Finding My Ideal 70 Series; Advice Wanted

[gilmorneau]

I owned and drove a naturally aspirated (i.e. non-turbo) Troopy for about 4 years in Colorado. Around town, you'll never miss the power, and two lane back roads (flat or gentle hills) are mostly fine, but on the Interstate it just couldn't keep up. Not really geared for it and lacks sufficient power anyway. For reference, if you've ever driven up Boulder Canyon, most of it is a gentle grade at 45-ish mph and the Troopy did fine, but the Narrows (the steep bit--12% grade-- just after Boulder Falls) was second gear.

any go-to merchants or services to source a JDM vehicle

Japanese car auction. Used Cars from Japan. Car auctions online. Vehicles, Bikes, Parts

JAPANESE AUCTIONS - japancardirect.com

auc.japancardirect.com

watch the auctions until something you're interested shows up. They do all the work for you until it arrives at a U.S. port. They will require earnest money, but if you don't buy anything, you'll get it back.

Or, for LHD, look here:

New and Used cars marketplace AutoScout24

Welcome to AutoScout24 - the largest pan-European online car market

www.autoscout24.com

or here:

https://www.leboncoin.fr/

or here:

https://www.mobile.de/

+there are other sites.

If you find anything you like in Europe, contact this guy:

Busman: VW T3 syncro specialist and car buying service for Defender, Land Cruiser and Mercedes G

busmaneurope.com

He'll get the car on a ship bound for the US.

I can't tell you what to buy, but if you want the thrill you think you'll get from a 70-series, is a 100 or 200 going to give it to you?

 

[VinylSeats]

I owned and drove a naturally aspirated (i.e. non-turbo) Troopy for about 4 years in Colorado. Around town, you'll never miss the power, and two lane back roads (flat or gentle hills) are mostly fine, but on the Interstate it just couldn't keep up. Not really geared for it and lacks sufficient power anyway. For reference, if you've ever driven up Boulder Canyon, most of it is a gentle grade at 45-ish mph and the Troopy did fine, but the Narrows (the steep bit--12% grade-- just after Boulder Falls) was second gear.

Japanese car auction. Used Cars from Japan. Car auctions online. Vehicles, Bikes, Parts

JAPANESE AUCTIONS - japancardirect.com

auc.japancardirect.com

watch the auctions until something you're interested shows up. They do all the work for you until it arrives at a U.S. port. They will require earnest money, but if you don't buy anything, you'll get it back.

Or, for LHD, look here:

New and Used cars marketplace AutoScout24

Welcome to AutoScout24 - the largest pan-European online car market

www.autoscout24.com

or here:

https://www.leboncoin.fr/

or here:

https://www.mobile.de/

+there are other sites.

If you find anything you like in Europe, contact this guy:

Busman: VW T3 syncro specialist and car buying service for Defender, Land Cruiser and Mercedes G

busmaneurope.com

He'll get the car on a ship bound for the US.

I can't tell you what to buy, but if you want the thrill you think you'll get from a 70-series, is a 100 or 200 going to give it to you?

Thanks for the local comparison to help me understand what the Troopy would be like on certain situations.

And thank you for all of the resources!

Regarding that special thrill I'm hoping I'll get in a 70: who knows if I'll get it from another 100. I'm confident I likely won't get it in a 200. I loved my 200 but I've never really missed it.

I do know that after a year and a few mods (GFC camper, Decked drawers), I'm bored with the Tacoma. I'm bored because I don't have enough to do on the truck (mods or maintenance; it's a 2022 with 20k miles). I'm bored because I don't really NEED to go to TacomaWorld and don't have any affinity for it when I'm there. I'm bored because the engine has neither character nor power. It feels like an appliance. If my truck is going to lack power, I at least want it to make me feel something. That's why I got the manual transmission. If I didn't have that, the Tacoma would be VERY boring.

I want a reliable daily driver that requires occasional required maintenance (big and small) and gives me some opportunities for tasteful mods. My 1999 100 had 285k miles when I sold it and I never worried taking it across thousands of miles.

 

[FJBen]

Thanks for the local comparison to help me understand what the Troopy would be like on certain situations.

And thank you for all of the resources!

Regarding that special thrill I'm hoping I'll get in a 70: who knows if I'll get it from another 100. I'm confident I likely won't get it in a 200. I loved my 200 but I've never really missed it.

I do know that after a year and a few mods (GFC camper, Decked drawers), I'm bored with the Tacoma. I'm bored because I don't have enough to do on the truck (mods or maintenance; it's a 2022 with 20k miles). I'm bored because I don't really NEED to go to TacomaWorld and don't have any affinity for it when I'm there. I'm bored because the engine has neither character nor power. It feels like an appliance. If my truck is going to lack power, I at least want it to make me feel something. That's why I got the manual transmission. If I didn't have that, the Tacoma would be VERY boring.

I want a reliable daily driver that requires occasional required maintenance (big and small) and gives me some opportunities for tasteful mods. My 1999 100 had 285k miles when I sold it and I never worried taking it across thousands of miles.

It’s ok to say you want it because it looks cool. we aren’t here to judge.

 

[VinylSeats]

It’s ok to say you want it because it looks cool. we aren’t here to judge.

That is absolutely a factor. No sense in denying it.

 

[Guyute]

Ended up with a 77 for the backseat kid reasons. I'll add that they don't have the greatest amount of legroom back there. I'm 6'3" and need my seat all the way back. Kids are all tall and their knees are into the front seat. Kinda sucked for them... but they are all adults and out of the house now. Not a worry. Turns out my dogs don't care.

Fit Garage did a Alucab conversion on a 77 (or maybe a Prado) and it's kinda... odd. Pop-tops are way more a Troppy or VW bus thing. Think I have some iPhone pics...

 

[Guyute]

It was a Prado. I'm unclear how you'd do a buildout that retains use of the rear doors/seat and utilizes the upper space. But I lack imagination for sure.

 

[VinylSeats]

It was a Prado. I'm unclear how you'd do a buildout that retains use of the rear doors/seat and utilizes the upper space. But I lack imagination for sure.

View attachment 3662240

View attachment 3662241

View attachment 3662242

Thanks for sharing. Cool to see it in action. My dreams of a pop top cruiser may need to live on my garage wall as a troopy photo. At least for the moment.

 

[hoser]

I would like Alu-Cab to offer their roof conversion as such...

https://www.alu-cab.com/product/modcap-family-camper/