- Year
- 1997
- Vehicle Model
- 80 Series
- Location
- United States
- Mileage
- 222970
- Color
- White
- Outside Link
- https://photos.app.goo.gl/GrE2oNwzmUGrfNAm7
Well, it’s time to part with my 1997 Collectors Edition 80. I am open to offers and honestly have no idea what is a fair price, so I'll start at $4,000.
I bought it in 2015 in Denver from a guy who kept it parked at the airport for trips to Aspen. It had 199K or so miles when I bought it. I took it to Steamboat and mostly left it there. It’s in Steamboat now. My son drove it off and on for a couple years, otherwise it has been parked a good bit—in a heated garage. The current mileage, as of today, is 222,970.
Apparently it’s had 7 owners, myself included, and it began its life in Ohio. I have a Carfax I pulled on 11/18/19 and I’m happy to share it. Here is the link to an extensive album of pictures I took today: 1997 Land Cruiser. If the link doesn't work, PM me and I'll figure out how to get you the link. There are about 80 pictures.
I know only so much about these 80s, so bear with me if I don’t have details galore. Also, my file on the thing is currently in Texas where I live most of the time, so I don’t have quick access to receipts for work I’ve done/had done. I’ll have all that—and the title—mailed to me if I’m able to sell in or around Steamboat. The truck does NOT have lockers. And of course it is 23 years old and has its share of cosmetic glitches and issues. With all that said, here are the obvious problems with it as I see them:
1. Recently, the #1 cylinder filled with coolant after the truck sat for a while. I added some Bar’s Leaks Block Seal Head Gasket Fix to the radiator and it seems to work fine now. I used an endoscope cam to look in the cylinder after driving it a few times and after it had sat for 24 hours. There was no liquid that I could see. The truck starts and runs great now--no steam out of tailpipe, no smoke. I'm driving it all around town with no issues.
2. It burns about a quart of oil every 800-1,000 miles, give or take. Robbie Antonson in Boulder scoped the cylinders about three years back and reported there was some scoring on them and relatively low compression in at least one (I forget which). I contemplated having him rebuild it, and he does great work, but I decided against it given the cost.
3. It has some tiny little rust spots and paint nicks on the body here and there, but nothing major (see pics).
4. There are some plastic and trim pieces that aren’t in great shape and/or could stand to be replaced. The main one is a broken heat/air vent on the dash next to the clock, otherwise it’s mostly normal wear and tear (again, see pics). The drip rail trim is tired and could stand to be replaced, too.
5. The driver’s seat is torn per usual. I have Coverking seat covers on it now, but they are pretty nasty and dirty (thanks, son!), as you can see in the pics, so I ordered new Precision Fit covers last month, but it turns out they won’t be ready for delivery until next month. I may try to cancel the order, but if I can’t and they arrive, then the buyer gets new seat covers! The padding is good enough for me, but the tear in the driver’s seat calls for replacement or a cover. I chose the latter.
6. The sunroof apparently leaks a bit, but I have never checked. The former owner disconnected the wiring and put some black silicone on the exterior to prevent leaks. I’m sure the fix isn’t tough (drain lines, etc.). I just don’t use sunroofs, so I’ve never checked.
7. The e-brake cable is likely seized. The e-brake handle does not engage the brake.
8. I doubt it will pass emission in its current state. For a while I routinely got a PO401 code (EGR), so I used the resistor on the EGR temp sensor to fool the computer into thinking all is well. There is no check engine light now or at any time in the last couple years. The truck is in Routt County, CO (Steamboat area), so it doesn’t have to pass emissions anyway.
9. The steering wheel is very slightly off center when driving. A shop told me that the state of both drag link ends and the right outer tie rod end prevent adjustment. Regardless, it tracks straight and drives great (and straight) at highway speeds.
10. This is a negative for some, but positive for others: No third row seat.
And the good:
1. The former owner replaced lighting inside an out. I think they’re LEDs on the back. The inside lights are very bright, so I think they are LED as well.
2. Boulder muffler installed a completely new stainless exhaust system (Y-pipe back) with new muffler, cats, hangers, etc., in fall 2019.
3. A new distributor was installed in summer 2019 by Slipstream in Boulder.
4. Elk Mountain Automotive in Steamboat installed a new radiator, new front brakes, and repacked the front wheel bearings in summer 2019.
5. New Falken Wildpeak AT3W (285/75R16) tires were installed in December 2019. The truck has barely been driven since, so the tires are virtually new (see pics)
6. A new battery was installed a couple years ago and continues to work fine.
7. Yours truly installed a new sun visor on the driver side because the OEM one was sagging. I ordered the passenger side to match from Cruiser Parts, but it isn’t here yet. It should arrive in the next day or two. They’re the European version with no lights. The color is sort of gray, not tan like OEM. It is what it is.
8. The body is almost perfectly straight, and it doesn’t appear there have been any wrecks/crashes in the past. There is one small dent below the passenger side tail light, however, and a scuff (no dent) on the bumper.
9. All electronics work (stereo, antenna, door locks, power seats, power windows, etc.). Save for the sunroof electronics being disconnected, there is nothing on the truck that doesn’t work, unless I am overlooking something, which is possible!
10. The heat works fine and AC blows cold. I’m installing a new heater control valve in the next couple days because one of the nipples on the OEM one cracked/broke off when I changed the spark plugs the other day.
11. It has an aftermarket alarm with key fobs. It works fine, though I took out the siren, and I kept it if a buyer wants it.
12. I installed WeatherTech floor mats throughout.
13. I installed new window run channels in the front and rear windows a couple years back.
Some of the pricier work was done with hopes of a future restoration, but I really don’t want to deal with major engine work. Maybe someone out there is game for a project! And I sort of need to free up a garage bay.
I think that’s about it. Please see the pictures for more details, and feel free to ask me questions. I’ll do my best to answer. Again, the full photo album is here: 1997 Land Cruiser. I have nothing to hide with this thing, and I’m being as open and transparent as possible. What you see is what you get. I’m not dying to sell and don’t “need” the cash. Thanks for reading!
I bought it in 2015 in Denver from a guy who kept it parked at the airport for trips to Aspen. It had 199K or so miles when I bought it. I took it to Steamboat and mostly left it there. It’s in Steamboat now. My son drove it off and on for a couple years, otherwise it has been parked a good bit—in a heated garage. The current mileage, as of today, is 222,970.
Apparently it’s had 7 owners, myself included, and it began its life in Ohio. I have a Carfax I pulled on 11/18/19 and I’m happy to share it. Here is the link to an extensive album of pictures I took today: 1997 Land Cruiser. If the link doesn't work, PM me and I'll figure out how to get you the link. There are about 80 pictures.
I know only so much about these 80s, so bear with me if I don’t have details galore. Also, my file on the thing is currently in Texas where I live most of the time, so I don’t have quick access to receipts for work I’ve done/had done. I’ll have all that—and the title—mailed to me if I’m able to sell in or around Steamboat. The truck does NOT have lockers. And of course it is 23 years old and has its share of cosmetic glitches and issues. With all that said, here are the obvious problems with it as I see them:
1. Recently, the #1 cylinder filled with coolant after the truck sat for a while. I added some Bar’s Leaks Block Seal Head Gasket Fix to the radiator and it seems to work fine now. I used an endoscope cam to look in the cylinder after driving it a few times and after it had sat for 24 hours. There was no liquid that I could see. The truck starts and runs great now--no steam out of tailpipe, no smoke. I'm driving it all around town with no issues.
2. It burns about a quart of oil every 800-1,000 miles, give or take. Robbie Antonson in Boulder scoped the cylinders about three years back and reported there was some scoring on them and relatively low compression in at least one (I forget which). I contemplated having him rebuild it, and he does great work, but I decided against it given the cost.
3. It has some tiny little rust spots and paint nicks on the body here and there, but nothing major (see pics).
4. There are some plastic and trim pieces that aren’t in great shape and/or could stand to be replaced. The main one is a broken heat/air vent on the dash next to the clock, otherwise it’s mostly normal wear and tear (again, see pics). The drip rail trim is tired and could stand to be replaced, too.
5. The driver’s seat is torn per usual. I have Coverking seat covers on it now, but they are pretty nasty and dirty (thanks, son!), as you can see in the pics, so I ordered new Precision Fit covers last month, but it turns out they won’t be ready for delivery until next month. I may try to cancel the order, but if I can’t and they arrive, then the buyer gets new seat covers! The padding is good enough for me, but the tear in the driver’s seat calls for replacement or a cover. I chose the latter.
6. The sunroof apparently leaks a bit, but I have never checked. The former owner disconnected the wiring and put some black silicone on the exterior to prevent leaks. I’m sure the fix isn’t tough (drain lines, etc.). I just don’t use sunroofs, so I’ve never checked.
7. The e-brake cable is likely seized. The e-brake handle does not engage the brake.
8. I doubt it will pass emission in its current state. For a while I routinely got a PO401 code (EGR), so I used the resistor on the EGR temp sensor to fool the computer into thinking all is well. There is no check engine light now or at any time in the last couple years. The truck is in Routt County, CO (Steamboat area), so it doesn’t have to pass emissions anyway.
9. The steering wheel is very slightly off center when driving. A shop told me that the state of both drag link ends and the right outer tie rod end prevent adjustment. Regardless, it tracks straight and drives great (and straight) at highway speeds.
10. This is a negative for some, but positive for others: No third row seat.
And the good:
1. The former owner replaced lighting inside an out. I think they’re LEDs on the back. The inside lights are very bright, so I think they are LED as well.
2. Boulder muffler installed a completely new stainless exhaust system (Y-pipe back) with new muffler, cats, hangers, etc., in fall 2019.
3. A new distributor was installed in summer 2019 by Slipstream in Boulder.
4. Elk Mountain Automotive in Steamboat installed a new radiator, new front brakes, and repacked the front wheel bearings in summer 2019.
5. New Falken Wildpeak AT3W (285/75R16) tires were installed in December 2019. The truck has barely been driven since, so the tires are virtually new (see pics)
6. A new battery was installed a couple years ago and continues to work fine.
7. Yours truly installed a new sun visor on the driver side because the OEM one was sagging. I ordered the passenger side to match from Cruiser Parts, but it isn’t here yet. It should arrive in the next day or two. They’re the European version with no lights. The color is sort of gray, not tan like OEM. It is what it is.
8. The body is almost perfectly straight, and it doesn’t appear there have been any wrecks/crashes in the past. There is one small dent below the passenger side tail light, however, and a scuff (no dent) on the bumper.
9. All electronics work (stereo, antenna, door locks, power seats, power windows, etc.). Save for the sunroof electronics being disconnected, there is nothing on the truck that doesn’t work, unless I am overlooking something, which is possible!
10. The heat works fine and AC blows cold. I’m installing a new heater control valve in the next couple days because one of the nipples on the OEM one cracked/broke off when I changed the spark plugs the other day.
11. It has an aftermarket alarm with key fobs. It works fine, though I took out the siren, and I kept it if a buyer wants it.
12. I installed WeatherTech floor mats throughout.
13. I installed new window run channels in the front and rear windows a couple years back.
Some of the pricier work was done with hopes of a future restoration, but I really don’t want to deal with major engine work. Maybe someone out there is game for a project! And I sort of need to free up a garage bay.
I think that’s about it. Please see the pictures for more details, and feel free to ask me questions. I’ll do my best to answer. Again, the full photo album is here: 1997 Land Cruiser. I have nothing to hide with this thing, and I’m being as open and transparent as possible. What you see is what you get. I’m not dying to sell and don’t “need” the cash. Thanks for reading!
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