The Squirrel - 1991 FJ80 "Poverty Pack" Cruiser (2 Viewers)

[G-Cat]

I’m sure you’ve seen Nolen’s impressions of his Saudi-spec 3F 80 Series with 5-speed. Make the swap to manual, then see if a new engine is even necessary.

 

[Will Van]

I’m sure you’ve seen Nolen’s impressions of his Saudi-spec 3F 80 Series with 5-speed. Make the swap to manual, then see if a new engine is even necessary.

A new engine may be high on the priority list. This was after startup this morning. Hopefully it’s something simple. I never saw any oil out of the exhaust during our whole trip.

 

[Will Van]

Maybe just a bad PCV valve? I had just shuffled The Squirrel around the day before, so it didn’t really warm up. Maybe just condensation and a filthy exhaust?

I’ll do a compression test as soon as I can.

 

[PIP]

Is it oil or carbon?

 

[Will Van]

It might just be carbon. Hard to say as it was filthy and mixed with water/condensation.

I need to do a compression test regardless.

 

[Tank5]

Great score! This is the ideal cruiser in my opinion. That is after you swap in a better motor to replace the 3fe.

Your 80 is very similar to 80 I have been working on. That bench seat in the middle is pretty cool! I suspect that is what my 80 came with but the seat is long gone.

I am also swapping all my doors to manual crank windows how do you feel about yours?

 

[PIP]

It might just be carbon. Hard to say as it was filthy and mixed with water/condensation.

I need to do a compression test regardless.

Could be the long trip shook some carbon loose in the exhaust.

 

[Will Van]

Great score! This is the ideal cruiser in my opinion. That is after you swap in a better motor to replace the 3fe.

Your 80 is very similar to 80 I have been working on. That bench seat in the middle is pretty cool! I suspect that is what my 80 came with but the seat is long gone.

I am also swapping all my doors to manual crank windows how do you feel about yours?

Thank you!

I agree, it would be perfect with a diesel/manual trans swap. Plus a full floater rear and FZJ80 brakes.

I really like the manual windows. The PO replaced the runs and regulators and they roll really smoothly. Also, lots of carryover for replacement parts from other Toyota vehicles (cranks, locks, grommets, etc).

 

[FJBen]

Glad I found this. Will be cool to watch.

I’ve always had a soft spot for the 3FE 80s although out of the 6 80s I’ve owned none have been 3FE

There is a cool one at my kids school someone drives. Lift, arb, cloth, no tint.

No idea if teacher or student owns it…but while leaving a note on a cruiser seems fine… a grown man leaving notes on a students car in the school parking lot seems sketchy and may have me on some sort of watch list.

 

[Will Van]

Did a little wrenching today. Made some progress on my rear heater delete. The hard part is done. Just waiting on clamps. I installed a fresh heater valve while I was in there.

Writeup with part numbers here.

 

[gilmorneau]

I began asking myself, "Why do I keep doing this? This is so dumb." I decided then and there that I wanted to buy a Land Cruiser and hang onto it.

I laughed a little too hard at this. Man, do I know that feeling. Pretty sure I've found my ideal Landcruiser now, but I sure went through a few to get there.

Not that you asked, but IMO just get it running/driving as Toyota intended and enjoy it. If you get it all baselined and purring and it still doesn't meet your needs, then you can worry about mods. Manual tranny might be enough to get you happy.

Oh, and count me as another "thumbs down" on a 6BT swap. Keep this beauty all Toyota. Build a trail rig beast from a junker if you're really possessed to do a 6BT.

 

[Will Van]

I laughed a little too hard at this. Man, do I know that feeling. Pretty sure I've found my ideal Landcruiser now, but I sure went through a few to get there.

Not that you asked, but IMO just get it running/driving as Toyota intended and enjoy it. If you get it all baselined and purring and it still doesn't meet your needs, then you can worry about mods. Manual tranny might be enough to get you happy.

Oh, and count me as another "thumbs down" on a 6BT swap. Keep this beauty all Toyota. Build a trail rig beast from a junker if you're really possessed to do a 6BT.

Thanks for the feedback! I agree, I want to keep this one for a while. It's easy to get caught up in the mods "While I'm in here." But ultimately if I want to keep it, I need to pace myself and prioritize.

I also agree, get the truck baselined before making any engine changes.

That's going to be easy to do, because I don't have any money for a powertrain swap.

 

[Will Van]

It is a beautiful day here in Central Texas! Perfect for brake work. I’m doing an LSPV delete, Wilwood Proportioning Valve, Advics Master Cylinder, and new Brake Booster.

 

[Will Van]

Wilwood Prop Valve installed. I’ll have to work on booster and MC tomorrow.

 

[Will Van]

I forgot to order brake booster and MC gaskets, so I’m at a standstill for now.

 

[Broski]

Georg got us back on the road and it was time to start our 2,000 mile road trip!

Our first stop was Pismo Beach. After a full day of checking out the Cruiser and making the purchase (Day 1) and then going to Georg's shop and starting our trip (Day 2), I was exhausted and ready for a beer, some seafood, and some rest.

Day 3 we got up early and took a quick walk along the pier, got some coffee and breakfast, and then hit the road. I told my wife the shade cloths look like thongs.

The worst part of our drive was Los Angeles traffic. Lindsay routed us around LA traffic as best she could and we stopped for the night in Yuma, AZ.

Georg recommended we take I-8 past the Salton Sea because it's a better road. Not many pics here as we were trying to get out of LA and get some rest. But Lake Cuyamaca was beautiful.

The hotel we stayed out in Yuma had a cool locomotive next door. I snapped a pic before we hit the road the next morning.

Stopped in Tucson for lunch. Not a great photo.



Day 4 we made it all the way to Las Cruces, NM for some terrible Mexican food and an equally terrible margarita. At least I got a good parking space.

Lindsay and I are trying to visit every State Park in Texas. So we knocked two off the list while we were in El Paso on Day 5.

Franklin Mountains State Park

Hueco Tanks State Park (This park is tiny. They only let 70 visitors in at a time and they are all rock climbers. We just got lucky that Lindsay sweet-talked the park ranger into letting us in for a couple photos).

By the end of Day 5 we made it all the way to Fort Stockton, Texas (which is not worth photographing). At this point both Lindsay and I were ready to be home in our own bed, eating our own food, and snuggling our dog, Wally.

Day 6 was uneventful aside from the terrible Austin traffic. But The Squirrel made it into the garage without incident.

Enjoying a well-deserved beer (or 3).

Georg got us back on the road and it was time to start our 2,000 mile road trip!

Our first stop was Pismo Beach. After a full day of checking out the Cruiser and making the purchase (Day 1) and then going to Georg's shop and starting our trip (Day 2), I was exhausted and ready for a beer, some seafood, and some rest.

Day 3 we got up early and took a quick walk along the pier, got some coffee and breakfast, and then hit the road. I told my wife the shade cloths look like thongs.

The worst part of our drive was Los Angeles traffic. Lindsay routed us around LA traffic as best she could and we stopped for the night in Yuma, AZ.

Georg recommended we take I-8 past the Salton Sea because it's a better road. Not many pics here as we were trying to get out of LA and get some rest. But Lake Cuyamaca was beautiful.

The hotel we stayed out in Yuma had a cool locomotive next door. I snapped a pic before we hit the road the next morning.

Nice score, glad to see you back in a Cruiser

I’m right up from Pismo, it would have been great to meet you and your wife.

 

[Will Van]

Nice score, glad to see you back in a Cruiser

I’m right up from Pismo, it would have been great to meet you and your wife.

We were hustling pretty hard to get back home.

But we decided we need to visit again. We want to spend more time in Pismo and explore Northern California.

 

[Broski]

We were hustling pretty hard to get back home.

But we decided we need to visit again. We want to spend more time in Pismo and explore Northern California.

Big Sur is the queen of the coast. It should be on everybody’s bucket list.

 

[batthewmrown]

I was telling a buddy about your 75 today and decided I'd check and see how it was going and, lo and behold, it's been gone for a year, haha. This one looks like a sweet canvas, though. Nothing wrong with getting it baselined and putting miles on it, but, given your history, I'm definitely looking forward to what comes next for it. Also, tell that lovely saint of a cousin of mine I say hey!

 

[FJBen]

Well hopefully I don’t t get arrested for taking this picture…

Pretty clean FJ80.