New FJ80 Owner!

[The 910]

Hey guys, I just purchased a 1991 Land Cruiser, and was looking forward to getting involved with these forums. I'm not quite sure what kind of mods I would like to go for, so I wanted to try and get a few opinions on what I should do from you guys Here's what it looks like:

 

[Ben]

Welcome to the club.

Nice 80.

The sort of mods will depend on what you want to use the vehicle for.

Do you plan on taking it off road?

If so what sort of off road driving do you plan to do, extreme Rubican trail type driving or more dirt roads and family camping trips?

Or maybe you dont plan on taking it off road at all, but like the look of a tough truck with all the accessories bolted on?

 

[Scott]

Looks very tidy indeed, a nice buy. Welcome to the club.

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

Welcome to the forum, Looks a tidy truck. What gas engine is in it? the 4.2 version? If its the mods route you are going stand back a bit and watch and learn before you attempt anything. Get your good lady on your side with it and then see your bank manager .
Good luck with it all, you will learn a ton of stuff by asking.

Andy

 

[The 910]

Welcome to the club.

Nice 80.

The sort of mods will depend on what you want to use the vehicle for.

Do you plan on taking it off road?

If so what sort of off road driving do you plan to do, extreme Rubican trail type driving or more dirt roads and family camping trips?

Or maybe you dont plan on taking it off road at all, but like the look of a tough truck with all the accessories bolted on?

Thanks man I do plan on taking it offroad and doing trail type driving, but I can't be too rough on it, as it will be a daily driver as well. I definitely want to get a darker tint on the windows, a little bit of a lift, a new bumper with a winch, and new offroad tires. I already replaced the radio with a new Alpine model, and added two new front door speakers and a JBL amp in the back.

Welcome to the forum, Looks a tidy truck. What gas engine is in it? the 4.2 version? If its the mods route you are going stand back a bit and watch and learn before you attempt anything. Get your good lady on your side with it and then see your bank manager .
Good luck with it all, you will learn a ton of stuff by asking.

Andy

Yeah it's the 4.2. I almost bought one that had a converted 6.2 Chevrolet Diesel engine, but I thought it would be better to get this one.

 

[Gary820]

Welcome, nice 80 you've got there.

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

Well I ran an 83 6.2 Chevy Blazer for years before I got my 1st Cruiser. I now run a 98 6.5TD Tahoe as well as my 80 series. I sure wouldn't have minded a look/drive at an 80 with a Chevy diesel in it but there is a real difference in the 6.2 and 6.5 engines in the way they perform. From what I can remember it is not a hard job to convert your carb engine to fuel injection using parts of a 6cyl GMC engine.
Just a thought.

Andy

 

[The 910]

Well I ran an 83 6.2 Chevy Blazer for years before I got my 1st Cruiser. I now run a 98 6.5TD Tahoe as well as my 80 series. I sure wouldn't have minded a look/drive at an 80 with a Chevy diesel in it but there is a real difference in the 6.2 and 6.5 engines in the way they perform. From what I can remember it is not a hard job to convert your carb engine to fuel injection using parts of a 6cyl GMC engine.
Just a thought.

Andy

Yeah. What other mods and accessories would you guys suggest? I kinda like the snorkels, but I don't know which brands are the best quality.

 

[Scott]

Snorkel - are you going to wade through water or drive in very dusty conditions? Fitting a snorkel means drilling holes in the body, so is step that you need to be 100% confident about as it can limit the vehicles appeal if you sell the vehicle at a later date. Safari snorkels have always been a popular brand.

Does your 80 have diff lockers? If not I'd be tempted to have them pretty high up on the list. They make an 80 very capable.

Other mods: 2" suspension lift, quality tyres (not too large if your daily driving) 285/75/16 is a popular size. If your travelling further afield, a rear bumper with spare wheel mount will free up the space under the rear of the truck to fit a long range tank, may be wise with a petrol engine under the hood. Storage system in the rear, drawers and cargo barrier? If you planning on living out of the truck when out on the trials.

One thing to bear in mind is that these trucks are very capable in standard trim, so you don't need to get carried away kitting it out fully, plus all bits that you add, add weight to the truck which hurts your fuel economy and makes the truck work harder hauling its increased weight when off road. Give it some careful thought about how and what your going to do with the truck, and that way you'll end up with the perfect set up for your needs.

Enjoy.