Hello... I've been a Classic Range Rover owner for fifteen years ....
But every time it let me down (frequently) I wondered about getting a 'super-reliable' 80 series Landcruiser.
Well I've just bought one - a 1993 Japanese import VX 4.7 petrol with just 98,ooo miles on her.
I've had it serviced, fitted LPG (with Flashlube for the valve seats), cleaned / treated / repainted all of the chassis and fitted a new stainless exhaust.
All good.
Drives great - just need to have the tracking adjusted and the wheels re-balanced. And looking forward to helping my daughter who works in Hong Kong restore a broken down old farmhouse in Italy.
Lots of space in the back (rear seats out / folded forward) and no problems on those long hot drives south. Not for the truck.
But for me and my wife there's a big one:
The AC doesn't work.
I tried to have it gassed - the condenser is rotten and there's a fracture in the high pressure pipe where its vibrated / rubbed on the rear engine bay bulkhead (it connects to the Evaporator inside the car under the dash). The pump may / may not work but that's replaceable. (Don't know about the AC lines to the rear evaporator which may also be fractured....)
I've bought a condenser and had conversations with helpful chaps who variously say:
* The pipe can't be crimped / soldered or sleeved because its too fragile.
* The pipe can't be by passed by installing a hydraulic rubber AC hose instead because there's no way of removing the nozzle (and O ring) at the end of the pipe where it connects to the evaporator and securely attaching it to the new rubber hose.
* The Evaporator is inaccessible (er - what about through the glove box?).
There appear to be two obvious alternatives to consider but both have inherent problems:
1 - Bypass the original system entirely with modern hydraulic hoses - but what about the connectors into / from the two Evaporators? How to source and attach the connectors without damaging them?
2 - Get hold of (seemingly) intact AC lines from a donor vehicle BUT how to install them in their original position with engine and drivetrain / suspension in the way?
There must be resourceful Landcruiser owners who've encountered similar problems - not least in the white heat of the Outback where AC is a must - so I'm looking for suggestions and inspiration from you guys.
Thanks
Optimistically (there must be a solution other than find another Landcruiser with AC working) yours
Samson
But every time it let me down (frequently) I wondered about getting a 'super-reliable' 80 series Landcruiser.
Well I've just bought one - a 1993 Japanese import VX 4.7 petrol with just 98,ooo miles on her.
I've had it serviced, fitted LPG (with Flashlube for the valve seats), cleaned / treated / repainted all of the chassis and fitted a new stainless exhaust.
All good.
Drives great - just need to have the tracking adjusted and the wheels re-balanced. And looking forward to helping my daughter who works in Hong Kong restore a broken down old farmhouse in Italy.
Lots of space in the back (rear seats out / folded forward) and no problems on those long hot drives south. Not for the truck.
But for me and my wife there's a big one:
The AC doesn't work.
I tried to have it gassed - the condenser is rotten and there's a fracture in the high pressure pipe where its vibrated / rubbed on the rear engine bay bulkhead (it connects to the Evaporator inside the car under the dash). The pump may / may not work but that's replaceable. (Don't know about the AC lines to the rear evaporator which may also be fractured....)
I've bought a condenser and had conversations with helpful chaps who variously say:
* The pipe can't be crimped / soldered or sleeved because its too fragile.
* The pipe can't be by passed by installing a hydraulic rubber AC hose instead because there's no way of removing the nozzle (and O ring) at the end of the pipe where it connects to the evaporator and securely attaching it to the new rubber hose.
* The Evaporator is inaccessible (er - what about through the glove box?).
There appear to be two obvious alternatives to consider but both have inherent problems:
1 - Bypass the original system entirely with modern hydraulic hoses - but what about the connectors into / from the two Evaporators? How to source and attach the connectors without damaging them?
2 - Get hold of (seemingly) intact AC lines from a donor vehicle BUT how to install them in their original position with engine and drivetrain / suspension in the way?
There must be resourceful Landcruiser owners who've encountered similar problems - not least in the white heat of the Outback where AC is a must - so I'm looking for suggestions and inspiration from you guys.
Thanks
Optimistically (there must be a solution other than find another Landcruiser with AC working) yours
Samson