I fond out when filling with fuel right after delivery since it was sent on empty. ( You would think after spending that kind of money they would fill tank ) and diesel poured out from under the truck.....
Elite Landcruisers?
- Thread starter 72mikel
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martianluther
Rebel Soul Music 1991 FJ80 2007 UZJ100
It was sent looking purrrdy as can be... fuel lines not clamped or cinched down tightly... up comes a stream of gas pouring like an oil well... It was sent with a lot of lipstick guys. Paint and body lines and powdercoating and suspension and the engine bay and some of the interior look like it's prime time cruiser land.. but upon real examination, I have to ship this thing across the country to a real shop like Mudrak Custom Cruisers and when he gets done with it you will get the full unfiltered breakdown... point by friggin point. The network of real TLC fans and fanatics need to know how Un Elite the situation really is. This ish is unacceptable
wow sounds so familiar for sure. Damn.
I have worked on a couple of Elite cruisers restorations. I cannot emphasize enough how bad they were. Engine spray painted "restored". The entire chassis had no solder on any of the wires, simply twisted together and electrical tape (sometimes). Missing half the body mounts, almost all aftermarket parts (door handles, filters, belts, hardware etc all not Toyota), every bolt hand tight, drivelines fell off on the test drive. That sort of thing. This was all for a guy that spent over $100K on one of their Troopy restorations. For such bold claims on their website, the quality of work was egregious.
405
GOLD Star
I saw one of their FJ60 restorations on BaT last year and I was less than impressed. Lipstick on a pig comes to mind. The pictures from the BaT auction tell you everything you need to know. 1984 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 4-Speed - https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1984-toyota-land-cruiser-fj60-133/
Stay far away from Elite Land Cruisers and Todd Gatewood. I bought a 1978 HJ45 from him that he had on his website that was already stateside in late 2020 for $68,500. He was brokering it for a customer who bought it the year before. he said the truck had a full frame off restoration and was perfect. After paying for it and getting it down to Florida it turned out it had a blown cylinder head. The only help Todd offered me was selling me an overpriced cylinder head for $4,000 that he brought in from Costa Rica. And then to make matters worse the whole underside of truck had rust and pitting on it - including the body and frame. The body mounts mounts were all corroded/destroyed and not even replaced when he did the so called restoration! None of the front or rear lights worked. They were all taped up with electrical tape. I tried to crimp them with new crimps but that still does not get them to come on. The truck is absolute pile of garbage that I am stuck with because of how much I overpaid for it. Todd Gatewood was the most rude and condescending person after the sald was completed and the head cylinder problem came up. He refused to help fix the problem and blocked my phone number. I plan on doing a thorough post here soon to expose this fraud who is giving this inndustry a bad name. On the other hand George at Valley Hybrids is the man and we need people like him in this industry!
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Nic, you and the previous owner drove the cruiser with no issues for years and then later you blew the head gasket driving on the interstate. It was not as soon as you received it. The cruiser was brokered from another owner and you knew that and it had no warranty- nor could I know how it was used before or after you purchased it from the previous owner (I assisted with the transaction).
I tried to help you with everything including getting a new H Engine Block. Clearly the lighting connections should not have been done that way- all work working per the previous owner. But you called me literally 20 times in 15 min while I was at the hospital with my wife and you were demanding things that were unreasonable and screaming at me. This was one of our first original restoration and the frames were painted and not powder coated like we do today. The body with rock chips will pit- we now undercoat all with color painted rhino lining to prevent. I know you are upset at the extra cost you incurred to repair. I didn't want the experience to be poor. I don't believe i was ever condescending or rude- I apologize if I came across that way- not my nature. I connected you with the seller- you have to take responsibility to inspect and verify the condition.
@todd Gatewoood the vehicle arrived in Florida billowing a tremendous amount of white smoke. And funny that you remind me that in late 2020 right when I got it and drove it for the first time one of the coolant hoses blew off and left me stranded on the highway. The hose blew off because it was not tightened properly. There has been so many issues with this vehicle that I can’t even recall them all. Bottom line is EliteLanCruisers have every excuse in the book on why it’s not their problem. Just a quick phone call around the industry to reputable cruiser companies like Valley Hybrids can verify the incompetence of Todd Gatewood and Elite Land Cruisers.
Response to Recent Post and Company Perspective
The fuel tank vent hoses missing was just stupid miss and an oversight. The Alternator on the 80 should have been wired better. I am as surprised an anyone on the fender attachments- I’m furious about this as this work was contracted out. Clearly not visible for our team to know.
As the members have pointed out, there is a lot to love on the cruisers we restore and these simple misses in our past are just inexcusable.
Although it was difficult to see these posts within the Mud family, I am confident in my character and values, as are many other members. We are continuously improving, learning from every issue.
Introduction and Purpose
I just saw this post about me and my company, and I want to share my perspective with the Mud family, as well as clarify some missing facts.Summary of My Position
First and foremost, I want to briefly summarize my thoughts on this matter, emphasizing both accountability and civility for those who may not wish to read further. As the founder, I accept responsibility, and my company also accepts responsibility when mistakes occur. Anyone in business understands that issues can arise; what truly matters is how you respond. We have always responded to any concerns raised and have documentation to support this.Background and Company History
I have proudly been a Mud member for 15 years, gaining from and contributing to the forum. My passion for Land Cruisers and the community inspired me to start this business. Elite Land Cruisers has been operating for over a decade and has completed more than 50 genuine restorations. Achieving this is not possible by neglecting quality or customer care. I can provide references from numerous satisfied clients whose vehicles have required no additional attention. In fact, we are currently expanding our operations to offer dedicated service, maintenance, and repairs exclusively for our clients.Addressing Reported Issues
I have never intentionally misled anyone or sent out a Land Cruiser with a known issue. Some original parts are no longer available, as most of us know, so we source as many as we can from Japan, the Middle East, and Australia to ensure genuine OEM parts.The fuel tank vent hoses missing was just stupid miss and an oversight. The Alternator on the 80 should have been wired better. I am as surprised an anyone on the fender attachments- I’m furious about this as this work was contracted out. Clearly not visible for our team to know.
As the members have pointed out, there is a lot to love on the cruisers we restore and these simple misses in our past are just inexcusable.
Quality, Value, and Business Practices
As other members have noted, similar restoration projects can take three years and cost up to $250,000—our shop delivers comparable results for about half that cost. We are a small team and do contract out some work, employing a few dedicated individuals who support their families through this work. However, we assume full accountability even when subcontractors make mistakes. There are thousands of hours of of work that go into these and I hate to see a few misses taint the image and brand- especially since some are simple repairs and hidden even from us from a previous contractor.Commitment to Improvement and Community
Have we made mistakes or missed items performed by a subcontractor (thousands or parts and tasked involved) in restoring a Land Cruiser? Yes. Have we taken responsibility and made things right? Absolutely, and this will always be our approach. With each project, we strive to improve.Although it was difficult to see these posts within the Mud family, I am confident in my character and values, as are many other members. We are continuously improving, learning from every issue.
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Nic- the cruiser came from the previous owner who had it for years. I can't assume responsibility for a loose lower water hose clamp- that blew off years later and resulting in overheating and your head gasket issues. Especially since as a brokered deal, it was not inspected and shipped from directly from the previous owner which you were well aware. Hoses, brakes, belts, tires, oil are wear items and you have to take responsibility for their condition and not blame the builder or OEM after 4 years.
1MOA
SILVER Star
Do people inspect and test drive vehicles before they buy them? Ask questions about how it was restored or maintenance history ect?
I must be some kind of dinosaur that puts eyes hands and a solid test drive to someone even more knowledgeable than me to look it over again before I buy a vehicle. Not defending the seller at all. Just curious
I must be some kind of dinosaur that puts eyes hands and a solid test drive to someone even more knowledgeable than me to look it over again before I buy a vehicle. Not defending the seller at all. Just curious
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tex45
SILVER Star
Did bro just use ChatGTP to write his response?
Love the subtitles
LOL. I thought the same thing