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After dragging the chain on delivering a 4WD suspended by coils front and rear, Toyota finally delivered the goods with the release of the now immortal 80 Series LandCruiser.
Its predecessor, the 60 Series ’Cruiser, was way out of its league when Nissan launched the brutally strong coil-sprung GQ Patrol. The engineers at Toyota sunk their teeth into a quickly designed competitor, which they needed on showroom floors fast to regain dropping sales.
As it turns out, they hit the nail on the head and got it right first time with the exception of the initially ordinary engine options. The 80 Series is arguably one of the most capable four-wheel drives ever to leave a showroom floor.
Easily tweaked, and with a plethora of available aftermarket goodies available, the 80 is a top weekend play truck. Readily available parts in remote areas make it an odds-on bet as a reliable tourer, too.
The 80 series is big inside and out, and there is plenty of room for family and gear. Its build quality, comfort and towing ability makes it a legend of the large 4WD market.
The main Achilles heel when it came to vehicle sales was the expense. The LandCruiser has long fetched a larger pile of pennies new and second-hand than its main rival, the Patrol.
That very topic of expense is what now makes it possibly the bargain buy of the 4WD market if you’re after a tough go-anywhere tourer for cheap. It’s a hell of a lot of 4WD for the money!
Thanks to its growing maturity and the release of the modern 200 series, clean examples of the 80 series are now approaching the lower teens in value. Many even dip below the $10,000 mark.
Sweetening the prospect of owning an 80 Series, it’s probably harder to find one without lots of expensive goodies already added than it is to find a plain-Jane stocker. Bullbars, cargo drawers, driving lights, tow packs and diff locks are common accessories and can help save some major coin down the track.
Behind The Wheel
Considering the size and bulk of the 80 Series, it still maintains decent on-road manners in standard trim. It has predictable handling and good stopping power for a live-axle truck.
Base models are easily spotted thanks to the barn doors on the back, and basic (easy clean) vinyl interior. The best part about the standard diesel model is that they feature a part-time 4WD system with good-old manual front-locking hubs. This helps lower fuel usage, as well as reducing wear and tear on front-end components.
RV models and up featured constant 4WD with a centre diff lock, cloth trim and carpet throughout. The most frequently seen 80s are the GXL models, and they have extra mod cons like power windows and room for eight (no, not cylinders unfortunately!).
Over the range, there were various special editions here and there, and a few extra factory goodies. The big executives or those with too much play money could have opted for the VX Sahara model with its factory diff locks, alloy wheels, sunroof and a cool centre console that doubles as a fridge.
Originally released with the 3F six-cylinder engine to wave the petrol banner, the early petrol 80s should be avoided like the plague. Talk of high 20s when it comes to litres per 100km fuel usage, and the annoying off-road attributes of a carburettor make for average performance all round.
If petrol is your thing, the super-reliable 1FZ-FE is your weapon of choice. It’s a grunty 4.5L straight six that gets the big bus blurring the scenery with ease. It doesn’t mind a drink too, but not as much as the old 3F.
This engine is also incredibly reliable, which is a good thing. With the cost of Toyota spares, it’s not uncommon to see owners doing the ‘Oh what a feeling’ leap as they feel the sting in their back pocket.
If slow and steady is your thing, there’s the lazy, naturally aspirated 1HZ diesel. It’s a big growly oiler that will haul all day long, but does it in a really uninspiring manner unless married to an aftermarket turbo.
The 1HDFT is the best factory turbo-diesel offering (over the less powerful 1HDT) and is a corker for its age provided it’s maintained well. Performance is good and thirst is low for a big truck. Expect it to sip 10–11L per 100km.
Good for owners, the factory TD models seem to retain a premium price on the second-hand market. All models came with the option of four-speed auto or five-speed manual. GXL models had the bonus of rear disc brakes.
Questioning the off-road prowess of the 80 is like asking whether the Pope is a Catholic. There isn’t really a ‘standard’ 4WD track that will stop an 80 Series LandCruiser. The only off-road-based brain freeze the engineers had when designing the 80 was to put the spare tyre under the back of the body.
Its low-slung position gives the standard vehicle a mediocre 26° departure angle, but this is easily cured with a rear-wheel carrier.
It is big, wide, heavy and has exceptional wheel articulation, which means that traction is rarely a problem. Bung in a few diff locks, some good suspension to unlock insane wheel travel, throw on some chunky tyres and you have a reliable daily vehicle that can easily back up in competitions on the weekend.
In last years Nissan Trials, I scored a drive in the Hi-Tech 4X4 Specialists reserve vehicle on day two. It is a basic 80 series LandCruiser with 4in Tough Dog spring lift, 2in body lift, twin lockers and 36in Simex Extreme Trekker tyres.
In what is a mildly modified vehicle in that environment, the 80 Series steered me to a well above average score of 85 (out of 100) in the gruelling tree event, and it got me to the finish line in the massive Outlaw class wombat hole track. It really amazed me at just how capable these things are off road with only a few mods.
To the question of does the 80 still have what we need, the answer is a great big ‘hell yes!’. If my quad-cam V8 4Runner wasn’t such a hoot, I would be buying the Trading Post on Thursday to look for one.
» Continue to Page 2
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