4WD Toyota Owner Magazine
SILVER Star
Introducing our new 1985 FJ60! Original 2F with 397,500+ miles (!!) and a California truck that somehow came to New Hampshire.
We decided to try Copart with an auction purchase through their Billerica, Massachusetts office and what an ordeal that has been, but we kind of knew that in advance. This was NOT a crashed auction, but an off-site sale of a supposedly run and drive rig, with clear title.
Attached are the photos as the vehicle was represented. Not bad! Represented as run and drive.
Down below (a few posts) areas it really is. Nicely done angles hiding the destroyed front seat, the flaking clear coat on hood, and rear panel torn/loose.
Title was an odyssey too. Took over 45 days to arrive from the PO.
Copart at its best. Don't just expect the unexpected, expect the worst! To be fair, the people at the Billerica office were always kind and friendly.
However the FJ60 didn't run as advertised. Note: common problem on Copart auctions. They may run and drive when the show up but after weeks on the yard batteries die, etc.
I have to give props and huge thanks to @landtank and @yodafrick. Both of these Cruiserhead gentlemen went above and beyond to help diagnose and get the truck running.
So it was DOA. Landtank came out and personally installed new wires, plugs, distributor cap and more. Still wouldn't run, so Yodafrick towed it to his place and got it running there. Purrs now! Yodafrick says the frame is immaculate. Carfax shows all of life except at the end (now) spent in California. You should see how many smog tests it went through! Failed a few, but PO always got it to pass shortly after!
Plan is to build a sweet expedition truck. In no particular order or importance, we will:
Ditch those wheels for proper Land Cruiser wheels.
New tires
Possible engine swap to Lexus 1UZ V8
Front and rear bumpers
Hard shell RTT
Lockers
Touch up or replace the "TOYOTA" emblem. Decide if the blacked out grille should go back to chrome. Opinions?
Been awhile since we have had an FJ60 project so I'm jazzed to get into this one.
We decided to try Copart with an auction purchase through their Billerica, Massachusetts office and what an ordeal that has been, but we kind of knew that in advance. This was NOT a crashed auction, but an off-site sale of a supposedly run and drive rig, with clear title.
Attached are the photos as the vehicle was represented. Not bad! Represented as run and drive.
Down below (a few posts) areas it really is. Nicely done angles hiding the destroyed front seat, the flaking clear coat on hood, and rear panel torn/loose.
Title was an odyssey too. Took over 45 days to arrive from the PO.
Copart at its best. Don't just expect the unexpected, expect the worst! To be fair, the people at the Billerica office were always kind and friendly.
However the FJ60 didn't run as advertised. Note: common problem on Copart auctions. They may run and drive when the show up but after weeks on the yard batteries die, etc.
I have to give props and huge thanks to @landtank and @yodafrick. Both of these Cruiserhead gentlemen went above and beyond to help diagnose and get the truck running.
So it was DOA. Landtank came out and personally installed new wires, plugs, distributor cap and more. Still wouldn't run, so Yodafrick towed it to his place and got it running there. Purrs now! Yodafrick says the frame is immaculate. Carfax shows all of life except at the end (now) spent in California. You should see how many smog tests it went through! Failed a few, but PO always got it to pass shortly after!
Plan is to build a sweet expedition truck. In no particular order or importance, we will:
Ditch those wheels for proper Land Cruiser wheels.
New tires
Possible engine swap to Lexus 1UZ V8
Front and rear bumpers
Hard shell RTT
Lockers
Touch up or replace the "TOYOTA" emblem. Decide if the blacked out grille should go back to chrome. Opinions?
Been awhile since we have had an FJ60 project so I'm jazzed to get into this one.
