Hello Toyota World

[mllbrown]

I cannot believe it has taken me this long to find this place!

I have driven (or been driven in) a Toyota since my Mum got a RA40 Celica in 1978. The one with the round headlights and chrome bumpers. Kicking myself we ever let that car go.

Currently I drive a 80 Series GXL Landcruiser (1997) and my wife drives a 2006 Camry.

Looking forward to getting some Cruiser suggestions as I plan to purchase an 80 Series DX as soon as my wife permits. Plan to do it up over three or four years for the grand tour. My wife wants to get a 79 Series for this, but I would prefer to go highly customised DX, she says I would never be able to insure the DX for what I am planning on putting into it, she is right of course. Not sure that that is the point at the end of the day however.

Chat with you soon.

[jeffy]

Welcome to the club dude :] !

[CROCO]

Hi michael, glad you found the forum mate, your wife is right , but if you buy the 80 dx over the 79, you will have more money for acceccories and money to travel, I think in my oppinion the best mods for 80 series would be a good suspension kit to improve the ride and handling, a duel battery system for powering a fridge and remote starting resurence out in the bush, a good snorkel for driving on dusty roads and allows the engine to breath cool clean air and making river crossing safer, stops the engine taking a gulp of water preventing engine damage, some good quality tyres and wider wheels for more road holding and grip on gravel and muddy roads and a quality uhf radio for car to car communication, I think I have covered the basis even a good gps whouldnt go astray either, I hope this helps mate, thats all the mods I would put on the 80, you might be different, only way is have a chat to a 4wd accesory supplier, they would know the sort of accesories that you would need, when you tell the sort of traveling your going to do in the 80, anyway mate good luck with getting it past missus :) , look forward chatting to you in the future buddy.

[mllbrown]

Thanks Croco.

I was thinking of spending an insane amont of money and putting in a Chev 6.5L Turbo Diesel, ARB Air lockers, rear wheel carrier, front bar, winch as well as kitting out the interior with new seats, roof console, rear storage etc. Even a new paint job on one of these is around $20K I am told (That is one quote I got for my current 80 series, would seriously look around).

I am thinking of the Polaris GPS as it can load the Hema maps as well as have forward and rear facing cameras in the one unit. Probably look at a GME TX3250 for comms for the mounting options.

I estimate that the cost of the 80 series DX done the way I want it would be not too far shy of the 79 Series. I believe from people I trust that the 80 Series is about the strongest Landcruiser around so was wanting to stick with that, plus I do not like the shape of the 100 & 200 series).

[Pah]

Welcome to the club mate

[CROCO]

Hi michael, $20000 isnt to bad for everything,I think I read somewhere that the 6.5 chev conversion alones that sort of money,I have good and bad stories about 6.5 chev conversions, I have read people having overheating issues and reliability problems aswell, but I read guys that have done the conversion absolutly love them, I think theres a few guys on the 4wd action forums that have the 6.5 conversion, I not sure if the factory toyota turbo diesel conversion any cheaper, but aleast you get toyota reliability, and parts avaliable out in the middle of no where, you could always turbo the 1hz, as long as its in good nick.

the 79 series are great utes, but the factory 6 cylinder turbo diesels are pricy, there not much cheaper than the later v8 turbo diesels, but I always had a soft spot for the 80 series, I was going to buy one years ago, I use to drewl over them when I was growing up as a teenager, but never got around to buying one, the factory turbo diesel in the 79and 100 series are considered by many as the best engine ever produced, they will last for ever, the only way I reckon is if your serious about the 6.5 chev is have a look over on the 4wd action or other 4wd sites and see the pros and cons of fitting that particular engine, anyway see how you go mate.