I bought this 80 Mikado a few months ago with about 26,000 on it. It was in storage for many years obviously. The guy that I bought it from purchased it from the original owner’s widow and did all of the stuff that you have to do after one sits forever. New fuel tank, master cylinder, air conditioner compressor etc. then sold it to me. I have wanted a luv since they came out in the 70’s and was a happy luv owner. I drove it for a little while then it developed an oil leak that was hitting the fan and spraying oil all over the engine compartment. I parked it for a while.
Never working on an Isuzu 1.8 before one day I went out to “fix the oil leak right quick”. I found the timing cover was the culprit and since I’m a knucklehead started to disassemble the front of the engine without looking at the shop manual that came with the truck.
I pulled the radiator, hood and everything out of the way right out in my gravel driveway. Because after all this is a simple fix, right? When I couldn’t get the timing cover off I checked the manual. Well…….. the head and oil pan need to come off. Crap…….I pulled the head and dropped the pan. Uh Oh…..4x4 so the pan won’t drop far enough. I pulled the engine.
There it was, in the driveway on the engine stand because I didn’t want to lay it in the gravel. So……….While it was out I overhauled it and had the radiator rebuilt. It didn’t need it at all but as long as it’s out of the truck. I went crazy.
New overhaul, new weber carb, clutch assembly, water pump, oil pump, timing chain and tensioner etc. Washed it, waxed it. Now I’m driving the crap out of it and I am a happy luv owner. I’m sure that I will get to enjoy it for many years now.
If I would have looked at the manual first I probably would have just let it sit a while longer but I’m glad that I didn’t.
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I just felt a tear of joy roll down my cheek. That is a beautiful truck. Very nice looking and glad it is getting cared for.
