body experience opinions needed

merbesfield · 11-04-09, 07:25 PM

You guys that have more experience than me, could you register your opinion as to how badly damaged this double cab is. Obviously it was in a pretty good accident bc you can see the windshield frame has been tweeked and the door has been replaced. What you can see in the pic is all I know. I am talking to Lucio at Toyocap about buying this cab. He says it is repairable. I am just not sure it is repairable. I realize that almost everything is repairable, but just not familiar with how much these trucks can take in a hit. Sheet metal is easy, but if the whole cab is twisted? The price is not cheap and the shipping will not be either so let me know your opinions. You will not hurt my feelings. Thanks

Bikerso · 11-04-09, 08:46 PM

Looks like the truck took the main hit from the Drivers front corner. The doors look ok along with the main supports between the front and rear doors. To make things easier it would probably be best to replace the firewall and windshield frame--I think once those two items are done the roof could be straitened back to fit the body correctly. Would be interesting to see what frame damage was made. Although some of this is guessing as I have never laid my hands on a Brazilian Yota.

a.greenspan · 11-05-09, 06:49 AM

Except for the accident, I would not buy a car from south/middle America. The use of cars there is/was very extensive over the years.
Cheers
Peter

merbesfield · 11-05-09, 07:37 AM

This truck body is a 2001 so it has not lived too many years in SA. I am more concerned about the body damage than anything else. I am awaiting more pics and will post when I get them. Thanks

fjwagon · 11-05-09, 03:03 PM

It's really hard to tell by looking at the pics. Have someone take "diagonol" measurements to make sure they are square. How well do the other doors open and are the gaps consistent?

merbesfield · 11-06-09, 10:44 AM

Here are some more pics. Looks not too bad to me.

merbesfield · 11-06-09, 10:45 AM

more 2

merbesfield · 11-06-09, 10:46 AM

more 3

merbesfield · 11-06-09, 10:48 AM

Does anyone have any international shipping experience?

gr8ful · 11-06-09, 11:00 AM

Hi Merbesfield,
I work in international supply chain management & logistics. And my wife is a licensed U.S. Customs broker. Odds are good I can help answer your questions or give you a hand importing that body if you like.
What do you need?
Best,
Abe

merbesfield · 11-06-09, 11:08 AM

I would love some help. I will PM you.

1tontoy · 11-06-09, 06:40 PM

Which city is it in?

merbesfield · 11-06-09, 06:54 PM

San Paulo

gr8ful · 11-06-09, 08:12 PM

Hi Merbesfield,

I just responded to your PM. Give me a call if you are still up. By the way, do you speak Portugese?

merbesfield · 11-06-09, 09:48 PM

I am not getting a frame from him as I do not need one. I have a frame from a 1965 LV which is in good shape. it would just have to be lengthened which should not be too difficult to find a good frame shop in Atlanta. What do you think about eh wiring harness, is that something you think I should negotiate into the deal?

merbesfield · 11-06-09, 09:56 PM

does anyone know of or recommend any shipping companies worthy of doing a shipping job like this in a timely manor.

80nick · 11-07-09, 02:54 AM

get the harness, and get that steering column.

ask how much to get it fixed down there. labor is going to kill you here, unless you have body work experience. it looks fixable, but that roof looks buckled which might mean that rig took a pretty significant hit. also, it might be the angle and lighting but the floor in one shot looks buckled as well.

looks like truck drove off road and into a ditch to me. do you know what happened?

80nick · 11-07-09, 03:01 AM

also, look at the motor in the first picture. it looks like it broke motor mounts and tranny mounts and is resting at an angle from some kind of head on/driver front collision.... but these are really just my guesses

get it, and let project "can-o-worms" begin

cruiser_guy · 11-07-09, 06:47 AM

I tend to think there are some serious issues. In Central America they get cars from the US that are writeoffs and rebuild them. If they are not rebuilding this there is probably a good reason for it.

merbesfield · 11-07-09, 07:45 AM

I have studied the pics a lot. I do not see any major misalignment issues. I have stared at the door frames and door gaps in the pics and they look good. the only one i see that looks off is the DS back door, which i believe is slightly ajar, not bent. the rood is dented, but that looks to be a dent along with the dirp line. i did see the hint of floor buckle mentioned, but looking in other pics i think it is just oil canning so to speak, but not a buckle. as for the motor sitting on the ground, it looks to me like they have been pulling parts and the transmission was pulled and the engine left to rest. the best pic i can look at is the DS door lower front corner. i figure if the body was bent, this gap would be large. in the pics i have it is still just like the factory put it. i was told the majority of impact was front corner and this is what it looks like to me. of course i could be deluding myself to justify things, ha ha. it is a lot of money to buy this thing, but i also know they are basically not available so you take what you can get. having worked on my LV so much, i can tell you these things are built like tanks. it is truly amazing. they would have to take a huge hit. from what i can tell this is repairable. but keep the opinions coming. what other parts would i need that may only be available from Brazil?

cruiser_guy · 11-07-09, 07:06 PM

Ship it to Paul!

Bikerso · 11-07-09, 08:57 PM

I would ship it to someplace where you can oversee the work in person--sometimes the methods used to repair vehicles in South America can come back and haunt you. Although with the photos you have posted of your LV work looks like you are more than capable to fix the truck yourself.

Kief · 11-07-09, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruiser_guy

Ship it to Paul!

I think you might have a lot of $$$ into paying someone in the US to fix sheet metal right vs. someone in SA with a lot of experience and less expensive labor.
Any idea if FJ40 stuff will bolt onto a bandi ? IF not then think twice about unavailable parts...

merbesfield · 11-08-09, 05:55 PM

Here are a few more pics. About what I expected. I asked for some shots of the door gaps and the roof panel. The door panel gaps look ok. The roof is buckled in the middle directly opposite to the large dent on the side. It looks fixable to me with a little persuasion from a hammer. Keep the opinions coming. I also requested more pics of the bed and tail gate. No surprised that I see. It is hard to tell, but one hinge area looks like it could be rusted. The bed has been covered by the fiberglass camper shell and also has a plastic liner in it for protection from beating. Those things are both good and bad as you know with regards to rust. I also have no way of knowing if the camper and liner were on it from new or not. But again, this thing is only a 2001, so how bad could it be. No way like my 66 LV

.

merbesfield · 11-08-09, 05:57 PM

Some pics of the door gaps and roof panel.

Michael Hanson · 11-08-09, 06:08 PM

It needs to be cheap or pass. 2 cents MIke

merbesfield · 11-08-09, 06:08 PM

Yes, from what I can tell the repairs would not be too difficult. Thanks for the props Bikerso. I trust that Paul could put it right, but I think the shipping to and from is going to be an issue. As for me making the repairs, it will be a time factor. Since I am deep into my LV, I would not want to start another project. So I would just store this thing on the warehouse shelves until I fining the LV body. I have been told that from the cowl forward these are the same as an FJ40 so I am not concerned with those small bits. The frame I also have. 1965 LV, which is what I would use to tag it, so that would be simple. I would have to lengthen the frame, but a frame shop can handle that.

Clint79 · 11-09-09, 06:25 AM

such a sahme
it could have been a really well made duel cab
specially with the back doors having wind up windows not just average sliding one like Aus's ex mining dual cabs

rick_d · 11-09-09, 03:37 PM

A pillar looks ok on left side.
cowl portion left side is easy graft of US piece
Roof is issue. I've seen guys in the US who can reform it, but costs will be in thousands of dollars.
The bed might have issues, but the steel canadian beds could be custom formed to fit as new- don't get that fixed.

I would get the frame wacked @ front motor mounts and bring it in that way as it stands OR, get to Paul and have it reworked but still ship into US with cut frame. The graft from the 45 frame front to the rear 2/3 or 3/4 of the bandierante will be easy and solid.

is there a bed in floorpan for rear right passenger????????

merbesfield · 11-09-09, 04:06 PM

There is no frame. Cab and bed only. I will either us a 45 frame I have or a 40. Either way I have to extend it. The roof does not scare me. I could fix it myself, I think. What do you mean by "bed in floor pan for rear passenger"?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick_d

A pillar looks ok on left side.
cowl portion left side is easy graft of US piece
Roof is issue. I've seen guys in the US who can reform it, but costs will be in thousands of dollars.
The bed might have issues, but the steel canadian beds could be custom formed to fit as new- don't get that fixed.

I would get the frame wacked @ front motor mounts and bring it in that way as it stands OR, get to Paul and have it reworked but still ship into US with cut frame. The graft from the 45 frame front to the rear 2/3 or 3/4 of the bandierante will be easy and solid.

is there a bed in floorpan for rear right passenger????????