- Location
- United States
This was written for Craigslist. Please excuse the layman's terms and unnecessary detail.
Toyota Land Crusier
more specifically: BJ42-005152
model year: 1983
This is a hard top with drums all around, the four speed plus reverse in the split case, low range (2x4, 4H, N, 4L), split rims, locking hubs, naturally aspirated 3B diesel motor in clean white paint with blacked out windows. The removable hard top and folding front windshield make this a very cool ride for just about anything except street racing. It also has 90% of an air conditioner. (All that's missing is the compressor and a charge.) It's headlights are powerful, modern lamps with great high beams. It can seat three up front (cozily) plus four (or ten if you're in Latin America) in the two folding jump seats in the tail. It comes with a cd/radio stereo with two box speakers in the rear, a"Jesus Fish" license plate frame and Nicaraguan flair (see pictures).
I bought this truck in Leon, Nicaragua, drove it home, registered it and now I'm selling it. I'm selling it because it's done it's job and not because there is anything wrong with it. Far from it. This truck is solid. It is 26 years old, so know what you're getting yourself into, but over all, and even considering it's few faults, this is a great ride for the hills of Colorado, Wyoming or anywhere really, roads or no.
This stout piece of equipment made the ride from Leon, Nicaragua to the middle mountains of Guatemala and back again. And then it easily did the trip from Leon all the way to my home in Cheyenne via Santa Cruz, California, a distance of 4,900 miles. The odometer failed at 249,000 kilometers (154,000 miles) so it's hard to say how much territory this thing has covered over the years. It's not that important anyway because the status of the roads in Central America make every mile seem like two or three (CA1 aside). Toyota knew this model would only last in the places they intended to sell it if it were well built. It has axles said to be equivalent or better than Dana 60s. I don't need to go on about reliability. It's a Toyota Land Cruiser, enough said.
Certainly this truck was used for work at some point in it's career but whoever owned it took care of it like it was important (something of a rarity down there). There is no rust on the frame (at all, anywhere) and the only rust on the body was cut out and new metal welded in (in the tail's floor and the passenger's footwell. Both are covered with new floor mats and or liner.)
I rode here on new Firestone tractor tires which are still good for a season or two but not more if you drive it hard. Highway miles tear up there old school tread patterns. The spare really is a spare. It appears to have been around at least as long as the truck. I'd drive on it but only to the next vulcanizer (it was my spare for the both of my trips if that tells you anything).
On the road trip to Guatemala late last year I replaced the front seals (with Marlin's (Thanks Charles!)) because the left one failed. Later, after a trip to San Juan Del Sur (five hours south of my home there), I refurbished the front brakes because they were pulling hard to the right. Then, in Acapulco, we were stranded an extra day because it took an afternoon to rebuild the starter motor with new brushes. (Note: Acapulco is not a bad place to be stranded + the truck starts like a champ every time now.)
Known issues:
The rear running lights failed (or never worked rather). The brake, reverse and turn lights all function, but there's just nothing on unless you're braking, reversing or turning (more on the turn signals later).
The glow plugs are probably around 40-45%. It starts, no problem, but you have to glow longer than you ought to. I'd suggest replacing them (neither expensive or difficult).
The latest gremlin appeared on the second to last day of the ride, in Nevada. It was night and we were running the four way flashers because we didn't want a ticket for not having tail lights. For no apparent reason, the four ways failed completely then came back a few minutes later. But now, instead of flashing, they held steady. I'm not sure what sort of short causes such a weird pattern but it shouldn't take a competent mechanic very long to solve such a problem.
No heater. An issue at this latitude and altitude, for me anyway. (I got soft down in the Central American heat.) The engine puts enough heat into the cabin to make it tolerable but it's still necessary to drive with a coat and light gloves and stuff. Marvin, at Spector Off Road in LA, said he could add a heater unit for three or four hundred clams (no shipping calculated because I was parked in the lot). If you want a summer ride, well, there is no problem. In fact, take the hard top and doors off, fold the glass down and you're set: a perfect fair weather back country camping rig (or street cruiser).
Another minor problem is that the rear door's lock doesn't function. It locks just fine from the inside but the tumbler is broken off from the actual lock meaning that one must lean over the front seats to unlock the tail.
Aside from these issues, I replaced the bushings all around (Toyota parts), had the radiator pressure checked and flushed in Santa Cruz, exhaust pipe/header gasket replaced, fuel filter changed out and the oil changed. Also, it's been cleaned inside and out and the 80 liter (21 gal.) tank is full.
She's yours for $19,500.
For those of you looking for an investment, this truck needs a turbo charger, five speed and disk brakes on the front to be worth a lot more than what I'm asking (plus those smaller items I mentioned above).
For those of you looking for a sweet ride this is it. It'll get you to the mountain, river, trail, single track, COUGHwholefoods,gymandstarbucksahem no sweat. And if you need it to, it'll carry you to within 300m of the summit or into the rapids (a winch and snorkel could probably get you the rest of the way.) I'd also like to point out the usefulness of this truck in the apocalypse, which, I'll remind you, is only a three short years away according to the Mayan calendar. When the zombies attack and the meteors start falling you'll want a rugged bug-out vehicle. Speed won't matter as much as durability when the undead are afoot and this rig has durability in spades.
Also, if you're looking for something greener than your soccer mom SUV, the Toyota 3B diesel easily converts to run biodiesel and waste veggie oil. See?:
Rhodes Creations
Contact me at
I'm in Cheyenne. Anyone near by is welcome to swing through to take a look.
aboheler@gmail.com
Toyota Land Crusier
more specifically: BJ42-005152
model year: 1983
This is a hard top with drums all around, the four speed plus reverse in the split case, low range (2x4, 4H, N, 4L), split rims, locking hubs, naturally aspirated 3B diesel motor in clean white paint with blacked out windows. The removable hard top and folding front windshield make this a very cool ride for just about anything except street racing. It also has 90% of an air conditioner. (All that's missing is the compressor and a charge.) It's headlights are powerful, modern lamps with great high beams. It can seat three up front (cozily) plus four (or ten if you're in Latin America) in the two folding jump seats in the tail. It comes with a cd/radio stereo with two box speakers in the rear, a"Jesus Fish" license plate frame and Nicaraguan flair (see pictures).
I bought this truck in Leon, Nicaragua, drove it home, registered it and now I'm selling it. I'm selling it because it's done it's job and not because there is anything wrong with it. Far from it. This truck is solid. It is 26 years old, so know what you're getting yourself into, but over all, and even considering it's few faults, this is a great ride for the hills of Colorado, Wyoming or anywhere really, roads or no.
This stout piece of equipment made the ride from Leon, Nicaragua to the middle mountains of Guatemala and back again. And then it easily did the trip from Leon all the way to my home in Cheyenne via Santa Cruz, California, a distance of 4,900 miles. The odometer failed at 249,000 kilometers (154,000 miles) so it's hard to say how much territory this thing has covered over the years. It's not that important anyway because the status of the roads in Central America make every mile seem like two or three (CA1 aside). Toyota knew this model would only last in the places they intended to sell it if it were well built. It has axles said to be equivalent or better than Dana 60s. I don't need to go on about reliability. It's a Toyota Land Cruiser, enough said.
Certainly this truck was used for work at some point in it's career but whoever owned it took care of it like it was important (something of a rarity down there). There is no rust on the frame (at all, anywhere) and the only rust on the body was cut out and new metal welded in (in the tail's floor and the passenger's footwell. Both are covered with new floor mats and or liner.)
I rode here on new Firestone tractor tires which are still good for a season or two but not more if you drive it hard. Highway miles tear up there old school tread patterns. The spare really is a spare. It appears to have been around at least as long as the truck. I'd drive on it but only to the next vulcanizer (it was my spare for the both of my trips if that tells you anything).
On the road trip to Guatemala late last year I replaced the front seals (with Marlin's (Thanks Charles!)) because the left one failed. Later, after a trip to San Juan Del Sur (five hours south of my home there), I refurbished the front brakes because they were pulling hard to the right. Then, in Acapulco, we were stranded an extra day because it took an afternoon to rebuild the starter motor with new brushes. (Note: Acapulco is not a bad place to be stranded + the truck starts like a champ every time now.)
Known issues:
The rear running lights failed (or never worked rather). The brake, reverse and turn lights all function, but there's just nothing on unless you're braking, reversing or turning (more on the turn signals later).
The glow plugs are probably around 40-45%. It starts, no problem, but you have to glow longer than you ought to. I'd suggest replacing them (neither expensive or difficult).
The latest gremlin appeared on the second to last day of the ride, in Nevada. It was night and we were running the four way flashers because we didn't want a ticket for not having tail lights. For no apparent reason, the four ways failed completely then came back a few minutes later. But now, instead of flashing, they held steady. I'm not sure what sort of short causes such a weird pattern but it shouldn't take a competent mechanic very long to solve such a problem.
No heater. An issue at this latitude and altitude, for me anyway. (I got soft down in the Central American heat.) The engine puts enough heat into the cabin to make it tolerable but it's still necessary to drive with a coat and light gloves and stuff. Marvin, at Spector Off Road in LA, said he could add a heater unit for three or four hundred clams (no shipping calculated because I was parked in the lot). If you want a summer ride, well, there is no problem. In fact, take the hard top and doors off, fold the glass down and you're set: a perfect fair weather back country camping rig (or street cruiser).
Another minor problem is that the rear door's lock doesn't function. It locks just fine from the inside but the tumbler is broken off from the actual lock meaning that one must lean over the front seats to unlock the tail.
Aside from these issues, I replaced the bushings all around (Toyota parts), had the radiator pressure checked and flushed in Santa Cruz, exhaust pipe/header gasket replaced, fuel filter changed out and the oil changed. Also, it's been cleaned inside and out and the 80 liter (21 gal.) tank is full.
She's yours for $19,500.
For those of you looking for an investment, this truck needs a turbo charger, five speed and disk brakes on the front to be worth a lot more than what I'm asking (plus those smaller items I mentioned above).
For those of you looking for a sweet ride this is it. It'll get you to the mountain, river, trail, single track, COUGHwholefoods,gymandstarbucksahem no sweat. And if you need it to, it'll carry you to within 300m of the summit or into the rapids (a winch and snorkel could probably get you the rest of the way.) I'd also like to point out the usefulness of this truck in the apocalypse, which, I'll remind you, is only a three short years away according to the Mayan calendar. When the zombies attack and the meteors start falling you'll want a rugged bug-out vehicle. Speed won't matter as much as durability when the undead are afoot and this rig has durability in spades.
Also, if you're looking for something greener than your soccer mom SUV, the Toyota 3B diesel easily converts to run biodiesel and waste veggie oil. See?:
Rhodes Creations
Contact me at
I'm in Cheyenne. Anyone near by is welcome to swing through to take a look.
aboheler@gmail.com
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