Looking to buy my first FJ40 need your help deciding if I should Pass or Buy (21 Viewers)

[tunoverlander]

Greetings distinguished members of this forum, first time poster here!

I'm looking to buy my first 1979 FJ40 here in the UAE, I had a third-party testing company inspect the car and give me a report (I've attached the report here with photos in the post).

and wanted to get your opinion if I should pass, the buyer is asking for around 8k US.

Here's a summary of the issues listed in the report:

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• Tie rod end damage – needs replacement.
• Steering box leak – medium to high labor cost to repair.
• Shock absorber leaking, wheel hub housing leak, cracked leaf spring bushes (front and rear).

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• Core support and rear floor panel repaired – suspected chassis damage.
• Rust found on undercarriage – possibly severe.
• Chassis repairs at both front and rear noted by inspector.

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• Engine mount damaged – may cause vibration.
• Rough idle / engine shaking – potential misfire or combustion issues.
• Oil leaks from:
  
  • Oil pan gasket
  • Oil drain plug
  • Rear main seal
• Fuel leak from the fuel pump
• White smoke detected – could indicate burning oil or coolant.
• Radiator hoses damaged
• Dirt and water scaling inside engine bay.

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• Fluid leaks from:
  
  • Transmission seal
  • Transmission pan
  • Transfer case
• Unusual noise during gear shifts
• Transmission jerking
• No dipstick to verify fluid level

• Paint appears non-original or resprayed (based on earlier sections).
• Rust, water scaling, and dirt marks found inside cabin.
• Seats, gear lever, steering wheel show wear.
• Trunk lining dirty, beading damage, missing floor mats.
• Doors not fitted properly, door stoppers not working.
• Side window beading damaged
• VIN plate not found –

• One brake light not working
• Rear-left reverse light & indicator not working
• Infotainment system not working
• Wiper blades worn out

Thank you so much in advance!

 

[charliemeyer007]

Are you going to do the work to fix it or are you paying some one else?
Can you get parts in the UAE at reasonably good prices?

Tranny/transfer noise - ?ran dry from leaks, transfer pumped fluid in tranny and ran dry -
No dry/wet compression #'s - I'm betting white smoke is head gasket leak - they could easily/cheaply test for that
No VIN plate - is/was it stolen, can you get a title/registration/insurance so you can drive it on the road or is it just for parts?

 

[tunoverlander]

Are you going to do the work to fix it or are you paying some one else?
Can you get parts in the UAE at reasonably good prices?

Tranny/transfer noise - ?ran dry from leaks, transfer pumped fluid in tranny and ran dry -
No dry/wet compression #'s - I'm betting white smoke is head gasket leak - they could easily/cheaply test for that
No VIN plate - is/was it stolen, can you get a title/registration/insurance so you can drive it on the road or is it just for parts?

Hi Charlie,

I'm planning on paying someone to do it, the seller says the fixes in the report might be cheap and relatively quick, I gather that there are places where they sell parts here in the UAE, as for they title it shouldn't be a problem getting it registered as the seller got it in an auction.