Vanity: my LC80 is aging.

[Pskhaat]

Today was the first day ever I looked at my 80 and had a hesitation in looking at her. She's aged.

Though underneath she's the same gal she ever was and feisty as ever, her style speaks of a past era. Not an era bygone necessarily, rather one that bred depth of character and capability at the expense of agelessness. The generation before and for the generation after her, a focus on a transcendental style is clear as day. As with most things the outside attraction can hide inner weakness and my gal has none of that.

What shame I have stopping today to look at a little younger one. Liked the color. Liked the lines. Didn't want to go any deeper though, just to superficially enjoy my view.

With her I shall stay, but I say the 80 series, just as almost every model before it is quickly being written into history. The LC60 and LC100 have just simply timeless lines and real style. Why do my 80's curves looked so aged, has my relationship tired?

 

[Hltoppr]

Your 80 looks great. I've always thought they were a bit ho-hum, but the addition of a lift, snorkel and ARB bumper changes that!

-H-

 

[AndrewP]

80s minus the flares look a lot like 60s. They would be perfect with round 7 inch headlights. It is the transition point though, and the classic blend of old and new. Don't give up too quick, as they will be the desirable trucks of the future based on versitility.

100s are kind of bloated looking, and like the 200s will be the Avocado kitchens of the 2020s.:sombrero:

60s are the timeless ones.

 

[Layonnn]

I love the way 80's look.
If you are tired of the look, why not add some stuff to it in the form of ARB bumpers, Snorkel, tires....

 

[bigreen505]

Funny Scott, I've always found that the 80s are the only Crusiers that look timeless. Everything before looks dated and everything after just looks, um, wrong. Not ugly mind you, just wrong.

 

[smkymntn]

Personally I am a fan of any cruiser- The ones that make me stop are lifted 80's any 70, 55's and lifted 100's- I do however agree that a little love in the way of OME will go a long way to renewing your interest in the old girl.

But I just cant stop looking at this 60

 

[ntsqd]

Personally I am a fan of any cruiser- The ones that make me stop are lifted 80's any 70, 55's and lifted 100's- I do however agree that a little love in the way of OME will go a long way to renewing your interest in the old girl.

But I just cant stop looking at this 60

Yes, but you're rightfully biased.

 

[UofRichmondRover]

I've always contemplated an 80 without fender flares.

 

[ChuckB]

Just put a 60 body on the 80 chasis and be done with it... the stuff dreams are made of :ylsmoke:

 

[Pskhaat]

I may need to research on 'mud, but I wonder what I'd need to pay to have someone patch the rivets and brackets I'd need to drill out when removing the flares and paint match it perfectly?

 

[Hltoppr]

Sounds like a job for rhino lining....

-H-

 

[MoGas]

I'm glad I went flareless....

The trick is the front bumper. I have the ARB commercial bar that is more narrow specifically for flareless rigs.

Pardon the crappy phone pics.

This was with the flares...

Dave

 

[Pskhaat]

How'd'ya deal with the rivets and brackets &c?

 

[MoGas]

I drilled out the rivet heads and removed the brackets. The pictures don't show it well, but I used some plastic finishing plugs for the holes. They are a "natural" plastic color, sort of opaque, so the dark from the inner fenders shows through the back of them. I have a bunch more that I am going to paint before I put them in. I'll see if I can find some other pics to show what I'm trying to describe.

I'm probably going to repaint the whole thing in the next couple years, and when I do that, I'll weld the holes up.

 

[AndrewP]

How'd'ya deal with the rivets and brackets &c?

While I don't have a current picture, I removed the first flare on Hell's Gate in Moab. It also caused a bunch of damage to the rear door and some on the rear 1/4. That led me to remove all of the flares, and I filled the holes with black plastic body plugs. That looked pretty ghetto, so last year I had Mudrak fill the holes, fix the dent and spray the Super Liner. It looks like a new truck. It really is a much more utilitarian truck with the flares removed.