To buy or Not? (1 Viewer)

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Joined
May 2, 2007
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I am a new member and I am looking at a 84 FJ60 tomorrow. I have always wanted a LC. I talked to the owner last night. He is the 2nd owner. He said the engine is strong, it has fairly new springs and shocks. It has been sitting for a year. The brakes recently went to mush but a couple years back had pads and rotors installed. The seal on the top of the trans/transfercase? is leaking. the speedo says 128k, but the cable is busted. Interior is said to be in good shape. He has all the maintenance records since purchase. It did get hit in the driver side rear quarter though. (see pic below) need to look more into the actual damage of that. It looks like it is just the sheet metal is bent.

  1. Are these issues pretty minor? (the cost of the parts seems pretty cheap. 1/4 panel is most $ part but I can cut/weld/paint).
  2. Top of tansfer/trans case seal is leaking - is this a major concern?
  3. It the seal pretty easy to replace as DIY? (don't mind bruised knukles!)
  4. What are some other things to look for as I am checking it out?
  5. Are there common things that fail or maybe even signs of "about to fail"?
  6. what is a good price for a 84 FJ60 with these issues I have listed?
Whould love some insight!

thanks- Matt

Below is a pic of the vehicle I am going to look at. See the back 1/4 panel is dented. also looks like back bumper is almost hanging.

Gk1NiisXcPMeePF30YWRxkkVd7Mt.jpg
 
Those Wheel well's look rusted as fawk. Take a real good look at the frame.
that may be an unsalvagable rust wagon.:beer:
 
Welcom to MUD

Post your location.

Maybe someone who has knowledge of a 60 can go with you to look at it. There are so many thing to look at and look for that they cannot all be listed.

Rust is the biggest downer. The amount of rust you can live with will depend on the purchase price and your intended use of the rig.
 
Welcom to MUD

Post your location.

Maybe someone who has knowledge of a 60 can go with you to look at it. There are so many thing to look at and look for that they cannot all be listed.

Rust is the biggest downer. The amount of rust you can live with will depend on the purchase price and your intended use of the rig.
I am in Metro Detroit. Would Love to have fellow mudder join me for the inspection.

Price is currently 1600 but will offer less like 1200...??
 
Make sure you do a compression test, cold if possible. The compression will be slightly higher when the truck is warm, but remember, cold compression is what starts a car. Check for rust, If the frame is rusty, forget it. Rember that surface rust can be caught and fixed but if it has made its way into all the crevaces etc and is forcing the chanells apart. Run away! There are a lot of cruisers in the 2-3K range that dont have serious rust issues and have good strong motors.
 
Make sure you do a compression test, cold if possible. The compression will be slightly higher when the truck is warm, but remember, cold compression is what starts a car. Check for rust, If the frame is rusty, forget it. Rember that surface rust can be caught and fixed but if it has made its way into all the crevaces etc and is forcing the chanells apart. Run away! There are a lot of cruisers in the 2-3K range that dont have serious rust issues and have good strong motors.

x2 on the compression test. I bought my cruiser in similar shape and paid 900 however mine has alot less rust.

my .02
 
I am a new member and I am looking at a 84 FJ60 tomorrow. I have always wanted a LC. I talked to the owner last night. He is the 2nd owner. He said the engine is strong, it has fairly new springs and shocks. It has been sitting for a year. The brakes recently went to mush but a couple years back had pads and rotors installed. The seal on the top of the trans/transfercase? is leaking. the speedo says 128k, but the cable is busted. Interior is said to be in good shape. He has all the maintenance records since purchase. It did get hit in the driver side rear quarter though. (see pic below) need to look more into the actual damage of that. It looks like it is just the sheet metal is bent.
  1. Are these issues pretty minor? (the cost of the parts seems pretty cheap. 1/4 panel is most $ part but I can cut/weld/paint).
  2. Top of tansfer/trans case seal is leaking - is this a major concern?
  3. It the seal pretty easy to replace as DIY? (don't mind bruised knukles!)
  4. What are some other things to look for as I am checking it out?
  5. Are there common things that fail or maybe even signs of "about to fail"?
  6. what is a good price for a 84 FJ60 with these issues I have listed?
Whould love some insight!

thanks- Matt

Below is a pic of the vehicle I am going to look at. See the back 1/4 panel is dented. also looks like back bumper is almost hanging.

Gk1NiisXcPMeePF30YWRxkkVd7Mt.jpg

128K (if that is correct mileage) is not a lot of miles for the 2F, these engine routinely go 250K without need for major engine work. I tore mine down at 212K and the crank and bearings were smooth as a polished mirror and still within factory specs. So if the oil has been changed with some diligence it is likely the engine is in good condition.

A common issue with these engines is a warped intake/exhaust manifold, leading to and exhaust leak which can burn the exhaust valves. So you may need to have intake/exhaust manifold removed and machined straight. You can also remove the cylinder head at this time and have the valves redone. Except for the machining this can all be done by a shade tree mechanic with the Factory Service Manual and a decent set of wrenches.

You can also have the carb rebuilt by JimC, around $200 IIRC, and replace most or all of the emission vacuum hoses (available from CDan). These items can greatly improve the performance of an engine that is basically sound.

Other issues (besides rust of course): The smog pump is probably dead or dying, the power steering pump may be squealing and leaking, check water pump and radiator for leaks or clogs, brake master cylinder, brake booster, wheel cylinders, clutch master and slave cylinder if original are probably due for replacement at this time.
And the clutch itself may be due for replacement if it hasn't been done already. Unfortunately OEM parts for these older Cruisers are quite expensive; once replaced however, they should last another 20 years.

Also, the leaf springs are completely flat on this rig ( I doubt those are new springs). After you take care of the major mechanical issues, you'll probably want to put a new suspension on. You can get a decent set up for between $800 to $1200 at the low end and twice that much for a nice Old Man Emu set up.

That's all for now, the list is endless. Try to check out two or three rigs before you buy.

HTH

Matt
 

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