Here's a question for you... (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jun 25, 2005
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Messages
47
Location
Philadelphia
As you can tell from my post count I am new to this forum, I'm also a newb first time FJ40 owner (less then 2 weeks). But I am a mechanic for a living, well today I was talking to my boss, who has been building a race car for the past few years. I know quite a few guys that are into racing and have even helped them out from time to time. But back to my question, I asked my boss how much money he had invested? He told me it was over 52,000, which is totally insane to me.
But I was wondering, how much have you hardcore guys invested in your pride and joy FJ's. I realize some of you may block out exactly how much you have put out & some of you just don't want to know.
I'm just real curious. I plan to get my Cruiser close to stock, before I even think about doing any mods. Just pricing the few parts I need gives my a headache.

I understand this isn't a technical question, feel free to move it. I just didn't think it belonged in the chat forum.
 
All said and done, I could redo my entire rig for ~$15k.......100% my own labor...not pretty, but highly functional....add in something that looks nice, and another $5k goes on there quick.

hell, I've likely got $25k in this one, but mostly cause I keep changing and changing and changing and....
 
Lets See, Bought it for $4500

~$900 for lift greasable shacles, shocks, etc
~$880 for STC soft top and 2 piece doors
~$600 for BFG AT 33 Inch tires
~$220 for Aussie Loacker
~$150 DUI Dizzy (used)
~$400 to fix rod bearings after the dizzy install :eek:
~$200 for kit to re-ahpolster seats
~$300 for parts to re-build front Axle
~$300 for new buffler and piping
~$200 for new stereo
~$200 for Tuffy Center Console
~$200 for various stuff to do body work
~$100 for new Master Cyl

Probably about $500 in misc parts and stuff. I feel like I am forgetting a few thousand here and there

So, not much
 
dont claim that mines the greatest cruiser in the world but to redo it including labor id say 40,000+
 
All told, I have between 20 and 25K into mine, including what I originally paid for it. Excluding all of my time, labor and parts I've fabbed from scrap. Also excluding consumables like tires, plugs, wires, fluids etc.

When you concider that it has been my daily driver for 24 years so far, it works out pretty cheap.

gary
 
Paid $2,500.00 for mine, paid $2,000.00 to have the 700r rebuilt, everything else was done with the help of friends and family. so no added labor costs. I would make a rough guess that I have about $10,000.00 in it all together.
(mine's the one in the front right)
5079190-R1-021-9 (Small).jpg
 
It's real easy to drop $15-20K on something that's functional but not pretty. It depends on soooo much like where you start and where you want to go. $20K+ for pretty is easy to do. I suggest to people looking to buy an FJ40 that are inspired by my money pit to look in the for sale section of Toyota Trails. Much depends on what you want and are willing to spend but one can at times have the opportunity to buy someone's $20K hobby for considerably less.

I have no personal experience but have heard that while debatable in quality, the full resto companies like TLC of Van Nuys (sp??), Cool Cruisers, etc can fetch upwords of $50K or more. I guess if I figured in all my labor at $60/hour I'd be at that too. But I don't, it's a labor of love and everytime I cross that runningboard I almost feel like a carefree 17 year old again. How can you put a price on that?
 
it's a labor of love and everytime I cross that runningboard I almost feel like a carefree 17 year old again. How can you put a price on that?

EXACTLY. I've probably got 12k into mine including buying it, and mine was somebody elses 10k-12k invested "project" when I bought it. But it's mine, and always will be mine, and I will probably continue to invest thousands more to make it bigger, better, stronger, even shinier. But this is MY truck I built it in my own garage, and everytime I drive it I feel like i'm 17 again. When I was 17 I had my first cruiser, purchased for $150.
 

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