Had to share. Clean 1994 Land Cruiser, anyone get this lucky lately? (1 Viewer)

[RECRUISER]

Well the moral of this story is that it pays to follow craigslist early & often. Last week in Nashville Tennessee I found an ad for a 1994 Land Cruiser for $1000.

It was taken in trade buy a motorcycle dealership and it was running REALLY rough. After a year of trying to find the problem putting one tech on it after another they finally gave up on it and listed it on craigslist for $1000.00 needing engine work.

When I got there it had very little to no power but sounded like a timing problem to me ...... but it did drive itself up on my trailer. What did I find after getting her back home and very little time of troubleshooting?

To my amazement and disbelief I found the number two and number four spark plug wires were crossed. Swapped them out and you can guess the velvety smooth end to this story!

Another moral to this story is that automotive technicians are many times not qualified to work on automotive at all. Never forget this very important fact. Drive something you can work on yourself!

 

[RECRUISER]

O

 

[retrofive]

Nice find

 

[93yotasr5]

Lucky sob! Nice score

 

[slow95z]

I did the same, bad brake booster causing all kind of issues. Pays to know cruisers

 

[RECRUISER]

Knowledge is power. And knowledge can be turned into wampum.

 

[thatcabledude]

Hell yeah! Same year, color, and interior as mine.

 

[surfpig]

 

[Alleycats]

Sweet.

 

[Cruiserjay]

Score!!

 

[2KCruiser]

Had something similar.. an original 80 owner had his truck sitting for 6+ years and never could not figure out why it wouldn't start. He finally ended up taking it to a salvage yard. Salvage yard didn't want to part it out because it was complete. They couldn't figure out the problem either and put it up for sale on craigslist for $1500.00. I ended up purchasing it for $1000.00. Bought it with no power to ignition, no fuel, no spark. After towing it back home, charged up the battery for an hour. Then took less than 15 minutes to figure out it was the fusible link wire to positive post. Swapped it out and boom, started to drive.

 

[blhfla]

Another moral to this story is that automotive technicians are many times not qualified to work on automotive at all. Never forget this very important fact. Drive something you can work on yourself!

So true, and I wouldn't take a bike to an auto mechanic either, except a brilliant one I know in FL. that rides and services/mods his own BMW. I too have purchased several "steals" on Craigslist in the past but I won my 96 LC at Copart for $850 however it couldn't make it more than half way up my trailer because of the HG. It also needed PS pump and master cylinder. Front leather was shot but outside is fantastic. I agree with your philosophy, buy cheap and whatever you invest to restore it you will usually come out ahead, plus you know what was done to it and was done right.

Congrats, your persistence has rewarded you. Have you checked into what the front needs to restore it to original condition?

 

[blhfla]

Had something similar.. an original 80 owner had his truck sitting for 6+ years and never could not figure out why it wouldn't start. He finally ended up taking it to a salvage yard. Salvage yard didn't want to part it out because it was complete. They couldn't figure out the problem either and put it up for sale on craigslist for $1500.00. I ended up purchasing it for $1000.00. Bought it with no power to ignition, no fuel, no spark. After towing it back home, charged up the battery for an hour. Then took less than 15 minutes to figure out it was the fusible link wire to positive post. Swapped it out and boom, started to drive.

You'd be surprised what you can find. Besides my 96 LC, I also won an 02 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab 4X4 from Copart with no keys sold as not running for $1500. $20 to a locksmith for a dumb key, 10 cents for a fuse and splice of a cut ignition wire and ready to go.

Recruiser - so now you have 3 LCs?

 

[trekker9]

Nice work!

 

[RECRUISER]

Great stories! Yes correct, now have 3 Cruisers. I figure they're better than cash. I hobby on them on the weekends, and when they're back in good order I usually end up putting them back on Craigslist. Not to mention the pleasure I get driving them. I was fortunate enough to buy and sell 3 last year. The good thing with a forum like this combined with a few years of experience working on them you start to get somewhat of a feel for them. I don't know much about a lot of things but I enjoy working on these Land Cruisers and over the years have built up a little "catalog" of knowledge about them which I hope will increase over the coming years as well.
I am planning on pulling out the front bumper (reinstalling the bumper corner which was in the truck!) but leaving that little lip on the hood as is. Also alternator doesn't work and there is a fluid leak in power steering pump fittings. I have a used alternator coming from eBay for $55 shipped.

 

[excessive]

I had the same thought , bought a clean triple locked lx450 w/ a rattle noise coming from the motor. Thinking ( and hoping ) it was something easy like a bad alternaotr, bad power steering pump, broken timing chain slipper , etc....
Long story short it was the rod bearings . I am now several months into a complete engine rebuild .on the plus side I've learned a lot.

So the moral of the story is that sometimes you get lucky like the OP, sometimes you don't ......

 

[cwwfj60]

Wow! nice score!