Hi there, Andre Bal is joining this club

[Balsan]

My name is Andre Bal, born in 1963 in Amsterdam
My Cruiser: bit of a story, havent got one yet and I am searching to buy one to allow me to do some long range and off-road adventuring. Got hooked on Land cruisers during my 2016 Afrika self drive safari and now i want one of my own. Will probably taken some time for me to get it equipped to my requirements, but I see it as a project.

My absolute favorite is the 78 series, but in Europe they are very hard to get, and even more difficult to import into the Netherlands.

I am currently looking at a series 80 from 1995, with only 99.600 KM on it. It used to be in possession of a Belgium Fire fighters department. IT is in superb condition. Let wait and see if this is going to be mine. My LC must have the legendary 1HZ engine, nothing else. It is equipped with a frontbumper with integrated Warn winch. I have added some uploaded foto's of the vehicle.

I want the following modifications, and will have them done by a professional specialist:
Larger tire size (to get more ground clearance)
5 cm Lift with heavy duty suspension
Body protection underneath
Water tank and long range fuel tank (or 2nd one)
BG Goodrich AT tires
Drawer system with bed extension
2nd battery system and electricity points at the back.

In the end, this cruiser must be an overlander that gets me everywhere I want to go. I like nature (wildlife photography is one of my hobbies), so the LC must me bring to places I could otherwise not get.

As a youngster I drove about any vehicle, and last years Afrika safari (Rwanda, Congo and Uganda) got me hooked on off roading through rough terrain and its beautiful nature

I wil use this forum as an additional source of info that can help me realize my Landcruiser project.

 

[GeekOKent]

Welcome to the club. And i hope you find one that works for you.

Take a look at the 80's section, Chris did a great series of posts on what to look for when looking for a 80.

The Belgian fire department is an interesting venue to look for an 80

 

[clivehorridge]

Hi Andre, welcome to the forum.

I've posted my thoughts on the "80 weaknesses" post you have running.

Surprised that you prefer the 1HZ engine most folks want at least the 1HD.

I'm not sure you'll need axle lockers, but it didn't look as though the one you're looking at has them, I couldn't see the dash rotary switch that operates the stock electrically operated lockers.

You can retrofit air lockers though, if you do think you need them, but it's expensive. I still think the asking price is too high on the white one, but again, it does look like mint condition.

 

[StarCruiser]

Hi Andre and welcome. You've come to the right place to help you in your quest. I hope you find your ideal cruiser in good time. The white one is mint by the looks of it but it's a lot of money. look forward to seeing whichever truck becomes yours.
Best wishes
Richard

 

[Firewout]

hi André,
if you like the 78, then just be patient; they pop up for sale now and then. if you want the newer wide body model, expect a long wait because they are much in demand by enthousiasts like you. btw they are still being made so you could buy a new one. http://www.extremfahrzeuge.com/land-cruiser-j7/hzj78-grj78/preise-ausstattungen.html
If you go for the 80, then please consider the 24v HDJ engine. it is also very reliable and with this engine, the truck will drive so much nicer.
I have both the hzj75 and the 24v hdj80. driving the hzj is like driving a small truck, driving the 24v hdj is like driving a big car.
the 80 handles rough terrain better than the 75/78 but the 78 is better suited to be converted to an overlander (pop top roof etc). A hzj76 could also be a good choice. the rear side doors give a much easier access to the gear inside the truck.
If you pass by Antwerp, come to my place for a coffee and you can have a test drive in both the 75 and the 80.