A great problem to have, two FZJ80 (1 Viewer)

[Jay Supertramp]

Hello,

What a great resource, I have been lurking for awhile. I live in central Nebraska and suprisingly we have very few Land Cruisers. Might have something to do with the fact that we have nothing higher than the median to climb... I have also been looking for a FZJ80 for a year or so. I found a blue 95 FZJ80 w/o lockers, north and east of me a couple hours away. It was beat up pretty bad on the exterior and the interior. I was willing to put a lot of time and money into it to get what I wanted so I pulled the trigger. It has very little frame rust and no body rust which is rare in Nebraska for a vehicle of that vintage.

Two weeks after I bought the first FZJ80 I ran across one for sale a couple hours south of me. It is a 1997 Anniversary Edition triple locked... So, I made a purchase of a LC that was much closer to what I want to end up with. The 95 needs a head gasket and who knows what else, it was driven pretty hard. The 97 burns about a quart of oil in about 1000 miles and smokes alot at startup.

I am a 1 bananna mechanic and want to use these projects to help my boys and I learn to wrench. I don't have alot of time to wrench right now and I started to dig into the head gasket job on the 95 and have stalled with some tough nuts to remove. I hope to start back up in a week however, I think my approach has changed and that is where you folks come in.

A- pull the engine and all other useable parts from the 95 and take my time rebuilding the engine so I can swap out with the 97 and have spare parts to support the main driver and scrap the body of the 95 or,

B- Replace the HG in the 95 and sell it as a running but rough 4 wheel drive which would bring around $2,000 in central Nebrasks where we get our share of snow. Then pull the engine in the 97 and have it out of commission for awhile while we learn to do an engine rebuild?

I was going to do option A however, after looking around I think the best value for me would be to part out the 95 for spare parts for me and scrap the body even though there is minimal frame and body rust. please sound off. I plan to support the vendors and will certainly create a build thread complete with pictures and an introduction of the 97. I don't think the 95 is up to a photo shoot....

I will be keeping the 97 to pass on to my boys in 45 years.... Thanks for your consideration!

Kevin

 

[gnarlytoes]

How about option C? Rebuild engine in 95. Put rebuilt engine in 97. Put engine from 97 into 95. Have a nice LC for daily driver and a beater for off roading or to sell.

 

[Twinair]

I like the idea of using the profits of the 95 to refurbish the 97. You also have a good donor vehicle in the 95 when you break a bolt or just need a random part. Its the next best thing to living next door to Cruiseryard. Years ago I built a 90 VW GTI convertible and used many components from a donor car I got for $250. I'm glad I had the doner because I needed the crank and rods out of it to build the motor. I sold off what parts I didn't need and it helped fund the project. I finished the project, got bored/grew up, and sold it to buy my 80. I've never been happier except I miss the dirt-cheap prices for parts of the VW. I mean CHEAP. I pic for posterity.

 

[D21FJ60]

If you aren't hurting for cash and space why sell? Fix them both and use the 95 as your winter beater and wheeling rig. Keep the 97 for DD use or whatever you need it for.

 

[arcteryx]

If you are not hurting for cash, keep both. Fix both and drive, using the95 as a beater as mentioned and the 97 as a nicer truck. Until one really goes, then use the parts to fix the other. Having spares is a much lower cost of ownership

 

[rc51kid]

Without knowing more detials it sounds like both trucks might need the same amount of motor work. Both probably could use a full top end rebuild. The HG obvoiusly need the hrad rebuilt with new guids and seals while it is out. And obviously all the pm that all the old trucks need. But especially stuff like coolant system to adress why the HG went in the first place.

The truck burning oil might only need about the same. All the PM obviously. But mmie was burning a qt every 800-1000 with 225,XXX on the clock. I rebuilt the head with all OEM parts including HG valve guids and seals and a crap lode of "while you are in there" parts. Now i can run it 5000 if ibwant between changes and not add a drop of oil. The cylinders still had hone marks on them.

Unless you have a problem in the bottom end you might not need to rebuild it. I think most oil consumption issues are valve seals not rings.

 

[LS1FJ40]

If you had the money to buy both you have the money to keep both. The 97 is running and it is summer. Drive it while you work on the 95. Get it ready for winter. During the winter work on the 97. Keep the 95 for your boys to drive. Until they are old enough you have a winter 80 and a summer 80. That's perfect.

 

[LS1FJ40]

No need to part out the 95. The only thing better than having a spare parts rig is having two running 80s. Plus you can still borrow parts from each other in a pinch until the new part gets in.

I see no reason for hoarding parts as long as @arcteryx aka Jason aka Cruiser Yard is in business. He hoards parts for me. (Full disclosure, I have half of a two stall garage filled with miscellaneous parts that I have accumulated over the past 25 years...)

 

[ExpoGeorgia]

View attachment 1492730

Wow too cool, I'd love to have a Cabriolet! How reliable are they?

 

[Grench]

I live in central Nebraska and suprisingly we have very few Land Cruisers. Might have something to do with the fact that we have nothing higher than the median to climb...

You're not alone. There are several of us in Nebraska - not a lot, but several. I even own two '96 FZJ80s.

Be sure to stop by our regional MUD area. We're not organized enough to call it a club. Link is in my signature.

Welcome!

 

[Twinair]

Wow too cool, I'd love to have a Cabriolet! How reliable are they?

Quite reliable because they are simple machines. There isn't much to go wrong and when it does, diagnostics are simple and parts are dirt cheap. Even performance parts are inexpensive. I learned a lot with that car. It was my first motor build and a successful one at that. And since this is Land Cruiser tech: Land Cruisers kick the ass of everything VW ever made. Oh yeah...tech..um...flush your cooling system every 2 years.

 

[Jay Supertramp]

How about option C? Rebuild engine in 95. Put rebuilt engine in 97. Put engine from 97 into 95. Have a nice LC for daily driver and a beater for off roading or to sell.

I like the way you think. The wife hates looking at the 95 and it is in bad shape but, I will have another driver in a couple years.

 

[Jay Supertramp]

If you aren't hurting for cash and space why sell? Fix them both and use the 95 as your winter beater and wheeling rig. Keep the 97 for DD use or whatever you need it for.

I have a DD for work that is a good gas mileage car, a Toyota 4runner for son #2 first car and two LC's. I am a little short on space. Might be a reason to move...

 

[Jay Supertramp]

Until they are old enough you have a winter 80 and a summer 80. That's perfect.

You sir, are a genius! A winter and a summer 80! the "GOAT" in the summer and "Gracie" in the winter. I have named them so I can't sell them now! I will have lots of questions going forward however, I will make sure to search and read previous posts prior to asking. Thanks for all the input!

 

[Jay Supertramp]

Ok, so where can I get a HG CD? Does anyone have one they can sell to me? I read in the other threads that the original OP is no longer selling them. The CD would be a very helpful resource to a 1 banana like me. I have the FSM but still am having trouble following some of the directions and am having a heck of a time with a couple bolts.

Thanks!

 

[rc51kid]

Dont worry too much about the cd. Just go slow and keep really. Good record of ecery bolt you remove using lots of photos. Look at the threada here and when you get to a hold up ask on here being patient until you get a good clear answer.

The real challenge will be finding a shop to do a quality job on the head. A half ass job will have you doing the hg twice.

Ps. Whatever you budget for the "while you are in there pm" just double it now. It will never be eaiser to replace parts. Staring with every inch of the coolant system using oem parts. This wont be a cheap job.

 

[Jay Supertramp]

Dont worry too much about the cd. Just go slow and keep really. Good record of ecery bolt you remove using lots of photos. Look at the threada here and when you get to a hold up ask on here being patient until you get a good clear answer.

The real challenge will be finding a shop to do a quality job on the head. A half ass job will have you doing the hg twice.

Ps. Whatever you budget for the "while you are in there pm" just double it now. It will never be eaiser to replace parts. Staring with every inch of the coolant system using oem parts. This wont be a cheap job.

Thanks for the advice! Starting back into the job this Thursday.

 

[D21FJ60]

Any pics yet?

 

[Jay Supertramp]

 

[Jay Supertramp]

Ok, the FNG just posted the same four pictures three times.... Put him in time out.

The blue one had garden hose as radiator hoses and was overheated in daily driving for a long time. I am afraid of what I will find when I get the head off.

The GOAT burns a lot of oil and needs all the PM stuff done soon.

p.s. fortunately the FNG learned how to edit his posts.