body experience opinions needed

[merbesfield]

You guys that have more experience than me, could you register your opinion as to how badly damaged this double cab is. Obviously it was in a pretty good accident bc you can see the windshield frame has been tweeked and the door has been replaced. What you can see in the pic is all I know. I am talking to Lucio at Toyocap about buying this cab. He says it is repairable. I am just not sure it is repairable. I realize that almost everything is repairable, but just not familiar with how much these trucks can take in a hit. Sheet metal is easy, but if the whole cab is twisted? The price is not cheap and the shipping will not be either so let me know your opinions. You will not hurt my feelings. Thanks

 

[Eco 45]

Looks like the truck took the main hit from the Drivers front corner. The doors look ok along with the main supports between the front and rear doors. To make things easier it would probably be best to replace the firewall and windshield frame--I think once those two items are done the roof could be straitened back to fit the body correctly. Would be interesting to see what frame damage was made. Although some of this is guessing as I have never laid my hands on a Brazilian Yota.

 

[a.greenspan]

Except for the accident, I would not buy a car from south/middle America. The use of cars there is/was very extensive over the years.
Cheers
Peter

 

[merbesfield]

This truck body is a 2001 so it has not lived too many years in SA. I am more concerned about the body damage than anything else. I am awaiting more pics and will post when I get them. Thanks

 

[fjwagon]

It's really hard to tell by looking at the pics. Have someone take "diagonol" measurements to make sure they are square. How well do the other doors open and are the gaps consistent?

 

[merbesfield]

Here are some more pics. Looks not too bad to me.

 

[merbesfield]

more

more 2

 

[merbesfield]

more

more 3

 

[merbesfield]

Does anyone have any international shipping experience?

 

[gr8ful]

Hi Merbesfield,
I work in international supply chain management & logistics. And my wife is a licensed U.S. Customs broker. Odds are good I can help answer your questions or give you a hand importing that body if you like.
What do you need?
Best,
Abe

 

[merbesfield]

I would love some help. I will PM you.

 

[1tontoy]

Which city is it in?

 

[merbesfield]

San Paulo

 

[gr8ful]

Hi Merbesfield,

I just responded to your PM. Give me a call if you are still up. By the way, do you speak Portugese?

 

[merbesfield]

I am not getting a frame from him as I do not need one. I have a frame from a 1965 LV which is in good shape. it would just have to be lengthened which should not be too difficult to find a good frame shop in Atlanta. What do you think about eh wiring harness, is that something you think I should negotiate into the deal?

 

[merbesfield]

does anyone know of or recommend any shipping companies worthy of doing a shipping job like this in a timely manor.

 

[80nick]

get the harness, and get that steering column.

ask how much to get it fixed down there. labor is going to kill you here, unless you have body work experience. it looks fixable, but that roof looks buckled which might mean that rig took a pretty significant hit. also, it might be the angle and lighting but the floor in one shot looks buckled as well.

looks like truck drove off road and into a ditch to me. do you know what happened?

 

[80nick]

also, look at the motor in the first picture. it looks like it broke motor mounts and tranny mounts and is resting at an angle from some kind of head on/driver front collision.... but these are really just my guesses

get it, and let project "can-o-worms" begin

 

[cruiser_guy]

I tend to think there are some serious issues. In Central America they get cars from the US that are writeoffs and rebuild them. If they are not rebuilding this there is probably a good reason for it.

 

[merbesfield]

I have studied the pics a lot. I do not see any major misalignment issues. I have stared at the door frames and door gaps in the pics and they look good. the only one i see that looks off is the DS back door, which i believe is slightly ajar, not bent. the rood is dented, but that looks to be a dent along with the dirp line. i did see the hint of floor buckle mentioned, but looking in other pics i think it is just oil canning so to speak, but not a buckle. as for the motor sitting on the ground, it looks to me like they have been pulling parts and the transmission was pulled and the engine left to rest. the best pic i can look at is the DS door lower front corner. i figure if the body was bent, this gap would be large. in the pics i have it is still just like the factory put it. i was told the majority of impact was front corner and this is what it looks like to me. of course i could be deluding myself to justify things, ha ha. it is a lot of money to buy this thing, but i also know they are basically not available so you take what you can get. having worked on my LV so much, i can tell you these things are built like tanks. it is truly amazing. they would have to take a huge hit. from what i can tell this is repairable. but keep the opinions coming. what other parts would i need that may only be available from Brazil?