My first 80 w/ pics

[Biff]

DAMM!!!! that is a screaming deal. Good find, and welcome. Remember concentrate on your maintenance items first and then focus on the fugly emblems. Once you get her squared away, start focusing on other stuff. Either way she is a beut. congrats.

 

[tarbe]

You did real well from all appearances. Now spend the money you saved on maintenance!

And welcome!

 

[YOTAFAN]

Thanks for the compliments. As for maintenance, I've already had all the fluids changed (engine oil, radiator, differentials) and had a mechanic who knows a lot about the older cruisers check it out and and give the thumbs up. He said the compression on the engine was very good and everything checks out. Leaks a little bit of oil, but its only like a drop a week. Oh, and thanks for the tip on painting the hubcaps. I will definitely do that to save some $$.

I've had the 80 since the beginning of the year, and it has been working out real well so far. As for the guy who was asking about the 80 vs. 100 for his wife as a daily driver, the 80 works fine for me, but I plan on taking it off the beaten path every once and a while. I would imagine a 100 would be a little better ride on asphalt for your wife if she's not planning on taking it offroad.

Now I just need to keep my fingers crossed and hope I don't have any headgasket failures as I've been reading the various posts on this matter. One more thing, regarding axle maintenance and rebuilding the birfs, how often does this need to be done? I looked around the site and saw how to do it, but didn't really see anything on when and how often it should be done. Thanks for all you help. This website is the shizzle.

 

[Mars]

Crossing your fingers for the head gasket shouldn't be an issue if you ask me. The vast majority of us take our cruisers past 150k before needing to do the head gasket. I don't plan on having to do mine till 250k (crossing my fingers).

Nice score and welcome.



M

 

[DTAYLOR]

Don't sweat the HG just yet. I bought mine at the same milage and just now
(225k) blew a HG. Most say it's a bit easier to replace it before it blows. Problem is one does not know the day nor the hour when that will occur.

For now I would clean the crank case (as prescribed on this site), make sure ALL the maintenance is hunky dori, then let her rip with the mods!

I waited too long to do the mods I want, now I have a high milage 80 and it makes no sense to beef it up at this late date. My advice is...git R dunnn!

 

[Russ in California]

I should be so lucky. Maybe I will. Now that the 60 is smogged, all I have to do is sell it and find a good 80.

 

[DuManchu]

Awesome score, and NICE rig! Welcome to the club

I should be so lucky. Maybe I will. Now that the 60 is smogged, all I have to do is sell it and find a good 80.

That sounds like a really good idea

-Andrew

 

[YOTAFAN]

What exactly are the signs of a blown head gasket? Again, I found a bunch of stuff about what to do after it blows, but how do you know when it does go on you? Decreased power, large amount of leaking, overheating, etc.?

 

[Tapage]

What exactly are the signs of a blown head gasket? Again, I found a bunch of stuff about what to do after it blows, but how do you know when it does go on you? Decreased power, large amount of leaking, overheating, etc.?

cooland or water consumption ..

 

[cruiser4life]

Curious - did you buy it in Charlotte or Lexington? It has NC tags in the pics but it sounds like you bought it in KY from your post.

 

[ed97fzj80]

Now I just need to keep my fingers crossed and hope I don't have any headgasket failures as I've been reading the various posts on this matter. One more thing, regarding axle maintenance and rebuilding the birfs, how often does this need to be done? I looked around the site and saw how to do it, but didn't really see anything on when and how often it should be done. Thanks for all you help. This website is the shizzle.

I don't have my manual handy, but IIRC you clean and repack the front bearings every 30k, and you go all the way and do the knuckles every 60. Have a look at the four bolts on the bottom of each steering knuckle. Are they clean and dry? Then the service may have been done. If they are nasty-greasy and weepy, you need to do them. If you didn't get maintenance history with the truck, I might just assume it's never been done at all and do it just for peace of mind.

 

[NorCalDoug]

congrats on the very nice score on the rig.



Time for the mods

 

[YOTAFAN]

Curious - did you buy it in Charlotte or Lexington? It has NC tags in the pics but it sounds like you bought it in KY from your post.

Live in Charlotte, bought the Land Bruiser in KY and drove it back to NC. Tires were completely bald on it, but it made the trip back in one piece . I donated the tires from my 4Runner to the 80 before I sold it.

 

[fzj80kidpen]

Yotofan,
Nice score. If you can not find any record of the front axle job then start reading up. When I did mine (first time for me) it was not that bad. Just take your time and plan it out. Slee's site has a good write up and you can save $$$$.

 

[cruiser4life]

Live in Charlotte, bought the Land Bruiser in KY and drove it back to NC. Tires were completely bald on it, but it made the trip back in one piece . I donated the tires from my 4Runner to the 80 before I sold it.

Cool and congrats. I live in Charlotte as well. Noticed another Charlotte poster on this thread too. Good to know there are some other enthusiasts around.

I recently drove to Lexington, KY to buy a Cruiser and drove it back here. Not a bad drive really and fun in the new ride!

 

[Skillet]