Rebuilding my 80 and I have no idea where to start (1 Viewer)

[dustymusM4ximus]

Hey guys!

I’m wanting to get my 80 running again. I parked it a year or two ago after I hit a deer and it messed up my front end. I know I’ll need to replace the front end, grille, headlight covers, bumper, and hood. But I need some help with what I should do with it mechanically. I need to replace my exhaust because it rusted out in front of the catalytic converter and its just hanging under my car. Field mice have chewed through one of the wires that connects to the starter plugs and I think that’s it. Do I need to change all of the fluids too?
I’m still fairly new to fixing cars. I can to basic maintenance so far and YouTube is my best friend.

Thanks in advance!

 

[jpoole]

What are your goals for the 80, where are you located and can you share a few pictures of the exhaust and the front-end from further back that includes the bumper/grill and hood while closed, etc.?

Your goals for the 80 will help folks on the forum advise what should be fixed. If you want to tool around in the woods with it locally then what you need to do is less than if you want to drive cross country and then tool around the woods for instance. If you want to make it as nice as you can in order to drive it forever or sell at max value then that will factor into what you need to do as well.

Where you are located can help folks recommend used parts sources in case you decide to go that route for some larger body and exhaust items that you may need.

At a minimum you've got to fix chewed through wires, address any leaks in the cooling and AC systems (if you want to fix the AC). All fluids will need to be changed including in axles, transmission, transfer, engine, brakes. You'll likely also need to rebuild the front axle and of course you've got exhaust work to do. I'd personally fix the valve cover leaks and clean the engine along the way. From there driving it some and evaluating further priorities could be a good next step. Depending on how far you want to go you may want to plan to pretty much replace all of the under-hood rubber, fix all leaks, change all filters, etc. etc.

The good thing is that beyond the body damage most, if not all, of what you need to do to your 80 is what needs to be done to any 80 that is out of date on maintenance at this point. If there aren't rust or extensive body issues (very important ifs) then it's totally worth getting your 80 back up to spec even though it will be pricey in terms of both parts and labor. Many of us on this forum have trod this path or are in the process now so you'll get no lack of suggestions, ideas and help along the way.

 

[dustymusM4ximus]

What are your goals for the 80, where are you located and can you share a few pictures of the exhaust and the front-end from further back that includes the bumper/grill and hood while closed, etc.?

Your goals for the 80 will help folks on the forum advise what should be fixed. If you want to tool around in the woods with it locally then what you need to do is less than if you want to drive cross country and then tool around the woods for instance. If you want to make it as nice as you can in order to drive it forever or sell at max value then that will factor into what you need to do as well.

Where you are located can help folks recommend used parts sources in case you decide to go that route for some larger body and exhaust items that you may need.

At a minimum you've got to fix chewed through wires, address any leaks in the cooling and AC systems (if you want to fix the AC). All fluids will need to be changed including in axles, transmission, transfer, engine, brakes. You'll likely also need to rebuild the front axle and of course you've got exhaust work to do. I'd personally fix the valve cover leaks and clean the engine along the way. From there driving it some and evaluating further priorities could be a good next step. Depending on how far you want to go you may want to plan to pretty much replace all of the under-hood rubber, fix all leaks, change all filters, etc. etc.

The good thing is that beyond the body damage most, if not all, of what you need to do to your 80 is what needs to be done to any 80 that is out of date on maintenance at this point. If there aren't rust or extensive body issues (very important ifs) then it's totally worth getting your 80 back up to spec even though it will be pricey in terms of both parts and labor. Many of us on this forum have trod this path or are in the process now so you'll get no lack of suggestions, ideas and help along the way.

So as of right now I just want to get her ready for the road again with the capability of some light Overlanding. Eventually I would like to outfit her to go on some long adventures. I’m from NE Kansas.

She’s parked out at my folks place right now so I’ll post the pics I have and take some more when I get out there.

 

[Cass007]

You may have Vertigo my guy ... those pics are all crooked.

The sheet metal is easy, just keep unbolting things and placing screws in labeled bags and take pics until you get to the straight parts.

Fix the plug wire, check fluids and start her up. Once running you can work on the exhaust, new fluids and such imo. I drove an 80 home 7 hours that I bought sight unseen that had sat for 2 years. Videos from OTRAMM are pure gold

I see your truck also has the optional self oiling rust prevention system. Don't sweat it, just keeps rust from forming.

 

[cvenom96]

Pretty much the same as what's been said. Replace the crooked stuff, do a tune up on it and change the fluids. Fix the exhaust and see where you're at. If it's been a while, look at rebuilding the knuckles to get that out of the way. You didn't mention the mileage but I'd assume it's up there like most of us so start thinking about head gasket replacement. Replace brake hoses, coolant hoses, etc. Invest in the tools you need and you'll save a ton of money by doing it yourself.

 

[dustymusM4ximus]

 

[dustymusM4ximus]

 

[dustymusM4ximus]

 

[dustymusM4ximus]

 

[dustymusM4ximus]

 

[dustymusM4ximus]

Does anyone have a rough estimate on what it would take to get her running?

 

[Comet]

Baseline is spit balked at $1200. The desire to use aftermarket is strong, fight the urge and stay OEM. I am not seeing anything that can’t be straightened. If you just want to drive, fix the mechanicals. Suck, bang, blow, stop. That’s the order I follow in resurrecting

 

[jpoole]

If you know how to fix it and aren't shooting for perfect you can probably get it going for very cheap, like under $1k and a day or two of work. Most, myself included, would spend a lot more and use this as a chance to get the rig totally sorted out and ready for another 20+ years.

The sheet metal for instance can be straightened to the point of functionality and could even look decent if you are ok with a hammer and dolly, etc.. You may however want to try to source replacement parts and if you can get them in white then it's remove/replace and no paint, etc. needed and you can get it back to 100% that way. Looks like that will include both front fenders, the hood, the front valance, a grill, the driver door, the bumper, and likely work on or replacement of inner fenders along with whatever else you run into that needs replacement. All of that will add up unless you can find a straight donor nearby that has most/all of the parts that you need and even then it will cost a decent amount.

More details and inspection would be needed before I could say exactly what I'd do next. If the rad and condensor/etc. are not leaking and the fans not at risk of hitting the rad. I'd probably get it running again before diving into the bodywork too deeply. I don't know if that approach is an option though as you may need to replace rad/condensor/front support/etc. before you can really run it safely.

Beyond the bodywork I assume you are mostly looking at fluids, tuneup, wire repairs and exhaust repairs. That's all pretty routine. At some point you'll need a set of matching tires but that can wait until you are closer to road worthy again.

Once it's driveable you may want to do lots more like get it clean again (I'm assuming the interior is funky), deal with any rust, replace worn components, etc. etc. etc. From the little that I know about your rig I'd budget at least $10k to get it going to my standards which aren't perfect but do include having a very reliable and well mannered rig. You can read up on the forum to get an idea of all of the different items you may get into from suspension bushings to carpet cleaning and all manner of obsessive preventative maintenance

 

[dustymusM4ximus]

If you know how to fix it and aren't shooting for perfect you can probably get it going for very cheap, like under $1k and a day or two of work. Most, myself included, would spend a lot more and use this as a chance to get the rig totally sorted out and ready for another 20+ years.

The sheet metal for instance can be straightened to the point of functionality and could even look decent if you are ok with a hammer and dolly, etc.. You may however want to try to source replacement parts and if you can get them in white then it's remove/replace and no paint, etc. needed and you can get it back to 100% that way. Looks like that will include both front fenders, the hood, the front valance, a grill, the driver door, the bumper, and likely work on or replacement of inner fenders along with whatever else you run into that needs replacement. All of that will add up unless you can find a straight donor nearby that has most/all of the parts that you need and even then it will cost a decent amount.

More details and inspection would be needed before I could say exactly what I'd do next. If the rad and condensor/etc. are not leaking and the fans not at risk of hitting the rad. I'd probably get it running again before diving into the bodywork too deeply. I don't know if that approach is an option though as you may need to replace rad/condensor/front support/etc. before you can really run it safely.

Beyond the bodywork I assume you are mostly looking at fluids, tuneup, wire repairs and exhaust repairs. That's all pretty routine. At some point you'll need a set of matching tires but that can wait until you are closer to road worthy again.

Once it's driveable you may want to do lots more like get it clean again (I'm assuming the interior is funky), deal with any rust, replace worn components, etc. etc. etc. From the little that I know about your rig I'd budget at least $10k to get it going to my standards which aren't perfect but do include having a very reliable and well mannered rig. You can read up on the forum to get an idea of all of the different items you may get into from suspension bushings to carpet cleaning and all manner of obsessive preventative maintenance

So right now my gf doesn’t have a car and I want to get my cruiser basically running right and fix everything else as I go and as I can afford it

 

[jpoole]

Was the 80 driving before you parked it? Meaning, was the radiator holding coolant and the fan clearing the radiator/etc. ? Does that mean that the electrical/wiring repairs are all that's really keeping it from going or did you park it because it was undriveable in other ways? Obviously it needs bodywork but I can't tell if it was beat-up and driveable or not from the pics.

Have you ever done car repair before? Are you familiar with electrical repair and wire splicing/insulating techniques? If not, are you interested in learning and willing to take your time to get this stuff right?

The reality is that an experienced mechanic may be able to get it running in a few hours depending on what all is wrong. Nobody can know what all is wrong though until they start working through it. Fluid changes/etc. are easy and no big deal for anyone comfortable with that type of maintenance work. Wiring repair, done correctly, takes more skill and experience in my opinion though it's not really hard it's just easy to do it incorrectly and many folks don't know the right way to do it.

What are your resources? Do you have the skills and/or time to do this yourself? How big of a rush are you in? Do you have a relationship with a trustworthy mechanic that you can take it to if you aren't up to DIY? Are there any 80 owners on the forum that are in your area that could drop by and lend a hand? Check the regionally focused sections of this site to try to make a connection like that. What's your budget? Tight on cash or have a few thousand (at least) that you can spend on it?

If the problem you are trying to solve is cheap, reliable transportation quickly then the 80 may or may not be your best option. If you could get it running and straighten it out a little it could even make sense to sell it for funds to buy something else. We really don't have the information to help you figure out what to do at this point but if you dive into repairing the truck we can probably provide a lot of helpful info as you proceed. If you want more help here continue to define your objectives and resources so that we can help you bridge the gaps.

I'm ill informed on your situation but it seems to me like you need reliable transportation now and may not have one or more of the resources needed to turn this 80 into that transportation. I'm thinking you may be best served to start searching Craigslist for a deal on a used car in your budget. You may want to try to sell the 80 and whatever else to get funds for that purchase. Lot's of assumptions being made on my part here though. It's also relevant that LandCruisers are not really optimized to be efficient/economical transportation. They are amazing for what they are and reasonable efficient/economical given their other capabilities but they are also more complicated and more expensive to operate than many alternatives in the used auto market.

 

[dustymusM4ximus]

Was the 80 driving before you parked it? Meaning, was the radiator holding coolant and the fan clearing the radiator/etc. ? Does that mean that the electrical/wiring repairs are all that's really keeping it from going or did you park it because it was undriveable in other ways? Obviously it needs bodywork but I can't tell if it was beat-up and driveable or not from the pics.

Have you ever done car repair before? Are you familiar with electrical repair and wire splicing/insulating techniques? If not, are you interested in learning and willing to take your time to get this stuff right?

The reality is that an experienced mechanic may be able to get it running in a few hours depending on what all is wrong. Nobody can know what all is wrong though until they start working through it. Fluid changes/etc. are easy and no big deal for anyone comfortable with that type of maintenance work. Wiring repair, done correctly, takes more skill and experience in my opinion though it's not really hard it's just easy to do it incorrectly and many folks don't know the right way to do it.

What are your resources? Do you have the skills and/or time to do this yourself? How big of a rush are you in? Do you have a relationship with a trustworthy mechanic that you can take it to if you aren't up to DIY? Are there any 80 owners on the forum that are in your area that could drop by and lend a hand? Check the regionally focused sections of this site to try to make a connection like that. What's your budget? Tight on cash or have a few thousand (at least) that you can spend on it?

If the problem you are trying to solve is cheap, reliable transportation quickly then the 80 may or may not be your best option. If you could get it running and straighten it out a little it could even make sense to sell it for funds to buy something else. We really don't have the information to help you figure out what to do at this point but if you dive into repairing the truck we can probably provide a lot of helpful info as you proceed. If you want more help here continue to define your objectives and resources so that we can help you bridge the gaps.

I'm ill informed on your situation but it seems to me like you need reliable transportation now and may not have one or more of the resources needed to turn this 80 into that transportation. I'm thinking you may be best served to start searching Craigslist for a deal on a used car in your budget. You may want to try to sell the 80 and whatever else to get funds for that purchase. Lot's of assumptions being made on my part here though. It's also relevant that LandCruisers are not really optimized to be efficient/economical transportation. They are amazing for what they are and reasonable efficient/economical given their other capabilities but they are also more complicated and more expensive to operate than many alternatives in the used auto market.

So it was running when I parked it. I parked it because I hit a deer and it busted my headlight covers so I couldn’t drive at night because anytime it rained, the bulbs just popped. I had a backup car at the time and I was going to school so the Cruiser fell to wayside. She ran fine before I parked it.

I am somewhat familiar with electrical work, Ive done some before and my buddy’s an electrician. I have a daily right now, I just miss my cruiser. I have a garage full of tools I can use and some family members who are trained mechanics if I need help.

I’ve done basic maintenance before and I am interested in learning more. I don’t have much of a budget at the moment, I’m just trying to figure out how much I’m looking at spending in the long run. My main goal is just getting it running and safe for the road. Eventually I’d like to make it look and run brand new. I want to turn it into something me and my dog can live out of as we travel the states and camp.

 

[jpoole]

Great, that's very informative. What about some of my other questions particularly regarding your mechanical experience and ability to DIY. That and/or your budget are going to be very important as you assess next steps. If you want to jump into DIY then you probably just need to focus on wiring repairs until it starts/runs and then you can get into deferred maintenance, bodywork, lights, etc. from there.

 

[dustymusM4ximus]

Great, that's very informative. What about some of my other questions particularly regarding your mechanical experience and ability to DIY. That and/or your budget are going to be very important as you assess next steps. If you want to jump into DIY then you probably just need to focus on wiring repairs until it starts/runs and then you can get into deferred maintenance, bodywork, lights, etc. from there.

I updated my comment to answer every question. Sorry, my ADHD makes answering multi question texts damn near impossible lol

 

[jpoole]

No problem.

One tip that can help with longer texts could be to copy the questions from their previous message then then drop them into a new message. Then you can write your answers to those questions in between the questions or delete the questions as you answer them, etc. But, it's not a big deal either way. The quality of help that you get here is related to how well you communicate from your side though.

Sounds like you are capable of getting the 80 going and have backup help for when you run into hangups and that's great if you choose to proceed.

It's impossible to know how extensive the wiring damage is or how hard it will be to fix. I've seen mice chew through a few wires and move on and I've seen them destroy sections of wiring harness in multiple areas. Your next step is going to be to carefully inspect throughout the truck to find all of the rodent damage and start assessing what each needs for repair. In some places you may just need to rewrap/insulate if the wires are still intact but the insulation is only mildly damaged. In other places you may need to splice in wire segments to re-connect wires. In other places you may just want to replace the wires or harness segment altogether if possible. A replacement instance would be if there is damage to the ignition/spark plug wires, you'd just replace them vs. repairing. This is enough work to keep you busy for now and you can share pictures of each instance of wire damage for ideas/input. Be sure to show enough around the wires that it's possible for us to tell where/what they are for.

Costs are impossible to estimate without knowing the full extent of the body and wiring damage along with the deferred maintenance scope. It's also impossible to estimate costs without knowing how you'll do the repairs. You may replace all body panels then do a full repaint or you may bend panels to where they function, bolt in new lights and go and obviously the costs are dramatically different between those options. You may use used parts, OEM parts or cheaper parts and this could dramatically shift project costs. So, for those reasons it's impossible to even roughly quote the job and your best option for predicting costs may be to read up on the forum to see what others have spent and what they did for the $$.

I'd guess $1k for the cheapest route to get it going including just bending the existing panels back into shape, buying used (matching) tires, buying cheap lights, having your existing exhaust welded and only doing the bare minimum of repair, replace and maintenance work. It all adds up pretty quickly when you have so much to catch up on but if it all goes well and you can fix it all yourself then $1k may be possible.

If it were my project I would anticipate spending around $5k initially to get it on the road again. Then I'd expect to spend roughly $5k to $10k beyond that for total of $10k to $15k to get it baselined and dialed in again in mostly stock form. That's assuming buying replacement body parts, new tires, new exhaust parts, extensive maintenance, rubber/hose replacement, suspension updates, interior cleanup, leak sealing and a few upgrades but nothing big like aftermarket lift or armor/etc..

 

[clx16]

I am guessing the battery is likely dead by now if not get it on a charger. The wiring probably isn't too hard to sort out, order some spark plug wires as those look chewed, and fix that ground wire at the top. None of that is that hard. I bet your radiator support is still straight so get on car-part.com or reach out to @slow95z and see what kind of parts he has. Since you are on a budget hit harbor freight up for some body work tools and fix what you can. If OEM headlights are too expensive for you even used, look at ebay specials. at least change the oil before you try to start it the first time, i am betting it is pretty dry up top and fresh oil pouring down won't hurt it at all.

Check your air filter and clean out the mice that are liking living in there.

It really isn't that bad so most of your stuff is just unbolt old and bolt on new.

Actually can you post pictures of your frame? if it is rusted out then maybe approach this differently.