I've been debating keeping my 60 and upgrading to an 80, but have come to decide that switching vehicles just doesn't make sense. If I were to spend $5k on a new 80, I'd wind up with a high milage vehicle that is 15 instead of 20+ years old, and would wind up having to re-learn everything anyway. Too much trouble, really, and I prefer the 60 anyway.
So here's what I'm thinking; why not just spend $3-4k on what I've already got instead of replacing it with something I'd wind up putting thousands into anyway?
What I need help with is a PM list - things I should work on before they get a chance to fail.
Here's the skinny on the truck:
213k miles, needs paint.
The good:
• 2 year old OEM smog pump
• 1 year old rebuilt carb (and another one in the garage)
• newly rebuilt clutch slave cyl.
• head was re-done @ approx 150k
• knuckles rebuilt @ approx 175k
• 4k miles on new BFG ATs
• approx 135psi compression on all cyls.
• 2 year old radiator
The Bad:
• still loosing oil @ approx 1qt per 250-300 miles. Depends on city or hwy driving. I've covered all of the leaks, and because there's no oily residue on the plugs, but there's a lot of dry buildup on the plugs, I'm starting to think that I have leaky valve seals.
• the paint is shot, and a recent ding in the door has revealed that it's on it's 4th paint job. I want to strip the paint down to bare metal, but I'm not sure what kind of trouble I could get mself into by doing that. (Or, should I bag it, sand it down and LineX the whole thing?)
• seal between the t-case and trans is shot, but I have the oil crossfeed kit, just need to put it in.
• weak electrical system - mostly the fault of the low output alt
• PS pump is starting to leak a little - rebuild or go whole-hog ($350) and buy a new one?
My existing to-do list:
• new clutch master cyl
• new brake master cyl
• SS brake lines
• new front seats (Pilot, Volvo, Saab, Avalon - whatever)
• new carpet, but not OEM. Is it expensive/dificult to customize the carpet kit for something like this? I'd like to use something thicker, and lay down some sort of good insulation. Any suggestions?
Questions:
• Should I redo the brake cyls and calipers? Should I consider the 4Runner calipers up front, or even rear disks? Seems like a lot of work on a system that really isn't that bad in the first place...
• What sort of method/trouble can I expect from stripping the paint to the bare metal? I figure I'd do it in sections, not all at once - and I probably won't remove the glass or the inside junk (door jams, etc) - also, what wheeling I do is usually expedition stuff, and I wind up scratching the hell out of my paint (trees) - should that have any bearing on my decission to paint/LineX? - I only wheel it maybe once a month...
• I'm thinking about the CS144 GM alt upgrade. Would that do it, or should I consider dual batts, also? I'm not expecting to run a winch or a thumping sound system - I just want to run what I've got reliably.
• Should I mess with the rear axle at all, even though it seems to be fine? (bearings, seals, etc?
• I don't know what shape my rear springs are in - they're partially held up by those crappy coil/shock combo things...are OEM rear springs available? I may put a bull bar upfront, too - if I do, can I keep my factory springs? I don't want to do an OME susp. lift or anything. can I get away with an addd-a-leaf?
Any other suggestions on what else to mess with? Do I seem like I'm on the right track?
Big enough post for you? Maybe I should put it into book form and tour the country with it?
So here's what I'm thinking; why not just spend $3-4k on what I've already got instead of replacing it with something I'd wind up putting thousands into anyway?
What I need help with is a PM list - things I should work on before they get a chance to fail.
Here's the skinny on the truck:
213k miles, needs paint.
The good:
• 2 year old OEM smog pump
• 1 year old rebuilt carb (and another one in the garage)
• newly rebuilt clutch slave cyl.
• head was re-done @ approx 150k
• knuckles rebuilt @ approx 175k
• 4k miles on new BFG ATs
• approx 135psi compression on all cyls.
• 2 year old radiator
The Bad:
• still loosing oil @ approx 1qt per 250-300 miles. Depends on city or hwy driving. I've covered all of the leaks, and because there's no oily residue on the plugs, but there's a lot of dry buildup on the plugs, I'm starting to think that I have leaky valve seals.
• the paint is shot, and a recent ding in the door has revealed that it's on it's 4th paint job. I want to strip the paint down to bare metal, but I'm not sure what kind of trouble I could get mself into by doing that. (Or, should I bag it, sand it down and LineX the whole thing?)
• seal between the t-case and trans is shot, but I have the oil crossfeed kit, just need to put it in.
• weak electrical system - mostly the fault of the low output alt
• PS pump is starting to leak a little - rebuild or go whole-hog ($350) and buy a new one?
My existing to-do list:
• new clutch master cyl
• new brake master cyl
• SS brake lines
• new front seats (Pilot, Volvo, Saab, Avalon - whatever)
• new carpet, but not OEM. Is it expensive/dificult to customize the carpet kit for something like this? I'd like to use something thicker, and lay down some sort of good insulation. Any suggestions?
Questions:
• Should I redo the brake cyls and calipers? Should I consider the 4Runner calipers up front, or even rear disks? Seems like a lot of work on a system that really isn't that bad in the first place...
• What sort of method/trouble can I expect from stripping the paint to the bare metal? I figure I'd do it in sections, not all at once - and I probably won't remove the glass or the inside junk (door jams, etc) - also, what wheeling I do is usually expedition stuff, and I wind up scratching the hell out of my paint (trees) - should that have any bearing on my decission to paint/LineX? - I only wheel it maybe once a month...
• I'm thinking about the CS144 GM alt upgrade. Would that do it, or should I consider dual batts, also? I'm not expecting to run a winch or a thumping sound system - I just want to run what I've got reliably.
• Should I mess with the rear axle at all, even though it seems to be fine? (bearings, seals, etc?
• I don't know what shape my rear springs are in - they're partially held up by those crappy coil/shock combo things...are OEM rear springs available? I may put a bull bar upfront, too - if I do, can I keep my factory springs? I don't want to do an OME susp. lift or anything. can I get away with an addd-a-leaf?
Any other suggestions on what else to mess with? Do I seem like I'm on the right track?
Big enough post for you? Maybe I should put it into book form and tour the country with it?