Looks like I'm getting back with the ex. (8 Viewers)

[lumbee1]

Rewind to 2017 when I had a triple locked '95. I needed a bigger truck and found myself driving on the road way more than off, so I sold it to a friend and bought an '06 Sequoia. Life changes, ya know? I no longer need a big dumb farm animal and wanted to get back into an 80 but the prices are just stupid. In talking with my friend whom I sold my 80 to, he asked if I'd like to buy it back because he barely uses it and has some home renovations on the short list he needs a couple bucks to accomplish.

Since 2017, he's done BIOR bumpers and sliders, over the frame exhaust, OME 850/860 springs, completely sound deadened the entire body, did an incredibly extensive rebuild of the engine (it has about 25k since rebuild), regeared with 5.13s (I wasn't aware this ratio was available for the 80...?), replaced all the suspension bushings with OEM rubber, fixed some body rust, dry ice blasted the undercarriage, threw on some Method wheels with 35x12,50x17 Yoko Geolandar MT003s, and the one part that would have been a deal breaker for me had it not been for the sore dick deal of a price, is that he rhino lined the entire thing in a sky/baby blue color. Ugh. But because the ask was less than half of what he's put into the thing in parts alone, I couldn't beat it so I jumped on it.

The bad part? BHG. But it's only mixing coolant and oil in the crank case, never overheated, and has good compression numbers, so I'm not too worried about it. I'll throw an OEM HG and head bolts at it and call it good.

I told my wife that for my entire life, I've made it a point to never get back with an ex, but I haven't stopped bitching about the IFS in the Sequoia since I got rid of the 80 way back when. I guess now I can bitch about lack of power and cup holders.

View attachment 3927694

You could add armrests AND cupholders to the 80.

For lack of power, there's turbo kits, used superchargers, and a rerelease of the OG supercharger.

 

[Dindu Nuffin]

You could add armrests AND cupholders to the 80.

For lack of power, there's turbo kits, used superchargers, and a rerelease of the OG supercharger.

My god, the luxury! Actually, those look interesting. I tried finding them on Amazon with no luck. Would you mind posting a link?

Last I remember, Joey was working on a turbo kit, but then his business model s*** the bed; anyone else making them? I'd be down for a SC if it used a modern TVS or twin screw blower. Those Eaton M series E-Z bake ovens and lack of intercooler really turn me away. I'm actually thinking engine swap, but not a very conventional one. But it's easy to think and pretty hard to do, so we'll see where that goes. First order of business is to just get it running so I can enjoy it. The shops around here all want about $4k to do the head gasket, so it looks like I'm going to be doing it myself.

 

[lumbee1]

My god, the luxury! Actually, those look interesting. I tried finding them on Amazon with no luck. Would you mind posting a link?

Last I remember, Joey was working on a turbo kit, but then his business model s*** the bed; anyone else making them? I'd be down for a SC if it used a modern TVS or twin screw blower. Those Eaton M series E-Z bake ovens and lack of intercooler really turn me away. I'm actually thinking engine swap, but not a very conventional one. But it's easy to think and pretty hard to do, so we'll see where that goes. First order of business is to just get it running so I can enjoy it. The shops around here all want about $4k to do the head gasket, so it looks like I'm going to be doing it myself.

No longer sold on Amazon or Ebay.
I had to go to Aliexpress to find a link to them. You want with ones with the 3 magnets. The adhesive ones will not work. The magnetic arm rests need to be modified but it is super simple.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805895895096.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.2.66c35fb6bvXjFm&algo_pvid=7e948abe-101e-4d3d-ae5e-0e97a9ffa233&algo_exp_id=7e948abe-101e-4d3d-ae5e-0e97a9ffa233-1&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%229%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2177.49%2166.64%21%21%21553.49%21476.00%21%402101efeb17501297200738407e11ca%2112000035648035530%21sea%21US%210%21ABX&curPageLogUid=3ffeUkzKmo7l&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A

I paid $96 for mine and love them.

 

[DivByZero]

No longer sold on Amazon or Ebay.
I had to go to Aliexpress to find a link to them. You want with ones with the 3 magnets. The adhesive ones will not work. The magnetic arm rests need to be modified but it is super simple.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805895895096.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.2.66c35fb6bvXjFm&algo_pvid=7e948abe-101e-4d3d-ae5e-0e97a9ffa233&algo_exp_id=7e948abe-101e-4d3d-ae5e-0e97a9ffa233-1&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%229%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2177.49%2166.64%21%21%21553.49%21476.00%21%402101efeb17501297200738407e11ca%2112000035648035530%21sea%21US%210%21ABX&curPageLogUid=3ffeUkzKmo7l&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A

I paid $96 for mine and love them.
View attachment 3930248

I'd seen those things being flogged on ebay, and never understood how/where they fitted, because they didn't show a picture of them attached. Seeing your picture, for the first time I actually understand how they work!

 

[60 toy ota]

It's been my experience with faulty oil coolers that they generally mix in the radiator because the oil is under higher pressure than the coolant system. But you do bring up a very good point. Before I pull the head, I'll get the cooler out and pressure test it.

That all goes out the door when you shut a warm engine off and your oil pressure goes to 0 immediately while the coolant drops off over several hours. Hoping your pressure test shows a good head gasket.

I also was expecting the worst when you said baby blue, but after seeing the picture I kinda dig it. Where in UT? I'll have to keep my eye out for you.

 

[Heckraiser]

Congrats, and I love the 2-tone scheme. I considered a similar white/red on my old 80. The clunker is now roaming around in Wyoming and I'm still able to contact the guy I sold it to, but I don't think he's selling. I wish I had kept it and done a V8 conversion, but that's easy to say from this armchair. Like you said, life happens.

 

[Dindu Nuffin]

Well, I finally had her towed home last night. The stoke meter is pegged at 11. Let the head gasketing begin!

*edit- The local dealership quoted me $2500 to do the HG, which is about $1500 less than all the indie shops I called. I'm going to jump on that for the piece of mind and avenue of recourse I wouldn't otherwise have if I did it myself.

Where in UT? I'll have to keep my eye out for you.

I'm in South Ogden, but I work from home and don't get out much other than getting up to Smith's Lakes or down to 5MP. Delle's our winter wheeling area. Around town, you're more likely to see me in this:

Feel free to honk and wave me down if you do.