New guy thread (1 Viewer)

[rockypoint]

Hello,

Just here to introduce myself as that's what the registration process wants.

Names Brady, from Vancouver, BC.

Don't actually have a cruiser yet but I'm finally in a position to get one. I'm after the HZJ78 or maybe the 77.

This website seems to be the best source of information on all things landcruisers. I will use the search function to look but if someone wanted to point me in the direction of a thread on the Canadian import process (if such a thread exists) I wouldn't be upset.

In my brief history of looking into this process, it seems that most people get their Troopy's from the land down under but I have noticed some from Central America that are left hand drive. Is this a viable option?

Cheers

Brady

 

[coldtaco]

Center/South America are usually pigs with lipstick on. Tread carefully unless you don’t care.
Not familiar with Canadian rules but I believe they have to be at least 15yrs old.
Other sources for LHD would be Europa and Middle East. What’s his name in Texas imports European rigs that are usually in good shape

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

Most 75/78 Series Troopies live hard lives. The difference lies in the maintenance they receive.

Central American Troopies suffer from questionable work done to them by creative mechanics, because labor is way cheaper than parts. Very few, if any, have been properly looked after. Unless you are willing to go there and check firsthand, they may not be worth buying.

Australian Troopies are better looked after. If RHD is not a concern for you, it is worth getting one. If you are really lucky, you can get yourself a fire service unit with low mileage and in great condition.

The European 75/78 Series are a good option as well, especially because you can get them in LHD. Watch out for rust.

Japan is the only source for 77 Series; last model year is 1999.

If I remember correctly, if a used car is 15 years old it can be imported to Canada. 75 Series Troopies and 77 Series Station Wagons are older than that, and importing should not be a problem. 78 Series Troopies started in 1999, which makes 1999 to 2008 model year trucks eligible for import, as of 2023.







Juan

 

[rockypoint]

Okay thanks guys,

I appreciate the replies. I'm going to check out if it is possible to drive one back from Central America, fly down, find one in decent shape, and make the voyage back. Would be a cool trip. If not, I will look into the Aussie/Euro rigs and in that case, a local importer might be the way to go.

 

[Rigster]

Hey Brady,

Since you live near enough the port, I wouldn't bother with the SA market. And instead of getting a 77, look into 76's as you get newer, and coil front suspension.

These will pretty much just come out of Japan, but if you are patient, you can get a lower milage unit in pretty pristine condition. RHD though, but that is really no big deal if you have not tried it, it is a piece of cake to get used to.

Once you find some you may be interested in, PM me and I can send you some detailed instructions on importing your own. Or if you prefer to use a broker, you are looking at another $500-$1000

These seem to be going for a premium these days. If you choose to try to save some money using the auctions, be aware not all inspections are the same. I brought in 2 land cruisers with the same auction rating, one was pretty awesome, the other required extensive work. So if you find one in an auction, you can always pay more $$ for more pictures, or you can also get another inspection done privately.

It really depends on you comfort level, how much you are willing to fix on your own, etc. Good luck with your search!

 

[JDM Journeys]

We've seen a giant increase in shipping the past few years. Then add an out of province inspection, plus any repairs it needs to pass... Plus risk of site unseen... All these things have lead me to find local/already imported vehicles the last couple of years. Not always possible but I'm just saying dont rule out something already here. Prior to the ro/ro increases I brought in over a dozen, and even a few in containers too. But my last 4 jdms have been already imported. Lots of savings are possible if you choose carefully.

Regarding 77 vs 78, as close as they look, completely different beasts. Try to drive both before you buy and see which you prefer. Small zingy turbo diesel versus big lazy atmo diesel... It's a matter of opinion, use case, and condition of the individual rig.

 

[rockypoint]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Rigster,

To be honest, I didn't even know the 76 existed until you mentioned it, and I've been looking at 77's for the last couple years, obviously not hard enough. The upgrades are coil front, bigger brakes, newer vehicle? Do you know if they've added a bunch of electronics to the vehicle? Dash, engine, etc.

Recently I have been more interested in the Troopy because there is more space in them. This vehicles purpose will be to travel the backroads of North America in search of big fish. The troopy has more headroom, and a longer cabin?? (I just assumed on that but maybe i'm wrong). Easier to throw a bed and all the essentials into. I'm in no rush to get anywhere fast.

JDM journeys.

Problem is I have seen very few 77's locally for sale over the last two years, and I've been looking. (Have not been looking on this forum though so that could be why)
I have seen no Troopy's. This is why i've been looking to import.

I want to buy one in good shape, no rust and decent kilometers. Don't care about the lipstick side of things, just has to have a solid foundation. It seems most of those vehicles exist overseas.

Are not the 77 and 78 both HZJ naturally aspirated diesels? I know you can get the 78 with the HD-FTE engine out of aussie but they are harder to find?

Cheers,

Brady

 

[JDM Journeys]

My bad, I thought you were after wagons, and thus LJ78. So inline six it is...

Troopy is longer, yep, and higher. But it seems a lot more money than the wagons too.

70s do come up occasionally here and on FB ads. Check the FB 70 series north america group too.

 

[rockypoint]

My bad, I thought you were after wagons, and thus LJ78. So inline six it is...

Troopy is longer, yep, and higher. But it seems a lot more money than the wagons too.

70s do come up occasionally here and on FB ads. Check the FB 70 series north america group too.

Okay thanks, I'll check out fb

 

[Rigster]

To be honest, I didn't even know the 76 existed until you mentioned it, and I've been looking at 77's for the last couple years, obviously not hard enough. The upgrades are coil front, bigger brakes, newer vehicle? Do you know if they've added a bunch of electronics to the vehicle? Dash, engine, etc.

Recently I have been more interested in the Troopy because there is more space in them

Hey Brady,

There are no additional electronics in my model, and I believe in all 76's until they went to a new motor (away from the 1HZ) and that is why I chose this model over say, an 80 or 100 series.

That said, the only thing I came across is when I did my EGR delete. I had to leave all the VSV's in place as they will send a signal to the glow plug coil light in the dash to indicate a problem. Just an annoyance, but one my OCD would not allow me to leave. For more info on that, and how to mitigate should you ever need to, you can check my build thread.

Depending on your height, you may be ok with the 76 as I am 6' 3" and I can sleep diagonal in the back with the rear seat up. But of course if you are looking at camperizing a cruiser, then the troopy is the best choice. There are some members doing some pretty phenomenal builds with Troopies. It really boils down to what your ambitions and goals are, use-case, terrain you will be regularly traveling, etc. There are a lot of considerations to make, and unfortunately the budget will often dictate the path. If budget is NOT a concern (or at least not a huge concern) then the sky is the limit as they say.

One thing that costs nothing but time is research. Reach out to those online here in the forums when you see something you like or would like. Ask many questions. Do what feels right to you in the end and you will never be wrong. The beautiful thing is if you change your mind down the road, you have a pretty competitive market that would love to take over your hard work while you pursue your next project. All the best in the hunt/search!

 

[rockypoint]

Hey Brady,

There are no additional electronics in my model, and I believe in all 76's until they went to a new motor (away from the 1HZ) and that is why I chose this model over say, an 80 or 100 series.

That said, the only thing I came across is when I did my EGR delete. I had to leave all the VSV's in place as they will send a signal to the glow plug coil light in the dash to indicate a problem. Just an annoyance, but one my OCD would not allow me to leave. For more info on that, and how to mitigate should you ever need to, you can check my build thread.

Depending on your height, you may be ok with the 76 as I am 6' 3" and I can sleep diagonal in the back with the rear seat up. But of course if you are looking at camperizing a cruiser, then the troopy is the best choice. There are some members doing some pretty phenomenal builds with Troopies. It really boils down to what your ambitions and goals are, use-case, terrain you will be regularly traveling, etc. There are a lot of considerations to make, and unfortunately the budget will often dictate the path. If budget is NOT a concern (or at least not a huge concern) then the sky is the limit as they say.

One thing that costs nothing but time is research. Reach out to those online here in the forums when you see something you like are would like. Ask many questions. Do what feels right to you in the end and you will never be wrong. The beautiful thing is if you change your mind down the road, you have a pretty competitive market that would love to take over your hard work while you pursue your next project. All the best in the hunt/search!

I’m only 6’1” but the dog and the wife throw a wrench into the diagonal sleeping haha.

Thanks for the reply, I’ve been digging into the forum, lots of information. Going to take a while to figure out exactly what to get myself into.

Cheers