Nice FJ40 on Bring a Trailer: Currently way too cheap...

[Wasatch Jay]

The current bid is only $13K, and there's a little more than four hours to go. It sure looks pretty nice to me, not perfect, but worth substantially more than $13K, IMHO:

37-Years-Owned 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40

Bid for the chance to own a 37-Years-Owned 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #114,105.

bringatrailer.com

 

[Living in the Past]

How can a 1978 only be 37 in 2023. My math comes up with 45.

 

[whitey45]

It will bump to 25k in the last couple minutes!

 

[Wasatch Jay]

How can a 1978 only be 37 in 2023. My math comes up with 45.

This is the second owner who bought the vehicle used. This owner has owned it for 37 years.

 

[Rusto]

I saw it too. Some rust, but not near enough to warrant the low price. Wish I had enough cash laying around to jump in on this one!

 

[Living in the Past]

Oops....

View attachment 3378964

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This is the second owner who bought the vehicle used. This owner has owned it for 37 years.

Didn't catch as the condition of the vehicle is more important than how long it's been owned. Now cruisers that trade hand every couple of years is a red flag. I've owned my first one forty nine years and it still rust free. No bubbles in the paint. That .Bandy four pickup that just sold on BaT for $21,000 makes me wonder if inflation and interest rates are softening the market. 78 is a good year and condition would think Whitey is right should go in the mid $20K rate at least.

 

[Wasatch Jay]

Didn't catch as the condition of the vehicle is more important than how long it's been owned. Now cruisers that trade hand every couple of years is a red flag. I've owned my first one forty nine years and it still rust free. No bubbles in the paint. That .Bandy four pickup that just sold on BaT for $21,000 makes me wonder if inflation and interest rates are softening the market. 78 is a good year and condition would think Whitey is right should go in the mid $20K rate at least.

I think mid $20s is still low. It has a little rust... and is unmolested. To me, that's pretty darn good...and rare.

Look at the non-US-spec FJ40s imported from South America that sell for more, and they're kind of a hodgepodge of different features/parts such as no dash pads, no heaters, lift gate instead of ambulance doors, etc. Often with a "restoration" of questionable quality.

It's pretty common for someone new to show up on 'Mud and say how "...they want to buy a 40, but they're all crap, or way overpriced". This MIGHT be an opportunity to get a pretty solid machine at a reasonable (yet to be determined) price....

 

[Rusto]

weird. I stepped away for a bit and came back and the auction is still going on my computer, and stuck at $16,250. Now I'm the one living in the past.. (NEVERMIND!) I thought it was a minute and 14 seconds, Not an hour and 14 minutes.

I'm guessing reserve has to be in mid-20s.

Now it's something fun to watch for the next hour. Great spend of my time on Friday, that's for sure

 

[residualboulders]

looks like it's been repainted - overspray on body mount. Paint seems pretty glossy in some spots, most of it not. Maybe it's been touched up. Makes you wonder what may not be visible. Overall looks pretty good though.

 

[fjwagon]

Part of the ad reads..."Rust repairs were completed and the front fenders were repainted in 2002 according to the seller, who notes corrosion on the front floor pans and around the rear doors....."

These are typical areas but a 78 don't rust as easy as a 79. How they were repaired we don't know. I like that it was owned by one owner for a very long time which means to me and by looking at the pics, it's pretty complete. Finding one with missing parts and buying them one by one can get pricey very quickly. We'll see what it brings.

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[Wasatch Jay]

weird. I stepped away for a bit and came back and the auction is still going on my computer, and stuck at $16,250. Now I'm the one living in the past.. (NEVERMIND!) I thought it was a minute and 14 seconds, Not an hour and 14 minutes.

I'm guessing reserve has to be in mid-20s.

Now it's something fun to watch for the next hour. Great spend of my time on Friday, that's for sure

Sold for $21,500. Wow!

Somebody got a great bargain....

One of my other passions/hobbies is Tucker Sno-Cats. I prefer the rubber belted versions from the late seventies through the eighties. Tucker made them with different track lengths and different cab configurations (two, three and four door models). My favorites are the long-tracked four door versions. Tucker 's total production was only about 50-100 a year, and of those only a small percentage were long-tracked, four doors. So...if a decent machine becomes available at a reasonable price, you have to be ready to jump... right now.

Because if you dilly-dally at all, it WILL be gone.

I think there's a parallel with FJ40s. Toyota built a lot more than 50-100 a year, but the number of nice ones, and at reasonable prices, are few and far between. If you are looking to buy, and you find one in nice shape at a decent price, be ready to buy.

 

[bhsdriller]

Seems fair for a repaint, still wouldn't of paid that much lol

Market isn't what it was 2 years ago

 

[Living in the Past]

I bought this twelve years ago. Never intended on keeping it long term. Market was soft in 2011. This was one owner that belonged to WWII vet. Tried selling it for him here. Market was still weak from the great recession. Seller was early stages of Alzheimer's. I paid the asking price which was the high of what Mid, eBay actual sales and CL showed. Was never worried about loosing money. Been slowing cleaning it up and replacing weathering. I can see there is no rush to put it for sale. While not as bad as the great recession this market has really softened from a few years ago.

 

[Goldbug]

That thing looks awesome from where I sit. Look at that floor mat! I'd pay $20k for it all day long if I was in the market.

 

[TEakins]

Maybe the buyer will sell me the floor mat.