New guy possibly interested in an 80 series - EDIT: I pulled the trigger.

[EvanD]

True. We streamlined our camping stuff because of this. 3 small totes (kitchen, food, and miscellaneous), stove, frig, 10 gallons water, chairs , sleeping bags, sleeping mats (backpacking type), table, recovery gear.

Eventually I’ll finish building my teardrop trailer...

The thing I love about the cruiser is the space. I can pack light when needed (did 10 days in Colombia with just a 32L backpack) but with the space of the cruiser I love to be better prepared and comfortable. Especially for the places I want it to take me. Often times the only help I can count on is what's in the rig.

 

[greentruck]

Ran with this exact tent and set up a while back. It's a great solution for one person imo, but with two on longer trips, there's no getting around having to pull everything out just to be able to crash for the night...then having to pile it all back in in the am. Biggest reason I'm going the RTT route this time.

As chap79 notes, a trailer is one way to deal with this. Except for a few specific items I want to have aboard regardless, all the camping stuff goes in our trailer except bedding and personal luggage. Keep the trailer small and it'll go most anywhere the 80 will. I was lucky enough to come across a M101 CDN, but there are plenty of options.

We also carry the tailgate tent and generally use it regardless as it keeps mosquitoes, etc out of the "bedroom." Over that goes an 8x10 awning that we have various sides to enclose according to need. The trailer serves everything up.

I've since built a chuckbox for the kitchen stuff and added a crane to deploy it...

We like our luxuries, but you only need take what works for the trip we happen to be on. You can pack light and leave the trailer at home, too.

 

[EvanD]

I've wrestled with the trailer route. While a properly built trailer can most likely go many places an 80 can go it creates a whole new world of getting out of a bad scenario. Basically, anytime someone has to back up on a one lane trail/many remote campsites. And that's neglecting recovery scenarios if/when they happen.

Comes down again to your use. I'll likely have to build one in the near future as I've found myself in a relationship with a woman who has two kids. My rig has no rear seats (both second and third) so space has never been an issue. However once those second row seats go in space is quickly going to be an issue.

However having to have once backed a trailer a considerable way (1/4 mile at least?) down a shelf road (turned out impassable due to snow) I don't really want to do it again.

 

[greentruck]

You do need to be judicious in going down every likely trail with a trailer. That depends a lot on where you are. Very few shelf roads in the Midwest, but I've been on a few in places like Colorado, where we tend to basecamp then go on daily excursions. With the trailer involved now, it'll stay at camp in most scenarios, but I can see dragging it over a pass or two. Yes, there are places where backing up may happen, in fact did one a couple of weeks ago. That's just part of the fun.

 

[ppc]

A one-wheel trailer would eliminate issues when trying to backup. The trailer does not rotate on the hitch, just the wheel rotates. There are also two-wheel versions for higher loads and more stability.

Swivelwheel-ECO Carrier / Hauler Transport System

This system is our economy system designed to transport small light weight items behind trucks, SUV's, Motor Homes and Fifth Wheels. The system comes with a 500 lb load rating. This system is great for transporting scooters, generators, luggage carriers etc. Shipped complete with everything...

www.cruiserlift.com

 

[KC masterpiece]

This was my solution over the summer. When I am camping with the dog and girlfriend a ground tent is much more comfortable.

I am 5'10" and my feet hit the tailgate. I think you would have to be at an angle with a queen mattress for comfort.

 

[Atomic City]

So I took a closer look at my friend's rig and test drove it today. We talked about it some and I made him an offer. He is out of town for this week on travel - he said he would think about it and let me know. I am not sure if he is going to go through with it. I guess his daughters were asking him not to sell it, and I could tell that he is pretty reluctant, which I completely understand. He has had the rig for about 17 years and it has a lot of history.

So, fingers crossed. I have been doing a bunch of reading on this site and have a bunch of plans already. One thing that I will say is that it wasn't nearly as "gutless" as I was expecting. After reading so many posts on here complaining about the lack of power, I was fully expecting the rig to barely be able to move it's own weight. But, I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, it isn't the 5.7 that I have in my Tundra, but I thought it moved just fine.

Stay tuned.

 

[greentruck]

I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, it isn't the 5.7 that I have in my Tundra, but I thought it moved just fine.

I think lots of folks getting into an 80 these days are a bit jaded by the HP generally available in the form of V-8 power. Good on you for thinking past that.

On the other hand, this is my offroad automotive history: VW bug; 76 Subaru 4x4 Wagon; 76 FJ55; 84 Isuzu Trooper II; 93 Isuzu Rodeo --> 97 FZJ80. I have more power than ever under the right foot. What I compare it to is my FJ55, which sometimes had a hard time getting out of it's own way in a headwind, the 80 feels pretty potent. I've been on enough hills to know what people are talking about, but here in the Midwest flats it does just fine.

 

[LINUS]

Something to consider if you’re literally in a “game of inches” trying to make room:

The front seats are as you probably found, too short for a 6’8” guy.
There are set extensions via Joey / @NLXTACY as I think it was a Landtank thing he vendors.

But - you move the entire seat back to get your legroom for driving, and you’re going to lose a little when you run the seat forward on the rails & even tilting the seatback forward.

IDK any of this from experience as I’m just a hare over 6’ so I am within the target size they build vehicles around, but I think I hear 6’4” is where you hear guys talk the front seat setback kits, subjectively.

Something to think of.

HTH in your search for a 80.

 

[greentruck]

SNIP

IDK any of this from experience as I’m just a hare over 6’ so I am within the target size they build vehicles around, but I think I hear 6’4” is where you hear guys talk the front seat setback kits, subjectively.

Something to think of.

HTH in your search for a 80.

Good point. I'm 6'2" and I manage without the extension kit, but on long trips it starts sounding like a good idea. 6'8" and you have to make your own peace with most vehicles. This is a situation when I'd say the extension is a required option.

That said, while you push one place and things pop up somewhere else in a cabin that's only so long, if he sleeps on the passenger side then the driver seat extension won't cut into that. I did that with my set-up, not so much because I needed all the extra space possible, but because I figured if the seat got ornery (as they sometimes do) at least my driver's seat would be unaffected. My wife's short and it'd probably still be miserable, but at least we could get the truck back to civilization with minimal fuss.

 

[TexasDoug]

@greentruck I drove an 89 Trooper yesterday that was for sale locally (because I'm apparently a sucker for weird old japanese money pits) and it made my 80 feel like a Lambo. That thing was charming as hell but I had to really beat on it to get it up to 65.

 

[Atomic City]

Something to consider if you’re literally in a “game of inches” trying to make room:

The front seats are as you probably found, too short for a 6’8” guy.
There are set extensions via Joey / @NLXTACY as I think it was a Landtank thing he vendors.

But - you move the entire seat back to get your legroom for driving, and you’re going to lose a little when you run the seat forward on the rails & even tilting the seatback forward.

IDK any of this from experience as I’m just a hare over 6’ so I am within the target size they build vehicles around, but I think I hear 6’4” is where you hear guys talk the front seat setback kits, subjectively.

Something to think of.

HTH in your search for a 80.

Thanks for the tip. I do plan on doing something to the driver seat to push it back a little further. I did read about the seat extensions, but are those only for power seats? The PO put in mechanical seats from an older model - and I am glad he did, because it gives me extra headroom with the sunroof. I usually don't fit in older vehicles that have a sunroof, but this one I have a fair amount of headroom.
So, if the seat extension works with mechanical - then I will put it on the drivers side, and build the long platform for me on the passenger side. Or just get creative with the sliders and reposition them. I modified some old sliders out of a Jeep for the '69 Bronco that I built to give me more legroom.

So far, the Land Cruiser is the best option I have found in terms of a decent length inside the cab, but still a short wheelbase than a truck. I like that. It has it's drawbacks, but I am really liking the idea overall.

Thanks again for the input.

 

[Atomic City]

I think lots of folks getting into an 80 these days are a bit jaded by the HP generally available in the form of V-8 power. Good on you for thinking past that.

On the other hand, this is my offroad automotive history: VW bug; 76 Subaru 4x4 Wagon; 76 FJ55; 84 Isuzu Trooper II; 93 Isuzu Rodeo --> 97 FZJ80. I have more power than ever under the right foot. What I compare it to is my FJ55, which sometimes had a hard time getting out of it's own way in a headwind, the 80 feels pretty potent. I've been on enough hills to know what people are talking about, but here in the Midwest flats it does just fine.

I do love torque in my rigs - that is for sure. This is a picture of the fuel-injected 400 that I shoehorned into my '69 Bronco.

That engine was fun. I am definitely not opposed to transplanting a different engine to gain more torque. Actually, based on all of the posts that I read on how gutless the 4.5 in the Cruiser, I was already doing research on how difficult a job it is to do an engine swap, figuring that I wouldn't be too happy with the lack of power. But, it will do just fine until the engine dies. It currently has 208,000 miles. If I do get the rig, I will first focus my efforts on changing all of the needed maintenance parts, then work on transforming it into the camping rig that I want (sleeping platform, storage, lift, gears, etc). And, if I happen to see a cheap V8 on CL that needs a rebuild, maybe I will pick it up and see what happens then.

 

[Atomic City]

Well, my friend accepted the offer. Here it is, a 1996. It already has an OME lift and some other upgrades. Few dings and mishaps with the body, but overall in great shape. 208,000 miles. I have a slew of plans for it, but I will detail those in a build thread (coming soon). First thing I plan on doing is to go through it with a fine tooth comb and baseline it and replace/repair things needed from a reliability standpoint. I got it for much less than I had planned on spending on the base vehicle for my camping rig, so now I have a good chunk of change to spend on the maintenance items and some upgrades right out of the gate. I am really stoked about this.

 

[Broski]

A one-wheel trailer would eliminate issues when trying to backup. The trailer does not rotate on the hitch, just the wheel rotates. There are also two-wheel versions for higher loads and more stability.

Swivelwheel-ECO Carrier / Hauler Transport System

This system is our economy system designed to transport small light weight items behind trucks, SUV's, Motor Homes and Fifth Wheels. The system comes with a 500 lb load rating. This system is great for transporting scooters, generators, luggage carriers etc. Shipped complete with everything...

www.cruiserlift.com

View attachment 2092827


View attachment 2092824

Don't really seeing that kind of trailer work on a 4 by Trail

 

[Broski]

Nice score, welcome to mud now get your wallet ready.
From what I can see that's a nice-looking Bronco did you sell that ?

 

[Atomic City]

Nice score, welcome to mud now get your wallet ready.
From what I can see that's a nice-looking Bronco did you sell that ?

Yes, I sold the Bronco. Full frame-up resto-mod. I built that a while ago - but life sort of got in the way and I had to get rid of it. Here is a before and after of it:

 

[Atomic City]

So stupid question - how do I make a thread appear with the "builds" prefix?

 

[Broski]

Yes, I sold the Bronco. Full frame-up resto-mod. I built that a while ago - but life sort of got in the way and I had to get rid of it. Here is a before and after of it:
View attachment 2105790
View attachment 2105791

When I was a young man I owned a72 then a 77. Wife made me sell the 77 because it was to hard to put the car seat in. I should have got a new Wife.
To me the 80 series is a modern version of the early series Broncos front suspension and reminds me of my old broncos.