Hello world

[sl33p3]

Very good - thanks for the pics. That looks like a nice rig. Regardless of what Beowulf says, I for one am partial to factory-locked, 6M1 dark green, 1993 80's. They can't be beat. Just ask Cruiser Dan!

Probably your first project will be to remove the running boards before you lose them on the trail. Having said that, I am looking forward to seeing you and your rig on the trail!

Congrats again - let the mods begin!

thanks! and good call, i have the week off btwn xmas and new years (hence the drive mon and tues). anything else besides the steps for free and easy/local attainable i can do to it while i have garage time? guess i have more options since i have a week for shipping before hand... oh i just felt my wallet and wife cringe. i better keep it light i suppose to start with.

tires and an OME lift were first on my $$ list... welder and DIY sliders right after.

john

 

[evanz80]

tires and an OME lift were first on my $$ list... welder and DIY sliders right after.

john

Sounds like a good start! Once you see the other 80's in the club, you'll have plenty of ideas. Check out www.sleeoffroad.com - if you dare! Lots of good products there. Christo Slee and his folks are a great resource for Cruisers, but especially for 80s and 100's. His shop is in Golden, CO.

 

[sl33p3]

Sounds like a good start! Once you see the other 80's in the club, you'll have plenty of ideas. Check out www.sleeoffroad.com - if you dare! Lots of good products there. Christo Slee and his folks are a great resource for Cruisers, but especially for 80s and 100's. His shop is in Golden, CO.

heh, yeah Ali already graciously started the brainwashing... and slee is certainly dangerous. thanks for the pointers, sounds like i need to take a roadtrip to golden... skiis, snowshoes, and case or two of beer to stay warm. NOW that's a vacation

 

[Source3]

Congrats on you purchase. Remember to take some HDC club member phone numbers with you for the drive back for the just in case factor. I will PM you mine.

 

[bonfire]

welcome

 

[sl33p3]

MY NEW 80!

So i made it home last night from Reno!!! 15.5hrs moving time, 1.5 hrs of cumulative piss/fuel/food/stretch time and 1084miles (gotta love gps trip computers) . roads were clear so i iron butted it all out (pulled in at 1:30 am last night). i was prepared to spend some less than quality time with my sleeping bag at a rest stop if necessary but it was all good. i got almost 17mpg down 395 (slower speed) and got about 15mpg on I40 at 80mph. the oil level is exactly where i left it from the start so the PO was right and she doesn't burn any oil!

all in all smooth sailing, but i do have a front accessory whine to sort out that popped up on the drive back (felt better once i realized it wasn't transmission) resembles a SC whine when i can hear it at gas stations etc.


-John

 

[Beowulf]

but i do have a front accessory whine to sort out that popped up on the drive back (felt better once i realized it wasn't transmission) resembles a SC whine when i can hear it at gas stations etc.

The 2 most common causes are:
1. Cogged drive belts.
2. Alternator idler bearing.

Belts should be $20 or less from Cruiserdan. The idler pulley assembly is about $30. I am sure Dan will have both in stock and the R&R is around 2 hours if this is the first time you have done this. Maybe 1 hr if you've done it before.

-Mike-

 

[sl33p3]

engine bay noise and paint woes

The 2 most common causes are:
1. Cogged drive belts.
2. Alternator idler bearing.

Belts should be $20 or less from Cruiserdan. The idler pulley assembly is about $30. I am sure Dan will have both in stock and the R&R is around 2 hours if this is the first time you have done this. Maybe 1 hr if you've done it before.

-Mike-

ok will do, thanks mike. i'll start checking into it all tomorrow, or tonight if i can't wait, but it's cold and dark soon. PO says truck has always made that sort of noise, he had the idler pulley and belts replaced, didn't change it... shop said the distributor was making noise but looked fine and didn't replace it... ?

the other thing is the paint. i thought it was really bad, but when it got wet in the snow it looked like it was clearcoated... i attached a LINK to pics to show what i mean (of bad paint, not the wet good look). is clearcoat generally repairable? i'm not looking for factory perfection but when it was wet and you ignored the clearcoat peel seam it looked pretty good to me (base paint), ok well good enough. but thoughts of some clearcoat and a paint gun in a make shift paint booth in my garage start to go through my head. am i crazy? well let me rephrase that, is it possible? i'd never try to match metallic factory paint myself, but maybe just clearcoat it and see? i could pull the hood and the front flares easily to do. the roof would be more masking and challenge i think.

anyone know of reasonable paint shops to talk to? i'd guess none of them will touch it and i'm on my own

thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.

-john

 

[marcfj60]

Yeah, I know a guy. Give me call at work next week.

 

[Cruisergreg]

bizillion scraches

If you plan to wheel the rig around here expect copious scratches/pinstriping from foliage. If that's the case I would't spend the money to repair the clearcoat (that must be hard, read that: expensive, to do it right). Save your pennies for something else unless the wife or neighborhood association is bothered by a trail-worn rig.

 

[Beowulf]

the other thing is the paint. i thought it was really bad,

I believe you said yours was 6M1 which is known as grotesque green. If yes, it was defective at the factory and nothing you do will help other than a complete sandblast down to bare metal and respray with something beautiful like desert dune or moonglow pearl or maybe both.

Good luck with your ugly truck.

-Mike-

 

[SteveLCetc]

I've never heard anyone else complain about the dark green except Mikey. He must be jealous.

 

[Beowulf]

I've never heard anyone else complain about the dark green except Mikey. He must be jealous.

Your green 80 was so ugly you couldn't stand to own it any more and you sold it or gave it away or something.

-Mike-

 

[SteveLCetc]

You just can't match curtains with the green.

 

[sl33p3]

If you plan to wheel the rig around here expect copious scratches/pinstriping from foliage. If that's the case I would't spend the money to repair the clearcoat (that must be hard, read that: expensive, to do it right). Save your pennies for something else unless the wife or neighborhood association is bothered by a trail-worn rig.

yeah it has a fair bit of desert pinstriping already, and i have no problem with adding my own strokes. I plan to at least duraback the flares/rockers at some point and part of me thinks the whole truck. the hood and roof just seem like a rust timebomb with just the thin base layer left, am i overly paranoid?

oh yeah and no HOA nags so it's just me and my rustphobia...

 

[sl33p3]

I believe you said yours was 6M1 which is known as grotesque green. If yes, it was defective at the factory and nothing you do will help other than a complete sandblast down to bare metal and respray with something beautiful like desert dune or moonglow pearl or maybe both.

Good luck with your ugly truck.

-Mike-

I've never heard anyone else complain about the dark green except Mikey. He must be jealous.

Your green 80 was so ugly you couldn't stand to own it any more and you sold it or gave it away or something.

-Mike-

You just can't match curtains with the green.

kick his a$$ seabass!!! LMAO

it might be ugly but it's mine and it's in my garage, the best part. i'm still petitioning for 6M1 to be known as "Beowulf green" i've got at least one signature

 

[marcfj60]

i'm still petitioning for 6M1 to be known as "Beowulf green" i've got at least one signature

You're treading on thin ice John. Be careful, the 'Wulf' can bite hard, and you'll always lose in a contest of wits with him. Maybe he'll go easy on you for a little while since you're still one of the new guys.

 

[sl33p3]

You're treading on thin ice John. Be careful, the 'Wulf' can bite hard, and you'll always lose in a contest of wits with him. Maybe he'll go easy on you for a little while since you're still one of the new guys.

LOL, well you could be right on the wits, my fall back plan is arm wrestling...

 

[Beowulf]

LOL, well you could be right on the wits, my fall back plan is arm wrestling...

I'm better at sumo wrestling.

-Mike-

 

[sl33p3]

I'm better at sumo wrestling.

-Mike-

You got me there... then i think we should stick to armwrestling

thanks goodness it should never have to get to that, could be a pretty ugly sight with no winners involved, especially if you consider appropriate garb for sumo

-j