Builds The Oddball 80 - Middle East GX Renovation

[wngrog]

I really appreciate how open you are about your “investments” in these rigs. I have not kept track of the number of hours or the $$$ I have spent on vehicles over the years as I enjoy the final results. It usually crosses my mind when I go to sell!

I started keeping up with it so when I have someone saying “man, no way that truck is worth xxxxx” I can show them what it costs to do this.

Me? I have a 30+ k 80 to show for it but if I had taken it to a shop I would have a 50+ Thousand dollar 80.....

Scary enough, the former.

My line pre-Covid crazy crackhead BAT prices was that I intentionally spent way more than a truck is worth so I don’t get tempted to sell it.
That does not seem to hold true at the moment but I’m sure the market will correct and I can go back to my tried and true formula

 

[jpoole]

I intentionally spent way more than a truck is worth so I don’t get tempted to sell it

I've been doing this all of my life but didn't realize until now why I was doing it

I track my time and spending on all projects as well and thanks to a few cosmetic blemishes still needing attention on my 80 I'm currently safe from sales temptations. I added an overview of those metrics below if interesting. I'm sparing you the graphs that cart the long-term drop in $ or hr per mile

Thanks for the great content you share on this forum by the way. I'm working on a "patina preserved" refresh of a Willys M38 that I keep down in MS and am following a version of the formula you've shared on mud for that. I've also passed your content on that topic to numerous friends with old autos of various types and really appreciate your expertise and well shared content.

My 80 by some numbers with almost all spend on parts/materials and work unpaid. Exceptions are machinist for head and fuel injector cleaning svc.

Service Time / Miles​	​	​	​	​	​
​	purchased​	9/11/16​	234,074​	​	​
​	driveable​	10/26/17​	234,250​	​	​
​	current​	1/22/2021​	270,391​	​	​
​	in use (y/mi)​	3​	36,317​	​	​
​	​	​	​	​	​
Total spend without fuel​	​	​	​	​	​
​	$ total spent​	$14,616.00​	​	miles total​	36317​
​	$ per month​	$273.98​	​	$ per mile​	$0.40​
​	hr total​	400.1​	​	min worked per mile​	0.66​
​	hr per month​	7.5​	​	paint removal hrs.​	118.5​
Total spend with fuel​	​	​	​	​	​
​	$ total spent​	$21,518.09​	​	$ per mile​	$0.59​
​	$ per month​	$403.36​	​	​	​

 

[wngrog]

That’s awesome.

 

[wngrog]

Thanks Beno for sending me a couple of OEM keys for the OddBall. Looks like my one key is a valet key so my glove box
Still remains unlockable until I dig into the doors and add some Noico. I’ll pull the lock number then.

 

[wngrog]

Another little tidbit I thought I would share.

These 285/75-16 Yokohama tires measure out at just over 32” mounted and 30# in the truck

3000 RPM is 78 MPH.

What does a 3FE with Auto run RPM wise with the same setup?

 

[matzell]

I for sure could have done it cheaper and I could have not done some of the things I’ve done on it like lockers and such but at this point I’ve done everything but fix the rear main seal leak. That’s taken 180 hours documented labor and I’ve spent $23,000 over the purchase price. Clearly I’ve overspent on this turd but that’s what I do. Thanks for following along. I’m positive I would not have done all this for a 1991 US model with an auto.

My buddy used to say " I have spent a lot of money on women, whiskey , and trucks... the rest I just wasted!" He was a smart man!

 

[wngrog]

It’s nice to have one land cruiser not festooned with excessive overland gear and being able to use the car wash

 

[wngrog]

Clean as a green bean

 

[REKCUT]

Another little tidbit I thought I would share.

These 285/75-16 Yokohama tires measure out at just over 32” mounted and 30# in the truck

3000 RPM is 78 MPH.

What does a 3FE with Auto run RPM wise with the same setup?

View attachment 2567756

View attachment 2567757

Automatic 3fe's don't run 78 unless they have driven off of a tall cliff

 

[Duckboss]

Clean as a green bean

View attachment 2579385

Damn nice job NolenAfter reading through all 44-pages and being in the middle of a second 3FE Head gasket w/ a Desmogged 3FE myself, and now concurrently taking on a 1993 FZJ80 Poverty Pack Special with the same setup as yours except for the carbureted 4.5 1FZF motor

 

[wngrog]

Damn nice job NolenAfter reading through all 44-pages and being in the middle of a second 3FE Head gasket w/ a Desmogged 3FE myself, and now concurrently taking on a 1993 FZJ80 Poverty Pack Special with the same setup as yours except for the carbureted 4.5 1FZF motor

Very cool. @FJ60Cam will soon have an answer to that 1FZ carburetor ......

Thanks for the shout out. It’s been a bitch but driving it today reminds me how it was worth the body blows

 

[OGBeno]

“festooned”... solid vocabulary...

 

[wngrog]

I always felt like I had a little AC blowing through my firewall and peeled back the firewall blanket and found the massive hole as well as the subject of my squeak in the steering

Beno sent me a part. Told me how easy it was to replace and then proceeded to let it kick my ass for an hour

This is me in the chair every time I work on this 80

 

[MonsterCruiser]

Ha! I had the same Milwaukee tool in my photo when I did this job recently

 

[thatcabledude]

@Onur send this man some new bumper end caps so he can lose those tacky reflectors. They look like they sourced them from bicycle pedals.

 

[wngrog]

@Onur send this man some new bumper end caps so he can lose those tacky reflectors. They look like they sourced them from bicycle pedals.

See, what little you know about the Oddball .........

The Non-US end caps are steel versus the plastic inferior US 80s.....bicycle reflectors are special just like you 1FZ/Auto guys

 

[thatcabledude]

See, what little you know about the Oddball .........

The Non-US end caps are steel versus the plastic inferior US 80s.....bicycle reflectors are special just like you 1FZ/Auto guys

I see moisture in the passenger side signal light

 

[Grandlooser]

I need to check mine. It will probably explain the population of mice that moved in this winter.

 

[wngrog]

I see moisture in the passenger side signal light

New. Clear. Non US funny looking.

Go back to bed.

 

[thatcabledude]

New. Clear. Non US funny looking.

Go back to bed.

Signal, not parking