Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them

Where's the best place for LHD 80's

Wow, after seeing these prices, I think I did well to get my 1995 euro spec 80 for €8k 10 years ago...
 
denboy said:
Trying to get something that I know will work everywhere. As I mentioned I could just go out and get a new troopie truck and start with that - HZ version I'd have to turbo to get the power... not 100% on that but I know they do work and people have used them for 1000's of miles etc. Also seen the horror pictures of badly done versions with cracked heads etc.

I will be gutting the crap outa it and starting again and it won't be a 3 month at a time overland truck - this will be a long term travel live inside build as I want to away for probably the best part of 18 months.

plus you are limited to where you can go when it comes down to tracks and villages.

So I will be trawling around the web looking for a good LHD 24v TD 80 - AC, diff locks etc. Like I said I'm in no rush.
Click to expand...

Hi Denboy, The HZ with turbo does have issues due the fact that the engine was never designed to work with a turbo. If you fit a 'tropical' radiator and make sure there is nothing interfering with the air flow to the radiator, eg spotlamps, number plate etc, additionally have temperature sensor for water and exhaust and it should be ok. If the temp rises just slow down. A Swiss couple we met had one and after fitting the tropical radiator he had no problems there after with over heating.

With regards to tourists with RHD it is an exception that it is impossible to enter the country. We have just spent 2 years traveling central and south America and the only problem we had was Costa Rica where the insurance company said we could not get in, the police had no problem but we needed to have insurance before entering. Since then we have met a few other travelers with RHD and they had no problems. San Salvador is the only country in Central and South America that does not allow RHD BUT if you contact San Salvador Land Rover club they can arrange 'permission'. The Land Rover club also took up our predicament with Costa Rica and found that the insurance company had no right to refuse and Costa Rica has no issues with tourist RHD's. A lot of Central and South American countries have made it illegal to register a RHD vehicle, this was to stop people importing Japanese cars. Chile was cited to have problems at some borders, we crossed around 10 times between Argentina and Chile and had no problem at any of them. We have also traveled across Asia visiting most of the Stan's and Siberia and had no problem at all with the vehicle being RHD. Only negative things have been mentioned about having a RHD in LHD countries but I have found a very good positive one, that is when driving on narrow mountain roads, it is easier to judge how close you can drive to the drop off or the cliff, when passing oncoming locals who never slow down! This only works when the authorities don't change the official side of the road to drive on!, from memory we came across one in Bolivia.

How are you planning your living arrangements, inside or in a tent?

Stephen
 
denboy said:
Landcruiser HDJ80 24VALVE 190000km automaat

Bewaar
€ 22.000,00

Jezzz - they are having a laugh....I'm looking at RHD to LHD conversion kits and make some dosh....
Click to expand...

A LHD British car would not command that sort of price as the Europeans know we use salt on our roads and will be a rust bucket, in their eyes.

Stephen
 
Allchin said:
How are you planning your living arrangements, inside or in a tent?

Stephen
Click to expand...

Steven - Thanks for the comments - I am looking at live inside only - I currently have roof tent (HTT) see photo - and while happy to do 6 or 8 week trips with that - this would be 6 or 8 months worth. So live inside is the only thing I'd consider - both for comfort and security.

I've told the wife this would my last trip away (crossed fingers behind my back) so I need to make it worthwhile. For this to work comfortably for me I'm looking around for a new LHD truck to convert. I've considered a brand new one (Troopie - more space) but not liking the current engines offered. (euro6 v8D engines or the 1HZ) - I know Toms (and others) do a very good conversion on the HZ but I've shy'd away as I have also seen the damage caused by the conversion if not done properly. I'm also considering a new troopie (HZ) and dumping the engine and sticking a refurb'd 1HD-FT in it - as I move this forward I'll make my mind up.

I'm a bit fussy with my engine choices as I know that I will be highly dependent on them. I like the 24v 1hd-ft as I've severely hammered mine at times and it's always hung together and it's just the comfort factor I like - yes I do understand they can all go wrong at sometime or other. Another consideration for me is the high sulpher fuel is different countries and the issue this causes on some of the modern engines so I'm going backwards (in years) on engine choice.

I'm in no rush - my timing for this was 2017 in my current truck but happy to spend a year and the money required to get this correct for a 2018 June/July start in a new refurbished truck. I'm getting on a bit in years now and want to do this trip before I get to damn old to do it - and enjoy it.

I've looked at Toms Trucks - Custom Campers etc. and like them a lot, very nice and good facilities for a single traveler - so that's the direction I'll probably go. I've crawled all over one, both inside and underneath to see how it was put together and done a nice little test drive in one.... very nice. Driving a LHD truck in the UK was strange though...

As I've had this done this twice already - had it built once - totally trashed it in Libya and had to get it all rebuild again (good opportunity to take out the crap that didn't work) without the wife knowing about it (else she would never let me out again) - so I have a good idea of what I want, need and what actually works.

I've even looked at larger (much) trucks but moved off that track when I saw one guy spending 2 hours digging himself out of mud that a Toyota would not have sunk into... and another 2 hours to change a wheel that he couldn't lift without a base pad. Plus you are severely hampered on where you can go with a large truck - hard to park in a campsite sometimes... and hard to get through a town center with small streets. I've looked at the 6 wheel Multi Drive extended Toyota chassis etc and discounted them as I don't need that space (another reason why the big trucks got canned)...

RHD in S America - yes I've heard it's not a problem - sometimes - and others it's 'the computer says no'. As this is such a one off trip for me I just don't want the additional issue (there will be enough of them elsewhere I'm sure) of a discussion at a boarder crossing. Plus a lot of the other countries I'll be passing through will be LHD anyway... so it will just make my life easier anyway... AUS and NZ being the exception..

Ho-humm - The thread delivered in so much that I got some good web site links and some good comments (yours included) on the question and requirements..

Thanks - Denis
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them
Denis,

Here's a link to a South African based forum I'm a part of where a guy converted his 1HZ powered Troopy to a 1HD-T engine, and then kitted it out as a serious 2 person overloading rig. He might give you some ideas: http://landcruiserclub.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=104&t=42043&hilit=Troopy+conversion

BTW, I've seen you say you're not to keen on the modern 4.5 diesel V8, but living here in Angola where our sulfur content is well above 5000ppm, I've seen the LC200 4.5TTD V8 perform flawlessly. Everyone seems to drive them here. Toyota Gibraltar sells them here as well, but strangely won't sell the single turbo 4.5 V8 powered 70 series as the injectors are tuned for 50ppm only. Saying that, a friend of mine did a transworld trip, traversing every continent including Antarctica in a 4.5 V8 single turbo 70 series. He used every type of diesel imaginable and never had problem. Just changed the oil and fuel filters at 5,000km religiously.

Sounds like you're gonna have a great time either way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
FOR SALE WITH NEARLY NEW ENGINE
Replies
8
Views
465
CARROT CRUNCHER
C
M
‘97 80 series intro
Replies
19
Views
1K
frank rabbets
frank rabbets
D
For Sale Land Cruiser 80
Replies
3
Views
1K
Tachycardic
Tachycardic
J
Looking for help with 90 LBJ failure damage and rear axle swap.
Replies
0
Views
486
Jamtland90
J
J
Looking for help with 90 LBJ failure damage and rear axle swap.
Replies
10
Views
517
Jamtland90
J
Back
Top