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So I went and looked at a 1980 Short Bed 4x4 last night. Man I am torn, I will be trading my 1994 short box 4x4 for it. I drove 20 miles at 70 mph with the stereo blaring to go look at it. I took the 1980 for a short test drive and man did it drive terrible!!! It was peppy but with the lift it rode like a log truck and the steering was soooo loose. I got it out on the highway but I don't think I got it over 45. It wobbled, vibrated and was loud, the flowmaster with a side exit didn't help matters. But man it is so simple!!! Nothing in the engine compartment but an engine, carburetor , alternator and battery. The front axle was right there and with about 6 moving parts. I know with simplicity sacrifices driveablility and I keep asking myself, If I put money into this would it still drive this bad? What should I do? Keep my IFS and EFI or go simple?
if it's a stock 80 it may have the side shifting L-45. I had my 81 for almost 10 years, with new springs all the way around when i first build the truck it was road pretty soft. ...eventually retired it because i was tired with dealing with 35 year old truck problems. Rebuilt the front end again and it ended up under the front end of my 94 4runner
more than likely it needs to be refreshed up front with new bearings etc, basically rebuild the entire front end and you will be good for a few years.
personally if your 94 is sound mechanically etc i would keep it..unless you are looking for the 80 to be able to run after NK does an airburst Nuke and blasts the US with an EMP...than get the 80 since it will still work
if it's a stock 80 it may have the side shifting L-45
Here is a weird thing I asked if it was a 4 or 5 speed he said he didn't know. I got it on the highway and shifted into 5th. It went over and up but no gear. The shifter was sloppy, I figure it needs a new bushing and I could probably find 5th, it just didn't disappear
haven't really been thinking 1st gen much since I got my 94 a couple of years ago
i was incorrect, the side shifter is an L-43, there is a L45 4 speed with the normal on the top shifter
If it is an L43 4 speed it is gonna be sloppy no matter what...i ran one for a few months when i couldn't find another L50/52 5 speed
funny thing when I googled L43 side shifter one of the 1st images that showed up was one of mine from 8 years ago...
if the guy wanting to swap trucks can't even tell you what transmission is in the 80 i would look elsewhere...dude probably bought it and is trying to dump it right away
09-29-2017, 03:27 PM
