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buying a tlc

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nomad
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Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 52
Location: WEST LONDON

PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:51    Post subject: buying a tlc Reply with quote

hi all, thinking about buying a tlc for overlanding to capetown and back,although the trip is not on for another year and half
i think i ought to buy now as to get to know the car better.i'll love to buy a bj 70 or similar but are very hard to find in uk so i've set my heart on hj 60 simply cos it's non turbo engine also i feel it's the one i can put on a popup roof for sleeping inside'
wife not very keen to sleep on the outside (not even in a roof tent) anybody done this before? i like the amazon but am afraid of turbo and other electrical things on car that could go wrong.would be gratefull for any help
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jvoelcker
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 1039
Location: Nr Ledbury, Herefordshire. UK

PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:11    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your best bet is to go for an 80 series.

The 60's are few and far between and you will struggle to find a good clean version with little or no rust.

Yes the 80s have turbos and some electrics, however they are Toyota turbos and electrics, NOT Land Rover ones - so infinitely more reliable.  As long as the vehicle is well serviced before the trip you should be fine.

I know of several 80s and even 100s that have either done the same trip, are doing it now or are planning to do it - the only problems I have come across have always come down to poor maintenance (i.e. not checking wheel bearings) or overloading, so self inflicted.
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Cheers,

Julian
1994 HDJ80, with loads of mods without looking too obscene Smile
1997 KZJ95 - Gilly's - plain black and muddy on BFG ATs.
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nomad
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Joined: 10 Jul 2008
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Location: WEST LONDON

PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:26    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks jvoelcker for your reply the reason i'm thinking about 60 series apart from being non turbo &electric free is the more square shape of the vehicle which would be better for a pop up roof,also i'm not very mechanically minded,just the basics.
nomad
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jvoelcker
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: Nr Ledbury, Herefordshire. UK

PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:41    Post subject: Reply with quote

So are you wanting to build a pop up roof, similar to the old VW campers?

At the end of the day I wouldn't have thought the roof shape would make a massive amount of difference - you will no doubt have to do some shuttering between the sides of the frame and the roof line with a 60 anyway and just a bit more for the 80.

Unless you are cutting the whole of the roof away, you may also have problems with the ribbed roofline of some 60s.

I would still recommend the 80 route.
_________________
Cheers,

Julian
1994 HDJ80, with loads of mods without looking too obscene Smile
1997 KZJ95 - Gilly's - plain black and muddy on BFG ATs.
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toafrica
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Joined: 12 Dec 2007
Posts: 157
Location: Dorking

PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 13:19    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nomad,

I am also doing a trans-africa down the East coast (of Africa) either in November 08 or March 09, and had similar thoughts to you.
I ended up getting a Colorado (95 Series) with the D4-D engine with Auto box. Was advised against it by Matt Savage who said take an 80!! You can't get 60's anymore, and if you do get an imported new one (from Japan), they are illegal to drive in the EU due to not meeting the emmissions stuff.

I am finding that kitting it out is horrendously expensive compared to Land Rovers, but am sticking to my guns. I am having to import loads of stuff from SA - only to drive it back there Smile
Don't worry about the shape of the roof etc. the Colorado has a 'slopy' roof which I thought would be a problem but as it turns out it is not that big a deal - you do get screwed over for roof racks tho (thus importing at a fraction of the cost) -and everything else to be honest - look at some of my previous threads on the 90 Series forum - gives you an idea.
I would be concerned with cutting the roof though - surely you are going to weaken the integrity of the vehicle??
The vehicle will be twisting and shaking a LOT, and the dust ingress will almost certainly be a worry as well.

Try talk the other-half into trying out a roof tent - I had one on my Landy and it was great waking up looking out over the ocean from a perched position. You will lose a lot of space in the back as well, as you will have to get inside the vehicle to get into the tent - try getting into the back when it's empty let alone full of everything. If you have a pop-up tent like that you probably be carrying some fuel inside, and the fumes or smell will get into the tent. You also lose carrying capacity on the roof, so this means you have to stick tyres on the back door or on bumper carriers and they are EXPENSIVE - like £1200 for a dual wheel carrier.
Don't mean to offload - I've been down this road in the last few months - just sharing ideas...

I seriously toyed with the idea of buying a 60 in SA, or shipping mine out to SA and driving it back as kitting it out down there is soooooo cheap..
Will tell you how I get on with the electric toy  - I was also nervous of taking something with so much electrics in it, but they guys on here have convinced me 'it'll be fine' so I can blame them it is all goes horribly wrong in Sudan Smile

I must say I do love the truck now, and it's got tons more power than a Landy, and is no slouch either - handy for rapidly departing gun fights  Twisted Evil

Good luck.....
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nomad
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Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 52
Location: WEST LONDON

PostPosted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 22:17    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks jvoelcker and toafrica for words of wisdom,it's nice to know that there are other people out there having the same  


dillema ,having driven a 1989 nissan sunny 1.3ltr nobody would have given me £50.for all the way to ullanbatter in mongolia

last year with no prep apart from 5 ply van tyres and std new shocks,i still can't get my head around to how expensive

everything is hopefully i'll live with it.

once again thanks alot

nomad
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ChrisC
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Joined: 18 Nov 2006
Posts: 75
Location: West Malling, Kent

PostPosted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 0:34    Post subject: Choices, choices,................ Reply with quote

Hi Nomad

I would agreed with most of what has been said:

70 series - if you can find a proper 75/78/79 they are awesome trucks but almost non-existent in the UK, the Long wheelbase we have here are mostly imported from abroad and run 2.4 or 3.0 td engines - not sure the 2.4 has a good reputation. The rest of the 70,s found in the UK are swb and might be too small.

60 series - great truck, however most here in the UK will be rusty and many have not been looked after mechanically. So fine if you can fine a good one, but beware!

80 series - mightily capable, comfortable and as long as its prepped correctly should give you long mechanical troubles along the way - turbo diesel is superb engine, and thousands are used all over the world.
This would be my choice and my recommendation, would also have the largest selection of 'kit' available here in the UK and poss elsewhere. Last but not least there are plenty of them here in the UK.

90 series, (Prado/Colorado) - similar to LWB 70 Prado, but more modern, my fear would be the toughness of the parts - not as heavily built as an 80 say.

Prep wise, get it fully serviced etc - if not competent/confident/knowledgeable yourself I would recommend you using Julian Voelcker at Overland Cruisers for your mechanical prep.

A roof tent is an excellent option and certainly cooler and cheaper than a pop top roof - take the wife to look at one.
The rest is dependent on the depth of your pockets and how much you 'like' your kit/toys/gadgets etc.

My wife and I have previously done London to Cape Town and would be happy to chat it through wih you and your wife - feel free to pm me.
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Wandering Willy
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Joined: 18 Jul 2007
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Location: Norfolk

PostPosted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:45    Post subject: Re Roof Tent Reply with quote

There is a big Land Rover show over at Northampton in the next few days. See:-

http://www.billinglandrovershow.co.uk/

for details. There are likely to be a couple of companies there showing their kit including roof tents. Why not take the wife and chat to a few suppliers?

You don't give your location but Northampton is fairly central and reasonably accessible. Seeing the tents set up (on LRs but WTH) might change her mind.

Willy
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toafrica
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Joined: 12 Dec 2007
Posts: 157
Location: Dorking

PostPosted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:13    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Nomad,

So you did the Mogul rally - nice one - we did the Plymouth-Bamako last year in a Ford Escort Van - hence the bug to do the Trans-Africa.

If I had to buy again I would probably have gone for a 80, but I've got the Colorado, and it's in really good nick so I'll take my chances -
We will be living in the vehicle, so won't be driving it into every hole we find 'just to see if it'll get out', so I figure as long as I'm sensible about it, it should be fine. I will doing a full prep on it prior to departure - not by Toyota as they are useless, but by a proper Overland prep company - I see Julian is a member on here, so maybe he can give head's up on what to get done, or even do it for us..
Frog Island and Matt Savage are other names being banded around, but too rich for my liking I'm afraid!!
Cheers
Andrew
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toafrica
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Joined: 12 Dec 2007
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Location: Dorking

PostPosted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:17    Post subject: Reply with quote

before someone shoots me down about the 'Toyota are useless' remark, I asked my Toyota garage what I should take with regards to spares, and the mechanic said and I quote 'spare light bulbs and various oils'  hhmmmm thank mate...... I kinda guessed that..
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Pumairl
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Joined: 06 Nov 2006
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Location: Cork, Ireland

PostPosted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:37    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ahhh.. toafrica, did the plymouth - banjul in 2004/5 in a pug 405, what a great trip, imagine if i did it in my LC...hhhmmmm...  Shocked (goes back and looks at promise made to wife not to do those type things again, and checks fine print) ...lol

As a general question, who's done any of those trips here???

Pete
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ChrisC
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 21:12    Post subject: What Trans-Africa??? Reply with quote

Hi

I did a Trans a few years back, enjoyed Africa so much we stayed for 2.5 years - and I would return there tomorrow if I didn't have such a young family! However, I plan on doing some North Africa/Saharan trips over the next few years. so have purchase myself an 80 and am going to start prepping it.

Can see the bank accounts going to take a hit!!!

Chris
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jojo1
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Joined: 13 Jul 2008
Posts: 77
Location: Leicestershire

PostPosted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 22:38    Post subject: land cruiser to go Reply with quote

Hi Nomad,

We went to Billing today and talked to Footloose. 80 series with roof tent seems to be the way to go - build it light with only ther most essential equipment. If you're buying new, they can get 78 series troopies. 4.2 no turbo, no electronics - perfect! and there's enough room to sleep comfortably inside the vehicle. Amazon shape 105 series no longer available, so second hand prices are high.

Jojo
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nomad
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Joined: 10 Jul 2008
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Location: WEST LONDON

PostPosted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 23:01    Post subject: Reply with quote

hi chrisc

    i totally agree with you about how far you can take this,there are people who drive around in fully kitted out man

trucks with every toy imaginable installed and there are the brave souls driving to cape town in a 2cv,still everybody to

their own.if i was doing this trip on my own i would have seriously done it in one of those suzuki micro vans,honestly,but
after the monglian trip i    

have been barred from traveling on any of this trips without the misus by the kids hence the comfort issue and gauranteed

arrival at the whatever destination.i'm going to start looking for an 80 series car,any idea what year?what budget?maybe

some pointers on what to look for,is it important that it should only be one owner vehicle,low mileage etc.etc sorry to keep

on going on about this but i've never owned a 4x4

                                                        thanks.
                                                                  nomad
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nomad
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Posts: 52
Location: WEST LONDON

PostPosted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 23:17    Post subject: Reply with quote

hi jojo

thanks for the info,yep 80 series seems to be choice vehicle,as for buying a troopie, i can imagine how much this things

would cost new and for fitting it out,i might as well buy one of those man trucks.i like to put a little bit of my own input and

get involved with kitting it out thats why i want to get a vehicle at least a year,year and half before the trip

                                                                     
                    thanks          nomad
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