Ok so a few weeks ago I happened across a non locked, 1997, non running land cruiser that had sat in the back of a repair shop more or less abandoned since 2011. Mold had somehow gotten on the inside, the windshield was cracked, tires completely dry rotted and wouldn't hold air, had a crappy brushgaurd on it that had been pushed in and ruined the front bumper, outside had about six layers of grime on it, and it had the worst looking pinstripe you could imagine on it. The shop told they thought it "Just needs a fuel pump". I was convinced that the headgasket was probably bad and thats why it sat for long enough that it needed a pump, but whatever I wanted a project anyway. I pulled the carfax and it was actually a one owner vehicle. That has to be worth something, right?
So first things first. I pulled out the rear seats and found there was just nothing where the fuel pump should be. No access door, no pump/sending unit. Someone had just taken the whole bracket out and left it on a bench somewhere or something I'm guessing. I bought a used pump assembly for $115, drained the old (black) gas out, put a jump box on it and to my amazement it fired up! After a minute or two it ran pretty damn smooth too. Put it in gear and drove it around the block and it seemed alright.
I had a set of Cooper Discovery 16 inch tires off my LX470 so I threw them on, changed the oil, added some techron to a tank of gas and drove it around. Genuinely amazed. Absolutely NOTHING major was wrong with it. Drives super tight on the highway. I put a reman AC Compressor on it, changed out the radio and got to work cleaning it up and making it right.
So running boards definitely have to come off, I got a super good deal on the correct warn fairlead used on eBay and I figure as soon as harbor freight has a sale on the Badlands 12,000lb winch I'll put that on there. I got to good of a deal to pass up on a great used set of KO2's that I'm about to throw on there. I'd like to throw a rack on it and an OME 2.5 lift, still have to recover the front seats and armrest, LS400 steering wheel, etc. I'm not sure what I'll do but I'm excited!
So first things first. I pulled out the rear seats and found there was just nothing where the fuel pump should be. No access door, no pump/sending unit. Someone had just taken the whole bracket out and left it on a bench somewhere or something I'm guessing. I bought a used pump assembly for $115, drained the old (black) gas out, put a jump box on it and to my amazement it fired up! After a minute or two it ran pretty damn smooth too. Put it in gear and drove it around the block and it seemed alright.
I had a set of Cooper Discovery 16 inch tires off my LX470 so I threw them on, changed the oil, added some techron to a tank of gas and drove it around. Genuinely amazed. Absolutely NOTHING major was wrong with it. Drives super tight on the highway. I put a reman AC Compressor on it, changed out the radio and got to work cleaning it up and making it right.
So running boards definitely have to come off, I got a super good deal on the correct warn fairlead used on eBay and I figure as soon as harbor freight has a sale on the Badlands 12,000lb winch I'll put that on there. I got to good of a deal to pass up on a great used set of KO2's that I'm about to throw on there. I'd like to throw a rack on it and an OME 2.5 lift, still have to recover the front seats and armrest, LS400 steering wheel, etc. I'm not sure what I'll do but I'm excited!
Did it come with a complimentary mouse nest in the air box, or a snake in the glove box... that second one is always good a for a laugh when they come slithering out and drop in your buddies open boot.
