I took the plunge - New 80s Owner.

[Shumi90]

Hey Folks,
Just took delivery of a new to me 1996 LC 80. Has some mods, and I want to add more, but first I want to do a thorough maintenance check and fix some known issues,
Anyone recommend a good shop in the Houston area?
Thanks,
Cheers

 

[SpenserAK]

.

 

[SoTexCruiserDoc]

Hey Folks,
Just took delivery of a new to me 1996 LC 80. Has some mods, and I want to add more, but first I want to do a thorough maintenance check and fix some known issues,
Anyone recommend a good shop in the Houston area?
Thanks,
Cheers

Welcome! Recommend sending some pics and plans. I would reach out to @samc2447 and @RuggedBound in H-town for advice on your needs. Both have extensive capabilities and connections.

 

[Road Apple]

Welcome to MUD !! I second posting pics of your new truck.

Here’s some Texas shops. If the one Houston shop doesn’t workout, suggest calling the other shops on the list for references.

Land Cruiser specialist
LCS Austin's Land Cruiser Specialist!
5309 Jeff Davis
Austin, Tx
78756
512-420-0012
lcspec@sbcglobal.net

Dung Nguyen
835 Hopkins St.
Garland, TX 75040
(214) 534-0793

Javiers Autos Unlimited
9443 Clay Road
Houston, TX 77080-1445
(713) 461-5595

Bearden Automotive
12402 Technology Boulevard
Austin, TX 78727-6105
(512) 336-7010
Review: Jeff and All techs are Toyota certified and Jeff is scrupulously honest. He'll work on any Toyota or Lexus of any age, and there's usually a bunch of Cruisers there.
Note: Bearden has also received complaints from other LC owners for poor work so please use your best judgment.

Seery's Garage
1005 E Hwy 67
Alvarado, TX, 76009
(817) 783-3222

Bayside Services
Houston, TX
Jeff Davis
281-339-5487
Review: Jeff is the best mechanic I have ever known. He can diagnose and fix anything. He has been a factory certified Toyota mechanic for over 20 years. He knows Landcruisers backwards and forwards

Rick Cowherd
Alamo Auto Doctors
10614 IH 35 South
San Antonio, Texas 78233
Phone: 210-657-0911
Email: MR2TYT1@gmail.com

B & B muffler
3000 S. Lamar Blvd
Austin TX 78704
p: 512-447-5581
f: 512-447-4601

RT Customs
2700 W.Irving Blvd
TX,
www.rtcustoms.net
Phone: 972-977-7524
Review: Randy is focused on 40/60 series and vortec conversions.

Butch Baker
Baker Tire & Alignment
513 w Sam Rayburn
Bonham Texas 75418
65m NE of Dallas
Phone: 903 227 6360

Referral notes: Spring-overs, Vortec v 8 conversions, ARB dealer and installer and a Metal Tech authorized installer.

Cruiser Shop
13595 Floyd Cir # 100,
Dallas, TX
75243-1473
(972) 241-9904

EMS Powered
(512) 686-2800
11400 Old Lockhart RD.
Creedmoor, TX 78610
www.emspowered.com

 

[SoTexCruiserDoc]

Welcome to MUD !! I second posting pics of your new truck.

Here’s some Texas shops. If the one Houston shop doesn’t workout, suggest calling the other shops on the list for references.

Land Cruiser specialist
LCS Austin's Land Cruiser Specialist!
5309 Jeff Davis
Austin, Tx
78756
512-420-0012
lcspec@sbcglobal.net

Dung Nguyen
835 Hopkins St.
Garland, TX 75040
(214) 534-0793

Javiers Autos Unlimited
9443 Clay Road
Houston, TX 77080-1445
(713) 461-5595

Bearden Automotive
12402 Technology Boulevard
Austin, TX 78727-6105
(512) 336-7010
Review: Jeff and All techs are Toyota certified and Jeff is scrupulously honest. He'll work on any Toyota or Lexus of any age, and there's usually a bunch of Cruisers there.
Note: Bearden has also received complaints from other LC owners for poor work so please use your best judgment.

Seery's Garage
1005 E Hwy 67
Alvarado, TX, 76009
(817) 783-3222

Bayside Services
Houston, TX
Jeff Davis
281-339-5487
Review: Jeff is the best mechanic I have ever known. He can diagnose and fix anything. He has been a factory certified Toyota mechanic for over 20 years. He knows Landcruisers backwards and forwards

Rick Cowherd
Alamo Auto Doctors
10614 IH 35 South
San Antonio, Texas 78233
Phone: 210-657-0911
Email: MR2TYT1@gmail.com

B & B muffler
3000 S. Lamar Blvd
Austin TX 78704
p: 512-447-5581
f: 512-447-4601

RT Customs
2700 W.Irving Blvd
TX,
www.rtcustoms.net
Phone: 972-977-7524
Review: Randy is focused on 40/60 series and vortec conversions.

Butch Baker
Baker Tire & Alignment
513 w Sam Rayburn
Bonham Texas 75418
65m NE of Dallas
Phone: 903 227 6360

Referral notes: Spring-overs, Vortec v 8 conversions, ARB dealer and installer and a Metal Tech authorized installer.

Cruiser Shop
13595 Floyd Cir # 100,
Dallas, TX
75243-1473
(972) 241-9904

EMS Powered
(512) 686-2800
11400 Old Lockhart RD.
Creedmoor, TX 78610
www.emspowered.com

Wow

 

[Desertmedic80]

All those folks in Texas and no one south of San Antonio. Bummer for me in Corpus Christi. I will stick to doing what I can for the time being. It has not been to difficult unless the OP lives in an apartment or somewhere you are not allowed to work on a vehicle I would recommend doing it yourself. Way cheaper!!! I have basic hand tools, an impact, and a torque wrench. Jack, stands and ramps... Not much else and have been able to do what I have wanted and needed to so far. A FSM, this forum and youtube and you should be able to take care of most problems. Oh and don't forget to swap out your head gasket. JK

 

[RuggedBound]

All those folks in Texas and no one south of San Antonio. Bummer for me in Corpus Christi. I will stick to doing what I can for the time being. It has not been to difficult unless the OP lives in an apartment or somewhere you are not allowed to work on a vehicle I would recommend doing it yourself. Way cheaper!!! I have basic hand tools, an impact, and a torque wrench. Jack, stands and ramps... Not much else and have been able to do what I have wanted and needed to so far. A FSM, this forum and youtube and you should be able to take care of most problems. Oh and don't forget to swap out your head gasket. JK

That’s the spirit!

 

[Shumi90]

Thank you al for such quick responses.

@Road Apple - Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I will give Jeff at Bayside Services a call first.​

@SpenserAK, @Desertmedic80 - You are both right, except I know I have a rear main seal leak and can't do that in my townhome. Not a bad leak, but I want it fixed. This is not to be like the Land Rover we previously had that marked its territory at 40K miles...and needed an engine replaced at 46K. At the same time I want someone with LC knowledge to go over all the running gear as I am not familiar with what looks or sounds correct. I will be planning on doing as much of the work I can, so thank you your recommendations to search in this forum. And yea...Take a look at the head gasket...Maybe just drop in a V8 ​

@SoTexCruiserDoc, You are right. Pictures, pictures, pictures.. So far I only have the ones from BAT auction where it did not sell. RTT is removed as part of making the deal possible. I am planning on installing a hard-shell RTT with solar on top so that worked out.

Link to the Auction details:

Modified 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80

Bid for the chance to own a Modified 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80 at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #57,124.

bringatrailer.com

I plan on doing the following (recommendations/comments welcomed)

• Get all maintenance up to snuff
• Fix all the little stupid stuff (electric seat gears, slow window motors, power antenna, any other neglected interior bits)
• Add clamshell RTT with solar, and room for storage box(s)
• Install Rock sliders
• Install Rear tire carrier with double swing out
• Mount water/fuel/propane on one side and 35" tire with High-Lift and drop down table on other
• Install 10 gal fuel and 10 gal water tank where spare tire is now
• Install solid rear window wings to access gear mounted on existing bracket (air down/up hoses, recovery gear, etc.)
• Install tailgate storage cover
• Eliminate second set of lights on bull bar and install antenna
• Install wrap (snowcap mountain one side, desert other) to include covering solid rear window wings
• Install Yeti battery storage and upgrade electronics (coms, navigation, battery management)
• Possibly replace side awning with 270
• A V8 swap is in the future I think. Toyo V8 or LS3....
• I'm sure I am forgetting something...Oh yea....MOST IMPORTANT - USE IT, USE IT, USE IT!!!

 

[MrMacdugal]

Someone put lots of work into that rig before you got it. You sir have a nice vehicle, and probably deep pockets. I wish I had both of those things.

 

[jsloden]

Saw that on on BAT. It does have a lot of nice aftermarket equipment on it. Now the real fun begins. Maintenance. From the pics on BAT it looked like the right side birf was leaking. The heater hoses on the firewall are original as well as the heater valve. You'll want to get those replaced as soon as you can. The valve cover gasket and the radiator both look like they've been replaced though so that's a start. Good luck with it. It's a nice rig.

 

[Shumi90]

@MrMacdugal, I have been saving and looking for some time and I probably still overpaid and will over spend. I am also blessed with a supporting spouse. I put her on the task of selecting the RTT and electrics. She is in!!! Hoping these 80's go the same way the Defenders have. Some of the 110 prices I have seen are ​

@jsloden, yeap - you are right. Saw that myself - thanks. I will order parts today. Not sure about the part-time hubs. Go back to 4WD? Need to install ABS relocation to turn warning light off​

 

[SoTexCruiserDoc]

Really nice truck. Congrats

 

[Marco Lau]

Nothing to hate on a built white 80s. Congrats.

 

[DSRTRDR]

you want to fix the seat gears first - just as a "quality of life" issue

it isn't expensive, either: seat parts — Gamiviti - http://www.gamiviti.com/seatparts - there's a video on the bottom of that website showing how it's done - not difficult, just takes a bit of time

you need at least one gear and one cap per seat

 

[Haggis]

Congrats! I was watching your rig on BAT. I just took the plunge myself 3 weeks ago. Doing the same things you are, getting her up to snuff. I've always wanted an 80. The perfect size vehicle. The 200 has gotten too big. I'm giving it to my wife....

 

[Feldrian]

• A V8 swap is in the future I think. Toyo V8 or LS3....

Plenty of info here on LS3 swaps. Gen 5 LTs fit as well =)

 

[MPS]

Congrats on the new 80. I watched the auction on BAT as well. So many great upgrades! For your slow window motor project, there are a lot of helpful threads here. My windows were slow on a good day plus the driver side window stopped from time to time. Real bummer when you put down the window to pay for a car wash and then it wouldn't go up. I found that silicon spray in the channels plus a new controller from SwitchDoctor did the trick. Super easy to change.

 

[Rigpig]

Wow, nice truck!

 

[Shumi90]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

The truck is with Javier's Autos Unlimited right now. Got it inspected so I can register it. The brake system is being replaced as the master cylinder and lines were shot. Chasing an oil leak. Not bad, I just don't want drips. And rebuilding both brif with chromoly units and fixing ABS sensor and the heater valve as mentioned here. He is also going to fabricate rock sliders that weld to the frame.

Shopping for RTT and rear tire carrier. Fix the seats (parts ordered thanks to you guys) and will try the window trick. Also need to update some electrical. I don't like some of the routing and switches.

Javier's shop is full of offroad rigs including some more LC80s. It's in good hands.

 

[ajax1]

To fix your window, take off the door panel and pull the regulator and motor.
Clean up the regulator from old hard grease and gunk.
Remove the motor and open it up, spray the armature down with electric cleaner and get all the old carbon out of there.
Put some new grease on the gears and reassemble.
Or buy new regulator and motor.
Doing all the above took my slow barely working window in the winter , to back to normal working all the time and running quick