what are your long term plans for your 80?

[chapel gate]

I dont mean overland builds, off road builds etc etc.

The 80, and indeed most of its owners are getting older now. They are taking that little bit more to keep on the road. The mechanics are pretty easy to sort and once done with genuine parts are good again in general for the next 200000 miles/15 years. The old rust is the killer, and the hardest thing to keep on top of imo. I know a few people on this forum have moved on to 100s. On mud some have put there 80 into retirement and gone on to more modern creature comforts.

At the moment i still want to keep mine forever and maybe be buried in it. In the next couple of years it will be having a full respray. To keep it as long as i envisage within the next five i hope to have the body off and the chassis galvanised. Money well spent imo, what else could i get for 5k for example?

so what are your long term plans? Run the old girl into the ground, break her and move onto the next 10 year old toyota? Sell your mint 80 in a couple of years and get a three year old hilux?

Or are you a lifer, doing whatever is necessary to keep the best all round 4x4 evermade in road worthy condition..?

 

[Paul]

I have had a few now, tried the 100 route but seem to end up back in an 80, while the 100 is nice and was an improvement I suppose, my last 80 owned in the UK was the longest ownership of any vehicle I have ever had and now find myself back in one again, as said, mechanicals are relatively easy to sort but the body is the issue which I am finding out now. There is a certain sense of satisfaction keeping an old girl on the road and will be used for towing and camping trips so base lining for reliability is key for me.

 

[Josh Tagg]

In my experience having started with a complete shed I've learnt that everything that does go on these things which is basically just rust in various places. All metal work can be repaired or re-made, it does take time and is a skilled job but there is people out there who can do it. There's nothing on these that fail that can't be repaired, on modern vehicles that I normally work on you find that stupid stuff like the wipers don't work but instead of just being a motor it's a control unit that controls 5 things and costs £2000...... you don't get these kind of issues on an 80!

The easiest option for you lot who have decent looking 80s with good bodies and chassis just lather it in waxoyl every year and change the filters-i can't see a reason why it won't out live us then

 

[stumog]

I would only replace my 80 with a 105 nothing else will ever come close to what these cruiser are capable of.

In my history I have had all kinds of 4x4 and it seems it's certainly the most versatile of them all.

 

[nick_the_fish]

I'm a lifer for sure.

+ 1 on the Waxol. I had mine done 5 or 6 years ago and its still covering everything other than the bits that have been replased. Best money i ever spent

 

[Ben Stratford]

Im fefinitely a lifer but with a 60. Rust is the issue too. Spent £5k last year replacing lots of the back end. Also want to take the body off and do the chassis properly. But will need a second car for that job. Perhaps another 80.

 

[kingtom]

80 till I die!

 

[clivehorridge]

I seem to tick most of the "boxes" mentioned above.

It's more a frame of mind, than it is about vehicles IMO.

Anyone that reads my posts will realize I'm a confirmed "lifer", but I've only ever owned one 80, and that's not a real one, as pointed out by Chris... because it's a Euro spec and an HZJ... humfff.

I don't care, it's the love of my life second only to my daughter (sorry wife) and as with Josh, mine was a shed when I bought it at 11 years old, 11 years ago.

I didn't diligently baseline it as other more professional 80 owners have on this forum, but I've steadily fixed most of its issues over the years, and I'm at a stage now that its mechanically tip-top, although the electrics are still a bit suspect, even though improved from when I first got it, and I don't need or want to do any more to it, except maintain it as it is.

I too agree with Josh that metal is metal and can be replaced. It takes skills that I don't have, but I've been lucky to find a local guy with those skills at the right price,

I haven't waxoyled (or similar) mine, which I may live to regret, who knows? I squib oil in the chassis rails from time to time and trust that this creeps around retarding any inner-box "activity" as it goes.

Time will tell. As with the op CG, I'm up for being buried in mine...

I'm also of the view that the only better Toyota Land Cruiser is the 105, but if they're anything like the pictures of some of the 100s I've seen, then I'll happily stay with my 80, because the 80s steel appears to be much more resistant to road salt than some 100s.

Here, the winters are harsh and long, -20C is not unusual, and there's ice around from November to April. I give mine a regular chassis and underside clean, winter and summer, with a petrol driven portable 5,000psi jet wash, which I'm sure helps. I also have it jet washed locally, maximum every 2-3 weeks, and I've trained the guy there to keep the arches clean and those usual areas that trap mud.

Although the winter can be harsh here, summers are 40C plus, hot and dry and the air here is way less humid all year round generally, than the UK islands, damp all the time (with few exceptions). That's the real killer IMO, damp mud with added salt, and often unwashed because it's a tough 4x4, a mistake IMO.

It's steel and paint after all of some sort or another, both prone to chipping and allowing rust.

Nice thread, I could type all day on this one.

 

[Gary820]

Keep it a few years, replace with a hilux most likely. Have been looking at new ones to buy as the family car alongside the 80.

 

[Shayne]

I would love to buy a new 4x4 but they simply don't make them any more , fair play Toyota probably still makes the best rolling laptop but you can't fix it with a precision hammer .

 

[Gary Stockton]

Lifer. Its my 3rd 80 series. The 100 and 200 look lovely but I don't 2want one. Well, maybe a 1HD-FTE transplant if the current engine goes bang.

Long term - body off re-build, repair / replace the rusty bits (tailgate showing the regular signs now) and keep it 100%

My daughter wants to take it back to Africa lol. Fat chance.... I know I should not get attached - it's just a 'thing' - but I can't help it....

 

[Chas]

After 35 vehicles inc three 80's my present 80 is a keeper, whatever needs doing gets done, usually by Julian V.
If it got written off, accident, fire or stolen, I would probably have a look at a 105, although I have zero knowledge of them, just going by other peoples comments.
I think I posted ages ago, like others have mentioned, being buried in it sounds good to me.
Getting advanced in years now probably means fewer, if any, overland trips in the future, but I just like driving the beast, even just to Sainsburys.

 

[Michael Montgomery]

Hold on guys my short term plans haven't materialized yet even though it been 6 years.....lol

My original plan was to repair / restore the vehicle back to its best as new even though I never knew the vehicle as new.

I've spent many hundreds of hours invested in the vehicle and many more still I'm sure. Having never worked on a vehicle this has been a good learning bench.

Here in Cyprus rust is not a issue but buying parts are so these can add up with shipping costs and delays.

As for long term hopefully I get it to a place whereby I'm happy with the vehicle enough to just enjoy it with long touring travels of endless road both on & off road.

It not something I'm interested in selling and even it's not my daily driver anymore I plan to keep it as a second car.

Interesting wonderful topic thank you.

 

[Chris]

Probably best I just keep quiet

 

[chapel gate]

Im fefinitely a lifer but with a 60. Rust is the issue too. Spent £5k last year replacing lots of the back end. Also want to take the body off and do the chassis properly. But will need a second car for that job. Perhaps another 80.

Yeah im after the back up motor too for the big refurb. Would be handy too for them late sunday night jobs trying to get everything back together for work monday morning..

I would only replace my 80 with a 105 nothing else will ever come close to what these cruiser are capable of.

In my history I have had all kinds of 4x4 and it seems it's certainly the most versatile of them all.

So your sticking with it stu? Keeping her on the road no matter what?

ive enjoyed reading these replys, nice to know many of you are in it for the long haul.

 

[chapel gate]

Probably best I just keep quiet

No its not. Speak up man!

 

[Gary820]

He's already got his hilux in the fleet!

 

[stumog]

I am having problems with my ankle at the no so.may need a auto.

Not sure what I will do of that's the case.

 

[chapel gate]

He's already got his hilux in the fleet!

 

[chapel gate]

I am having problems with my ankle at the no so.may need a auto.

Not sure what I will do of that's the case.

Youll suss it mate.