So I was driving east on the I-40 in my 80 series... (1 Viewer)

[peneumbra2]

last Wednesday night, when this guy came out of the 66 Casino driveway (milepost 140), but instead of turning onto the freeway, he headed straight for the median. Right in front of me.

I hit him at a 90-degree angle, doing about 70. Really LOUD BANG!, airbag deployment, and I coasted to the side of the 40. His car was obliterated - if I'd hit him a foot closer to the front of his car, he would be dead ("day-ed"). So my LC is in a tow yard, and I need an expert to look at it and see if it is fixable before Insurance totals it. You guys know anybody like that???

 

[BurntToast]

Sorry to hear! Hope your ok.

Fox Automotive fixed my truck to OEM quality (as close as possible) a couple years back

 

[pappy]

Dang, that sucks. Glad you are OK.

Hey, wait ... this is your first post. Why don't you say "howdy," tell us about your LC (or what's left), and a little about you.

 

[peneumbra2]

HOWDY!
I've had my '97 LC for about 6 years. OME heavy suspension, ARB front bull bar (which came in rather handy the other night), Slee back bumper, LED offroad and spotlights, around 260,000 miles with 10K on the rebuilt engine. Custom wheels, sheepskin seatcovers, etc.
I live in Taos, active in Search & Rescue, do rescue and recovery for raptors by permit, and I've been offroading for about 50 years, for fun and as a Jeep guide in WY, AZ, and CO. Retired firefighter from Southern CA. Have been a member of IH8MUD in the past...

 

[peneumbra2]

Thanks to my ARB Crash-O-Matic bumper - and the tanklike build of the LC - I didn't have a scratch. The front axle of the LC was torn loose on one side, along with a few other minor objects, but considering the impact, not too bad.

If James Dean had been driving a Land Cruiser, he'd be hosting Wheel Of Fortune now...

 

[krazykat69]

Thanks to my ARB Crash-O-Matic bumper - and the tanklike build of the LC - I didn't have a scratch. The front axle of the LC was torn loose on one side, along with a few other minor objects, but considering the impact, not too bad.

If James Dean had been driving a Land Cruiser, he'd be hosting Wheel Of Fortune now...

Glad you were driving the Toyota "Tank", 80. Call Chris at ToyoMasters, on Jefferson,505-890-8696. He may be able to help, or know who can.
Hilarious comment about James Dean. Hope you get your 80 back on the road. Good Luck.

 

[peneumbra2]

Glad you were driving the Toyota "Tank", 80. Call Chris at ToyoMasters, on Jefferson,505-890-8696. He may be able to help, or know who can.
Hilarious comment about James Dean. Hope you get your 80 back on the road. Good Luck.

Talked to Toyomasters already. This is primarily a body shop evaluation, which TM doesn't do. Still looking for someone who can come to the yard to check my LC out before the insurance people get to it...

 

[alia176]

What no pics? . What is the name of the yard it's located?

 

[peneumbra2]

The yard is N&Y, on Williams St. In Albuquacky.
The pictures are too grisly to post on a website where minors or sensitive people might see them.
OK, I'll see about posting pics BUT YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!!

 

[peneumbra2]

Still haven't had time to post the pics, but visited my LC in the tow yard again. Very stressful emotionally; you guys know how difficult it is to possibly say goodbye to a vehicle you've known and loved for years. Going to relatives' funerals is often easier (especially if you have relatives like mine)...

Still haven't heard anything from the insurance company witch doctors. If they total it, I am going to remove the undamaged extras (LED lights, etc), and if possible, pull the engine - which has about 20K miles since complete rebuild - and sell it to some deserving person at a big discount.

AND: If any of you guys and girls are considering a visit to the Taos area, fire me an email and I'll be glad to show you around town and even allow you to buy me a beer!

 

[Dumpolina]

Sooo how bad is it really? Sounds like a candidate for a dedicated wheeling rig if you can negotiate a reasonable buy back with the insurer, and the frame/axles/etc aren’t completely wasted.
Ya pics pics pics

 

[alia176]

Sooo how bad is it really? Sounds like a candidate for a dedicated wheeling rig if you can negotiate a reasonable buy back with the insurer, and the frame/axles/etc aren’t completely wasted.
Ya pics pics pics

I wanted to check it out in person but I've been swamped with a Moab trip prep this weekend

 

[iwashmycar]

The yard is N&Y, on Williams St. In Albuquacky.
The pictures are too grisly to post on a website where minors or sensitive people might see them.
OK, I'll see about posting pics BUT YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!!

Ok now I am subscribing for the pics lol

 

[peneumbra2]

The LC has been moved to another storage yard (over on Broadway) where the insurance estimator will assess it this week.
In terms of "unpleasantness," the collision was pretty bad. I've been in a couple of helo crashes, and this was every bit as violent and loud. As for the other driver's vehicle - a Hyundai sedan - the left rear door was about two feet from the right rear door, as was the left frame rail. O-bliterated.

I have a feeling that the insurance co. is going to total my vehicle, and then I've got to decide what to do about it. I've been thinking about going to a 100 series, as, these days, I spend more time on road, or on dirt roads, then I do on serious off-roading.

Then again, I might be able to find a good, slightly used, well-cared for, Abrams M-1A tank...

 

[alia176]

The 100 series is a sweet ride, I gotta say. Not all of us are rock crawlers and we're aging so a little bun warming, quieter and smoother ride won't make us complain much!

 

[peneumbra2]

Whatever I end up with, it's going to have a decent suspension, upgraded wheels and tires and lights, and BEEG BUMPERS!!!

 

[peneumbra2]

Still waiting to hear from the insurance co. Pretty sure I'm going to have to sue the DAF (driver at fault) cause the beancounters likely are not going to give me what I want for my 80-series. I'm driving around in a rented (on them) Nissan Armada - candidly, not much of a rig, although it's pretty luxe inside. Very soft unhealthy ride. Really, it's like most newish cars: a stereo/information system that happens to have an engine and wheels. Forty-seven control knobs and switches, and none of them will activate the heater or the windshield washers. GEEZ!
I guess that's what people want to drive these days. The worst thing is that there are all these lights and chimes that go on if someone is in the lane next to you. Makes one very complacent and lazy, and it's really dangerous, if you ask me.
OK, so you didn't ask me...

 

[krazykat69]

Still waiting to hear from the insurance co. Pretty sure I'm going to have to sue the DAF (driver at fault) cause the beancounters likely are not going to give me what I want for my 80-series. I'm driving around in a rented (on them) Nissan Armada - candidly, not much of a rig, although it's pretty luxe inside. Very soft unhealthy ride. Really, it's like most newish cars: a stereo/information system that happens to have an engine and wheels. Forty-seven control knobs and switches, and none of them will activate the heater or the windshield washers. GEEZ!
I guess that's what people want to drive these days. The worst thing is that there are all these lights and chimes that go on if someone is in the lane next to you. Makes one very complacent and lazy, and it's really dangerous, if you ask me.
OK, so you didn't ask me...

My 2010 GX460 has many of those bells and whistles, I was able to turn them off, once I did a deep dive into the encyclopedia that is the owner's manual. Once I removed it from the glove box, I swear the suspension raised an inch.

The GX went crazy with noises when I drove it into the garage the first time!! It must of thought I was about to be hit from all sides at once.
The GX gives a nice pavement ride, but has the low range built in from the factory. Modified, it works well off road. If you decide to lean in that direction, when looking for a new ride.
There is nothing to really replace an 80, though, except another 80, IMHO. I really liked my 96 model 80.

 

[peneumbra2]

Finally heard from InsurCo: they want to total my LC and pay around $8,700.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

 

[marcfj60]

Finally heard from InsurCo: they want to total my LC and pay around $8,700.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Can you provide 'comps' to prove it's worth a lot more than that? I had a friend do that when his Chevy HD3500 was stolen and they offered him a laughable amount of money for it.