This is what I want to do, is the 60 a good choice?
- Thread starter NBS2005
- Start date
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Maybe you need a UNIMOG!
I thought they would have low hwy speeds?
You need a diesel crewcab pickup..Maybe 10 years old..Your not gonna get 14-15mpg out of a 60, a 62 with a 5 spd still won't pull the hat off your head..so forget about towing over 2k# with any of them (and I mean towing at speed or distance). Your kinda getting out of the envelope...narrow it down to trips with camping, Daily driver if your not driving a lot ($$$) and a really neat rig to mess around with...now your back into 60/62 reality...
Get a FJ60, buy Mike Goodnight's wrecked Tundra with a V8 engine for $3500 more (see for sale section), spend a bunch of money putting the v-8 engine, trans, front and rear axles and suspensions together under the 60, and then let us know how you did it. Bet is would be the "rat's ass" of all cruisers. I bet it would do everything that you are looking for and you would be the envy of us all.
Ask yourself these questions: Can I do my own mechanical work? Do I like to spend a lot of time wrenching?
If you answered yes to both, go for an 80 series, or a 60 series if you don't need to tow much. If no, look for a 2000+ 100 series (stronger front diff)
Here's my reasoning, and I own both a 84 - 80 and an 86 - 60. You will spend a lot of time wrenching on either of these trucks. The only way around this is if you can find a previous owner who was very anal and kept up with all maintenance, and has documented it. Even then, the older the vehicle the more constant upkeep it will need. I bought my 94 a year ago with 100k on it. I promptly replaced as many wear items on it as I could. I spent abut $1000 on parts from CDan and did all th work myself. It takes a lot of time to properly do preventative maintenace on an 80 series. Something still always needs fixed, slow or non operating power windows, leaky suroofs, rear windows, brakes, etc.
I just picked up an 86 60 series with the H55 5 speed. My initial impressions are that I love the truck, but I would rather not have it be my full time rig for family hauling etc. It too will take a lot of care and feeding, and I'm already cracking on replacing all the common wear items. I would not want a 60 without the 5 speed if I had the choice.
A 100 series is simply newer and is less of a truck. Every series of Landcruiser got less utilitarian, and more civilized. That said, 100 series can still off road fantastically from what I've seen. It will do 99% of what most people will ask it to off the pavement. It has more safety features for your family, drives nicer on the highway, gets better MPG, more room, less small things to fix (due to age).
All that said, I love my 80 and 60. They work great for me. They both have their annoyances, but they are both 14 plus years old. I enjoy wrenching on my junk, and like the ruggedness of both series. I do sped a TON of time wrenching on them though. If I was a family man, I truly feel I'd go for a 100 though. there have been many times on long road trips where I thought about how much more comfortable a 100 probably was. But I get a certain pride from driving these old machines daily, and knowing that I can drive them across the country (did it with the 80), and understand what might go wrong and know how to fix it.
To refrain, unless you really want to spend a lot of time wrenching, go for a 100 series. Being a family man, I'm hoping you have better things to do with your time than fixing annoynances. I often catch myself thinking that I could be camping or hiking instead of laying under one of my cruisers for hours on end. And all of these guys who are suggesting engine swaps, trans swaps, that will only multiply the amount of time you spend on your rig by 100.
If you answered yes to both, go for an 80 series, or a 60 series if you don't need to tow much. If no, look for a 2000+ 100 series (stronger front diff)
Here's my reasoning, and I own both a 84 - 80 and an 86 - 60. You will spend a lot of time wrenching on either of these trucks. The only way around this is if you can find a previous owner who was very anal and kept up with all maintenance, and has documented it. Even then, the older the vehicle the more constant upkeep it will need. I bought my 94 a year ago with 100k on it. I promptly replaced as many wear items on it as I could. I spent abut $1000 on parts from CDan and did all th work myself. It takes a lot of time to properly do preventative maintenace on an 80 series. Something still always needs fixed, slow or non operating power windows, leaky suroofs, rear windows, brakes, etc.
I just picked up an 86 60 series with the H55 5 speed. My initial impressions are that I love the truck, but I would rather not have it be my full time rig for family hauling etc. It too will take a lot of care and feeding, and I'm already cracking on replacing all the common wear items. I would not want a 60 without the 5 speed if I had the choice.
A 100 series is simply newer and is less of a truck. Every series of Landcruiser got less utilitarian, and more civilized. That said, 100 series can still off road fantastically from what I've seen. It will do 99% of what most people will ask it to off the pavement. It has more safety features for your family, drives nicer on the highway, gets better MPG, more room, less small things to fix (due to age).
All that said, I love my 80 and 60. They work great for me. They both have their annoyances, but they are both 14 plus years old. I enjoy wrenching on my junk, and like the ruggedness of both series. I do sped a TON of time wrenching on them though. If I was a family man, I truly feel I'd go for a 100 though. there have been many times on long road trips where I thought about how much more comfortable a 100 probably was. But I get a certain pride from driving these old machines daily, and knowing that I can drive them across the country (did it with the 80), and understand what might go wrong and know how to fix it.
To refrain, unless you really want to spend a lot of time wrenching, go for a 100 series. Being a family man, I'm hoping you have better things to do with your time than fixing annoynances. I often catch myself thinking that I could be camping or hiking instead of laying under one of my cruisers for hours on end. And all of these guys who are suggesting engine swaps, trans swaps, that will only multiply the amount of time you spend on your rig by 100.
