Buying 85’ bj70 what do I need to know? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter sancruz
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1)use-case first off, what are you expecting to do with it vs what these trucks are good at. (engines in 85 arent what they are now a-days)
2)mechanical shape, cost of getting it to where you want it for your use-case, when was everything last overhauled, check transmission for all gears working
3)rust. body-rockers, windsheild frame,door bottoms, fenders, floor panels, under the battery, roof sides, and of course the frame itself- check closely
4)engine health, compression numbers ideally
5)general condition of fuel lines, rubber parts, door hinges, interior, heaters etc
6)PRICE
i have an 86 btw
lets see some pics!
2)mechanical shape, cost of getting it to where you want it for your use-case, when was everything last overhauled, check transmission for all gears working
3)rust. body-rockers, windsheild frame,door bottoms, fenders, floor panels, under the battery, roof sides, and of course the frame itself- check closely
4)engine health, compression numbers ideally
5)general condition of fuel lines, rubber parts, door hinges, interior, heaters etc
6)PRICE
i have an 86 btw
lets see some pics!
Hi
I have a BJ73 with a 3B from 1985.
What engine are you looking at?
Where does the vehicle come from?
What's on the odo?
The BJ70s in 1985 should be 3B-I.
The 3B-II were found in BJ7s only after 1988ish, I guess.
There were also iterations of BJs made in Portugal for the Iberia market. Those had an Italian VM diesel. But that was probably in the 90s only.
The 3B is a durable engine, but it's slightly underpowered for the rig. It's slow and it's very slow uphill.
Some parts get hard to find.
Rust: At that age probably everywhere.
In some places from inside-out! (io).
Caution if the body was restored / resprayed: Bondo?!
Sills (io), Windshield frame bottom (io),
Foot wells (there is sound deadner from asphalt, which usually gets bridle and may have rust under it, and around the drain plugs), rain gutters, inner wheel wells, wheel arches (caution if there are extensions).
Door bottom sills and edges.
If any possible, remove the inner trim cards from doors and in the back and look into the cavities.
Frame: Crossmember (round pipe style) (io),
Spring hanger eyelets. Lower shock hanger pins in rear.
Springs are likely to have sagged and might need replacement: Check distance of axle bumps to axle.
Check gears, drivetrain and wheel play.
Check steering linkage, nuckles and chrome balls (pitted, rusted?)
Check for suspicious electric wiring and installations.
All the rest is what you can expect from a 30+ year old vehicle.. Depends a lot on what has been done by the PO.
Good Luck Ralf
I have a BJ73 with a 3B from 1985.
What engine are you looking at?
Where does the vehicle come from?
What's on the odo?
The BJ70s in 1985 should be 3B-I.
The 3B-II were found in BJ7s only after 1988ish, I guess.
There were also iterations of BJs made in Portugal for the Iberia market. Those had an Italian VM diesel. But that was probably in the 90s only.
The 3B is a durable engine, but it's slightly underpowered for the rig. It's slow and it's very slow uphill.
Some parts get hard to find.
Rust: At that age probably everywhere.
In some places from inside-out! (io).
Caution if the body was restored / resprayed: Bondo?!
Sills (io), Windshield frame bottom (io),
Foot wells (there is sound deadner from asphalt, which usually gets bridle and may have rust under it, and around the drain plugs), rain gutters, inner wheel wells, wheel arches (caution if there are extensions).
Door bottom sills and edges.
If any possible, remove the inner trim cards from doors and in the back and look into the cavities.
Frame: Crossmember (round pipe style) (io),
Spring hanger eyelets. Lower shock hanger pins in rear.
Springs are likely to have sagged and might need replacement: Check distance of axle bumps to axle.
Check gears, drivetrain and wheel play.
Check steering linkage, nuckles and chrome balls (pitted, rusted?)
Check for suspicious electric wiring and installations.
All the rest is what you can expect from a 30+ year old vehicle.. Depends a lot on what has been done by the PO.
Good Luck Ralf
All great advice above! Looks like you are in Canada. You know rust so this is a vehicle from 1985 and if used in winter there it will have some… check for bondo in all the spots listed in above posts with a magnet! Make sure it’s cold and not warmed up when you go to see it so you can see a cold start. That will give you some insight as to condition of motor (smoke, how long it cranks, etc) my 2c
They are slow but fun vehicles.
They are slow but fun vehicles.
I assume its a canadian spec BJ70. Start with rust.
3B engine makes about 90-ish hp. Don't be in a hurry
H55F 5 speed transmission. If stock it'll have 3.70 gears so if you want to run bigger than stock tires you will want to regear it, either in the diffs or the T case.
Will have suspension seats, which some people love.
I drove mine for 17 years and loved it. Replaced by a BJ74.
3B engine makes about 90-ish hp. Don't be in a hurry
H55F 5 speed transmission. If stock it'll have 3.70 gears so if you want to run bigger than stock tires you will want to regear it, either in the diffs or the T case.
Will have suspension seats, which some people love.
I drove mine for 17 years and loved it. Replaced by a BJ74.
- Thread starter
- #7
It’s a Canadian spec…yes.I assume its a canadian spec BJ70. Start with rust.
3B engine makes about 90-ish hp. Don't be in a hurry
H55F 5 speed transmission. If stock it'll have 3.70 gears so if you want to run bigger than stock tires you will want to regear it, either in the diffs or the T case.
Will have suspension seats, which some people love.
I drove mine for 17 years and loved it. Replaced by a BJ74.
- Thread starter
- #9
Asking 29k CND. looks to be in good shape from pics. Plan to use as secondary vehicle in fair weather only. Fishing, camping, no hardcore off-roading. I’m on west coast so not too much rust issues here. Apparently hasn’t been driven in winter for 15+ years…
Oh **** yes there is. Take a magnet when you look at it, and look hard. For $29k it should be super clean.
15 years of no winter driving is great... but that still leaves the first 23 years.
If you get it bring it out to a Coastal Cruisers meeting (second thursday of the month) and say hi.
i just saw the listing.... lets see who makes it there first! Juuust kidding, you're 3 hrs closer so you'd beat me there anyways 
30 is a lot, but it looks good, but at 386k km there may be some head work that needs to be done .
i had a black one just like it, same year and everything, but mine had a bit too much rust for me, so i picked up an 86 24v from north van year and a bit ago.
Guy flew from sask and drove the black one back with no drama (it has 400k km on it). I picked him up from th airport in my silver 86, smiles all around, he showed up with a licence plate that said 'yotaman' that his kids got for him.
Gotta love a cad spec lhd bj70!
30 is a lot, but it looks good, but at 386k km there may be some head work that needs to be done .
i had a black one just like it, same year and everything, but mine had a bit too much rust for me, so i picked up an 86 24v from north van year and a bit ago.
Guy flew from sask and drove the black one back with no drama (it has 400k km on it). I picked him up from th airport in my silver 86, smiles all around, he showed up with a licence plate that said 'yotaman' that his kids got for him.
Gotta love a cad spec lhd bj70!
Pics, pics, please 
for that price I would say no. there is a lot more rust with just that showing, I would say.
- Thread starter
- #16
Lots of rust in frame. I could put several fingers right through. All along driver side frame is very weak as well. Few taps of hammer and it would crumble. Body along rockers is also very rusted. Just flakes away when you touch it.Driver side floor board was very weak from underneath. Could easily push it up from underneath. Carpets covering everything on inside. Rear end just inside rear doors is rusted right through on driver side. Family large hole there. Funny thing is the dude keeps saying no rust. He’s sprayed textured paint all along the bottom half, claiming its for off-roading but then says he never goes off-roading. Also says he’s doesn’t legally have to disclose any claims under $2000. His add says no accidents. Car fax show 4 claims, 1 for $1900 to front passenger. 3 windshield claims.i just saw the listing.... lets see who makes it there first! Juuust kidding, you're 3 hrs closer so you'd beat me there anyways
30 is a lot, but it looks good, but at 386k km there may be some head work that needs to be done .
i had a black one just like it, same year and everything, but mine had a bit too much rust for me, so i picked up an 86 24v from north van year and a bit ago.
Guy flew from sask and drove the black one back with no drama (it has 400k km on it). I picked him up from th airport in my silver 86, smiles all around, he showed up with a licence plate that said 'yotaman' that his kids got for him.
Gotta love a cad spec lhd bj70!
View attachment 3361596
wow wow wow, thats bad, complete frame replacement
the autotrader pics look so much better
and yes I too saw the rhino liner on the bottom half of the truck and looks suspicious to me, like he did the body work and is trying to hide stuff
29k NO WAY dont do it
I got mine for 16k and the body has mild to medium rust issues and a clean frame,
that one is a turd
the autotrader pics look so much better
and yes I too saw the rhino liner on the bottom half of the truck and looks suspicious to me, like he did the body work and is trying to hide stuff
29k NO WAY dont do it
I got mine for 16k and the body has mild to medium rust issues and a clean frame,
that one is a turd
