Hello, I am looking to buy my first 80 series and I liked this triple locked one, however I found a kind of big rust spot close to the factory roof rack, as well as some surface rust on the bottom, I took some video and pictures, I appreciate the help!
How bad is the rust?
- Thread starter yuyoac
- Start date
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tmxmotorsports
SILVER Star
Repairing the roof rack rust is a pain
If you have to ask. . .
it's bad.
Keep looking.
Have the attitude "the person selling wants your money more than you need their car".
it's bad.
Keep looking.
Have the attitude "the person selling wants your money more than you need their car".
tmxmotorsports
SILVER Star
Very true most definitely the first part so many people come on here and ask if it's to much rust.
Where has the truck spent most of its life?
Roof rack rust is fairly common issue that has lots of write ups on here. Kinda a pain to patch up but not impossible.
The only terrible rust I see in your videos is the foot steps, which is normal, I scrapped mine. The undercarriage looked ok. If there isn’t rust staining coming out of the vents of the boxed frame I would say go for it.
If you want to pull out some sand paper on the frame, and spray paint, it should work out for you.
These trucks are now pushing 30+ years. Almost all of them are going to have some rust. Almost all are “projects” these days.
Roof rack rust is fairly common issue that has lots of write ups on here. Kinda a pain to patch up but not impossible.
The only terrible rust I see in your videos is the foot steps, which is normal, I scrapped mine. The undercarriage looked ok. If there isn’t rust staining coming out of the vents of the boxed frame I would say go for it.
If you want to pull out some sand paper on the frame, and spray paint, it should work out for you.
These trucks are now pushing 30+ years. Almost all of them are going to have some rust. Almost all are “projects” these days.
- Thread starter
- #9
So to my knowledge the car was in Houston, Austin and Brownsville TX, near the sea, that's why I'm kind of worried since there could be more rust hiding. Thank you for your reply and advice.
This is a question that comes up here regularly. A search will turn up some of these discussions
Everyone's tolerate for rust will vary, depending on where they live, and if they've fought with and snapped rusty bolts on part vehicles.
I smash my knuckles enough working on not rusty vehicles. I've had rusty vehicles in the past. My tolerance for rust is low.
If you're paying someone to work on a rusty vehicle, you'll pay extra for them to remove broken bolts etc
- Thread starter
- #12
I understand, my thinking was I could maybe get a good deal on the truck due to the rust, however I can't deny that I'm scared of how much of it could there be, especially since it's closeness to the ocean. Thanks so much for your help I really appreciate it!!
A "good deal" can nickel and dime you for eternity.
Go into it eyes wide open.
If you're gonna overlook rust, everything else would want to be pristine IMO.
There's heaps of threads here by prospective landcruiser owners asking similar questions on "good deals".
Hold out for a good car, not a good deal.
Load of good advice and endless experience and expertise here on mud
- Thread starter
- #14
I really appreciate your help and I think you are right, I have seen some other options, just not a triple locked like that one, and like you said I will have to go into it with eyes wide open, thanks again!!!
With the rig you posted about we really need more pictures to say how relevant the rust is. Pictures below the 80 around the rear axle and spare tire area are often pretty telling. Pictures around the rear hatch glass, rear door lower sills, front edge of hood and then just generally of the entire undercarriage, under the hood, etc. would allow the forum to weigh in on what you might expect if you purchased that rig.
- Thread starter
- #16
I will try to get some more pictures, I have some more and also some videos they are not perfect but I hope it might be of some help, thanks for the help!
I added 2 more vids of the engine bay, they show a bit of under the hood, I'll try to get some more of the undercarriage.
If I can see rust on fasteners in the engine bay then that’s too much rust for me as I know what the rest of the vehicle is going to be like.
IH8RUST
IH8RUST
Already mentioned but here are some more areas to check for rust :
Rear hatch under/around the dust/wind deflector mounts and around the gasket (rust or rust "bubbles")
Rocker panels (below the doors), particularly the rearmost section, need to get on the ground, look and feel up
and behind the running boards which tend to hide the rocker panel. Check the back (inner) aspect of the rocker
panel cavities also.
Front fenders; check the lowest aspect closest to the front doors including the underside where there are a couple of bolts
Rear wheel wells, both the front lower aspect next to the rocker panels and the rear lower aspect next to the Quarter panels
Quarter panel bottoms, check outside by looking up (bumper caps get in the way) but also check inside by removing the cargo area panels, take photos looking down into the cavity. If you see a lot of caked/dried dirt there's likely a rust hole somewhere (or missing grommet) letting it in.
Check closely around the windshield gasket, look for rust "bubbles", that often means there's a hole in the metal.
Inside lower edge of all the doors and lift gate, lift the weatherstrip rubber to get a good look, rust often starts under the factory seam sealer.
Also around the inner edge/lip of the hood (seam sealer area)
The roof is roached, will need to remove the roof rack and the headliner then have metal welded in to fix it right.
The vehicle obviously has been painted with a color change, looks like it was green originally, so you need to check extra closely for rusty/damaged areas that may have been covered up or had quickie bondo repairs.
Any rust can be fixed just need to find a good body shop but it won't be cheap to do it right.
FWIW
Rear hatch under/around the dust/wind deflector mounts and around the gasket (rust or rust "bubbles")
Rocker panels (below the doors), particularly the rearmost section, need to get on the ground, look and feel up
and behind the running boards which tend to hide the rocker panel. Check the back (inner) aspect of the rocker
panel cavities also.
Front fenders; check the lowest aspect closest to the front doors including the underside where there are a couple of bolts
Rear wheel wells, both the front lower aspect next to the rocker panels and the rear lower aspect next to the Quarter panels
Quarter panel bottoms, check outside by looking up (bumper caps get in the way) but also check inside by removing the cargo area panels, take photos looking down into the cavity. If you see a lot of caked/dried dirt there's likely a rust hole somewhere (or missing grommet) letting it in.
Check closely around the windshield gasket, look for rust "bubbles", that often means there's a hole in the metal.
Inside lower edge of all the doors and lift gate, lift the weatherstrip rubber to get a good look, rust often starts under the factory seam sealer.
Also around the inner edge/lip of the hood (seam sealer area)
The roof is roached, will need to remove the roof rack and the headliner then have metal welded in to fix it right.
The vehicle obviously has been painted with a color change, looks like it was green originally, so you need to check extra closely for rusty/damaged areas that may have been covered up or had quickie bondo repairs.
Any rust can be fixed just need to find a good body shop but it won't be cheap to do it right.
FWIW
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