General Chat
Q:
Just wondering about the old Toyota Land Cuiser of the 1970's. Like the style but wonder how it rated against Jeep, Land Rover and other 4 X 4's.
Of course this is opinioned based, but Im sure some have some real experience with this.
Keep this to commercial vehicles, I'm sure there are military vehicles that would be much better - but then I don't know.
So - Gentlemen: Start Your Opinions!
Ed and Jeanne's
ZXelda 1981 280 ZXT: ZXena 1990 300 ZX
1941 Buick Special Sedanette (Betty)
1956 Dodge Royal (Dorothy)
1971 Buick Riviera (Rita)
1975 Ford F-150 Stepside (Fiona)
1992 Firebird (Frieda)
A:
has to be the willy jeep with the cj-5 front end that my brother had- it had a 302 boss mustang engine built to the hilt - it could climb the side of a building. but i think the old landcruisers were a great off road vehicle . they wre probably one of the most dependable of the old 4x4s excluding the military ones that are in a class all by themselves.
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1980 280ZX coupe
2001 maxima
1994 F150 4x4 van works custom truck
170000 and never needed mech repairs
1996 ford explorer -they cant all be good
A:
Still in production in third world countries, they are dead nuts durable!
Chevy Stovebolt Six, woo hoo!
And makes a fun V8 Conversion, too!
I prefer the non-US marketed versions, as they have features (again, like a turbodiesel) that were not offered here, and are really designed for off-road usage.
People Are Idiots, Just look around here and you will see!
Tony D: "Knowledgeable but Caustic"... rationull
My brother from another mother calls himself "Willie D"
A:
wasnt that what they drove thru the jungle in the old tv show DAKTARI ?
____________________________________
1980 280ZX coupe
2001 maxima
1994 F150 4x4 van works custom truck
170000 and never needed mech repairs
1996 ford explorer -they cant all be good
A:
Land cruisers are great. There is nothing a jeep or land rover has on it. All short wheel-base solid axle 4x4's from the 60's and 70's are pretty comprable. Scout II's and Bronco's are a little big though. I like my Patrol, but not everybody can have one. See my page for a little history if you want:
http://strausz.us/patrol/
-----------------------------
81 ZXT 2+2
http://www.strausz.us/zcar/turboswap/
A:
To Tony D. and others interested:
I've always thought the VW Thing (civilian Kooglewagen) with bigger tires and jacked a little higher would make a great woods mud/sand car short of having a 4 X 4: with a winch or come along it wouldn't need the 4 X 4.
I used to have land in East Texas and mud sand and soft dirt were the big problems with getting stuck.
I found simple northern style mud & snow tires did a lot to help traction on the AMC Gremlin I had at the time.
Yea I know - I wasn't into cars then and if I knew now what I didn't know then (1970's) I'd have bought some real great used cars back then.
But back then I didn't have the money or storage space.
Ed and Jeanne's
ZXelda 1981 280 ZXT: ZXena 1990 300 ZX
1941 Buick Special Sedanette (Betty)
1956 Dodge Royal (Dorothy)
1971 Buick Riviera (Rita)
1975 Ford F-150 Stepside (Fiona)
1992 Firebird (Frieda)
A:
I posted a photo of it here before, check it out. I think you will like what you see.
The Kublewagen had several variants, including amphibious and 4WD versions, but was a different vehicle than the 181 thing.
The 181 used the Bus transmission, and is a good offroader when set up properly. You are correct about thewinc, but only partially, if you can GET one, the LSD makes those climb trees. Add a nice torquey stroker motor like a 90.5X82, and they really wake up---some EFI to fuel starvation issues at high angles of approach and you're set!
I almost bought a 181 in Michigan last summer because it's the perfect thing to have at the Cottage on the Beach! not that I couldn't use one here in CA, but I need a car in Michigan that can sit for months at a time (over winter basically, in the basement) and then start right up with only a few minutes prep work. I know VW's do that, my bus did it after several YEARS of storage. A few months is childs play for a VW! LOL
People Are Idiots, Just look around here and you will see!
Tony D: "Knowledgeable but Caustic"... rationull
My brother from another mother calls himself "Willie D"
A:
Thanks Tony - I knew you liked VW and that is some interesting info.
If I could get one She Who Must Be Obeyed (that's Jeanne) would veto it in a heart beat. She just doesn't like the looks.
But at least she agrees we could use a 240Z for fun and a 300ZX 2+2 1st Gen. so grandson can come Z-ing with us.
Can't have everything but what I've got's not bad.
Ed and Jeanne's
ZXelda 1981 280 ZXT: ZXena 1990 300 ZX
1941 Buick Special Sedanette (Betty)
1956 Dodge Royal (Dorothy)
1971 Buick Riviera (Rita)
1975 Ford F-150 Stepside (Fiona)
1992 Firebird (Frieda)
A:
Land Cruisers are awesome! My parents owned one for several years, '82 BJ 60 (the year before power steering was available...ugh) 4cyl diesel (no turbo unfortunately) 4spd. Completely indestructible, drove it across Canada and back across the US with no problems (except the toyota dealer in minnesota couldnt understand how there was a diesel in it lol) and it got 35-40mpg loaded with camping stuff and 4 people all the way. Resale value is insane as well.
L28+megasquirt+turbo=Huge sh!t eating grin (or at least thats what im hoping)
A:
my dad and his friend used to do some off roading in in the late 70s....my dads friend had an old toyota and it was ok as far as durability but wayy too underpowered to do anything serious....my dad usually ended up pulling him out of places with his '76 bronco---the 302s in that thing pretty much have endless possibilities as far as performance modifications go---plus the parts are relatively cheap and definately not hard to find
**********************
1978 280z
5 speed
3-2-1 MSA headers
140,000 original miles
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/585326
A:
There are more compact 4 x 4 out there, but my J-20 with dana's and a t-18 transfer case, cast iron, is pretty tough. It is an all gear setup in the transfer case. She is a tough lookin truck too. Simple locking hubs, 360 cu.in. gas lover. Simple and reliable with an 8ft bed.
That Patrol is one sweet machine, as are the toyotas. I need an one american vechicle tough. Jeep might come out with a pickup again. I could not sell my J-20 for much more than I paid for the 12.5 x33 tires though, add the engine rebuild, brakes........ I'm locked in to her. It looks good standing still, and is a blast to tow a Hobie18 with.
Ying and Yang/ZX and J-20
82 zxt 5-spd, oil cooler!
96 240sxes
78/81 jeep j-20
A:
Speaking of land cruisers, for the 07 model year Toyota is going to start selling what the call an "FJ Crusier". Based on the current Land Cruiser but it's styled after the old FJ40. And it's not going to be marketed as a luxury vehcile.
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Justin T
72 240Z L28, 5-speed
77 280Z 5-speed (t-boned 8-25-04)
80 280ZX automatic(retired)
A:
That mileage is typical with the TurboDiesles as well, save for the fact they have the SAMe horsepower as the Petrol engines, but about THREE TIMES THE TORQUE.
And when you're creeping in compound low through rocks and steering from OUTSIDE the vehicle so you can SEE, that comes in HANDY!
Cruise economy is just insane with any of the TurboDiesels! And if you need the power, it's there. What a nice combination.
Same for the Frontier, BTW. I would have killed to get the 2.7L TD that was available in Mexico (and probably Canada, too) when I bought my wife's 2000. 35mpg, and 170HP with 285 Ft-Lbs of torque. Same horsepower, but GOBS more torque. The next year during the redesign they went to a 3.0L direct injection diesel that was even better.
Getting 35mpg at cruise is FAR better than the petrol engine whic manages 16 to 20mpg at best in combined driving.
One day, I will find the wrecked remnants, and do a conversion, and tell CARB to KMFWHA! And drive with diesel torque to my heart's content.
Oh yeah, and they had cool hood scoops for the top-mounted intercooler, driver adjustable HID Lights for when you load it up to capacity and the lights start shining to the treetops (or you can simply get the base model with H4 Lights in them STANDARD!)
Yeah, we don't get SH*T here as far as automotive stuff that is useful due to litigation and incompetent government regulations meant to dumb it all down for Joe Sixpack who feels he has a RIGHT to drive, and his elected official who thinks he should as well, because that keeps him in the power seat!
People Are Idiots, Just look around here and you will see!
Tony D: "Knowledgeable but Caustic"... rationull
My brother from another mother calls himself "Willie D"
A:
I don't know if it's the best but I think the Mercedes Unimog rates right up there. They do sell them here in the States.
God must love stupid people, he made SOOOOO many of them!
A:
how about the bowler wildcat?
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8292520021453710550&q=top+gear+wildcat
btw, i suck at html sh*t, so keep the asinine comments to yourself. just copy and paste and STFU. the end.
Post Edited (Jan 14, 12:15pm)
A:
how about an old Dodge Power Wagon? top speed of about 45mph, but with a big old I6 and the ultimate granny gear, that thing will either go up, over or throught just about anything.
another good choice and, Im sure I wll get blasted for this, but oh well....
an early 80's nissan pickup. not much on HP, but stick that sucker in 4low and let her fly. I never got mine stuck and it had crappy, almost bald tires! this is in MN when we had REAL winters too....
McAdam
1980 280zx with a mildly ported N47 maxima head, 60mm TB, -C- stamp 256 degree camshaft, and a 2.5inch mandrel bent exhaust. yeah, its quick, and yeah, its a 2+2. NOW with MSandS_E power!
A:
Yeah we have the Unimog here in the states. Go to most Freightliner dealers and you can get literature on one. Don't expect to see many of them though.
Diamler Benz owns Freightliner, that's why the Unimog and the Sprinter are available at the dealers.
ZCAR forum motto:
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
Proverbs 15:22
A:
The sprinter is also sold as Dodges full size van.
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Justin T
72 240Z L28, 5-speed
77 280Z 5-speed (t-boned 8-25-04)
80 280ZX automatic(retired)
A:
The FJ40 will have a turbo diesel? That would be sweet. Maybee Jeep will have one too?
82 zxt 5-spd, oil cooler!
96 240sxes
78/81 jeep j-20
A:
OK here in the Australian Outback, the most common car you will see is the 40, 60 and some 80 series Toyota Landcruisers.... Nissan Patrols, Jeeps, Landrovers and even Bronco's quiet often get rattled to bits during "around australia" trips.
I've heard a handful of horror stories about stuff like leaf springs tearing off and wedging themself up into the floor, bending trailing arms at the same time. - However hardly ever on Landcruisers though, the one story about a 60 series where a shackle broke, the customer just removed it and put the pin directly through the frame. Drove for another 300km to the next major town.
82 (RHD - Aust) 280zx 2+2 T-Top, 17inch GeWalt Wheels 235/45's, MSD 6-BTM, Intake and Exhaust work, Lovells Springs, Koni Shocks, Noltec Bushes - stereo got stolen :(
A:
Injector Cleaning Service
THE FREE ONLINE INDEPENDENT Z STORE
Email me to add your product
A:
CJ-2A hand down (I'm biased :-) 60HP and 5.38 gears. And diehard to boot. When I tore open the trans it came complimentary with a couple pints of water. Ran fine with it too. Originally sold as a tractor replacement after the war.
Older Power Wagons (WDX, B-x-PW series) are great too but are a little underpowered for how much they weigh. These are the ultimate pulling machines (5.83 gears in the axles). Always wanted to put a Cummins 5.9 into one with 4.XX gears. Would be my CJ transport vehicle.
FJ40. If I didn't have a Jeep I'd have one of these. Toyota reliability one cool package. The FJ45's are cool too but much rarer. If you're in Cali there's a shop that restores them and sells them. www.tlc4x4.com Looking at the site makes me want to buy one.
As a side note US GI's field tested a Kubelwagen in North Africa against a Jeep and it was found seriously lacking. However the Schwimmwagen blew the doors off the GPA (our version).
Morgan
1973 240Z 4 screw SU's, Tokico HP's, Toyota Calipers
1946 Willys-Overland CJ-2A (restoration in progress)
2006 Ural Gear-Up
A:
Remember that Ad on the Turbo Diesel Toyota Ute?
I can see that broken shackle: "Oh Bugger!" LOL
Yep, when it gets REAL rough, the FJ series is built to take it. They are amazing. Anywhere you go in the world, you will find them. When they exist in third world countries, you know the got to be tough!
When you get it right, there is no reason to change it!
Just like the VW Beetle, don't spend money on restyling every year, it works, does the job they designed it to do, why bother with cosmetics?
I mean, hey, what can't be fixed with a hammer???
Such is life in the Outback, eh?
That, and all those poisionous crawlies... I think Austrailia's State Bird is a Poisionous Insect of some sort! LOL
People Are Idiots, Just look around here and you will see!
Tony D: "Knowledgeable but Caustic"... rationull
My brother from another mother calls himself "Willie D"
A:
No diesel frontier/xterra in Canada unfortunately, other wise i could probably convince my parents to buy one hehe. I do see more and more TD Hilux's around though....at least some people see the value in importing these great vehiciles...they're all RHD though.
L28+megasquirt+turbo=Huge sh!t eating grin (or at least thats what im hoping)
A:
If I had enough resources to put into an off road truck...I would get a late 60's Kaiser Jeep M715
now thats a real truck
**********************
1978 280z
5 speed
3-2-1 MSA headers
140,000 original miles
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/585326
A:
http://trucks.about.com/od/2005suvreviews/fr/o5_touareg_tdi.htm
VW Toureg V10 twin turbo diesel... mmm hmmmmmmmm
_____________________________________________
'05 350Z Chrome Silver Touring
'73 240Z
Post Edited (Jan 15, 5:26pm)
A:
I'd take one all decked out for Dakar
L28+megasquirt+turbo=Huge sh!t eating grin (or at least thats what im hoping)
A:
Yeah that's something I don't get TonyD. VW didn't change the basic Beetle design for what - 25 years. And it did great. Jeep didn't change the basic CJ-5 design for 28 years. Both models were cancelled because of declining sales. Only then was a new model brought out. Why is there a need now to bring out a new model every friggin 2-3 years? Annoys the hell out of me.
Guess that's why I'm not the CEO of a big car manufacturer.
Morgan
1973 240Z 4 screw SU's, Tokico HP's, Toyota Calipers
1946 Willys-Overland CJ-2A (restoration in progress)
2006 Ural Gear-Up
A:
Try 70 years, willys! Designed 1934, full production started after the war for commercial usage, but remianed unchanged in basic form and function till production ceased in Mexico in 2004!
They went water cooled because they wanted to change image, and it almost killed the company. They successfully marketed in Europe as a "Luxury" Marque, and from there they had to make it work here like that as well...
The cool stuff they sold overseas is much more to my liking compared to what they have available here in the USA!
Another icon: 911. Need I say more? If you got it right, EVOLOUTION, not REVOLUTION is what you need!
People Are Idiots, Just look around here and you will see!
Tony D: "Knowledgeable but Caustic"... rationull
My brother from another mother calls himself "Willie D"
A:
My fault. Somehow I forgot the Beetle was a prewar development.
1973 240Z 4 screw SU's, Tokico HP's, Toyota Calipers
1946 Willys-Overland CJ-2A (restoration in progress)
2006 Ural Gear-Up
Post Edited (Jan 18, 9:12am)
A:
Nice pic, that is what my J-20 is based on.
82 zxt 5-spd, oil cooler!
96 240sxes
78/81 jeep j-20