Builds Mama's 1997 fzj80 Build (1 Viewer)

[gnarlytoes]

How do you keep your wife from stealing your 80 Land Cruiser? You get one for her, of course.

Yesterday I got a great deal on a 1997 fzj80 from fellow MUD member, dominicandan1.

It's a '97 with 223,xxx miles. I drove it 2.5 hours home last night and it runs like a sewing machine. It needs a bit of TLC, but it is still very nice and seems very strong mechanically and has zero rust.

The power antenna even works! That's probably worth nearly half what I paid for it.

 

[4xFletch]

Now you just need to get a lift and winch bumper for yours and you will be set...

 

[baldilocks]

Good deal! Now if you can get her to do her own PM I will be impressed! Actually what's impressive is that lawn! I live in drought stricken CA. My lawn is, well, no longer a lawn. Nice!

 

[calipber]

Lookin good, what are the future plans?

 

[gnarlytoes]

I will mostly concentrate on the little cosmetic flaws once I go through it and check everything out. The valve cover gasket leaks pretty bad. This morning I ordered a valve cover gasket, new plugs and wires, new distributor cap and rotor, an air intake tube, and a transmission filter and pan gasket.

I'm going to check out the brakes next. It stops OK, but the brakes don't seem to grab as much as mine and the parking brake doesn't work. I haven't pulled the wheels yet to see what they look like. It does have rear discs and ABS, so maybe I shouldn't compare it to mine since everything on its' brakes is new except for the front calipers and brake lines.

It also needs shocks. I kept the shocks and steering stabilizer that came off mine when I installed the lift because they had less than 400 miles on them. I was about to install them this afternoon when she came home and said she does not want yellow shocks. She wants red. So right now they are hanging in the shed with a coat of primer and two coats of Dollar General red drying. I will install them tomorrow. I will also paint the calipers red when I do the brakes.

I will probably put some heavier springs to lift it an inch or two and stiffen the ride a little. I think that and a set of black pocket flares will make it look a lot better. I need to pull the front bumper off and repaint it. I also want to have the wheels soda blasted and paint them. I'm thinking of painting the inside of the holes black and leaving the spokes as is and the clear coating them to prevent oxidation. I think that would look pretty good.

I went to the junk yard today and found a set of Aisin locking hubs from an '87 pickup to convert it to part time like I did mine.

 

[gnarlytoes]

Now you just need to get a lift and winch bumper for yours and you will be set...

I told her last night that I was having second thoughts about letting her have it.

She was not amused.

 

[dominicandan1]

gnarlytoes, Im glad to hear you're enjoying your new rig and have all great plans for it. I feel much better knowing my lost was your families new gain! Enjoy brother!

 

[gnarlytoes]

gnarlytoes, Im glad to hear you're enjoying your new rig and have all great plans for it. I feel much better knowing my lost was your families new gain! Enjoy brother!

Thanks again for the great deal on it. She already loves it and I have just begun. I think it will be the family vehicle for many years.

And now my older daughter says she would rather have a Land Cruiser instead of her pathfinder.

 

[gnarlytoes]

Today she gets new shocks and steering stabilizer. After I painted them red, of course.

Wheel bearings have a little slop, so I am also tightening them. Got the drivers side done. The lock tabs were bent over the outside nut, but not the inside. It is properly tightened now and lock tabs bent correctly.

It's going to need pads and rotors soon. I will install new wheel bearings when I do that.

Sorry about the quality of the second pic. I think the lens on my phone got a little sweat and/or grease smeared on it.

 

[gnarlytoes]

Annoying rattle eliminated.

 

[dominicandan1]

You are not wasting any time getting that rig right. Mama must be on your butt. Good to know you have eliminated that rattle. It was probably driving you guys crazy on the way back home..

 

[dcguillory]

Wow, so much green grass.

 

[gnarlytoes]

Good deal! Now if you can get her to do her own PM I will be impressed! Actually what's impressive is that lawn! I live in drought stricken CA. My lawn is, well, no longer a lawn. Nice!

Wow, so much green grass.

Sure it looks nice, but it's a pain in the butt. I have to mow it twice a week. That pic is four days growth. I guess the grass really is greener.

 

[gnarlytoes]

The previous owner apparently thought the sunroof was leaking. 100 mph tape was the solution. I'm betting at least one drain tube is stopped up. I sprayed it down with Goo Gone and let it set for a while. It started raining just before I finished peeling and scraping the tape off, so I will finish later.

 

[dominicandan1]

The smell of progress, what a sweet aroma... looking good brother..keep on trucking....

 

[gnarlytoes]

Rain did not last long. I got most of the residue off. enough for now anyway. As I suspected, both front drain tubes were clogged. A spool of weedeater line cleared them.

 

[dominicandan1]

Oh, yeah!

 

[gnarlytoes]

Valve cover gasket is here, so I got an early start this morning before it gets hot. The old gasket was hard and broken in several places. It came out in six pieces. To say it was leaking would be an understatement. The spark plug seals were hard and brittle also. I degreased with purple stuff and a small bronze brush. I then sprayed it off with brake parts cleaner and wiped with a rag and lacquer thinner. A coat of primer is now drying. Going to paint it red, of course.

 

[gnarlytoes]

Red.

 

[dominicandan1]

Looks fantastic!! As much as it was leaking I figured that valve cover gasket would come out in pieces. Did you happen to check the Dizzy and timing cover seal? They are notorious for leaking as well..