A friend of mine has a 97' 40th anniversary, 3x locked, green with 200k miles, no mods. Besides the green color, its the most desirable 80 series made. I told him a long time ago that I would buy it if he wanted to sell it. A few months ago I picked it up to check it out for a few days and made a massive list of items to fix or upgrade. Strangely, its pretty decent mechanically, although it would still need a lot of baseline items and Im sure other issues will pop up. But cosmetics are bad, dings and paint issues on every body panel, and the interior is a mess too (seats, door panels, everything..) I have owned many LC's and I have been wanting to get an 80 series again since I sold my last one a decade ago. But the reality is, this truck will need a full mechanical rundown, full new interior, body/paint, new stereo, suspension, 35's, armor, ext. I figure it will cost me 20K and a ton of time to get it this rig the way I want it. Buddy is asking 8k for it. Funny thing is my wife says I should buy it. She said, "you talk about 80 land cruisers so much that it seems like you should just own one."
Part of me thinks that I should never pass up on a locked 97 80 series for 8k, but the other side of me thinks if Im going to sink ~25-30K into an 80, it would probably be easier just to buy one already fixed up. Also, I really do not need another vehicle, I have a very nice, heavily modified 16' LX that is so damn nice that I don't imagine I will drive the 80 much. I also fixed up a 100 that my brother is driving. Its simply my love for the 80 series that has me even thinking about it.
So what is the Mud's opinion? Buy this money pit, or pass on it and buy one that's much nicer at a later date?
Thanks
Part of me thinks that I should never pass up on a locked 97 80 series for 8k, but the other side of me thinks if Im going to sink ~25-30K into an 80, it would probably be easier just to buy one already fixed up. Also, I really do not need another vehicle, I have a very nice, heavily modified 16' LX that is so damn nice that I don't imagine I will drive the 80 much. I also fixed up a 100 that my brother is driving. Its simply my love for the 80 series that has me even thinking about it.
So what is the Mud's opinion? Buy this money pit, or pass on it and buy one that's much nicer at a later date?
Thanks