advice on purchasing 70 series requested

[knorrena]

I miss my bj42. For some time I have wanted a bj70, and I found one for cheap, $1800. It has some problems however. It has 497000kms on it. It has typical rust and needs brakes and an edic. It shifts fine and from what I can tell it is in otherwise good mechanical condition. My desire to own a tlc again is getting the better of me and I am considering buying it and rebuilding it from the ground up. I can and have restored 2 fj40s and a bj42, but have never had to rebuild a 3b. I built my own body panels for 40s, but had a friend weld them up. After looking on the web a 70 in ok shape with half the kms goes for about $10000, so I am thinking that I could spend 7-8000 on this one and have a fully-ish restored 70. Does this sound feasable, or am I truly letting my heart get in the way of my brain here?

Karl

 

[brownbear]

Just moved ya to our nice new 70 series section......

 

[canadam]

I don't like being a bubble burster, but 7-8000 dollar projects usually turn into 10-11000. Even if you could complete the job at your projected limit, you'll still have a chassis with half a million kilometers on it. That being said, I think it would be tough to fully restore a 70 series in the condition you've described properly for that dollar figure. Since you have this plan, I'd assume you have the money to buy a rig in this price range.

It doesn't look like Wayne has anything besides Prados in the 70 series, and none which are really in that price range. You can find him at www.luxuryimports.ca I've only heard good things about his product and honesty. I think dealing with him if you can is a good choice.

 

[bigbrowndog]

write out a complete list of every job that needs doing to the truck and spare parts required. Price this and add your labor in, you could be earning money or wheeling.Thats the easy part. Then estimate the time required to repair all the rust, double this time and this may be getting close. You will of course be aware most will come back again to haunt you.The rust beatles are hard to kill completely they are there hacking away all the time.LOL.Good luck,I am sure common sense will prevail, pic would make it better for an informed opinion from all.

 

[roscoFJ73]

am I truly letting my heart get in the way of my brain here?

Karl

YEP
Start with a good body. I would get a good 60 series gasser and convert it to diesel before I undertook the above mentioned project.
The 70 you described is a parts truck only or maybe a trail rig.

 

[beanz2]

Karl, the body panels for a 70 is probably harder to make than panels for a 40, but if you are really talented, you can do anything. And please show it off here Generally agree with the above replies tough, even after repairing the body, you'll still be stuck with a 500,000 km old running gear, provided the rust beetles did not infect those too.

Dave

 

[denis]

if you have more time than money, a large work area and a good bit of time to spend I'd do it. If you're thinking in terms of resale price, and somwhat value your time, don't do it though. If you want to find the satisfaction in the journey from the starting point to the end, then do it. I you want to do a factory, 100% stock resto, the 70 series will be a PITA, but if you want to build a clean, wheelable rig the project makes sense.

good luck

 

[lucky]

go for it, the 70 serires are the best series. the experience is worth it.
If you decide to not do it pm me the location and I will

Ryan

 

[mjohn7]

At $10,000 for a LJ or a HZ you would be self importing, as once there in Canada the price goes up to $15,000 and higher. Remeber the BJ 70 is an older truck, and finding one in good shape is getting harder.

Mike at Pro-active restored a BJ70, spent a ton of money and in the end imported a BJ74 for less.

 

[crushers]

just for the record, Mike and i were in business together for a while and that is why he got such a good deal. i brought in Mike's sweet BJ74 and i also know what he paid for it as well as what he paid for the refurbishing of his BJ70. the BJ74 was more than the cost of the BJ70 finished.
we also bought that rig back before the skyrocketing prices of land cruisers hit. the idea of buying a priemium BJ74, HZJ7* for $10,000 is long gone.
for me, if i bought a CND BJ70 in rough shape it would only be for driving into the ground. but that being said, a primeium CND BJ70 is worth good money to the state boys but each to their own.
one thing about buying a rougher BJ70, you get to have fun learning about cruisers and sheet metal work.
BTW, Mike's refurbished BJ70 is now residing int he states.
cheers

 

[seapotato]

why not, I picked up an 87 for 1600 bucks a couple months ago, put in glowplugs, and a piece of exhaust , and I've been driving it ever since. wasn't even all that rusty, my biggest problem , is that the girlfriend always wants' to drive it, and now I don't know what the hell to do with the old bj40....

I could see spending a few grand on making it perfect, tho for me, spending a few hundred to have it look good, and kill the rust is about enough...the body panels are a pain in the ass, especially if it gets into the wheelwells body mounts....
cheers,
ryan

 

[Jan-78FJ40]

but that being said, a primeium CND BJ70 is worth good money to the state boys but each to their own.

cheers

Yes, you are right. My Bj70 has a lot of money in it, and I love it dearly. Not that I would'nt exchange it for a nice 74 with 200.000 km less
all a question of availability...
Happy new year,
Jan

 

[knorrena]

Thanks for the input so far guys. Here are a few pics:

http://members.shaw.ca/karl.norrena

Its a crude site. Before you go to the site I should warn you that I currently own a Jeep. Forgive me. I went to the darkside and want to come back. Please let me in, its cold out here and there are wolves...

So far I am leaning toward just getting it, doing the brakes and edic driving it until the tlc of dreams comes along.

Karl

 

[beanz2]

It ain't too bad!

For $1500, if I were you I'd get it, have fun working on it and wheeling it and hang out here. Come on in and sit by the fire

Dave

 

[seapotato]

absolutely I'd buy it for that money. I'd say it'd be really really hard NOT to get your money back out of it if it turns out to have a nasty secret....


were'nt there only 660 of them imported into canada? So, considering how many have been wrecked and parted out , that's getting kinda rare.


cheers,
ryan

 

[crushers]

you look familure...
for $1500, it would be hard to go wrong...
cheers

 

[roscoFJ73]

Thanks for the input so far guys. Here are a few pics:

http://members.shaw.ca/karl.norrena

Its a crude site. Before you go to the site I should warn you that I currently own a Jeep. Forgive me. I went to the darkside and want to come back. Please let me in, its cold out here and there are wolves...

So far I am leaning toward just getting it, doing the brakes and edic driving it until the tlc of dreams comes along.

Karl

I say buy it as a trail rig with the bonus of coming back from the dark side.
Suppress those resto dreams though.
Might come in handy for if you find another 70