Builds Poverty packin’: 1992 HZJ80 in Texas

[Mr Cimarron]

I’m a fan of the wheelbarrows at wrenchapart.

 

[bottombracket]

Those things are beastly. And well designed. Most organized yard I’ve ever been to.

 

[CUMAPART]

I'm not an 80 guy but that truck is phenomenal. I drueled over the for sale ad but have too many irons in the fire. Good luck with it.

 

[KennyBob]

Will you be bringing this sexy beast to Roundup @bottombracket ? I’d love to see it in person. Super freakin cool.

 

[bottombracket]

Yep, she’s coming to Roundup. I can’t wait.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Poor Barney. Wasn’t roundup going to be it’s last hurrah before yanking the motor?

 

[bottombracket]

Cim, I think Barney is now second in line. Barney is a running, driving truck. I seem to have a paucity of those at the moment. I’m pulling the motor out of the HJ61 to have it rebuilt. The 60 needs to get in line in front of Barney. So I will put a 1HZ turbo into the blue 60 next.

 

[bottombracket]

Barn door latch linkage:

The $1.36 plastic latch for the barn door linkage came in. It is actually beautifully engineered and incredibly simple. Just like most Toyota designs.

The barn door latch now has full function.

 

[bottombracket]

Rear seatbelt installation:

Last night I grabbed my new used seatbelts and went to install them only to find out that the sheet-metal cut out on the C pillar is lacking a welded nut on the backside.

I found some 7/16 x 20 captured nuts on a set of installation brackets for a pair of Humvee seatbelts that I had put into my FJ40. At times like this I’m glad that I hoard seemingly useless things and never throw anything away.

On the right, I drilled the sheet metal out a tiny bit with a step drill and JB welded the right side into place. On the left side, I dropped the nut into a chasm of despair....the gulch between the inner and outer fender wells at the C pillar. Fark.

I came back tonight and rigged up a piece of flexible plastic tubing with a strong magnet gorilla taped to the end. I went fishing down the surprisingly small and inaccessible gap between the inner and outer right fender wells, and was able to finally take out the captive nut. I JB welded it back into place this time with a zip tie over top of it for safety.

I was able to get the right rear seatbelt in place and cover it with my new to me gray C pillar trim.

The gray conversion is now 1/4 done. And 2/3 of my kids can safely ride in the 80.

 

[KennyBob]

2 outta 3 ain’t bad.

 

[bottombracket]

Passenger visor:

While it may seem silly to post up on every little thing I’m doing, I’m really doing it to keep track of the part numbers. I have been trying to keep track of part numbers for my various cruisers on different spreadsheets on my laptop but I find myself getting sloppy. So I’m posting here for posterity.

But I do have two functioning sun visors now.

 

[bottombracket]

Left rear seat belt in.

Gray conversion 32% done.

Nate and Violet approve.

 

[bottombracket]

Crap, does time ever fly. I can’t believe it’s been almost 2 months since updating.

A lot has happened. I took this beast to Roundup and the truck wheeled far better than the driver.

@davegonz and I caravan’d out and his sweet 1HZT 60 just crushed it. It was the first long trip since he build it and he was pulling away at 75 miles an hour the whole way from Austin to Mason. I could barely keep this big girl on his tail.

 

[bottombracket]

Wagons at Cooper’s Barbecue in Llano, sunset

 

[bottombracket]

The 80 did great and averaged nearly 18 miles per gallon including a day full of wheeling. Not too shabby for the ol’ naturally aspirated diesel.

I was tired. NOT DRUNK.

 

[bottombracket]

Actual quotes from my wife:

“This is your best worst truck.”

“This is the only truck of yours that I’ll drive because it doesn’t smell horrible.”

 

[bottombracket]

Also, in the intervening time since my last post, we bought a place outside of Austin and I’m leaving the city behind. We have a little bit of acreage, and a creek for the kids to play in, but most importantly, a Cruiser barn with a lift! I thought working under a garage roof was great, because I grew up working in dirt and stones my whole life. This is gonna rock.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Actual quotes from my wife:

“This is your best worst truck.”

“This is the only truck of yours that I’ll drive because it doesn’t smell horrible.”



View attachment 1973447

No more creepy vans in the country like the one in the side mirror. I know in my hood word travels quick when odd folks roll in.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

The 80 did great and averaged nearly 18 miles per gallon including a day full of wheeling. Not too shabby for the ol’ naturally aspirated diesel. View attachment 1973441

View attachment 1973443

View attachment 1973444

I was tired. NOT DRUNK.

It was nice of you to store my bed roll in your tent while you slept half way outside of it.

 

[Bludozer]

Also, in the intervening time since my last post, we bought a place outside of Austin and I’m leaving the city behind. We have a little bit of acreage, and a creek for the kids to play in, but most importantly, a Cruiser barn with a lift! I thought working under a garage roof was great, because I grew up working in dirt and stones my whole life. This is gonna rock.

View attachment 1973452

Looks awesome! So jelly of all you guys with garages and lifts. One day...