So I've got a good problem to have, too many Land Cruisers. My FJ60 project that going to be in paint in about 2 months, the FJ62 basket case that's at least solid now instead of the swiss cheese I started with, the LX450/FJ80 I recently acquired that's a bit tatty but very driveable, and my LX470/Hundo. The hundo is my daily and is an awesome vehicle, as we know. I for one like the AHC very much and have a new set of OEM rear springs ready to go on with airbags once the 60 is out of the way. I'll likely order new globes this winter too, as a preventative measure since I'm down to about 9 steps between High and Low.
So, my wife has been willing to try some of my adventures as of late. Last year, after being together now for 25 years, she decided to give riding pillion on my bike a try and is hooked. We've taken several trips to the Blue Ridge Mtns and stayed up there for the weekend. Earlier this year we spent an entire day just driving around on the BRP with the windows open. This doesn't sound like much for us, but for her it is. Wind in her face and driving around all day just exploring has never been her thing, she's been very much a homebody citified girl. So she's been, on her own, learning about RVing and wanting to take a trip like that someday. We both love travelling all around the world and she's watched me take motorcycle trips all the way up to Fairbanks and back. I've been working on her all the time saying that we could drive to these locations (her on the back of a bike that far is asking too much). And she's now looking forward to these trips. So what's the problem you ask?
I need to figure out which of these I will convert into a long haul rig. The ride in the hundo is amazing, but I do worry about its complexity. I also worry about the AHC when I start to really load up the truck, I want to carry a small motorcycle/scooter on a hitch hauler for these trips. The 80 is a well-known platform and well-proven. It's solid axles all around and a standard suspension setup. The climate controls are push-button so much simpler. However, the inline 6 is a dog and gets even worse MPG than the 4.7 in the hundo, and that's not great. I'm looking at 12-13mpg in the 80 before I even load it up. So when I'm talking about driving to British Columbia and up through to AK this is a concern I have. Being out that way I know the scarcity of fuel in places. 300 miles between fill-ups depending on where you are, can be a problem. The next check in the plus column is that the 80, being a bit tatty now, I don't have to worry about more road rash. I'm not planning on rock crawling but the road can throw things at you, like Moose.
So I know this is akin to asking you all what your favorite oil is, but faced with these options what are your thoughts? BTW, I didn't even consider the 60s because of age and they ride like a horse drawn wagon, where the other two have coils in the rear to help with the ride.
So, my wife has been willing to try some of my adventures as of late. Last year, after being together now for 25 years, she decided to give riding pillion on my bike a try and is hooked. We've taken several trips to the Blue Ridge Mtns and stayed up there for the weekend. Earlier this year we spent an entire day just driving around on the BRP with the windows open. This doesn't sound like much for us, but for her it is. Wind in her face and driving around all day just exploring has never been her thing, she's been very much a homebody citified girl. So she's been, on her own, learning about RVing and wanting to take a trip like that someday. We both love travelling all around the world and she's watched me take motorcycle trips all the way up to Fairbanks and back. I've been working on her all the time saying that we could drive to these locations (her on the back of a bike that far is asking too much). And she's now looking forward to these trips. So what's the problem you ask?
I need to figure out which of these I will convert into a long haul rig. The ride in the hundo is amazing, but I do worry about its complexity. I also worry about the AHC when I start to really load up the truck, I want to carry a small motorcycle/scooter on a hitch hauler for these trips. The 80 is a well-known platform and well-proven. It's solid axles all around and a standard suspension setup. The climate controls are push-button so much simpler. However, the inline 6 is a dog and gets even worse MPG than the 4.7 in the hundo, and that's not great. I'm looking at 12-13mpg in the 80 before I even load it up. So when I'm talking about driving to British Columbia and up through to AK this is a concern I have. Being out that way I know the scarcity of fuel in places. 300 miles between fill-ups depending on where you are, can be a problem. The next check in the plus column is that the 80, being a bit tatty now, I don't have to worry about more road rash. I'm not planning on rock crawling but the road can throw things at you, like Moose.
So I know this is akin to asking you all what your favorite oil is, but faced with these options what are your thoughts? BTW, I didn't even consider the 60s because of age and they ride like a horse drawn wagon, where the other two have coils in the rear to help with the ride.
