Ruining's SLOOOOOW Build Thread

[ruining]

Hey, I'm not new here. I've been a member here for a while, but rarely post. I've got an FJ-40 that's a family heirloom, a Land Rover Discovery II that I'm making into a dedicated wheeler and just picked up a '94 FZJ80 with 133k miles a couple of weeks ago.

This is what it looked like a couple of weeks ago when I bought it.

My plans are to make this a daily driver that can double as an overland vehicle for vacation use, as well as just a good family camping rig. The build is going to be slow because I still have work that I need to do to the Land Rover, and summer is coming, so it's also time to buy a motorcycle.

Plans are:

• Lift, (haven't really done much research on what to go with, but I'm thinking 4 inch to keep it manageable for daily/long distance driving).
• New rear bumper with swing out tire carrier.
• Either modify this roof rack to hold 4 jerry cans and a roof top tent, or sell this as is and buy a new roof rack.
• Roof top tent that can go between the FJ80 and Land Rover for solo camping trips.
• Rock Sliders
• Fix torn leather seats.
• Pull the factory fender flares and repaint the truck.
• Full size, matching spare.
• Dual Battery.
• Warn Winch.
• Possible Desktop computer mounted in the back that would run games for the kids, dvds/entertainment as well as GPS and dash cam.
• Drawers and shelves in the back.

Also attached is one shot of the other baby. My wife calls the Land Rover the sister wife because it takes so much time and maintenance. I bought the Land Cruiser so that I would have something else to drive while this was in the shop.

 

[ruining]

This weekend, I put on the 255/85R16's with Mojave Teflon rims.

I took the roof rack off to wash/wax the roof. It looked like it hadn't been done in years. I'll be having the brackets powder coated before going back on and reinstalling with stainless fasteners.

Also removed the bug shield and the sunroof cover to expose areas of serious neglect. In 4 places, the paint has been worn away. I'll be polishing the truck to see how much more life I can get out of the original paint job, but it looks like the paint will be coming sooner rather than later.

Lastly, I took it out and beat it up a bit. Got stuck. I think that wouldn't have happened if I had had a lift on. Once I get the Sister Wife out of the shop, I'll be saving for a lift, but I was REALLY impressed with the factory lockers. They are still pretty quick to engage/disengage. The truck, even in stock form handled the south loop in Tahuya about as well as the Land Rover, without all the tire lifting. I was alone, so I couldn't get it on tape, but I did get a picture of it stuck.

Is it illegal to show off the Land Rover here? Last time. Here is the Land Rover on the South Loop in Tahuya. Its relevance in this thread is purely anecdotal, as it was the same route that the FJ80 handled perfectly.

 

[arndog123]

Nice Cruiser and Rover. I think I saw your 80 on CL a few months back.

 

[Polar Bear]

I do believe we met at Tahuya on Saturday near the rock pile. I was highly envious of your bumper I was the white 80 with sliders and my brother drove the blue Rubicon.

It had been about 2 years since I'd been to Tahuya, and I spent the better half of the day trying to find the south loop. That's where some of my favorite stuff is, but I just couldn't for the life of me find the access point

Great day though, my brother and I had an awesome time. It had been too long since the two of us had gone wheeling.

See you there again sometime!

 

[Polar Bear]

And there you are behind me....

http://youtu.be/Ys2sRj6juCc

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

LOVE the wheels! What are those?

 

[ruining]

And there you are behind me....

http://youtu.be/Ys2sRj6juCc

Totally. That's me being creepy.

It was good to meet you. I don't know that place very well, but we should get together at some point and I can show you where the South Loop is. I think that's the one place I know how to get to.

 

[ruining]

LOVE the wheels! What are those?

Thanks! They're the Mojave Teflon wheels by American Racing. They look great, but don't hold up well to trail abuse. They came with metal valve stems which promptly got ripped off on a root and they chip up and show scuffs pretty quickly.

Not sure if I'll be using these wheels when I upgrade after a lift, unless they're a 'street' tire, aka A/T for daily driving.

 

[Polar Bear]

Totally. That's me being creepy.

It was good to meet you. I don't know that place very well, but we should get together at some point and I can show you where the South Loop is. I think that's the one place I know how to get to.

Sounds great, once my brother fixes his Jeep we'll be headed back out there I'm sure. Always happy to have more company on a trail ride.

Tahuya is my usual fallback when the high country is snowbound, so I'll drop you a line next time we go!

 

[ruining]

Do that! Tahuya is really the only place I've been, aside from some lame local trails. I'm hoping to use the Rover to really learn the state over the next couple of years.

 

[yohavos]

Been watching your progress over at NWOL... truck is looking great!.

If you either of you guys ends up heading up to Tahuya again and wants some company, feel free to stop by the South Sound Cruisers Clubhouse and post up! There's a great group of guys that checks in fairly regularly. We try to get together at least once a month.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/wa-south-sound-cruisers/

We've been to Tahuya a few times in the past few weeks and do as much camping as possible during the warmer months. I was out east last weekend and it's starting to look great!

 

[Polar Bear]

Been watching your progress over at NWOL... truck is looking great!.

If you either of you guys ends up heading up to Tahuya again and wants some company, feel free to stop by the South Sound Cruisers Clubhouse and post up! There's a great group of guys that checks in fairly regularly. We try to get together at least once a month.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/wa-south-sound-cruisers/

We've been to Tahuya a few times in the past few weeks and do as much camping as possible during the warmer months. I was out east last weekend and it's starting to look great!

Sounds great, I'll pop in on your clubhouse for sure.

Anybody heard how Liberty faired after the fires last year, and when the trails are projected to reopen? Its usually the first of the high country to be snow free. Love it up there!

 

[ruining]

Been watching your progress over at NWOL... truck is looking great!.

If you either of you guys ends up heading up to Tahuya again and wants some company, feel free to stop by the South Sound Cruisers Clubhouse and post up! There's a great group of guys that checks in fairly regularly. We try to get together at least once a month.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/wa-south-sound-cruisers/

We've been to Tahuya a few times in the past few weeks and do as much camping as possible during the warmer months. I was out east last weekend and it's starting to look great!

Thanks for the heads-up! I'll be checking in, too! I'm excited to get out of the house, now that I have a Mon-Fri job and would love to tag along for some runs!

 

[hh65flyer]

I saw your rig on CL too but couldn't make a deal with the guy. Glad it went to a good home...

Also funny that I went from a Disco to now looking for an 80. I just could never fully trust the LR to not leave me stranded somewhere (although it never really did).

 

[yohavos]

Sounds great fellas!

To keep this somewhat on track, I think it would be great for you (Jeff) to check out all the other 80's that regularly come out to get a feel for what you like/don't like as far as lifts and accessories go.

We've got a few guys running 4" lifts with different set ups which might give you some food for thought. A few of us have drawers, tents, fridges, sliders, are in different phases of dual battery set ups, etc... based on what your intentions are with the truck, I think you would enjoy crawling over some other trucks. It helps!

Look forward to meeting you both soon.

Mike

 

[ruining]

I saw your rig on CL too but couldn't make a deal with the guy. Glad it went to a good home...

Also funny that I went from a Disco to now looking for an 80. I just could never fully trust the LR to not leave me stranded somewhere (although it never really did).

That's how I felt. I had to do so much in just the 3 weeks that I was driving it before it developed a knock that I never felt like I could trust it, when in reality, they rarely leave you stranded.

ACE leak, sunroof leak, catalytic converter is failing, lights that just stop working for the hell of it, windshield wiper just quit on one side because the bolt worked its way loose, etc...

It's really nice having something that I feel like can get me from here to there without any issue. I just feel so bad beating up the Land Cruiser, compared to the Rover.

Yohavos, I'd love to come check out what some you guys are running and pick brains about lifts. I'm also going to be doing a lot of searching here. There's more information than a normal person can get through on this board.

Thanks!

 

[Polar Bear]

Do that! Tahuya is really the only place I've been, aside from some lame local trails. I'm hoping to use the Rover to really learn the state over the next couple of years.

Don't know where my post went, so I'll just repost it.

We'd be happy to have you join us. Once his Jeep is fixed we have a rather ambitious plan to wheel every other Saturday this year.

Our favorite areas are up in the Naches, Evans Creek, and the Liberty area. Between the south sound group, and my brother and I, you should get plenty of exposure to what the state has to offer!

Looking forward to a season of solid wheeling and exploring.

Mike

 

[scrowley]

By the sounds of your list looks like this might be your new wheeler.....replacing the Rover.

 

[ruining]

By the sounds of your list looks like this might be your new wheeler.....replacing the Rover.

It probably sounds that way, but I bought the Land Rover, mostly built already. I'm going to lift it just a hair higher, get a roof rack for a roof top tent and wheel the hell out of it. Once I see what else it needs, I'll make a list for that as well.

Land Rover is for close to home wheeling trips and the Land Cruiser will be for long distance family trips. Then again, I may just sell it. Who knows.

I'm having a hard time beating up the FZJ-80 because they are getting harder to find.

 

[Polar Bear]

Mr T didn't build these things to be parked in hyperbaric chambers to be sealed up for eternity. They were built to be used as their design intended. If you must assuage your guilt in wheeling your 80, then pay your penance at the altar of Preventative Maintenance and lavish love and care upon it when you aren't flogging it on the trail.

If you don't wheel it, the next sod certainly will. My advice is not to squander an 80 with lockers, they are a rare pleasure to wheel on the trail.

If nothing else, the 80 will be patiently waiting for you when the LR inevitably becomes billfold hungry again.