My Importation Success Story

moondog · 10-04-06, 09:25 PM

It's still almost hard to believe. Looking out my window at the sweet little diesel '87 HJ60 sitting there. Almost two months ago, I went to Ontario with my brother to take a look at two nonrunning diesel landcruisers, an HJ60 and an '84 BJ60 that I had seen on ebay, but the owner told me for a guaranteed sale he'd cancel the auction. So we left the next morning, of course. We got there after seven hours on the road and much eager anticipation. The HJ, we were told, had a blown motor and the BJ had been sitting in a barn for 9 years, and was parked when its oil pump went out. The body and interior on the HJ were in really good condition, the transmision (5 speed) felt great, good tires, brakes felt good. The body was really rusty on the BJ and the interior smelled like every mouse in that barn had pissed in it for the last nine years. But, we were in love. So I gave the guy $1500 for the pair, and we drove back home to northern michigan, to try to figure out how the hell we were going to get them here. First I called Toyota in California, you all know how that goes. Then I called a Registered Importer, but it would've cost $1200 total in importation fees to do them both. I'm young, I don't have rich parents, I make a living selling artwork that I make, so, it seemed like a little much. Well, when we came through the border after buying the landcruisers, we asked customs how we should go about bringing them in - they told us that we needed to get letters from Toyota, and that "they see them (the letters) all the time". So we called them, and asked, "if they see these letters all the time, where are people getting them?". "From local dealerships", they told us. Bingo! So we called our local toyota dealership and told him our story. He was like, "diesel landcruisers? Hell yeah! A letter from me is really good enough?" So we called customs and made sure, and everyone seemed to agree, any letter on toyota letterhead and signed by a representative of toyota is sufficient. They told us to have him put something in there about the EPA too. So we wrote up a couple of nice letters, exactly what it needed to say, took it to the dealership and he printed it out on toyota letterhead and gave it his John Hancock. We picked up the '87 two days ago, got to the border at about 8 a.m. Went inside, gave them the letter, my title, a bill of sale for $200 (duty free baby), filled out their paperwork and they gave me some new paperwork with a big fat red stamp on the front: Meets EPA and DOT as per letter of conformity. They never inspected the vehicle or anything. Home free! Tomorrow we will go pick up the '84. Fuck Yeah! And come to find out, the HJ60 doesn't have a blown motor at all, it just needs a new head gasket! I'm thanking my lucky stars right about now!

Diescipel · 10-04-06, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moondog

Well, when we came through the border after buying the landcruisers, we asked customs how we should go about bringing them in - they told us that we needed to get letters from Toyota, and that "they see them (the letters) all the time". So we called them, and asked, "if they see these letters all the time, where are people getting them?". "From local dealerships", they told us. Bingo! So we called our local toyota dealership and told him our story. He was like, "diesel landcruisers? Hell yeah! A letter from me is really good enough?" So we called customs and made sure, and everyone seemed to agree, any letter on toyota letterhead and signed by a representative of toyota is sufficient. They told us to have him put something in there about the EPA too. So we wrote up a couple of nice letters, exactly what it needed to say, took it to the dealership and he printed it out on toyota letterhead and gave it his John Hancock. We picked up the '87 two days ago, got to the border at about 8 a.m. Went inside, gave them the letter, my title, a bill of sale for $200 (duty free baby), filled out their paperwork and they gave me some new paperwork with a big fat red stamp on the front: Meets EPA and DOT as per letter of conformity. They never inspected the vehicle or anything. Home free! Tomorrow we will go pick up the '84. Fuck Yeah! And come to find out, the HJ60 doesn't have a blown motor at all, it just needs a new head gasket! I'm thanking my lucky stars right about now!

Oh my god. That's too good to be true but I guess it is.

Congrats, what a score. Plans?

B

AATLAS1X · 10-04-06, 10:10 PM

The secret is out.......................

Good job for thinking outside the box, or having someone tell you to.

Question, How did you find MUD and why would this be your first post?

Diesel42 · 10-04-06, 10:46 PM

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!! And welcome aboard.

roscoFJ73 · 10-05-06, 12:32 AM

Love those good news cruiser stories about the little man having a win

Now we want the fawkin pics for christ's sake

mot · 10-05-06, 01:22 AM

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

That's pretty cool!

Looking forward to seeing pics, too.

Mot

Fantom · 10-05-06, 01:49 AM

That is an awesome story, congratulations. I wish you many happy trails.

moondog · 10-06-06, 07:48 AM

And now we're back from picking up the '84 BJ60. This one, which we thought would be easier, was not in the end. My brother was denied entry into canada, so I had to leave him in port huron and turn back around and drive a few hours into canada with him just hanging out in port huron. I ended up getting to the border at 1:00 a.m. and so they searched the landcruiser and the truck I was pulling it on a trailor with, I was in customs for an hour, but in the end I think they were so impressed to see a 5'2' girl driving this big ol' truck pulling a big ol' trailor, with a landcruiser on it at that (they all liked it you could see), that they let it in and gave me paperwork to say that its meets US standards in every possible way shape and form. and they didn't even fine me for my tomato and avocado

mmm .. . . 24 hours on the road, I'd've driven farther if I had to, but now I must sleep . . . . . . oops, i guess i need to change my signature, they are here!

Creeker · 10-06-06, 10:39 AM

Congrats Moondog. Wonderful to hear a successful import story.

I'm doing a diesel conversion, but I'd be interested in how it goes with your Motor Vehicle Department. May that go as smoothly!

Tapage · 10-06-06, 10:52 AM

pics !!!!!

zach · 10-06-06, 03:05 PM

congrats on the new rides

. now lets see some pic's

moondog · 10-06-06, 03:49 PM

As soon as I can find my camera, I will post some pics. To AATLAS1X's question, well I found Mud after I first bought the landcruisers through doing searches about how to import them. I read the 'Everything I every learned about importing' thread many times. I guess I never posted anything before, because I felt like I was in some sort of diesel landcruiser pergatory. I had bought them, they were mine, but they were not here, and I didn't know how to get them here, and there were moments where I questoned whether or not I'd be able to get them here (not that I ever really gave up) so I guess I didn't feel like I had a lot to say. My plans are to have my brother (the mechanic of the family) get them running and convert them to run on waste vegetable oil and drive all over the land in it, live in it from time to time, tear it up on the back roads, and use it for my business (selling stuff that I make at arts shows). I'm giving my bro the more beat up one in exchange for doing all the work. It worked out - he's wanted a diesel landcruiser for a while now, but couldn't afford it. I wanted one too, but couldn't afford one that runs and wouldn't know what to do with one that didn't.

zach · 10-06-06, 04:09 PM

i make home brew bio in my shed out of WVO from local restaurants. if need any help with the greasle let me know.

Eric Winkworth · 10-07-06, 12:06 PM

ohh my god 5,2 and into land cruisers, if you're single, I think i'm in love!

AATLAS1X · 10-07-06, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Winkworth

ohh my god 5,2 and into land cruisers, if you're single, I think i'm in love!

WOW! No pussy footing around that one huh?

AATLAS1X · 10-07-06, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moondog

As soon as I can find my camera, I will post some pics. To AATLAS1X's question, well I found Mud after I first bought the landcruisers through doing searches about how to import them. I read the 'Everything I every learned about importing' thread many times. I guess I never posted anything before, because I felt like I was in some sort of diesel landcruiser pergatory. I had bought them, they were mine, but they were not here, and I didn't know how to get them here, and there were moments where I questoned whether or not I'd be able to get them here (not that I ever really gave up) so I guess I didn't feel like I had a lot to say. My plans are to have my brother (the mechanic of the family) get them running and convert them to run on waste vegetable oil and drive all over the land in it, live in it from time to time, tear it up on the back roads, and use it for my business (selling stuff that I make at arts shows). I'm giving my bro the more beat up one in exchange for doing all the work. It worked out - he's wanted a diesel landcruiser for a while now, but couldn't afford it. I wanted one too, but couldn't afford one that runs and wouldn't know what to do with one that didn't.

Conrats! And where is "Bliss" I skipped that day.................

moondog · 10-07-06, 03:19 PM

Bliss is in the northern lower penninsula of michigan, a wee little town, not on most maps. Does anyone know why I wouldn't be able to post pics? I try and it redirects me to something to log in, even when i already am.

andrea-PE-ITALY · 10-07-06, 03:56 PM

ciao moondog, good luck to you with you new toy..in italy there in a tv spot...he says:" a diamond..... is forever." For us our diamond is our lovely toy.

yotawheeler · 10-08-06, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Winkworth

ohh my god 5,2 and into land cruisers, if you're single, I think i'm in love!

ill be getten in line as well....most girls walk the otherway as soon as the word Land Cruiser leaves my mouth

moondog · 10-08-06, 07:42 PM

So now that the Landcruisers have made it into the states, now for the fun part. Getting them running. (Theres two of us posting under this name, my sister and me). So I just went and put fresh batteries in the pair of them, a 1987 HJ-60, 2H, 5 speed, and a 1984 BJ-60, 3B, 5 speed. The 2H needs a head gasket, but all the electircs of it worked, starter, glow plugs cycle. Perfect, just gotta get the gasket. But now for the tricky one, the 1984 BJ-60 has been a mouse and rat apartment complex for the last 10 years, as well as donating some electrical components out of the engine. The BJ-60 has everything but the starter working. Behind the drivers side battery there is a square plug with two large wires, white, and red/white stripe. They are 12 gauge wires, looks like the other end plugged into something important. Any ideas what I am missing. There are 4 connectors in the engine on that side not connected to anything, it would be really helpful if anyone firmiliar could help me out figuring out what connections I'm missing. I will list the rest of the connections on another thread.