Anyone Done this Yet? - luxury imports

[uzj100]

Hey guys,

I got an email from Luxury Imports. Basic concept. They buy lhd 80 series from the US market, modify with Toyota turbo diesel engine and then resell it back to the US market. Has anyone done this yet? Sounds like a great way to acquire a turbo diesel cruiser.

regards,

uzj100

 

[LX_TREME]

I have lots of the 80 series Turbo Website links...heehehe....Which company you talkin about here?

 

[aamiggia]

I've talked one of the importers and I think he is one of the guys that has converted or helped convert the first couple of 80's to 1HD engines. There will be a hefty premium on these trucks. To buy and prep the cruiser would be 10K and the engine swap components are another 10K plus time and markup. I'm assuming that the total would be in the 20 - 25K US price range.

This would by quite a bit more than buying a good condition cruiser of the same year and options. Why not just buy a mint petrol cruiser and a 2nd car to commute in and spend the rest of the money on lavish toys. You'll never make up the price difference if that's what your after. If you just want it to be more JDM or different... well that's what you'll be paying for.

Just my $0.02

 

[70sguy]

Yup...Doing a diesel swap in an 80 is something you do for reasons other pure economics obviously since it will take a really LONG time for the swap to pay for itself in fuel based on the increase from 12 to 23 MPG. So the swap is not going to make much sense to your accountant.. but then would anything we Cruiser Nuts do make sense to a bean counter? Why am I doing it... because I love diesels and the increase in safety(fuel volatility) reliablility, drivabilitly(torque) and obviously coolness factor counts for a lot too.

Just my 2 canadian cents.. (1.59cents us)

Sheldon

 

[uzj100]

www.luxuryimports.ca

 

[cruiserman]

You'd never make it up in Idaho. Diesel fuel costs more than premium .

 

[uzj100]

I know the dollars do not make since however I was just talkin about having a TD.

peace

 

[ace10]

parts availability?

 

[mot]

parts availability?

If they are (which I believe they are) doing the 1HD-T(FT/FET?) conversion, then at least the engine-related (1HZ) parts should be "relatively" easy to obtain in N. America.

 

[rgsiii]

I own a BJ42, but am no diesel expert. I find myself calling Canada too often for various 3B engine parts--many not available in the US.

Was the 1HD-T on a new vehicle sold in NA? Some place like G&S may sell parts. I doubt if your local Toyota dealer would have access to them.

 

[mot]

Was the 1HD-T on a new vehicle sold in NA? Some place like G&S may sell parts.

Not that I know of, but their normally aspirated version, 1HZ, was available in Canada.

 

[Kalawang]

If they are (which I believe they are) doing the 1HD-T(FT/FET?) conversion, then at least the engine-related (1HZ) parts should be "relatively" easy to obtain in N. America.

" Relatively " is easier said than lived. I have a 1HD-T, I live in the Philippines, I'm looking for parts and they are not available locally except as salvaged junk parts.

Some parts aren't all that much trouble as in metal and body. Electricals are a real pain for me in the 24 volt starter parts, or anything in the 24 volt area. There doesn't seem to be any way of telling how much life is left in a used electrical part.

Maybe I'm just ranting. I'm just a little tired from looking for parts that aren't easily available.


Kalawang

 

[HZJ60 Guy]

I drove in an LX450 with a 1HD-T last week.

let's just say that it's in my future!



TB

 

[HZJ60 Guy]

I have a 1994 1HZ in my 60. Since the engine was imported into Canada in mine trucks parts are very available. And that engine is still in use today in Toyota vehicles!

You can get parts through Australia too.


TB

 

[IdahoDoug]

Heck, for the bling factor I'd rather have a Turbo/SC on my gasser for $5k, then spend the remaining $15k on a Pinzgaur or Volvo C303 and use the remaining $5k for random stuff. See www.real4X4.com for one of these beasts.

DougM

 

[Junk]

BTW, Luxury Imports is on this forum. I'm currently buying an FJ45LBP from him and driving it back to buggerville. Nice guy.

You'll find him more in the Intl section below.

 

[Jim_Chow]

It would probably be cheaper to export a 80 series body from a US cruiser and bolt it on an overseas 1HD-T (overseas), then re-import. I've looked into importing a stripped HZJ105 w/ lockers (new) for about $42K USD, but by the time you add the costs of making it street legal and shipping, it's more like $55K, and for that price, you can get a NEW 100 w/ all the bling options. It's way cheaper to just get a used N.A. 100 and outfit it w/ stuff like the sub-tank, even a rear locker if you're adventurous enough.

 

[semlin]

Well you can now bring in the 1990 hdj80 into canada and prices for the complete rig should not be too bad. How about a straight swap using a US reg 91 or 92 fj80? Throw the gas engine/tranny in the rhd body and the diesel/5 speed into the lhd, then sell the rhd gasser in Canada for whatever you can (not a lot but something) and take the LHD US model home. Another option is to get a LHD 80 with a dead motor for a couple of thousand in which case the engine swap is not as crazy.

 

[crushers]

Morning Guys,
one of the nice side benefits of being an importer i can find the trucks i need for doing a decent conversion. most of the trucks i have been keeping an eye out for have the elec lockers so that is one option i can supply at a reasonable amount. if you had to bring in the lockers seperate and install them it would be way too expensive.
Sheldon and I have discussed this briefly. We both agree that to do a swap where you buy all the extra parts needed seperately is very expensive and time consuming.
i have seen Sheldons work first hand and he does exceptional work. i would have no problem buying a truck off him.
the idea of buying a US titled truck and bringing it here to Canada, doing the swap and then from here we ship to anywhere in the US. of course shipping is extra from Canada. This will eliminate any hassle of exporting back to the states. I believe Sheldon will be doing the same thing.
i do not intend to pay off the house anytime soon doing this but it gives me another option to help out fellow cruiserheads and at the same time i get to make a bit of money.
gasser 80s are going to fast become a thing of the past here. so the idea of pulling a 3FE and stuffing it into a JDM body and flipping it will gbe a waste as far as i am concerned but the 3FE would make for a cheap alternative for anyone with a blown 2F in a 40 series.
if anyone is interested they are welcome to contact myself at wayne@crushersrule.com and i will try and answer your questions. We are based out of Calgary Alberta and are opening a branch in Ontario in the near future.
i do not moniter the 80 list very often so i might miss any threads here.
or you can contact Sheldon, he really does exceptional work in BC.
cheers

 

[semlin]

>>gasser 80s are going to fast become a thing of the past here.<<

Crushers you may be right that doing a reverse conversion of a 3FE into a JDM cruiser is a waste of time but you are drinking your own bathwater if you think gas powered 80s are going to disappear in Canada . In the short term they are going to become more common here as the us price continues to drop. So long as there is nothing available in LHD in Canada that can touch them, gas 80s will continue to do just fine. Now if you could find a steady supply of reasonably priced LHD diesel 80s, or offer a cheap conversion, all bets are off.