Living in Qatar, looking to buy a FZJ75

[GCCLC23]

Hey fellas,

I’m an American living in Qatar for a few years and I’m aiming to pick up a 25 year old FZJ75 to bring home with me when I finish working here.

Joined the forum as a complete Land Cruiser newb to see if there were any other members in the region, get some advice on buying used 75s, etc.

Any advice or local connections would be greatly appreciated!

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

Are you looking for a 75 Series pickup or a 75 Series Troopy?

You can also consider an early model (1999 - 2000) 78 Series Troopy (FZJ78) or 79 Series (FZJ79) pickup. At the time of writing this, they are eligible for import under the 25-year rule.

If you get a pickup, remember to factor in the 25% tax on imported pickups when you bring the truck stateside.

Aside from rust, check for non-factory wiring and splicing. Take your time to select a truck in good shape, and then go through it with a fine-tooth comb.

Do not spend money you cannot afford to lose.

If you end up with a truck with a carbureted engine, have it tuned before shipping. There are some carburetor gurus in that place of the world.

Last but not least, check @wngrog 's threads. @WarDamnEagle and @prwillard2 have very good threads as well. There are more, but these are the ones that come to mind now.






Juan

 

[GCCLC23]

Hello,

Are you looking for a 75 Series pickup or a 75 Series Troopy?

You can also consider an early model (1999 - 2000) 78 Series Troopy (FZJ78) or 79 Series (FZJ79) pickup. At the time of writing this, they are eligible for import under the 25-year rule.

If you get a pickup, remember to factor in the 25% tax on imported pickups when you bring the truck stateside.

Aside from rust, check for non-factory wiring and splicing. Take your time to select a truck in good shape, and then go through it with a fine-tooth comb.

Do not spend money you cannot afford to lose.

If you end up with a truck with a carbureted engine, have it tuned before shipping. There are some carburetor gurus in that place of the world.

Last but not least, check @wngrog 's threads. @WarDamnEagle and @prwillard2 have very good threads as well. There are more, but these are the ones that come to mind now.






Juan

Hi Juan,

I’m looking for a pickup. Have searched and searched but haven’t seen any early 79s for sale here, just a bunch of mid/late 90s 75s.

Will definitely check out those threads, thanks.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Qatar is a pretty small market (2.6m vs 33m+ for KSA). Not sure how difficult it would be to open your market to KSA and the UAE. You would definitely have more selection. Having said that, I lived in the Kingdom for 4 years and the only 25 year old FZJ75 pickup I saw that wasn't totally trashed was the one I bought. That's not to say that I did an exhaustive search but still they are typically used very hard. Mine was owned by a company and not a camel herder so I'm sure that helped. I've been to Qatar a few times and I can't imagine that the owners would be much different than Saudi.

I would just find the cleanest one you can (clean as in little to no bondo) and make sure that it has both heat and A/C. Many of them in Saudi have A/C and no heat and a lot don't have either.

Good luck!

 

[GCCLC23]

Qatar is a pretty small market (2.6m vs 33m+ for KSA). Not sure how difficult it would be to open your market to KSA and the UAE. You would definitely have more selection. Having said that, I lived in the Kingdom for 4 years and the only 25 year old FZJ75 pickup I saw that wasn't totally trashed was the one I bought. That's not to say that I did an exhaustive search but still they are typically used very hard. Mine was owned by a company and not a camel herder so I'm sure that helped. I've been to Qatar a few times and I can't imagine that the owners would be much different that Saudi.

I would just find the cleanest one you can (clean as in little to no bondo) and make sure that it has both heat and A/C. Many of them in Saudi have A/C and no heat and a lot don't have either.

Good luck!

It is pretty tough finding older ones that aren’t beat all to hell.

There do seem to be a couple low mileage examples here (under 75k miles) from the late 90s, allegedly government surplus. I’m going to go do some in-person inspecting because a couple of them seem too good to be true.

Any obvious or telltale things to look for when inspecting? I’m somewhat mechanically savvy but no experience with these trucks.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Take a small magnet to check the body. Look for cracked and usually welded spring hangers and frames. Rust can be an issue around the coastal areas and Qatar has a lot of coast.

Other than that, it's pretty much normal car stuff. How does it sound, shift, steer, etc. If it's an FZJ-F or FE it should feel pretty peppy.

 

[Fishbulb]

Hello,

Are you looking for a 75 Series pickup or a 75 Series Troopy?

You can also consider an early model (1999 - 2000) 78 Series Troopy (FZJ78) or 79 Series (FZJ79) pickup. At the time of writing this, they are eligible for import under the 25-year rule.

If you get a pickup, remember to factor in the 25% tax on imported pickups when you bring the truck stateside.

Juan

If he’s on official government orders and has a vehicle approved for shipment upon return he can claim the truck as US items acquired abroad and not have any duties

 

[rick_d]

Buy a late model 79, take apart, and ship to US. Leave the long block in Qater. You will have parts for decades. If you get a 75 series things like roofs may come as aftermarket only and if you are tall leg room blows. Put it back on factory frame or 80 series etc.

 

[JuanJ]

If he’s on official government orders and has a vehicle approved for shipment upon return he can claim the truck as US items acquired abroad and not have any duties

Hello,

Good point.

Regardless of the conditions, it is good to keep in mind every detail.

Anything that can happen, will happen. And the government has a million ways at its disposal to make your life miserable.





Juan

 

[GCCLC23]

Update: found a truck that looks okay. It allegedly has low miles, no major accidents. I had the guy record a video of it running - anything jump out to you?

Video of truck running

The engine sounds like it has some louder than normal clacking? Or is that how these beauties sound naturally?

 

[Gun Runner 5]

As was mentioned above, the legroom in a 75 Series pickup isn’t abundant to say the least. I would highly suggest driving one for a distance, assuming the seller allows, to make sure you’re comfortable.

 

[GCCLC23]

As was mentioned above, the legroom in a 75 Series pickup isn’t abundant to say the least. I would highly suggest driving one for a distance, assuming the seller allows, to make sure you’re comfortable.

Will do. I’m 6’4” and have driven one before without issue. That being said, I don’t anticipate buying this truck for distance/daily driving anyway, moreso something to drive back roads and off road.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Will do. I’m 6’4” and have driven one before without issue. That being said, I don’t anticipate buying this truck for distance/daily driving anyway, moreso something to drive back roads and off road.

I’m 5’-10” and did some 16+ hour road trips in my 75 Series. The good news is that after a couple of hours the lower half of your body would be numb and you were good to go.

 

[JuanJ]

Update: found a truck that looks okay. It allegedly has low miles, no major accidents. I had the guy record a video of it running - anything jump out to you?

Video of truck running

The engine sounds like it has some louder than normal clacking? Or is that how these beauties sound naturally?

Hello,

At first look, it looks good. The engine sounds rather normal.

The front grill suggests it is a late model 75 Series, probably from 1995.

The truck has factory dual tank, front porch bumper and fog lights. The oil pressure looks correct if it is a 1FZ engine.

There should be a 4.5 badge nest to the Land Cruiser badge in the fender. It is missing in this truck. The 4500 decals behind the doors are not correct. Since the engine is not shown, there is no way to make sure it is a 1FZ.

There is an LX badge in the back of the bed. However, there is no chrome band in the windshield weatherstrip. The front bumper and the grill match with the LX spec. Maybe the windshield was replaced with a STD grade weatherstrip at some point.

The front leaf springs look a bit sagged.

The engine needs a closer look. So does the drive train.

Apparently, the truck has lived a not so hard life. But then again, a closer look and a test drive are necessary.






Juan

 

[GCCLC23]

Hello,

At first look, it looks good. The engine sounds rather normal.

The front grill suggests it is a late model 75 Series, probably from 1995.

The truck has factory dual tank, front porch bumper and fog lights. The oil pressure looks correct if it is a 1FZ engine.

There should be a 4.5 badge nest to the Land Cruiser badge in the fender. It is missing in this truck. The 4500 decals behind the doors are not correct. Since the engine is not shown, there is no way to make sure it is a 1FZ.

There is an LX badge in the back of the bed. However, there is no chrome band in the windshield weatherstrip. The front bumper and the grill match with the LX spec. Maybe the windshield was replaced with a STD grade weatherstrip at some point.

The front leaf springs look a bit sagged.

The engine needs a closer look. So does the drive train.

Apparently, the truck has lived a not so hard life. But then again, a closer look and a test drive are necessary.






Juan

Thanks Juan! I got some pictures of the engine and VIN tag, attached. Believe it is a 1FZ from 1999. I’m hoping to crawl underneath it and take it for a drive next week.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

It is an LX and a '99 model. Normally there is a another VIN plate on the driver's door jamb showing month and date of fabrication in English and Arabic.

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

As mentioned above, it is a late model 75 Series pickup. LX grade, GCC spec.

This truck's 1FZ engine has a carburetor and the late model charcoal canister, which is a good thing.

The battery holder is missing and it appears to have been replaced with an iron bar sometime in the past. Chances are the whole battery tray is either gone or on its way out, and needs replacement.

Battery terminals look factory. Check the fusible links for hacks.

The washer bottle cap is missing. Windshield washers' tubing runs below the battery. Check it for damages.

There is no emissions control equipment. Depending on where in the US this truck is going, this may be a concern. However, a good carburetor mechanic can help you with proper tuning to meet emissions requirements.

The pressure valve on the air filter housing may need some attention.

The transmission should click when you shift gears. If it does, it is in good health. Otherwise, it may need fresh oil or an overhaul.







Juan