Wanted HELP!! FJ40 around Madison WI - Take a look for me?

Fellas.
I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this so sorry if its not. Feel free to chastise.

I'm planning on putting a deposit on my soon to be first FJ40 that is up in Baraboo WI (45 miles north of Madison WI). Take a look and tell me what you think!!

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/3273197399.html

I'm about 520 miles away from there, and would like to put the 40 on an auto transporter instead of driving up and hauling it back myself (I would have to rent a tow vehicle and its much cheaper to ship it)

I could really use a set of discerning eyes to take a good look at the truck for me and give me an honest opinion of its condition etc. I've seen the pictures of the truck and have talked to the seller quite a bit. He seems like a really good guy and very upfront. But, there are a few things that dont look quite right (wrong rear doors for year (1978), wrong head lights and tail lights and missing rear side indicators).

If ANYONE is willing to lend a hand and take a good look at the truck in the next week, shoot me a message. We can figure out how to make it worth your time and expertise!

Thanks guys!

 

[overton]

Fellas.
I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this so sorry if its not. Feel free to chastise.

I'm planning on putting a deposit on my soon to be first FJ40 that is up in Baraboo WI (45 miles north of Madison WI). Take a look and tell me what you think!!

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/3273197399.html

I'm about 520 miles away from there, and would like to put the 40 on an auto transporter instead of driving up and hauling it back myself (I would have to rent a tow vehicle and its much cheaper to ship it)

I could really use a set of discerning eyes to take a good look at the truck for me and give me an honest opinion of its condition etc. I've seen the pictures of the truck and have talked to the seller quite a bit. He seems like a really good guy and very upfront. But, there are a few things that dont look quite right (wrong rear doors for year (1978), wrong head lights and tail lights and missing rear side indicators).

If ANYONE is willing to lend a hand and take a good look at the truck in the next week, shoot me a message. We can figure out how to make it worth your time and expertise!

Thanks guys!

Get more pictures inside and out - ad you said, looks to have several pre78 parts

 

[Living in the Past]

I would not put a deposit on this truck site unseen. Just to many things not right. I would think in Wisconsin a cruiser with little to no rust would bring more than that. Like you mention wrong doors front and rear. Besides the missing side lights in the back it also missing the rear corner reflectors. Which in most cases means body work has been done. Cruiser leans in the back. A nice paint job doesn't mean it a clean cruiser. I'll take a cruiser with origianl paint over a repaint. Even a old worn out original you get a better idea of what the true condition of the vehicle is. New paint may or may not be hiding something.

 

[Shes Mad]

The top is a 78. I don't see anything else that is anything newer than a 74. Tub maybe, but doubtful. Where is the gas tank? Underneath? Are the wing windows the same? One looks like a bugcatcher, but I can't tell from the pic. The drivers wing looks wider

I would bet the frame vin and the vin on the body do not match.

Get the body vin, engine vin, frame vin and see what you can tell what it actually is. Interior pics will tell you somethings also

I would not put $$ down on it

 

[Deftoned40]

I saw this ad also and it did seem to good to be true. If I was in the market I would have looked at it when the ad first came out. I live about 1.5 hours away. Would love to help u out and give it a true test but I never get up that way. I will get back to u if I can go look at it for u( but its 3 hours in driving roundtrip). Good luck..Not certain but I thought it was for sale last year on craigs(could be wrong hard to remember all of them when u look all the time)

 

[Bluegrass40]

Guys! Thanks for all of the comments and advice.

I thought it was a scam when I saw the cl post. I got a hold of the guy anyway and it seems to check out.. (but I'm still proceeding with caution)

I did get some pics from the inside. I'll post them for you guys to take a look and comment. (having uploading problems)

The owner did say that the PO had several 40's in different stages of repair. He said he was a metal worker and replaced the rear quarters. I'm guessing that what happened is that he built this up with parts from the other 40's, painted it and sold it. I actually like the front doors over the originals, but the other changes are not on my list of wants. The inside looked pretty clean (except for the rhino liner. boo)...

The gas tank in under the pass seat.
The owner said it was painted when he got it. Said it was 3 years ago. I figure that if there was major bondo or poor metal work, then bondo would be poping and rust would be bubbling.. thoughts?

The story that the owner gave seemed to explain all of modifications. He didn't know much of anything about the 40's. He is admittedly not mechanical and he got the truck wanting to tinker with it and never got to it, and rarely drives it.



I proposed a $250 deposit to hold the truck for 2 weeks for me to work out getting up there to look at the truck. He said that he would hold the truck till Monday w/o a deposit so I could try to get someone in the area to take a look at it. Then if that falls through, I'll put up the $250 to get some time to get up there to inspect myself and pick it up.

Guys... cant thank you enough for the comments and guidance.

 

[Bluegrass40]

If anyone knows a Mudder in the Madison WI area, please point them in my direction. I'm willing to make it worth their time!

 

[Shes Mad]

The gas tank in under the pass seat.
QUOTE]

Then the tub is not 78 either. I think the only thing that is a 78 is the title

I think you should take some of the urgency out of the purchase and look for another.

I would still get all the vins

 

[Bluegrass40]

Posted some pics on Picasa. Everyone should be able to see them.

https://picasaweb.google.com/113385604532590872463/FJ40WI

Please share concerns or comments!

I will say that I do like that the body work has been done and the truck seems pretty clean, but I would like to figure out if it was well done or not. Any questions or pictures I should ask for. I am going to verify Vin numbers (is there any issue if it is a miss match from a registration stand point? Does a specific one need to match the title?)

Someone noted that the rear end was sagging. The owner told me that the PO replaced the rear quarters (he was a metal worker) and that the metal is significantly thicker than other parts of the truck. Is it possible that this is why the rear end is sagging, or I'm sure it could be that the leaf springs are relaxing. Is this a major issue?

Also, what year did the gas tank move from under the pass seat to another area (thought that a '79 I looked at had the tank under the seat too)

Even with the possible miss representation of the year, $5500 seems like a really good price to me (assuming that I can verify that the truck is sound structurally and mechanically). Thoughts about that? (current owner said he purchased for 6500 3 years ago.. but who really knows, right!)

Really appreciate it guys. You all make this forum such an awesome resource for a rookie like me.

 

[phishtaco]

Gas tank was under the seat in 78. The hardtop looks like a mix ie...rear hatch door pre75, doors are pre 75, popout glass on the hartop 76+, maybe 78+.

 

[Shes Mad]

my bad on the tank. Thought the 78 went underneath. Was it 79?

 

[Bluegrass40]

If you guys could, take a look at the pictures I posted in the picasa link and let me know what you think! It seems to be in much better shape than alot of the trucks I have looked at in this price range. I'm not so worried about the mix of parts as long as the rig is solid (should I be worried?). Any comments on the asking price? seem like a good deal, or too good of a deal?

https://picasaweb.google.com/113385604532590872463/FJ40WI

 

[Deftoned40]

What hurts the value on this truck, is all the metal plate he welded in on the rear bed floor and floor pans and it probably on the wheel wells also( rear sill is probably homemade?). Oem sheetmetal has raised ribs that everyone looks for when buying. Repainted trucks with body filler possibly can also cause concern. Like everyone stated the mismatched parts also. This hurts the resale value.

But if u dont care about these issues, check it out. I've seen a lot worse fj's go for more money. U can throw on '78 turn signals, doors and etc., for little money. The rear sag in the back just needs longer shackles probably. Nice thing is the drivetrain is all original still. A lot of people throw in diff. motors/trans. and do it the wrong way and mess up the wiring. So u dont have that to worry. Good luck, these guys have to remember in the midwest u don't have a lot of options on rust free fj's.

 

[phishtaco]

I would email this guy to see if he wants to sell his still. Only about 3 hours from you.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/vehicles-trailers-sale-wanted/590107-1969-fj40-southern-ohio.html