Chev 6.5 Ltr in 80 series Landcruiser !

Go for it!!!

Sounds like you have already made the decision and justified it to yourself so why not? Just do it and enjoy it, I know I would if I could.

A wolf is sheeps clothing is far more fun to drive than a show pony vehicle.

While you are at it take advantage of the $2k cash back and run it on combined diesel gas and get even more power and that'll only cost you a few hundred $$$.

All you arguments sound logical to me, if you can justify the $$$ now then go for it.

Just having a think about it and the only disadvantage I can think of will be the lack of knowledge of that engine if you come into strife in the bush but I guess you hope to offset that worry by having a new engine.

After watching a V8 diesel powered GQ take off down the road towing what could only be described as a "block of flats" (biggest bloody caravan i'd ever seen)

I'd do it in a heart beat, if i had a vehicle big enough to slot one in of coarse, bloody noisey though.

Baz.

Not a bad price... $6000 cheaper than I was quoted.

Hey Birdy,
Have your sums taken into count the work involved in converting a petrol truck to a diesel? Tanks, fuel lines and the associated labour costs etc? Not saying you haven't but I'm just wondering!

I have a '94 4.5l 80 Series and have thought about putting a V8 in but have only ever thrown around the idea of a Gen III Holden V8 as it's also a petrol!

Cheers
Scoey!

HI Guys and Gals.

Well I just purchased a Brunswick converted 6.5 litre 2001 patrol for $39K.

Took it for a test drive yesterday and pick it up tomorrow.

I have a big van and unfortunately my Jackaroos Auto wont take the strain. Same box as in Cruisers and Jeeps.

Ill let you know how it goes over the weekend. By the way the conversion is brand spanking new.

Cheers
Geoff

go for it birdy,
I have a 6.5 turbo goes like a rocket. also tow a 2.6 tonne van
& you hardly know it is on the back.

cheers

barra man

Stop gloating. Get on and do it.

As you've got access to the money, a nod from the minister for finance, and the peace of mind it's the right thing, I move a motion that you ring old mate the mechanic and book your wagon in.

Enjoy the drive!

I must say I'm a bit jealous, but the only thing which would hold me back would be the threat of excessive noise. It would be handy to find another converted 80 series to see how much noisier it is - I would imagine 10fold more than your currrent petrol which are pretty quiet. A couple of comments I've heard is they are almost too noisy to talk in, but at least you will be able to go out and get a set of muddies and not have to worry about their noise!

birdy

with the 6.5 turbo it is very quite unless you give it the right boot
then all you hear is a nice v8 growl,not obnoquious like a standard V8
even under heavy acceleration it is not noisy. A nice whistle from the turbo can be heard thru the exhaust.
A comment was made when leaving work that it sounded like a small jet taking off.

cheers
barra man

Might be worth holding your breath for the new V8 turbo diesel Landcruisers to come out next month.

a) they might be a better bet all round if you can stretch to new.

b) the market will flooded with secondhand 6.5's over the coming months as people swap over to 'factory' V8 diesels. These will sell like hotcakes.

c) factory turbo diesel cruisers will noticably come down in price secondhand market too.

Birdy,

I had a 1999 GU Patrol converted to a N/A 6.5 Chev V8 in April 2006. I'm very happy with it. It's tough as an old boot - being a Nissan - and could pull the doors off a bank vault!

When fitted with a turbo, they do tend to run a bit hot when the weather is hot and it's towing a heavy van. Brunswicks will openly tell you this. If they could fit a bigger radiator it wouldn't be such a problem. But the rad they fit is as big as they can get in without major body surgery.

It's easy to service yourself so you'll save a big dollar there. Brunswicks are great with the after sales stuff, a pleasure to deal with. Nothing is too much trouble for them.

It is NOISY! But I fixed mine with good sound insulation, installed it myself, took about 2 to 3 days - but I'm old & slow these days and I have the time to do it. The sound insulation is fitted under the bonnet - that's the simple part - and also on the inside passgenger compartment, from the halfway up the firewall, across the floor and gearbox cover, under the centre console, under the rear seats, right to the back door. The front passneger bit is the hardest to do by far. I reckon it wasn't worth doing from the rears seats back to the rear doors as the improvement was minimal, but it's done now. However there was a massive improvement after doing the front passenger compartment and the bonnet. It's now as quiet as a 100 series Toyota Landcruiser Turbo Diesel - except for exhaust boom of the straight through muffler.

But the external noise is something else again! It's still niosy outside and idling in traffic is noisier than 80 kmh driving!

Cost of the specialist insulation was about $250.00 to $300.00 from memory and was bought from Marlin Insulation & Seals in Fremantle - ask for Mark, he knows his stuff.

I have some figures for fuel consumption of my own truck, on an Excel spreadsheet if you want them.

At present I'm getting:

7.55 kms/litre 13.24 litres/100 km 20.92 mpg - not towing

5.88 kms/litre 17.01 litres/100kms 16.28 mpg - towing a 2 tonne van, fully loaded in the back of the Patrol.

It wasn't that good to start with but I've only done about 13500 kms since it was fitted and it's improving all the time. It takes about 40,000 kms before they loosen up a bit.

My wife drives it - no probs. Women seem to like the big V8 as it's easy driving.

In the bush, it beats any other 4WD I've ever driven including a Ford Maverick tray back with a TD42 Nissan motor and a 100 series turbo diesel Landcruiser. It's the low down torque that does it for me.

I only use 3 gears when I'm not towing - 2nd, 3rd and 5th.

Anything else - drop me a line at:

leslowe@iinet.net.au

Which reminds me I have to answer that email from Andrew in Kunnnarra. Sorry Andrew, if yer reading this, I got carried away,,,,,,,,,,

Bilbo

Hi Birdy

I think I'd be a little more skeptical than most of the replies.

Are you sure your not pushing the figures a bit, try doing the
sums with a gas conversion and I think the standard cruiser
will come out in front.
It isn't reasonable to include in your figures a future possible
engine re-build to the petrol engine in 5 years.

Do you have a proper design life figure on engine life for the 6.5
not a "mine did 600k email" ?
The design life of the 4.5 is 300k.

Seen and done a few major changes and you often end up with
annoying problems that you "just except" , or end up
breaking the already "not to strong" drivetrain.

If you have significantly extra torque are your CV's etc
designed for that ?

I believe you will also find the NVH figures significantly worse.

Things like
"4. Fuel less flammable ie safer when storing and carrying
5. Better vehicle for water crossings up North "

are quite debatable - so I'll leave those for another time.

What I couldn't disagree with is the emotional preference
for the sound of a V8. My brother did that to his 60 series
landcruiser and he loves it so much that he doesn't really notice my
much strong and faster 4800 GU patrol overtaking him.

Robin Miller