75 and 79 Series Pickup Discussion and Importation

[Will Van]

My thoughts were the 75 ended in 98 (year of my truck) and the 79 started in 99 which was fixed windscreen, extended cab length, and extended bed. Still the narrow front. The modern front started with the V8 diesel but still stayed 79.

Yessir, good info. I just previously thought that the change from 75 series to 79 series signaled the “narrow” to “wide” facelift. But that’s just wrong. As you mentioned, the wide facelift occurred when they went to the V8 diesel, in 2007.

 

[gilmorneau]

Any creative (but not illegal) ways to avoid the Chicken Tax when importing a 75/79 Pickup?

Not really. Why bother anyway? Legal 75 series trucks are available. 79, not so much. Compared to the costs of building your own, the Chicken Tax isn't so terrible, and there would be no concerns regarding any potential "shadiness" of the finished product.

The Subaru BRAT had seats in the bed for a reason.

Textbook example. Obviously, the reason Subaru put those cheesy seats in the back of the BRAT was to avoid the Chicken Tax. However, the reason it worked was because it was how the vehicle was originally configured by the manufacturer (which is how the HTS (Harmonized Tariff Schedule) code determination is made). User modifications do not alter the manufacturer's original design intent, and do not change the HTS code determination, thus do not change the tariff. You can petition to get the HTS code changed based on modifications (which is seldom successful), or you can inadvertently select the incorrect HTS code. Ooops!

where is the line drawn between "importing parts" and "importing vehicles"?

Think of it this way: Parts are on pallets or skids, or in crates. Parts do not run on their own. Parts do not roll on their own. They are moved with forklifts, dollies, and cranes. Note however that automobile parts are regulated by the NHTSA, just as are complete vehicles.

And I think calling it a kit kind of makes things easier to sell. Let the customer figure out the registration of their kit car. People buy kit cars all the time but I would assume being a manufacturer of kits and supplying a MSO doesn't come easy or cheap. MSOs are pretty serious.

See here: Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act of 2015 - Wikipedia
Might not apply directly to home builders, but if it's going to be a business.....

If you decide to "build your own", this is probably the best advice:

cross your fingers.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

I have my TX DMV paperwork to register my 75 build as a “kit car” when it actually runs and drives. Only reason I’ll do this is to see how the process works and having my own VIN is intriguing. If it looks like too much BS I’ll just keep it titled 96 LX450 which was the frame donor.

 

[SNLC]

Or just buy this.

Cheers

 

[gilmorneau]

Any creative (but not illegal) ways?

 

[SNLC]

If using an 80 chassis it will look funky if you don’t extend the wheelbase and won’t even line up with the beds wheel wells.

Buying all the interior, A/C, heater, dash, ect is tens of thousands of dollars.

A new 1FZFE is $7500 easy bare bones. New short block, head, cams, valves, ect.

V8 + trans + adapter + tcase is an easy $10k with not much of any upgrades.

1HDFT plus trans and tcase is well over $15k if you refurbish it and do some upgrades. This is a good but used engine.

Fab work alone is minimum 250hrs, more like 500-700 if you doing custom bumpers, sliders, ect. Most shops are $100+/hr.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

No idea, Florida, call them.

Cheers

 

[Mr Cimarron]

This is a 79 bed cut down to fit stock 80 frame. Like @SNLC said it may look funky but I’m partial to the 80 wheel base. We will find out in a few weeks when I have it mounted. My 80 works around our ranch perfectly and that’s what I’m building the truck to do. Longer trucks have bit harder time around the ranch.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

This is a 79 bed cut down to fit stock 80 frame. Like @SNLC said it may look funky but I’m partial to the 80 wheel base. We will find out in a few weeks when I have it mounted. My 80 works around our ranch perfectly and that’s what I’m building the truck to do. Longer trucks have bit harder time around the ranch.
View attachment 2314646

How much shorter than a standard bed?

 

[Gun Runner 5]

New frames can be had in the US through normal supply channels for between $5-6k. 26 week wait period.

Wouldn't that render it for off-road use only?

 

[c2dfj45]

This is a 79 bed cut down to fit stock 80 frame. Like @SNLC said it may look funky but I’m partial to the 80 wheel base. We will find out in a few weeks when I have it mounted. My 80 works around our ranch perfectly and that’s what I’m building the truck to do. Longer trucks have bit harder time around the ranch.
View attachment 2314646

#4 is going to be this setup....that short bed is really cool.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

How much shorter than a standard bed?

 

[bottombracket]

@c2dfj45: Waaait...NUMBER 4?

 

[Will Van]

Or just buy this.

View attachment 2314585View attachment 2314586View attachment 2314587

Cheers

2005? Is this a real truck? Details?

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

Just a quick fact: 79 Series Land Cruisers will be eligible for import to the US from 2024 on.

Before that date, bringing in one is a gamble with a lot to lose. The government has a million ways to make your life miserable.

Without a very close inspection, Colombian/South American manufacture and creative mechanics are better avoided, regardless of how good the truck looks.

In the meantime, building a 79 Series on an 80 frame is a better option. Another one is importing a 75 Series.









Juan

 

[gilmorneau]

2005? Is this a real truck?

Sure, probably.

Details?

If it's what they say it is (2005 70-series), it's here illegally. Not many other details, really.

 

[SNLC]

In all fairness, a longer wheelbase has more advantages than disadvantages.

Better at climbing or descending hills, ledges, waterfalls, ect. Better ride on the road as well.

Worse turning radius though which can be an issue on tight trails or in parking lots.

Cheers

 

[Mr Cimarron]

In all fairness, a longer wheelbase has more advantages than disadvantages.

Better at climbing or descending hills, ledges, waterfalls, ect. Better ride on the road as well.

Worse turning radius though which can be an issue on tight trails or in parking lots.

Cheers

True. Downfall for our roads are the ruts and washouts that my dad scrapes the s*** out of his long ass Ford's underbelly. I think the biggest advantage to a longer wheelbase in a truck is payload.

 

[FJBen]

Here ya go: $119,000 AED which is roughly US: $35,937.44

Of course you have tax and fees importation ETC....

All you have to do is buy it, dismantle it, cut the frame and bring it back in to US to a friendly DMV as a "kit" truck and hope no one digs any further into your little venture, and make sure not to have a wreck.

I'm way to risk adverse for something like that. Personally in a nasty car wreck, you can really run into issues with even "kit" style cars/conversions etc if an insurance company wanted to be really nasty. Say your 79 titled as an 80 series runs though a busload of orphans with kittens on their first trip to seaworld from money they saved by hard manual labor in the salt mines. Their fault, but hard to prove. If it's a big payout, you can bet mr insurance company is going to take tons of lawyers/forensics to dig through to find ANYTHING to make you liable. They find out some swap happened, watch out...it's even possible your insurance company may not protect you if it's not 100% squeaky clean on your policy about what you actually had...plausible deniability.

I have no idea the odds of you running over a busload of orphans with kittens on their way to seaworld, but just something to make sure it's all good!


On more serious note...
If I wanted a 79 setup, I would be contacting @SNLC @c2dfj45 @Eco 45 @joekatana and have one built from a 75 then secondly an 80 series swap.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

There are two things I'm going to do immediately. Number 1, I'm going to donate to that orphanage and number 2, I'm going stop driving my Land Cruiser. That's the saddest story I've ever heard.