FJ40 Pic - Help Evaluate Please

[johnny4ever]

I am considering purchase of this vehicle.

Please give me your opinion of the pic.
Upper right hand corner-Is that painted-over rust-through on the frame?(Just below red text date)

Also looks like black overspray on the sliver muffler pipe?

Is this normal? Is it common practice to spray paint the axle housing?

Thanks

 

[3_puppies]

Does kinda look like rust, looks like some one tie-wrapped a chunk of angleiron to the top of it, then stich welded it on. it looks like some one sprayed flat black on it to clean up the looks of it. also looks like the rubber bump stops are missing

 

[IDave]

I think a lot of people paint over rust. Not that it usually lasts. However, if there is rust through, you want to know about it. Poke it!

Yup, those stops are missing, all right.

Oh, and that would be your other, right, right? It almost looks to me that he has zip tied a wooden board to the top of the crossmember, then painted it to match the crossmember!

 

[johnny4ever]

Yes other right, sorry. I was thinking lower right hand corner upside down.
Im stupid
The guy is asking 4200.00 bucks.
I am looking for a 40 series that I can get cheap. But I dont want a cancerous one.

 

[hammerhead]

Not the first time I've seen a splinted shockmount crossmember. That seems to be the common redneck fix. I'm not sure how they get bent but I assume its from something silly like putting a chain over it to pull out a stuck buddy or something.

 

[Romer]

How about more specifics of the vehicle?

 

[johnny4ever]

Here is the ad for it:
Strong 6-cyl, Smooth 4-spd transmission & Power disk brakes. Starts easily & drives straight. 161K DOCUMENTED MILES. Ambulance doors, hardtop, rear seats, winch bumper & roll bar. NEW Tan Paint & straight body. $1,000's in Replaced Parts: cassette radio, clutch, carburetor, oil seals, water pump, belts, hoses, filters, exhaust system, metal body tub, fenders, front bucket seats, brakes & glass. Bridgestone Duelers- 30% tread. Extra Parts: Rear heater, Six-hardtop glass, Four-15x8 Wheels & 31" tires. DRIVEN over 300 miles from New Mexico. Some door & frame rust. Little engine smoke & couple of daily drips of oil. Factory oil gauge inoperative ($50), but aftermarket installed. Great Land Cruiser for hunting or daily driving. Clear title.

WHat do ya think?
He wants $4900.00 for it.

 

[Romer]

So I am guessing its a post 1975 year because of the amby doors and 4 speed. You might want to give a it a compression test to see how strong the motor is. I look for a strong engine and repairable body, everything just takes money.

I would be a little concerned about the crossmember> You already have him down $700? See if he will let you take it to a shop the knows 40's and pay them $100 to go through it and tell you whats wrong with it.

More pics of the body and the year might help. Did you drive it?

 

[johnny4ever]

Its a 78. In lubbock tx I am in Dallas. He sent me several pics. looks great in pics but I want to see it first. Just wanted to get a heads up from experienced 40 owners. I have a 62 but I want a 40 too.
I really dont mind a project vehicle but I want to avoid major frame wierdness and body cancer.
I would love to find a running 40 in need of tlc that I could get on the cheap.

 

[78 One owner]

WHat do ya think?
He wants $4900.00 for it.

Sounds kinda steep. CCOT might be able to get back the $$ the put in to a truck, but the rest of us usually don't.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

Compared to the price people pay for your average 40 in unpopulated Idaho, it doesn't seem that bad to me. When I bought mine in Denver I bet it would have been almost twice the price here. What's the average they go for in TX?

I've only seen dealerships do that paint the underside thing like that. I'm sure the guy is expecting someone to just look underneath it, not bust out the creeper and a note pad. Even if you go see it with the knowledge you can pick up here it might freak him out enough that he'll think you're some kinda expert or somethin'.

 

[65swb45]

78s usually go for a good bit more these days. Either he doesn't know that, or there's an issue waiting to be discovered.

I'm with Romer on taking the truck to a shop. It would be interesting just to know if the seller expresses any reluctance to that possiblility. That would be a clue in and of itself.

 

[72cruiser]

if he replaced the entire tub, and there's no body rust (except for the doors) then there would be reason for it to be a little bit more expensive.

yeah, and you can see the oil starting to show thru the spraypaint on the rear diff, no big deal, just make sure you know what's under all the black... it looks to me as though he bought a couple cans of spraypaint down at pep girls and went to town on the frame, springs, and axles.

check on condition of the hard top and doors, b/c those things can get expensive real quick (try to buy a set of late model doors in good shape and you'll see what i mean...)

also, not sure what the deal is in tejas, but check out the smog stuff just to see if there might be any problems



malphrus

 

[beanz2]

Anytime you see someone rattle canning parts you have to be extra careful in examining the vehicle. Most of the time is only done to make the vehicle look cleaner, but it sure make inspection that much harder. Look around the third member if there is evidence of oil leaks. The paint underneath the diff and the pinion can usually be easily wiped off if it was sprayed over without proper cleaning. Leaks in the front axle knuckles are more likely than leaks from the rear diff, the rear axle may have been painted to match the front.

From how the tub looks on the bottom, IMO it is not too bad (Californian point of view)

Look at the rear sill above the taillights which is the first place to rust in the 40 series. Also the drivers footwell.

Dave

 

[fsusteve]

His description seems pretty honest, I would really check that frame out completely. Without any other pics it's hard to give an opinion, but the bumpstops missing, looks like a brake line hanging loose, scabbed crossmember, rear end leak, I would be hard put to pay that kind of money with just some of those issues.

 

[folsom50]

If it's the same cruiser, it's been up for sale for a very long time. I couldn't say if it's worth it or not, but I'd be a little careful. Anytime a cruiser has been on and off the market for over a year, red flags start popping up.

 

[johnny4ever]

Hey 78 One Owner.
How much did you pay for yours?

 

[78 One owner]

How about a pic of the rest of the truck?

 

[G-Cat]

Is the fresh paint a new color....or is it over factory mustard? I agree, I believe this truck has been on/off the market for awile. It posts to CCOT every couple of months.

Nothing beats a physical inspection by buyer and a shop before negotiation begins.

 

[folsom50]

The first time I saw it, it was tan with little squirts of primer all over, soaped phone# and price on the windows, and kind of a fugly bed on the interior pic.