Got Rust?

[Carp]

I asked these question in the 60s section, and have gotten some feedback, most of which has been "Get a Midland or West Coast rig". That may not be possible for me.

How many of you have rust on your Cruisers? Would small amounts of rust keep you from buying a local Cruiser? I want to stay away from frame rust, but is there one kind of rust (rocker, quarter, wheel well, tailgate, etc) worse than another kind? I imagine that roof/gutter rust is pretty bad, but that's a guess.

I think most of the rust I'm looking at is paint bubbling, small area rust, not gaping hole rust.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Trollhole]

Your gonna be hard pressed to find a vehicle in you price range that doesn't have rust.

I'm sure Gehn will chime in. If there is one person that knows about rust on a 60 it's him.

I only have one vehicle that doesn't have any rust.

 

[BELMONT148]

I had the same budget as you, and I found a nice 60 from VA. It had plenty of rear wheel well rust, and after I bought it I found some rear frame rot. The rig drives great as a daily commuter, and one day we will fix the rust. The frame rust is the one I am not looking forward to fixing, It might be just as well to do a frame swap. But I payed $2k for it, and the interior was spotless, and it was all stock with 115k on the drivetrain. Nice rigs can be found, but without rust, expect to pay $4500-$8000 for one. I say get one with manageable rust, make sure everything else checks out and buy it. Everyone is different, but I would rather do a little body work than fool with steering, brakes, electrical, and god knows what else. Sometimes a rig looks aweful but drives great, and sometimes it looks great and drives aweful. Hard to get both without spending some coin. Just m 2 pennies.

Good luck

Jeremy

 

[Turkeypen]

If rust is what you want to avoid, consider an 80. I owned two and neither one had a spot of rust. I don't know the technical difference, but either the metal or the treatment of the metal was dramatically improved between the 60/62 and 80 series. I sold my last 80 (a 93 with 150k) for about $4k six years ago (I know, that was dumb).

To me a ragged interior is easier to fix than rust . . . ask me how I know.

 

[cruiser4life]

If rust is what you want to avoid, consider an 80. I owned two and neither one had a spot of rust. I don't know the technical difference, but either the metal or the treatment of the metal was dramatically improved between the 60/62 and 80 series. I sold my last 80 (a 93 with 150k) for about $4k six years ago (I know, that was dumb).

To me a ragged interior is easier to fix than rust . . . ask me how I know.

x2. Plus, the 80 is the all around best series Land Cruiser IMO.

Whoa, time warp. Did I buy your black 97 more than 6 years ago??

 

[Carp]

Good info guys. Realistically, I understand that rust is inevitable, unless I have a lot more $$ to throw at a truck. I was hoping to hear that rust wouldn't shy anyone away from a truck, especially if it is manageable. I don't want to avoid rust at all costs, I just want to see if I was crazy for looking at a 60 with a little rust. Thanks!

 

[BELMONT148]

$1500, lifted, locked, and new carpet. This one has you written all over it.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/vehicles-trailers-sale-wanted/214399-1984-fj60-kansas-city.html

Jeremy

 

[Turkeypen]

Andy - I think you bought the black 80 in 2003? That was the wife's . My white 93 went in 2002 when I made the huge mistake of buying a 2002 Tundra. (absolute junk! brakes from another planet).

Carp - look in places like the local newspaper and the Iwanna (Iwanna.com). Sometimes, people own land cruisers and don't know what they have, especially when it comes time to trade. Stop by your local Toyota dealer, get a relationship going with a salesman, and let them know you are in the market for an old land cruiser. Often, some smoe (like me) will want to trade in a land cruiser that is too old to put on the lot. . .that is when you step in. I have a couple of dealers around Asheville who call me when that happens.

With your budget you are looking for the diamond in the rough or a person who just wants to get rid of the tank and buy a KIA. So, you need to beat the bushes a bit, go down back roads, look in gas station parking lots. Good luck, the hunting is the fun part.

 

[jleeFJ62]

Carp,

Just to give you a little bit of idea of what paid for with my cruiser that has rust. '88 FJ62 152k Clean interior, runs strong, and everything power works. Has a little rust, nothing too bad. I plan on sandblasting or cuting it out and then rhino lining it. Paid a little less than 3k. Looking forward to seeing everyone on Saturday.

Thanks
John

3.5 OME ultra heavy comes in a 3 weeks!! WOOT WOOT

 

[cruiser4life]

Andy - I think you bought the black 80 in 2003? That was the wife's . My white 93 went in 2002 when I made the huge mistake of buying a 2002 Tundra. (absolute junk! brakes from another planet).

Ah...yeah, that's probably right.

Good luck, the hunting is the fun part.

Yep, I 100% agree!!!

 

[informationjunky]

I sold my 60 way in your price range....no rust, just a dented right side.

 

[VTCruiser]

Out west is probably the best place to find a clean body. you can find pretty solid rigs down here but you gotta be patient looking. The most common rust areas are around the rear wheel wells. Other trouble spot include the rockers, front fenders behind the front wheel wells, around the windshield frame under the seal, where the rear tailgate hinges bolt to the body, the rear most body mounts, bottoms of the doors, etc...

Down here, frames are usually pretty clean unless the truck spent some time in the salt belt, and roof gutter rust is more a problem for coastal tucks. Both are areas worth looking at though. If you can find one that has been in the south its whole life, chances are it will be in pretty good shape.

here's what to avoid...

 

[Carp]

$1500, lifted, locked, and new carpet. This one has you written all over it.

Interesting, been watching it, but got my eyes on a few semi-local ones that seem to have less rust...

Carp,

Just to give you a little bit of idea of what paid for with my cruiser that has rust. '88 FJ62 152k Clean interior, runs strong, and everything power works. Has a little rust, nothing too bad. I plan on sandblasting or cuting it out and then rhino lining it. Paid a little less than 3k.

Thanks! The description of your truck helps me identify what a pretty good looking truck and good deal would be.

Out west is probably the best place to find a clean body. you can find pretty solid rigs down here but you gotta be patient looking. The most common rust areas are around the rear wheel wells. Other trouble spot include the rockers, front fenders behind the front wheel wells, around the windshield frame under the seal, where the rear tailgate hinges bolt to the body, the rear most body mounts, bottoms of the doors, etc...

Down here, frames are usually pretty clean unless the truck spent some time in the salt belt, and roof gutter rust is more a problem for coastal tucks. Both are areas worth looking at though. If you can find one that has been in the south its whole life, chances are it will be in pretty good shape.

Thanks for the target areas, Gehn. I have a good idea that tailgates, front fenders, doors, and hoods are pretty easy to replace. What's the worst area to repair, given equal rust penetration?

Carp - look in places like the local newspaper and the Iwanna (Iwanna.com). Sometimes, people own land cruisers and don't know what they have, especially when it comes time to trade. Stop by your local Toyota dealer, get a relationship going with a salesman, and let them know you are in the market for an old land cruiser. Often, some smoe (like me) will want to trade in a land cruiser that is too old to put on the lot. . .that is when you step in. I have a couple of dealers around Asheville who call me when that happens.

With your budget you are looking for the diamond in the rough or a person who just wants to get rid of the tank and buy a KIA. So, you need to beat the bushes a bit, go down back roads, look in gas station parking lots. Good luck, the hunting is the fun part.

I've been scouring the Iwanna, craigslist, Greenville news, bulletin boards, and looking in barns, gas stations, and lots for what seems like months. I'm just not as patient as I should be. You speak sage words, now if only I can exhibit some of that patience.

This is why UC is awesome! Thank you guys for the information and I'll keep y'all posted!

 

[landtank]

I needed a good used rust free car as a work beater and immediately started looking down in your area. Bought a 96 Camry from NC and drove it home. I guess rust is in the mind of the buyer.

 

[VTCruiser]

hanks for the target areas, Gehn. I have a good idea that tailgates, front fenders, doors, and hoods are pretty easy to replace. What's the worst area to repair, given equal rust penetration?

You're right, all bolt-on panels can be replaced so the more difficult areas would be the rear quarters, rear body mounts, rockers, floors, etc. In my opinion, the roof rust would be the worst. Rust around the windshield can be bad too because you often don't realize it's there until it's fairly developed.

 

[swampyCU]

If you get a 62 watch out for rust around the chrome strips under the doors. Also, if it has or had the toyota mudflaps it could have rust around those.

 

[sigep0359]

80s are great unless you want to do some of the tighter trails at tellico or windrock (coal creek), they are just too wide. Had my '95 FZJ-80 at GSMTR a couple of years ago and could not do half of the fun stuff due to how wide my rig was. My current 60 has some rust around the rear wheel wells where the mud flaps were, and I guess got water in them and held it. Going to have cruiserparts.net cut me some quarter panel and weld it on, shouldn't be too bad. Frame is decent as it was undercoated like a mofo. Other than that the 80 rocks.

 

[3pits]

replacing quarter panels suck, but if you have to cut the old ones out with a jig saw or sawzall I have helped a friend replace his, I am a very experienced welder i mig'd it, and we had a tough time with it, not the welding per say but trying to get it perfect with out any bondo to cover some of the waves in the face welded sheet metal that is 20 yo to begin with

if you are looking for a trail rig, then body rust should not be your concern, frame rust is a major area to be concerned with, probably tied with the mechanicals

 

[CandyPants]

80s are great unless you want to do some of the tighter trails at tellico or windrock (coal creek), they are just too wide. Had my '95 FZJ-80 at GSMTR a couple of years ago and could not do half of the fun stuff due to how wide my rig was.

I think that depends on what you are willing to accept as far as damage is concerned. I have followed my brother's big ass 80 through just about everything at Tellico with no issues other than those caused by a long wheelbase and a heavy truck (his is coated in a ruber skin and he packs crap in there like a girl. That being said he has anything if you ever need it, so he's handy to have around).

Carp, you've seen Dan's 80. I think it's just a matter of what you can find for the money and the timing.

And I will chime in here about rust so I am not completely hijacking the thread. Rust sucks. Once you got it, it's a bitch to get it to go away. Do all you can to buy a truck with minimal rust if you don't want to invest in repairing it at some point. Oh, and learn to weld.

 

[Carp]

So, this is bad, right?