Trip around Patagonia with a LJ80

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Fernando
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Trip around Patagonia with a LJ80

Post by Fernando »

Hello!

My name is Fernando from Buenos Aires. My wife and I have a LJ80 from 9 years ago and we use it to bring thousands of kilometers through Argentina. In our last vacation in January made the trip longer and more ambitious with our LJ: 10000 km (6500 miles) from Buenos Aires to Puerto Natales (Chile) visiting 4 national parks: 3 in Argentina (Lanín, Los Alerces y Los Glaciares) and 1 in Chile (Torres del Paine).

The route of travel is on the map below:

Image

In the following link you can see some pictures of the trip and the beautiful scenery both Argentine and Chilean Patagonia, I hope that they like:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 31c3bc0a70

Best regards,
Fernando
Suzuki LJ80V
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Re: Trip around Patagonia with a LJ80

Post by Suzy »

Mucho supremo cool !
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stevec
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Re: Trip around Patagonia with a LJ80

Post by stevec »

What an awesome trip! It's amazing what you can fit in an LJ!!! :cool:

Are you finished with the trip, or still travelling?
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Re: Trip around Patagonia with a LJ80

Post by Fernando »

Thanks for the comments! The trip was did in 40 days: from late December until early February.

Every summer we travel to Patagonia and do 7000-8000 km, habitually. The rest of the year we cover the rest of the country in little trips.
I'm planning another trip to the Patagonia! :D

Another images of our trips with the LJ you can find it in:

http://www.panoramio.com/user/163964" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Best regards,
Fernando
Suzuki LJ80V
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Re: Trip around Patagonia with a LJ80

Post by stevec »

That is awesome! You should post this over at expedition portal too!

Tell us more about your LJ80. Seeing the doors, I assumed it was an LJ80Q, but that b-pillar doesn't look stock. Is it a converted LJ80V (hardtop with the top cut off), or a different body (i.e. fiberglass)?
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Re: Trip around Patagonia with a LJ80

Post by Fernando »

Steve,

I believe that originally my LJ80 was a model V and some previous owner overturned it. Due to this, they modified it and put a soft top. Now, it is similar to the model Q but in the but in the papers of the vehicle he says "LJ80V".

The doors are "half doors": in the top part I did to him a frames and I made him put a few "soft windows". The engine, carburator, fuel pump, ignition system, transfer gear box, differentials and brakes are originals. The transmission is a mix from LJ80 and ST90: counter shaft from LJ80 with a input shaft from ST90, or something like that because the high speed gear is from ST90.

Regards,
Fernando
Suzuki LJ80V
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Re: Trip around Patagonia with a LJ80

Post by Gatito »

Before even looking at the pictures (which I will do in a moment!) I just stared at the map and thought 'wow, that is so absolutely amazing!' And even twice as cool in an LJ. I think I should do that one day, too...

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Re: Trip around Patagonia with a LJ80

Post by stevec »

Fernando wrote:I believe that originally my LJ80 was a model V and some previous owner overturned it. Due to this, they modified it and put a soft top. Now, it is similar to the model Q but in the but in the papers of the vehicle he says "LJ80V".
I thought that might be the case. I normally don't like those conversions, but yours really turned out nicely! I bet most people would never guess it isn't original. The half doors are great too!

Interesting on the change in the transmission. Does it give you more power in 4th gear (a lower gear ratio)? I would think that when fully loaded, you need all the power you can muster!
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Re: Trip around Patagonia with a LJ80

Post by Smuz »

Awesome, just awesome. Nothing else I can say.
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Re: Trip around Patagonia with a LJ80

Post by UBZ »

Smuz wrote:Awesome, just awesome. Nothing else I can say.
But I can say awesome , just awesome :worship:

Dream trip - Patagonia
Most awesome dream trip - Patagonia in an LJ
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Re: Trip around Patagonia with a LJ80

Post by Fernando »

Thanks for the comments! I love Patagonia but driving on their (asphalt) roads with wind straight ahead -or side- is fatiguing and it is necessary to have patience because are hours at a maximum speed of 60 kmph (40 miles per hour). In the roads of soil-sand and soil-gravel the speed is similar to other more important vehicles. Obviously the comfort is not similar and we loosened several fillings of the teeth by the jumps... :D
I thought that might be the case. I normally don't like those conversions, but yours really turned out nicely! I bet most people would never guess it isn't original. The half doors are great too!

Interesting on the change in the transmission. Does it give you more power in 4th gear (a lower gear ratio)? I would think that when fully loaded, you need all the power you can muster!
Steve,

When I acquired the LJ I was already coming with the modifications and in these years I have tried to keep as originally as possible. Now with the internet is less complicated to obtain in Argentina original or high quality (non genuine) replacement parts for vehicles more than 30 years and because LJ is a model that did not enter in large numbers unlike Chile.

Best regards,
Fernando
Suzuki LJ80V
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