Brought this one home today. Heather wants it for her very own.
I think I have a Habit
- Thread starter NCFJ
- Start date
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At least you're optimistic and only call it a "habit". Any plans for it yet or was it like a stray animal calling your name and you couldn't help yourself?
Nice find. Love the color. Seems Heather shares in your "habit."
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- #4
Beyond a Cruiser guy's wildest dreams. She has been wanting an 80 ever since we saw one climbing on big rocks at Raushe. We have been looking for the right deal for about 2 years now. This one showed up through a local guy I know, was up in Charlotte.
Oh yeah
Heather, not me, Heather also wants a 55. She told me she wants the "set" I just want to get it all running before I die.
- Thread starter
- #5
Oh no, this is no stray. We have been looking for a couple years for a clean rig with a blown motor. THe body is clean except for a couple small dents, very little rust and what is there is surface rust. Interior is crap but we planned on that, Heather has a great interior guy, old school. She is thinking black/grey
Don't know when I will get to it, the deal was worth going for now. Fun dragging a trailer up to Charlotte not knowing if it will be empty or full on the way back.
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- #8
It is fun to drag them home
We were trying to remember all that arrived on the trailer while on the way home with this one.
Heather wants this one as hers. LSX motor swap, either 5.3 or 6.0, auto trans, 60 series T-case. She wants something reliable to replace her Volvo when it dies. She is already planning out the interior, black and grey I believe. She has a very good interior guy.
It'll be trail worthy when done. New power first, get it streetable.
We were trying to remember all that arrived on the trailer while on the way home with this one.
Heather wants this one as hers. LSX motor swap, either 5.3 or 6.0, auto trans, 60 series T-case. She wants something reliable to replace her Volvo when it dies. She is already planning out the interior, black and grey I believe. She has a very good interior guy.
It'll be trail worthy when done. New power first, get it streetable.
It is fun to drag them home
We were trying to remember all that arrived on the trailer while on the way home with this one.
Heather wants this one as hers. LSX motor swap, either 5.3 or 6.0, auto trans, 60 series T-case.
Of the 26 Land Cruisers that I have owned over 20 years, only about 4 or 5 were actually driven home. Many of those were parts trucks though but many were resurrected from the dead.
I was just thinking about buying a high mileage 80 and repowering like you are planning with a TH400 adapter and a FJ60 case....great minds think alike.
I've been into Chevy small blocks since before I could drive. Built a V8 40 in 99 but did not like it much. Was too fast and too loud. I used a 300 HP new GM Crate Motor with Hooker block huggers and flow masters (unleashed my inner red neck). Tony Twiddy told me that you build your first V8 truck to learn and your 2nd to keep. I think if I did it again it would be a fairly stock motor with cast iron corvette ram horns and a quiet exhaust. At the same time I had my V8 40 I had a one ton K30 Camper Special with a very mild GM Target motor liked it a lot. I regretted not going for a milder motor in the 40.
I like the all Toyota thing but also like the idea of a crate motor or a low mileage takeout replacement...and parts at Vato Zone. Toyota seems to keep offering less and less and for more and more $$$ Seems likes the stock FJ80 motor would cost a lot to rebuild the way I'd want to do it with all OEM parts. Conflicted...
- Thread starter
- #10
I did not even consider rebuilding a stock motor. The 6 cylinder was under powered since day one in both the 60 and the 80 series as far as I am concerned. The cost of a total rebuild on the 6 will get you ver close to the cost of a swap, for me there was no choice.
A N D awaaaay we go!!!!!
Well done guys, I know how extensive you (Heather) has been looking for the right deal, glad it's come to fruition. I know you have a lot on your plate, yet, somehow, I suspect this might get moved up the list on your "spare time" project list.
Enjoy...
Well done guys, I know how extensive you (Heather) has been looking for the right deal, glad it's come to fruition. I know you have a lot on your plate, yet, somehow, I suspect this might get moved up the list on your "spare time" project list.
Enjoy...
Of the 26 Land Cruisers that I have owned over 20 years, only about 4 or 5 were actually driven home. Many of those were parts trucks though but many were resurrected from the dead.
I was just thinking about buying a high mileage 80 and repowering like you are planning with a TH400 adapter and a FJ60 case....great minds think alike.
I've been into Chevy small blocks since before I could drive. Built a V8 40 in 99 but did not like it much. Was too fast and too loud. I used a 300 HP new GM Crate Motor with Hooker block huggers and flow masters (unleashed my inner red neck). Tony Twiddy told me that you build your first V8 truck to learn and your 2nd to keep. I think if I did it again it would be a fairly stock motor with cast iron corvette ram horns and a quiet exhaust. At the same time I had my V8 40 I had a one ton K30 Camper Special with a very mild GM Target motor liked it a lot. I regretted not going for a milder motor in the 40.
I like the all Toyota thing but also like the idea of a crate motor or a low mileage takeout replacement...and parts at Vato Zone. Toyota seems to keep offering less and less and for more and more $$$ Seems likes the stock FJ80 motor would cost a lot to rebuild the way I'd want to do it with all OEM parts. Conflicted...
TH400?? why go with a non overdrive 3 speed when a 4l60e, 4l65e, and 4l80e all use the same adapter and have an overdrive??
Now the TH400 is a bit cheaper to procure and you don't have to do the computer for it as it is just vacuum controlled but for a street driven rig you would want an overdrive.
Just my 2 cents.... now only worth 1/2 cent
All of those are electronically controlled, no? W/ a TH400, split case, and a carbureted SBC everything stays mechanical. You leave a lot on the table, but save a good bit of $ and head scratching. I know the LS has lots of plug and play controller options, but aren't they fairly expensive?
RTH400?? why go with a non overdrive 3 speed when a 4l60e, 4l65e, and 4l80e all use the same adapter and have an overdrive??
Now the TH400 is a bit cheaper to procure and you don't have to do the computer for it as it is just vacuum controlled but for a street driven rig you would want an overdrive.
Just my 2 cents.... now only worth 1/2 cent
Al,
True for most people, especially those do a lot of free way driving - that would be a good idea, for me not at all. Most of time, I drive down roads where the speed limit is 45 MPH and 99 percent of the time I go no further than say 5 or 10 miles from my house. For occasional freeway use it would be fine.
I'd probably do a TBI 383 with HEI - super easy to fix and still "Fool Infected". Yank it all out of a early 90's GM full-size truck. TBI was used all the way into the mid 90's in GM trucks so would be 100 percent smog legal in an early 80 series. I've got a lot of experience with TBI/TH400 in GM trucks I've owned and I used to run TH400s in GM muscle cars back in the mid 80's
Last but not least, the I'd beef it up the TH400 to a TH-475 and that is a hell of a lot stronger than any overdrive transmission, no electronics, no computer, about 1/4 the cost, less weight and dead reliable.
I hope to get a 45 from a friend that I sold my 45 to for my next project truck but this would be a good plan B. What ever I build will have a TH400 - V8 power, 292 six or 4BT. Old school man!
-Stumbaugh
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gotcha.... just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.
I couldn't go lower tech in an 80 unless it was a diesel. The "jack of all trades" is what lured me to the 80 in the first place so I couldn't handicap it by not making it a long haul driver.
I also tend to drive a lot faster than most, must be my living in LA (where 90 is the average speed in the fast lane) with muscle cars. I miss my old F-bodies where I could be doing 90+ and barely taching 2k. I did have a 67 camaro with a TH350 and 5.13 gears...... that was not a fun driver, unless it was on the 1320
Can't wait to see what you come up with for your build though.
You too Stan, i'm sure it will be a work of art.
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- #17
Ramon, I am 53 years old, my first ride was a 57 Chevy Belair. I have embraced the computer age. You can re flash an OEM computer or have one built from $350.00 up to $1,000.00. You just can not beat what you can do with EFI, it is that simple.
There are different issues to consider compared with a SBC but a 5.3 or 6.0 in front of a 4L60E with a split case in an 80 will make for a very reliable platform. A platform that I can buy parts for, anywhere. This motor/trans combo regularly pushes past 400K with regular maintenance. Very popular in fleet vehicles. We are thinking with $8K in drive line and another $7K in everything else we will have a pretty stout rig that we can jump in and go to inlaws in AL, my mom's in PA with plenty of comfort and room.
There are different issues to consider compared with a SBC but a 5.3 or 6.0 in front of a 4L60E with a split case in an 80 will make for a very reliable platform. A platform that I can buy parts for, anywhere. This motor/trans combo regularly pushes past 400K with regular maintenance. Very popular in fleet vehicles. We are thinking with $8K in drive line and another $7K in everything else we will have a pretty stout rig that we can jump in and go to inlaws in AL, my mom's in PA with plenty of comfort and room.
Hey, I'm right there w/ you Stan. I'm building a MegaSquirt system as we speak from a kit - so I was just playing devil's advocate. Now, I had no idea you could get the electronics going that cheaply; pretty slick. annnnnd, that's the way I'd go for sure. But, if someone was on a tight budget, or was scared of the electronics, the carb/TH400 isn't a bad option for someone.
I've always wanted a 55 Chevy in black like Two Lane Blacktop.
I think that is a very solid plan and if I wanted to drive it daily, I would do the same thing. The price and available of GM parts has a very broad appeal to me. I agree, hard to beat for the dollar.
I'm an IT guy, I Make my living off the computer age! Loved my modern 4Runner & Tundra (just sold them before we moved) currently drive a VW Touareg Tdi and A4 but when it comes to hobby cars - I like them simple (although I have played with Bosch Ktronic on old GTI's and did a great job messing up the kugelfischer injection in my tii). Like Mark A. I enjoy working on Carburetors. To me, there are in a way more magical that EFI is. To me EFI is easier to setup and understand than how to rebuild a carb much less how it works!
I just want to turn some wrenches, do some welding and work on a POS beater. Nothing fancy. That is what works for me!
Post ups some pics, look forward to seeing your build. Sounds like it will be an awesome rig and super user friendly with that setup.
-Stumbaugh
I think that is a very solid plan and if I wanted to drive it daily, I would do the same thing. The price and available of GM parts has a very broad appeal to me. I agree, hard to beat for the dollar.
I'm an IT guy, I Make my living off the computer age! Loved my modern 4Runner & Tundra (just sold them before we moved) currently drive a VW Touareg Tdi and A4 but when it comes to hobby cars - I like them simple (although I have played with Bosch Ktronic on old GTI's and did a great job messing up the kugelfischer injection in my tii). Like Mark A. I enjoy working on Carburetors. To me, there are in a way more magical that EFI is. To me EFI is easier to setup and understand than how to rebuild a carb much less how it works!
I just want to turn some wrenches, do some welding and work on a POS beater. Nothing fancy. That is what works for me!
Post ups some pics, look forward to seeing your build. Sounds like it will be an awesome rig and super user friendly with that setup.
-Stumbaugh
- Thread starter
- #20
A N D awaaaay we go!!!!!
Well done guys, I know how extensive you (Heather) has been looking for the right deal, glad it's come to fruition. I know you have a lot on your plate, yet, somehow, I suspect this might get moved up the list on your "spare time" project list.
Enjoy...
We shall see. It is her rig, I am just the hired help