Bj60 thoughts ? (1 Viewer)

[Janesway]

Hey folks. I have spent the last few days pouring over the forum for as much info as possible on BJ60s. This place is awesome.

The reason is...I'm heading to pick up a 1982 BJ60, and I'm looking for some input.

Specs as I understand them

1982 BJ60 with naturally aspirated 3b and 4spd
Rebuild by current owner about 5 years/50k km ago, new sleeves and seals.
Frame rebuild and re inforcement at aft end, starting at the tranny. C- channels boxed.
2inch lift
Lunchbox locker in rear
Re painted at some point years ago
Has custom bumper, and roof rack and a winch.

Body looks like it's starting to deteriorate a bit. Decent sized holes in both rocker panels under rear door, and the paint is starting to bubble around the wheel wells. Few odd rust spots here and there. Sounds like some panels were replaced in the wheel wells in the past too. Slow/small Leaks from rear diff cover and rear main seal.

$8k is the price.

Seems to me like BJ60s are getting harder to find/more expensive, and I'm pretty excited about the chance to get into one. Will be doing a fair amount of daily driving and weekend trips into backcountry. Eventually wouldn't mind (slowly) driving down to the Baja. Any thoughts on the year 4spd, the body rust, and the price?

Thanks in advance.

 

[georgebj60]

Too hard to evaluate based on a description alone. Sounds a bit rough, but I guess is depends on how well the previous work was done. Is it safe to assume you're talking $8K CAD, converted works out to roughly $6K USD?

Post up some pics if you can. But rust is hard and expensive to fix. Diesel drivetrains are not that hard to find.

When I was in your position a couple years ago, some sage advice from people in the know suggested I find a rust-free truck out of the PNW, and find a diesel donor locally. That's what I did, and I don't regret it. But, I was in the mood for a project, which may not be for everyone.

 

[Freewheel]

Pictures please!! Especially the repairs on the rear frame and the trouble spots

 

[Janesway]

Frame above, hole in rocker below, which apparently is the worst of it. And yeah it's 8k Canadian .

 

[MarkBC]

I'd want a 5 speed. There are several 5 speed bj60's on kijiji in various states of rust, it seems they are more common than 4 speed.

 

[georgebj60]

Well, what is your skill level as far as body work? Because it's going to need a lot, and you'll always be chasing rust.

But, if you could do some basic stuff to get it to pass a safety, so be it. Then just drive the wheels off of it. It is not a restoration candidate, and it's not a good investment. The best way to get your money out of a rig like that is to use it. A lot.

As a more direct answer to your questions, I had a BJ60 with a 4spd, and it worked fine. Not a highway truck, so as long as you stay in town or on the trails it works. If you do any highway driving, the 5spd is the way to go. And it's more common. Only the '81 and '82's had the 4spd, and they're relatively rare. They also generally got vinyl flooring, a split bench front seat and different door panels that didn't cover the top of the steel part of the door.

Price-wise, I wouldn't go any higher than 5K. But I'm not a body guy so I wouldn't even be in the market for this, so it's a bit hard to advise on a good price for you.

It's true they are hard to find. In Canada, they rusted out. And if it didn't, it's worth 30K. Not a lot of choice.

 

[MarkBC]

Here's a nice one, a bit pricey
1984 Land Cruiser BJ60 Diesel 5 Speed Landcruiser

 

[Cruzerman]

To me, it seems rather pricey for that much rust.

 

[SteveH]

That rocker rust looks nearly fatal - a lot of cutting and splicing to fix that area.

 

[fjbj40]

I am experienced with the BJ60 series. That is not a $8000.00 truck! that, from the one rocker pic is no more than 4000 CDN, and that is too much. They are available for less than that and they will be rusty also. Buy a rusty one, yank the drivetrain and basic harness for the EDIC and glow system. get a rust free 60 from the USA and swap it in.

Believe me, that picture shows 20% of the rust! You will be in for a lot of work once you start digging......

 

[zakthor]

8k seems like a lot to me. Also I tried a 4 speed and not good for long drives on freeway...

mid you do get it you’ll need to buy a good grinder, a mig, and lots of flap discs. Don’t bother with chemicals.

 

[Janesway]

Thanks for the input! general consensus is 8k is close to double what the vehicle is worth and the rust repair is possible but probably not even worth it.

I'll let you know how it all plays out.

Also nice body work @zakthor good to get a look at your process. I see 4wheelauto sells replacement panels for rear wheels and rocker corner but panels add up quick.

 

[georgebj60]

Wolf in Canada also sells some panels. But yeah, in this situation I don't know of any scenario where extensive rust repair makes sense, other than when your hand has been forced such as finding the rust after buying the truck.

The thing to keep in mind is that these trucks sold in fairly large numbers, so rust free bodies are available. If you really want one, and want to keep it for a long time and hold it's value, start with rust free.

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