It's an '85 Pioneer, 2.8L V6, Kind of high miles (I forgot to get an odometer reading) Arizona truck, no rust but a few small dings here and there.

Going to need suspension work, brakes, tires, joints, etc... You know, all the do-dads that should get replaced on these old girls.
















Yep, that's a sweet **** carpet of moss growing in the cargo area.


What do you guys think... worth eight bills or no?

 

No. It has the 2.8 v6, a crap transmission, and moss growing in the rear.

 

***

 

The 2.8 is epic crap, but the AX5 isn't an overly bad tranny behind such a weenie of an engine. The moss is pretty ugly, but for $800 that could be a fun el cheapo ride.

There are options for ditching the 2.8 for a better GM engine without much effort. A friend of mine swapped a later Camaro 3.4 into his 86 MJ prerunner project and it screams. Some people have allegedly had good luck with the 2.8, but I've never met one.

 

You have a swap candidate. If I knew where it was, I'd get it. But offer $600.00.

 

Unless you want to do a v8 swap i would pass on it.

 

Agreed.

Big thing to guys in the rust belt is no rust. That's a huge factor.

 

If there's moss, there's moisture, and there's probably rust

 

All depends how long it's been there. A quick visual inspection will reveal the truth.

 

Hell, if it runs and drives I would buy it.

 

It actually belongs to a buddy of mine. It runs and drives and has a new set of shocks waiting to be installed. He wants it out of his yard, just not that badly.

I've got an old camper trailer that I can get to him in partial trade. I'm thinking camper trailer and five hunnert.

 

With a bath, an oil change, and take care of that moss you would have an awesome good lookin old xj. That's a relatively rare package.

 

Engine is another concern, not the best engine in the world. The 1st gen XJs are too short for straight-six swap without replacing the whole clip, and really hard to get V8 into any era, but there are a couple of good V6 candidates like the Buick 3800 that should fit right in. You would need to do a lot of work though.

 

My 86 is a small block swap. I cut nothing.

 

The black stuff on the outside looks like it might be tree sap or pine pitch. Rubbing alcohol should take it off.


Is that v6 a "bad" engine or just not very powerful ???