JunkYard FZJ80 (1 Viewer)

[Bruiser Cruiser]

I'm new to the world of 80's , but not to cruisers. I've owned a couple fj40's an LV, an fj55 and an fj60. All but the 60 were pretty stock. A couple weeks ago I was walking the local wrecking yard, and looked up to find a '94 fzj80 sitting on it's axles in front of me. Dumbfounded, I looked at it again. It is sand metallic with leather 230,000 miles on the clock and that funny switch on the left side of the steering wheel. Long story short, a guy from out of state was passing through my area in may, overheated, and had the cruiser towed to a relatives house. He had just put $1k into a new battery, DS mirror, outer door handle and PS front window motor/ regulator and switch. I guess he had had enough when He found out how much a head gasket would be, and drove it to the wrecking yard, where it found its place among a total of two other toyotas in the whole place. He was angry about how little the yard gave him for the the rig, so he kept all the keys and his tires. I offered the yard $500 for it as it sat. Now I don't know what to do with it. this is the landcruiser that I have always wanted.
First, I have a set of rollers i can put on it for now. I can pick up tacoma wheels for $200 or less but they look like the offset is not right any insight?
Second, I have an engine with rusty oil. I haven't turned it over since I got it (waiting on keys to be made), but it was driven with antifreeze in the oil And then it stewed for 6 months. I'm afraid a head gasket isn't going to be enough. I think the engine is probably pretty hurt. Am I wrong? I am thinking HG, Bearings and seals minimum.
I have found a used engine with 150000 miles and a 6 month warranty for $1500 delivered. I'm thinking that is my best bet. thoughts?
Thanks for all your help in advance

 

[Pin_Head]

Take the head off and take a peek. You don't have much to lose.

 

[gnarlytoes]

Why does something like this never happen to me?

Sounds like you will come out great no matter what you do. I would pull the head and drop the oil pan and take a look before I even put a hot battery on it. If water has stood in a cylinder or cylinders for that long, there may or may not be pitting of the cylinder walls where the piston rings were. If no pitting, pop a bearing cap or two and take a look.

If that all looks good, I would put a new head gasket on it and drive it like I stole it.

 

[slow95z]

both 80s i got for parts (also in the 500 range) that had blown HGs wouldnt even turn over. one had rusted the cams together and the other had rusted to the point the crank was basically stuck in place.

I would pull the valve cover and just look. if it looks fine then you are good to go but you will know real quick from that. in the day the vapors rise to the top, at night they condensate and fall back down... it shocked me how bad the engine in my truck looked after only 6 months of sitting with a blown HG. was basically scrap.

 

[BltByKrmn]

LS swap is the only answer here

 

[Pippylongsausage]

I'm going through the same process, but mine needed a whole new engine. If it's just th HG, then you could have it running in a weekend.

 

[Heckraiser]

I would buy the 150k motor with the warranty ($1500 seems kinda steep though), and then work your way through the original motor in your spare time. If it's good, then sell it to offset the cost of the other motor (or whatever else you will have spent your money on by that point).

Tacoma wheels should fit, but have more backspacing (i.e. they will sit inboard of the stock wheels) Spacers recommended, or just buy a set of wheels with the proper backspacing.

 

[Pippylongsausage]

Tacoma wheels should fit, but have more backspacing (i.e. they will sit inboard of the stock wheels) Spacers recommended, or just buy a set of wheels with the proper backspacing.

I have taco wheels on my 91 with no spacers. I actually like the way they look sitting inward a bit. I grabbed 5 of these on CL for $60.

 

[Bruiser Cruiser]

LS swap is the only answer here

That definitely crossed my mind, but..... The wife wasn't all that happy when I went to the junk yard and came home with a new car, so I figure the last time and expense right now is best

 

[Bruiser Cruiser]

Thanks for the wisdom guys. The HG threads I've read was making me feel like doing the HG was almost as expensive as the used engine to do it right. Ie new head. I read about resurfaced heads cracking and warping again within a year. That doesn't take into account how bad the first heat was, or how much metal came off the head, but I don't know that on my rig either. Because of that I was thinking a maybe a used engine was the way to go.
I'm getting the impression the 1fze is maybe more robust on the top end than I thought though.
On wheels, I can find 16" factory taco rims with decent tires for 100 bucks, but they look like they are almost flat faced so I was worried they would not only sit funny, but rub on steering components.

 

[Bruiser Cruiser]

I have taco wheels on my 91 with no spacers. I actually like the way they look sitting inward a bit. I grabbed 5 of these on CL for $60.

She's a beautiful ride. How tight are the wheels on the frame and steering?

 

[Pippylongsausage]

She's a beautiful ride. How tight are the wheels on the frame and steering?

Thanks! They're great. No rubbing with 285/75r16 tires. Handling is fine. The only issue I have is that the center caps don't fit over the hubs in the front, but I don't really mind all that much.

 

[I Lean]

I just went through a similar dilemma...bought a '93 with a bad headgasket, and needed to decide whether to fix it or swap in a V8. Originally I wasn't 100% sure I would keep the vehicle long-term, so I fixed the HG. It now runs excellently, drives nice, both me and my wife love it--so we'll be keeping it. And as such, I'm now wishing for more power. The money I spent on the HG repair would have taken me 1/3 the way to a GM V8 swap, give or take.

Let me know if your wife is unhappy enough that you want to unload this 80. I'd love to pick up another one and do the V8 I should have done originally.