Different kind of bench race

[min301]

The older Toyota Land Cruisers are pretty indestructible, and the drivetrains are strong.
The Military axles are bitchin strong. there was a few here converted to SBC power, with stock(yes STOCK)
axles and trannies, with adapters.

[SpiderGearsMan]

I don't like it either but, at least it has a chance of making destinations other than the Lift at the nearest Blue Oval repair center.

come on , the head bolts bungee out like rubber

[SpiderGearsMan]

The older Toyota Land Cruisers are pretty indestructible, and the drivetrains are strong.
The Military axles are bitchin strong. there was a few here converted to SBC power, with stock(yes STOCK)
axles and trannies, with adapters.

yeah , they had a chevrolet 250 inline 6 built under license through 1984

[OldMachinist]

Not a 250, it was a 235. I've ground enough of those multi-size main bearing bastards to know.

[Caveman Tony]

Need to gitcha self a nice little SUV like an M35

[SuperBuickGuy]

Not a 250, it was a 235. I've ground enough of those multi-size main bearing bastards to know.

I've owned 7 of them.... and none of them left with the straight 6 in them. A 350 is lighter, more powerful, cheaper to fix, and gets better mileage....

But while LCs are stout, I'm not sure my kidneys could handle the skateboard suspension for 3 - 6 months.

And I know all of the Achilles' heels.... birfields, that stupid flat plate u-joint mounting, brake issues (2 slave cylinders per wheel), that grumble grumble vacuum actuation transfer case (used hot water and vacuum to engage) and electronics that were archaic when they were new.

I like the Jeep idea, but if I'm going to buy a car as a template - I'd expect it to be cheap (upgrade axles, box frame, swap motor).

but more to the question.... small diesels - anyone ever dealt with them? simple, compact, I've been looking at the Isuzu motors, but other than specs, I know little about them.... the bread truck motors are too big (at least in my thoughts right now).

[65RHDEER]

80 series Landcruiser (89-97) coil sprung on all four courners, live front axle, comfortable for long drives.

Drop in a 6.2 Duramax without changing any of the driveline, it's done all the time here in Aus.

Here is a video of an early 100 series with a 6.2, early 100's still had the live front end and all underneath was the same as the 80 series.

[Stich496]

Light doesn't = reliable in the offroad world? Yeah, Jeeps are horrible off road.


.

O.K. there is nothing all that lite on a jeep. and he said r/ranger size..
lites so good that jeep went back to iron parts and left the alum crap on the shelf..
but I'll say the sky is blue, you'll say it's black.. have funn

[Beagle]

Say someone came to you and said "build me a 4x4 SUV for a construction project manager in Africa." What would you build?

These things are important:
1) fuel economy - most likely this would be diesel, but who makes the most reliable car-sized diesel (BMW, Mercedes,VW, Isuzu?)
2) reliability
3) if you use electronics, ones that are either bulletproof or readily available
4) light - tires don't survive long when you're pounding on them with 3 or 4 tons.

Size wise it needs to be the size of a Range Rover or a mid-sized SUV

HMMWV. It's midsize... it's as wide as a midsize is long. Tire solution a):



Wait. Africa huh.

[Beagle]

I've owned 7 of them.... and none of them left with the straight 6 in them. A 350 is lighter, more powerful, cheaper to fix, and gets better mileage....

But while LCs are stout, I'm not sure my kidneys could handle the skateboard suspension for 3 - 6 months.

And I know all of the Achilles' heels.... birfields, that stupid flat plate u-joint mounting, brake issues (2 slave cylinders per wheel), that grumble grumble vacuum actuation transfer case (used hot water and vacuum to engage) and electronics that were archaic when they were new.

I like the Jeep idea, but if I'm going to buy a car as a template - I'd expect it to be cheap (upgrade axles, box frame, swap motor).

but more to the question.... small diesels - anyone ever dealt with them? simple, compact, I've been looking at the Isuzu motors, but other than specs, I know little about them.... the bread truck motors are too big (at least in my thoughts right now).

Isuzu uses what is basically a 4bt Cummins I believe. 4BD1T ? 2/3 of a 6bt, if you can't get parts for that, you're f*d. The marine versions at 200 something horse are kind of maligned, but the 105 - 145 hp ones should run f-o-r-e-v-e-r. The 4BT is 920 pounds I believe, not so much more than a big block (okay, a couple hundred...) but if reliability is your deal, they are solid. You can boost the crap out of them with sequentials if you like changing headgaskets and make insane power with stock internals. I suspect a good o-ringing on the head/deck would solve the HG problems, but you don't really need the hp with the right gears.

stroll over to 4btswaps.com , that is a multi-continental site with several good conversions and some good member feedback.

[Beagle]

Suzuki Samurai with a mechanical pump converted TDI VW mill also comes to mind.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Sami with a TDI motor is a great combo.... but not large enough. H1 too large. I like the idea of an 80 with a 6.2 - but the electronics on that motor aren't proven.

The Isuzu motor in the 4Gxx or 4Hxx maybe - I'd like the 4Jxx motors, but I think there's little need for that much hp in something less than 2 tons. (decode - 4 is the number of cylinders, the next letter is hp, the letter after that - IIRC Y- signifies turbo)

As for Isuzu motors - they're one of the most popular motors in the world for power fishing boats, thus you can get parts for them almost anywhere for reasonable prices.... they also put the 4Hxx motor in the mid-sized GM trucks (think Canyon/Colorado) in every country but the US.

I'm still wondering, though, if I'm missing another obvious choice.

Beags, the 4BT and 4series Isuzu diesels are similar in the way Chevrolet and Ford both sell cars. They run on diesel, but I'm not sure what else is similar between the two....

[TC]

For the engine 80's 5 cylinder turbo diesel Benz motor comes to mind........They have mechanical injection pumps.........

[BBR]

Classic Landcruiser (2 door or 4 door) + 4BT = the win.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Classic Landcruiser (2 door or 4 door) + 4BT = the win.

There are many good things to say about that combination... funny, no one recommends a toyo diesel (okay, their diesels were nothing to write home about)
I presume you mean 80 series LCs. But with classic, why not an aluminum Land Rover?