Anyone use a LJ50 as a daily driver?

[The Prophet]

I can get a mint (Body and running gear immaculate) LJ50 with the org2stroke in it for $3500, as i already own X2 1.3L zooks for the bush im tempted to get it as a daily driver but i sit on 100 for about 15mins to and from work everyday,
Will i just blow it up or can you make them sit on 100?

You dont see to many 2strokes getting around anymore and its way to good to sell to someone thats going to root it so im even thinking about buying it as a weekend cruiser for something different.

[scooby_74]

They will sit on 80 all day long 100 is pushing it they will get there but only as a quick squirt down hill pref with a good wind pushing you.
Theres not alot that can be done with them to make them go faster , though i have seen a few early corolla 1.1 or 1.2 engines in them and beleve they will do 100 then.
There are 2 ratios for the transfers not sure which is which poss even the lj80 might be a different ratio i know the lj80 has a different ratio between hard top and soft top may even be worth looking further into.

[Eddy]

I drove one as a DD for some time (6-8 years).
Not as economical as you might think. best was about 32 mpg at 90ish kph. At 100 it dropped to 20.
Some work can be done on the motor; particularly to the exhaust. The standard expansion chamber is garbage. The stock carby is ok, but clean up the reed valves a touch. I ran triple mikunis on my second one. went good but sucked juice (15mpg)
Run 7.00x16 radials.
One of those truck type bonnet mount wind deflectors make huge improvement to the "aerodynamics"

[3 cyl]

The LJ 50 hi range is 1.714, lo is 3.013. LJ80 hi is 1.562 lo is 2.57. The 2 stroke will pull the LJ80 gears but won't really be faster as it won't have the power to rev (something they need to do to go anywhere). A 1 litre front diff will also fit the LJ50 rear but same problem. 80 k's is all you should run it at for any length of time as otherwise rings suffer too soon. Back in the 80's I drove one 140 km's each day no prob's to work and back but found it just as hard on me as the LJ. IMO they're better balanced and cooler with the 2 stroke. I've driven mine 220 k's each way to Landcruiser Pk a few times but that was before I had a trailer. A mate and I have them, Lockrights front and rear as fun wheelers and you'd be surprised where they go.

[GRPABT1]

I was just speaking to a block the other day who claimed to have a motor for one he used to own that he gave to his son. His son put a petrol motor in it. He said he got a fair bit of poke out of it with different carb, reed mods, deck hight mods and exhaust mods, reckoned it used to fly.

[dano80]

I have a mate who had one a few years ago, got the $hit$ with it being slow and stuffed a 10a rotary engine in it, apparently it had some go fast porting in it and had some special seals not the original ceramic ones (IIRC) Prolly expensive, but would be fun imagine doing 150 kmh in an LJ

It would need a drag car parachute to slow down, God know the brakes would be stuffed after one stop from 150.

Dano.

[MightyMouse]

but would be fun imagine doing 150 kmh in an LJ Dano.

Having butchered a couple of 50's yonks ago, I'd hesitate to recommend this to anyone.

They just aren't cut out to go fast....... brakes - your joking, handling - your joking, ride quality - buy a kidney belt. They are unstable stock, extra power makes them lethal.

If you listen really carefully, even to a stock LJ50 you can hear it planning to kill you.

[dano80]

Yup, doing 105 kmh down the highway in my LJ80 was enough for a change of jocks.....especially when you jump on the picks and it always swerves a different way.....should have done a disc brake conv.

Dano

[The Prophet]

Thanks for the replys i dont think ill bother getting it as a daily driver but im still thinking about getting it as a weekender, The only thing thats putting me off is i'll have to pay 4 rego's if i get it

[alien]

i would simply LOVE an old LJ... they just have so much character!

if i got one though i'd keep it bog stock, prolly spend money on restoring it infact... i just like the idea of it =)

[ofr57]

i would simply LOVE an old LJ... they just have so much character!

if i got one though i'd keep it bog stock, prolly spend money on restoring it infact... i just like the idea of it =)

x2

[Lil'Loki]

If I remember rightly… Many years ago I saw a fibreglass body kit of a Willy's Jeep which was made as a replacement for rusted out Sierra shells. Can't remember where I saw it, or what the cost was.

It would be cool to have a similar thing of the LJ's as a replacement for a Sierra shell.

[Donald2]

If I remember rightly… Many years ago I saw a fibreglass body kit of a Willy's Jeep which was made as a replacement for rusted out Sierra shells. Can't remember where I saw it, or what the cost was.

It would be cool to have a similar thing of the LJ's as a replacement for a Sierra shell.

I think this is what you re looking

http://www.weiss-design.de/kunstofftechnik/index.html



Its from fibreglass

[Lil'Loki]

That doesn't ring a bell… But do they do that LJ to fit on a sierra chassis?

If only I could speak/read German

Edit…

Looks like they do
http://www.weiss-design.de/kunstofftech ... .main.html

[alien]

this thread needs more pics of LJs =)

[Eddy]

this thread needs more pics of LJs =)

[sloshy]

Some old pictures, this thing looks way differant now.

[St Jimmy]

I was just speaking to a block the other day who claimed to have a motor for one he used to own that he gave to his son. His son put a petrol motor in it. He said he got a fair bit of poke out of it with different carb, reed mods, deck hight mods and exhaust mods, reckoned it used to fly.

You use boyson reeds out of a suzuki,And try to get a set of gt 550 suzuki waterbottle carbies .1975 i think. put a set of expansion chambers, custom made But you have to make a manifold.
How do i know this.Back in 1977 i did this to mine,sorry no pictures lost them in the floods a few years ago

[v840]

Just in case you LJ fans missed it, there's a hella sweet LJ build on pirate.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=728527

[casbro]

Yep i like em' too!
Don't drive it on the road! the speedo has a redline at 70k's
Coolest suzi ever made, i'll miss mine