completed.
 
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TeeDiggs said:
Again, awesome build boozewz! It's cool seeing a spec of this kind with so many detailed photos.

Anyone know the factory color code for the original paint? I've toyed with the idea of a similar color when I repainting some day. Beno?

Boozewz, I don't suppose you have any detailed pics of the supports inside behind those steps would you? I'm sure it's pretty close to what people would assume, but I've always seen speculation on how it's reinforced and was just curious.
Click to expand...

Golgo13 said:
TeeDiggs,
I am working on gathering info on this myself. Boozewz sent me a couple pictures from a wrecked vehicle with the steps. In the next week or two I plan to start a thread for the steps.

In short, there are reinforcement plates inside the body with weld-nuts for attaching the steps. They seem to be welded to the body with 3 or 4 spot welds each depending on position. I'll put more info in my thread when I get a chance to type it up.
Click to expand...

Here's a pic of the location of the steps from the outside. Took it off a totaled 80 at the junkyard



And here is the inside of the pillar. Hard to tell what kind of reinforcements as its covered, but the welds on the top right of the picture does not look factory to me.

 
boozewz - All these mods, you need to get a cup holder in that.
 
musthave said:
boozewz - All these mods, you need to get a cup holder in that.
Click to expand...

Thanks musthave but I wouldn't know where to put it without the center console in place. I've got the poverty pack 80, which came out way before cup holders even existed!
 
Went on a short trip up to a mountain village a couple of hours from home. The climb up the back takes you from sea level to 7,300ft on a spectacular mountain pass that is being built. Since a bridge needs to be built to connect two mountains together for the road to continue, we veered off onto a dirt track and into a valley that supposedly takes you all the way to the top. About half way through, the boulders were getting larger, and the track narrower, and with the clouds coming in, any rain and we could be boxed in a storm channel. We drove into what looked like a dead end, and there was parked a beige FJ40 and a pretty beaten up white FJ60, and next to them, perhaps startled at our arrival, were a bunch of guys holding their rifles across their shoulders, as if to say "nah…this is our spot"….ooops, we turned around and found another way up:meh:







No harm in doing a little flexing:)





You know a good time is being had when you see this





By the time we reached the top, the temps plummeted to 8c, and visibility was terrible. We picked a spot and stopped to set up camp for the bbq.







Heading back down









The 1HZ pulled very well up the drive, mostly in 3rd gear and at 2900-3100rpm, keeping up somewhat with the two petrol engined 76 series 1GRJ engines, similar to the FJ40 (edit: oops…meant FJCruiser) 4Runner, and Tacoma. Albeit we were moving at a leisurely pace, I was comfortable with the speed. Meanwhile on the dirt track, it was a dream to drive, mostly in 1st and 2nd, in 4 Hi, with no throttle, just gently let off the clutch and it crawls forward with ease:steer:
 
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Great pictures, looks like some awesome places to go and see.
 
Boozewz your Cruiser reminds me back home , in about year and half I could import those 80series turbo Diesel and Nissan Patrol to the US That is what Im shooting for ...
 
Man it really bums me out that I can't get a visit visa to come wheel with you guys some weekend. Looks like you guys really go off the beaten path. I'd love to see some of those locations first hand. Not to mention the apparent good company and the excellent cruisers.
 
Man it really bums me out that I can't get a visit visa to come wheel with you guys some weekend. Looks like you guys really go off the beaten path. I'd love to see some of those locations first hand. Not to mention the apparent good company and the excellent cruisers.
 
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