SOLD 2003 Troopy in the US

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Year
2003
Vehicle Model
  1. 70 Series

Attachments

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Isn’t it illegal to sell that? Buyer beware.
 
4.5 litre inline 6 = 1fz-fe. If it is on an 80 chassis and titled as a 1995 or earlier fzj80 it could be legal. Isn't that what Maltec is doing?
 
Interesting.
 
Not on an 80 chassis.....rear leaf springs. 03 would have had a narrow nose so maybe a front end conversion to the wide nose. Neat truck...love that color.

I'd say South American....1FZ.....and the 'Toyopuerto' floor mat kind of lead me to believe that.
 
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dogfishlake said:
4.5 litre inline 6 = 1fz-fe. If it is on an 80 chassis and titled as a 1995 or earlier fzj80 it could be legal. Isn't that what Maltec is doing?
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That is what the Land Rover guys were doing and going the other way as well with older bodies on later chassis. Customs confiscated and destroyed over 100 of them. The owners had no recourse. Most were out everything they spent. I would not want to be the Land Cruiser test case. The government has an unlimited lawyer budget and all the time in the world.
 
They must have got a deal on that blue/grey paint. They resprayed a 79 in the same color. It was up for auction on the same website a month or two ago.
 
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Just curious, wouldn't someone with the reputation of Mecum Auctions require some form of due-diligence to make sure that any vehicle that comes through their auction process meet all of the applicable legal requirements?
 
Gun Runner 5 said:
Just curious, wouldn't someone with the reputation of Mecum Auctions require some form of due-diligence to make sure that any vehicle that comes through their auction process meet all of the applicable legal requirements?
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Saw a newer white 79 ute in T-ville a few months ago, must have been you. Glad to know there's a cruiser shop close by, I'm up the road in Worth County.
 
Gun Runner 5 said:
Just curious, wouldn't someone with the reputation of Mecum Auctions require some form of due-diligence to make sure that any vehicle that comes through their auction process meet all of the applicable legal requirements?
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Not always. Folks have hood winked registrars before with information that shows “legal”. We know trucks are out there that are “legal”. Buyer always needs to do the homework.
 
c2dfj45 said:
Not on an 80 chassis.....rear leaf springs. 03 would have had a narrow nose so maybe a front end conversion to the wide nose. Neat truck...love that color.

I'd say South American....1FZ.....and the 'Toyopuerto' floor mat kind of lead me to believe that.
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Yes, definitely from Venezuela. Toyopuerto and Toyogil are (or were, I'm not sure they are still open) Toyota dealers in Venezuela.

So the options are:

a) It's 2003. its illegal because is not 25+ years.
b) It's an older model (pre 95) with the newer front clip, newer engine, 5-lug and front coils. it would be illegal as well because it was modified and not in the original condition. But also, why they would say its a 2003?
c) could it be the case that is to be sold for off-road use only?
 
Whiskerz said:
That is what the Land Rover guys were doing and going the other way as well with older bodies on later chassis. Customs confiscated and destroyed over 100 of them. The owners had no recourse. Most were out everything they spent. I would not want to be the Land Cruiser test case. The government has an unlimited lawyer budget and all the time in the world.
Click to expand...


No the LR deal was....they were cutting vin numbers out of old trucks and welding them in new trucks. That is totally illegal.

Cheers
 
JMasi said:
c) could it be the case that is to be sold for off-road use only?
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I don't believe there's any legal basis for this.

Less than 25 = illegal, pretty much without exception. (The one tiny sliver of an exception is SO expensive, and SO much hassle, you don't want to know)

Gun Runner 5 said:
Just curious, wouldn't someone with the reputation of Mecum Auctions require some form of due-diligence to make sure that any vehicle that comes through their auction process meet all of the applicable legal requirements?
Click to expand...

Maybe not. I suspect Mecum don't own the cars they sell, they're acting as an agent for the owner. In that case, the legal responsibility would rest primarily with the owner.

If the car is in the USA presently (which is nowhere explicitly stated, as far as I can see), it was smuggled in and is thus technically contraband, subject to seizure and destruction by the US government. Even if it has license plates. Even if it's registered in a US state or territory. Even if the owner doesn't know how it got here or wasn't involved in it's importation in any way. Doesn't matter. Same would go for anyone who buys it.

On the other hand, if the car is currently in Venezuela (or anywhere else that's not the USA), which is possible, then any potential US bidders should educate themselves on import law prior to bidding. Being unable to import it to your home country (the USA) would not release you from the contractual obligation of purchase unless the seller and agent consent. Of course, a buyer could simply not pay, but I expect Mecum would have a claim irrespective of the buyer's ability to legally import.

Could be a cool car for a Canadian, though. Eh?
 
Like I said. They had the same color 79 up for auction recently. There’s a reason it didn’t sell...
It’s not legal if it’s stateside
 
Having spent 15 years in the classic car auction circle, I can say that Mecum, B-J, etc car only about transferable paperwork. If it has a title, they wouldn't look any further. Most of us know how easy it is to get a state title for anything so it's not a commentary on whether or not a vehicle is federally legal. Mecum only sells cars present on site so it's in the US.
 
Legit or not- Its a sexy looking truck
 
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