Alaska to Patagonia '93 FZJ80 Build/Adventure Thread

[north2south]

After spending 5 months in China studying the language and backpacking I returned to college having caught a sever case of travel itch. I knew no big trips would be possible during the last year and a half of school but afterwards was free and clear.
I had already decided that I would do a big trip before I started any sort of career or continue on to grad school. Inspired by my parents globe trotting in their youth I have always been fascinated with long distance and long term travel. In addition I have always wanted to visit Patagonia/Terra Del Fuego. What better combination of these things then a multi month (perhaps even a year) trip from the top of one continent to the bottom of the other. (Alaska has also always been the epitome of adventure in my mind)

After about two seconds of research it became clear that the only vehicle to be considered for a trip like this is Landcruiser. From that point the search was on. After about 4 months of diligent searching, self education, and hearing "Sorry I just sold it" way too many times I found a low miles '93 FZJ80 that fit my budget.



Year:1993
Miles at purchase :163,011
Current Miles:163,283
No Lockers
Clean interior

In the last three weeks of ownership I have:
Replaced the radiator with a new one. OEM 2-core brass
Removed the running boards and trailer hitch.

This weekend I'm planing on replacing the valve cover gasket, air filter, and fixing a stiff accelerator peddle.




It needs some TLC (pun intended) and then of course the mods.
The plan as it stands is a 2.5" OME lift and Larger tires
Slider, Front and Rear Bumpers
Drawer system and sleeping deck (roof tent is being considered seeing as I am rather tall)
Long range gas tank
Have to do something about the paint
I have other ideas but cost and time permitting we will see what happens.

I will be updating this thread as often as I can do work or take her out for some off-road fun.

 

[mph]

Good for you...congrats on your graduation...yeah, the real life can wait! Enjoy your travels and good luck!

 

[peneumbra]

Be sure to sample all the local beers. Well, not while you're driving, of course...

 

[coax]

Sounds like a great trip. I just got back from 6 months in south america in my 80; happy to give you a few thoughts on vehicle specific mods if you like regarding what I liked/didn't about my setup. Shoot me a PM if you like.

 

[JKU87]

That sounds awesome and best of luck. I'll be following this thread for sure.

 

[sslanina]

Sounds like an awesome adventure! I have a '94 Fzj80 that I am planning on driving from Arizona up to Alaska in the next year or so, cant wait to get up there! Have fun with the build

 

[zelseman]

Sounds like a great plan! What are your expected travel dates? Are you going alone? I only ask because I am extremely jealous as this is on my dream trip list.

 

[AZBuman]

Sounds like fun, something I would love to do once Uncle Sam releases me in 8 years!! Have a great time and enjoy the process.

 

[Arktikos]

Consider getting the OEM auxilary fuel tank instead of a long ranger. Cheaper, though it will still be expensive, probably a more reliable route to go and you will retain the stock location for your spare. After all, a good spare is important but you don't want it bumper mounted in the way of rear access, do you? I would keep the truck stock height for the trip, then jack it up when you get home for the macho look. For a paint job, if you must, maybe wait until on the way home to get it done. Probably a good deal can be found south of the border.

 

[Upland80]

Make sure the front axles are sound, the entire cooling system is in good shape, and baseline all fluids. After that a lift, sliders, and tires would be my first choice for mods. Bumpers are cool looking, but if you're not yet employed, they may be out of financial reach (just assuming here). Long range tank is a very expensive and involved project. If the paint is really bad you could Monstaline the entire truck. Many people do this themselves and it looks decent. Great choice in rig...looking forward to reading about your adventure!

 

[north2south]

Valve cover gasket replacement and learning about the car.

After replacing the radiator and my first post I haven't had much time to work on my LC because of school & finals. But once I got done with those responsibilities I rewarded my self by replacing the Valve cover gasket.
This was a rather larger undertaking for me and the deepest I've ever been in an engine. After consulting a few pages from an FSM for the engine and getting OEM parts from a dealership I dove right in (Oh and I borowed a torque wrench).

Below are a few pictures of my engine. I had a lot of fun just getting to a point where I could reach all of the bolts. The old seal and spark plug seals were brittle and snapped like twigs just getting them out.



The new OEM spark plug seals used a slightly different desing than the original ones but I think I managed to get them properly alligned.

I had origianlly intended to replace the spark plugs too but I got a late start and at about 9 PM I just wanted to be done and go have dinner.

I finally finished at 10:30 after a few unexpected troubles. Mainly the hoses for the Pressure Control System breaking, snapping, and falling apart. I ended up pilfering some bicycle pump hose to use until the next day when I could get propper parts (I think I will do ok in South America without a Pepboys on every corner). I also had to drive that night so I couldnt have waited until moring.

Next on the to-do list is sparkplugs, steam cleaning the bottom of the car, and passing smog.

One of the main reasons I replaced the Valve Cover Gasket is that it was impossible to tell if anything else was leaking oil. The whole undercarage is covered in 20 years of road gunk and the leak wasn't helping any. Once I get it cleaned up a bit, working underneath her will be a lot cleaner and I will be able to tell what else might be leaking oil (and from where).

Passing SMOG in Califronia should be fun.

Wish me luck,

Josh

 

[Dan Grec]

... I have always wanted to visit Patagonia/Terra Del Fuego. What better combination of these things then a multi month (perhaps even a year) trip from the top of one continent to the bottom of the other. (Alaska has also always been the epitome of adventure in my mind)....

I made the same trip a few years back - you're in for an awesome time!

You'll stuggle to do it in anything less than a year - it's a LOT of driving and the logistics slow you down quite a bit.
You'll want to think about the seasons too - if you do it in a year, you'll hit winter at one end or the other, which you don't really want to do.
18 months is the natural timeline most people find themselves doing - it's a good pace and you skip winter the entire time.

When are you coming North? I'm in Whitehorse, Yukon if you want to grab a beer.

Also, you're going to find http://wikioverland.org extremely helpful for the requirements for each country

-Dan

 

[The_Dude]

See how much armor you can forgo unless you are planning on serious trails. Some sliders may be necessary. You can put a winch behind a stock front bumper. What are you planning on carrying on the rear? These pigs get crappy mileage as is. I bought a bolt on rear tire carrier instead of a full on bumper and saved $1500+ dollars. Every buck back in your wallet means more fun on the trip.

Also in Central America a built up rig will stick out like a sore thumb compared to a stock looking one. Don't want to put a sign out that says come rob me.

Subscribed.

 

[BajaRunner]

Passing smog in California isn't bad because it is an all wheel drive. They only do the idle test. Never had a problem.

 

[PabloVTA]

careful when you steam clean the under carriage, stay out of the O2 Sensors, and the wires to them should be wrapped while you are getting under there. Vibrations could rub thru and cause issues.

I've done mine twice, once a guy at a car wash used a mix of hot steam, and a bit of diesel fuel...stunk like hell, but it was shiny when done. Makes working on the axles and doing knuckle re-builds a whole lot less greasy. A simple green bottle and a lawn sprinkler placed under there will do it as well.

you in So Cal?