Couldn't find an introduction thread, so here goes

[MontyAndCruiser]

Hey everyone,

Just bought an FZJ80 for my wife. It's a 94 without front/rear lockers, figured she wouldn't need them on the way to work and back.

Have already found the really long (awesome) and comprehensive (though often outdated) FAQ thread, so i'm working my way through that. Will probably do a lot of lurking and may not bother with a build thread, it'll be pretty basic and boring compared to most i see here. The truck won't see heavy use, mainly cold months commuter and comfy trip vehicle for us. I have a Montero for the offroad groundpounding and being a general workhorse, and we have Miatas for gas-sipping.

Plans currently are:

1) Recover front seats and add heaters (trashed grey leather)
2) Remove the awful wood trim
3) Do something about stereo (Sounds like this is going to be a pain due to stupid sizes)
4) OME 2" Medium Duty kit + 33s to mallpark super hard
5) Do something about low beam lighting. Already did the HIR2 conversion, output still sucks. Unsure if i'll try Depo housings and a Slee harness, or just skip to messing around with an H1 mini HID retrofit
6) Generally "Maintainify" (Something needs repair? See if an upgrade can be done at the same time)

Appreciate the info i've found so far, go easy on me!

 

[Cass007]

Welcome to the forum. Pics of said rig asap.

 

[MontyAndCruiser]

Knew i forgot something.

IMG_20171206_073848279 by concealer404, on Flickr

IMG_20171206_073940539 by concealer404, on Flickr

2017-12-11_10-25-31 by concealer404, on Flickr

IMG_20171207_173817526_LL by concealer404, on Flickr

 

[rrv333]

How well does the Montero platform "perform" overall?

 

[MontyAndCruiser]

Better overlander than crawler, due to IFS. Generally extremely strong construction, absolutely massive diffs/axles, very beefy frame. Motor isn't awesome, but it's good enough. Great interior space, looks cool, and is wayyyy cheaper entry cost to comparable FJ80. Drives "better" on road than FJ80, but at the end of the day, they're both 25+ year old chassis and we're coming into the year 2018 quickly.

Support is limited, but there's enough. In that pic, it just has a 2" body lift and some 35x12.50r15 STT Pros. I have a fresh suspension and bushings en route from a cool little outfit in AZ called Adventure Driven Design that have been putting these trucks through their paces for years.

Really it's just about value and what you want in a truck. I need/want a "jack of all trades," as i don't have room for a dedicated adventure rig in the fleet. Montero does that, and cost me about half what the FZJ80 did, and has twice the lockers. (And less miles.) I can build the Montero into what i want for about what a stock triple lock FZJ80 in reasonable condition seems to go for.

 

[LS1FJ40]

Step 1: Pawn the Montero off on the wife and keep the 80 for yourself.

 

[MontyAndCruiser]

Step 1: Pawn the Montero off on the wife and keep the 80 for yourself.

Nah. I like the Monty. Better for my uses than this particular FZJ80. I just invested a bunch of money into the Monty, and it's kindof too much of a mess otherwise at the moment for me to feel good about my wife driving. I'm allowed to like both.

The FZJ80 is replacing a 2003 Montero that we loved dearly, it was an incredible machine, but we got sick of keeping a black on black truck clean and worrying about bumps and bruises. Less stress with the Cruiser, and apparently is maybe an appreciating asset.

2015-10-15_09-16-23 by concealer404, on Flickr

 

[dcguillory]

No roof rack. That's a nice plus.

 

[Dave 2000]

Welcome to the addiction!

Regards

Dave

 

[LS1FJ40]

Nah. I like the Monty. Better for my uses than this particular FZJ80. I just invested a bunch of money into the Monty, and it's kindof too much of a mess otherwise at the moment for me to feel good about my wife driving. I'm allowed to like both.

The FZJ80 is replacing a 2003 Montero that we loved dearly, it was an incredible machine, but we got sick of keeping a black on black truck clean and worrying about bumps and bruises. Less stress with the Cruiser, and apparently is maybe an appreciating asset.

2015-10-15_09-16-23 by concealer404, on Flickr

Wrong answer.

I used to live in Fishers. There are a few Land Cruiser guys around Indy that are great dudes.

 

[LS1FJ40]

@Josey1972 is in Indy.

 

[Josey1972]

Wrong answer.

I used to live in Fishers. There are a few Land Cruiser guys around Indy that are great dudes.

Wrong answer.

I used to live in Fishers. There are a few Land Cruiser guys around Indy that are great dudes.

Hey! Yes, I’m in Noblesville along with a white one with an RTT. Another guy on the south side. Two more in Shereville and Crown Point. There’s a guy with a 60 in Muncie. Check out Indiana Land Cruisers and Toyota 80 Series USA on Facebook. Indiana Land Cruisers are discussing a trip to Silver Lake in the spring. I have a heavily modded Beige 1992 and a White 1992 with a 4 Speed and manual lockouts. Feel free to PM me.

 

[ranma21]

Welcome to mud!! I love the look of the Montero ( Pajero ) as well. Only downside is the engine ( both gas and diesel ), doesn't last long. DEPO headlamp is the excellent and best choice for headlamp upgrade.

 

[Josey1972]

Welcome to mud!! I love the look of the Montero ( Pajero ) as well. Only downside is the engine ( both gas and diesel ), doesn't last long. DEPO headlamp is the excellent and best choice for headlamp upgrade.

Dang, did you watch the review Andrew White did of the Parejo?

 

[MontyAndCruiser]

No roof rack. That's a nice plus.

Yeah i wasn't really specifically looking for that, but it was a nice bonus. Really the only two things that would have made this truck better for our uses would have been 1) No wood interior 2) Cloth interior. I suppose i could swap in a cloth interior instead of recovering the front seats, but i'm kindof burned out on interior swaps. My last 3 Miatas and the Montero have all been through that.

Welcome to the addiction!

Regards

Dave

Thanks! Hopefully i can handle another automotive addiction.

Wrong answer.

I used to live in Fishers. There are a few Land Cruiser guys around Indy that are great dudes.

Hah, yeah yeah. It'll be ok, show me on the doll where the Pajero touched you.

Cool, i'm on the south end but i've got a few friends in the area and the only tire shop i use is up on 37 by 141st i think.

Hey! Yes, I’m in Noblesville along with a white one with an RTT. Another guy on the south side. Two more in Shereville and Crown Point. There’s a guy with a 60 in Muncie. Check out Indiana Land Cruisers and Toyota 80 Series USA on Facebook. Indiana Land Cruisers are discussing a trip to Silver Lake in the spring. I have a heavily modded Beige 1992 and a White 1992 with a 4 Speed and manual lockouts. Feel free to PM me.

Thanks! I'd like to check out your 80s at some point after the holidays if we can touch base.

Welcome to mud!! I love the look of the Montero ( Pajero ) as well. Only downside is the engine ( both gas and diesel ), doesn't last long. DEPO headlamp is the excellent and best choice for headlamp upgrade.

The motors are fine. It's a 3.5 truck, not the old 3.0. 177k rotation miles (likely closer to 200k ground) and runs great. It's not a great truck motor (lifted from a Galant, essentially) but durable is one of the things it has going for it. By the end of summer i should have 4.90s and a 3.8 MIVEC swap completed, power will not be an issue at that point, and the 3.8 is an extremely long-lived motor.

But by all means, keep the internet thinking they suck. Keeps them good value.

 

[dcguillory]

Yeah i wasn't really specifically looking for that, but it was a nice bonus. Really the only two things that would have made this truck better for our uses would have been 1) No wood interior 2) Cloth interior. I suppose i could swap in a cloth interior instead of recovering the front seats, but i'm kindof burned out on interior swaps. My last 3 Miatas and the Montero have all been through that.

No Moon roof is really the bomb. Very little awsome for todays cruiser cowd in a moonroof. Plenty of annoyance

 

[Golgo13]

Awesome! congrats and welcome!
Be careful not to get too far down the rabbit hole with "upgrades" in your maintainify step... Sometimes the cost/benefit doesn't play out. Consider your actual use and where budget can be more beneficial. That should help get the most bang for the buck.

 

[Josey1972]

Yeah i wasn't really specifically looking for that, but it was a nice bonus. Really the only two things that would have made this truck better for our uses would have been 1) No wood interior 2) Cloth interior. I suppose i could swap in a cloth interior instead of recovering the front seats, but i'm kindof burned out on interior swaps. My last 3 Miatas and the Montero have all been through that.



Thanks! Hopefully i can handle another automotive addiction.



Hah, yeah yeah. It'll be ok, show me on the doll where the Pajero touched you.

Cool, i'm on the south end but i've got a few friends in the area and the only tire shop i use is up on 37 by 141st i think.



Thanks! I'd like to check out your 80s at some point after the holidays if we can touch base.



The motors are fine. It's a 3.5 truck, not the old 3.0. 177k rotation miles (likely closer to 200k ground) and runs great. It's not a great truck motor (lifted from a Galant, essentially) but durable is one of the things it has going for it. By the end of summer i should have 4.90s and a 3.8 MIVEC swap completed, power will not be an issue at that point, and the 3.8 is an extremely long-lived motor.

But by all means, keep the internet thinking they suck. Keeps them good value.

That would be fine.