One way ticket to bring home a 40...

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Looks to me like it was a decent-condition rig that was snapped up and painted, with some Costa-Rican local standard bling installed.

I'd definitely have a Mud expert take a magnet to it, but I wouldn't walk away just yet. Buy it if you can see the rivet marks along the rear quarters. That tells you all you need to know about any 40.
 
So, a big thanks to fellow mudder Musthave for making the trip out to inspect the BJ40 for me. He went along with his brother to put an extra set of eyes on it. The initial feedback seems good. I sent him with a checklist based off of the "What to look for before you buy an FJ40" sticky in the FAQ section.

Here were the main points and some unbiased pictures. He also sent a couple of videos in which she seems to run well.

- Frame, axles, and body appear solid

- A magnet was used on the body panels and the only place that appears to have filler is along the bottom of the driver and passenger doors.

- The trucks shifts and tracks true in all gears. High/Low transfer works smoothly.

- The only out of place items seem to be one hose that is not connected on the brake booster, an interior dome light that does not illuminate, and an electrical connector at the rear that does not connect to anything.

- All dash functions work

- No slop to report where the driveshaft connects

All in all, the general report was that the truck was solid, and if he was in the market for a 40, then this would be a serious contender.

That said, some of the pictures appear to show some repairs (along the rear quarter/floor interior) and passenger floor. The paint on the underside of the front fenders looks a bit bumpy as well as some other parts shown in the pictures.

Is the general consensus still that this is a lipstick pig and better examples could be had for 16k? Thanks again! Sorry for all of the pictures...but I wanted to give a full representation...

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it's a driver-quality '40. Because it's 16k, I'm not seeing anything to make me think "run away." Those flares are pretty special, but that's what all those things look like in Costa Rica - so even that, something requiring a different set of tastes, isn't a complete 'no'. I would take it to a qualified mechanic to do a basic compression check, road-worthiness test - but again, it's not a 60,000 FJ40, it's a 16k project that you can drive while you make it yours. I'd do it, sure you might be able to find one for less money, but odds are anything less then about 12k (presuming similar condition) isn't going to last long enough for you to send a person from MUD, then to a mechanic before you fly to buy it.

Do follow Gas Monkey Richard's advice, though. Bring a pocketful of cash - what is 16k now could be 8k if you flash cash...
 
That shot of the passenger quarter panel looks like the body filler is thick and cracking.
 
I sense that you really like this cruiser;) buy it...and congrats!
 
SuperBuickGuy said:
it's a driver-quality '40. Because it's 16k, I'm not seeing anything to make me think "run away." Those flares are pretty special, but that's what all those things look like in Costa Rica - so even that, something requiring a different set of tastes, isn't a complete 'no'. I would take it to a qualified mechanic to do a basic compression check, road-worthiness test - but again, it's not a 60,000 FJ40, it's a 16k project that you can drive while you make it yours. I'd do it, sure you might be able to find one for less money, but odds are anything less then about 12k (presuming similar condition) isn't going to last long enough for you to send a person from MUD, then to a mechanic before you fly to buy it.

Do follow Gas Monkey Richard's advice, though. Bring a pocketful of cash - what is 16k now could be 8k if you flash cash...
Click to expand...

Good stuff, SBG. The goal here was to find a clean daily driver, not a fully restored to brand new example. She seems to be ticking most of my boxes. I posted up all the pictures our fellow mudder took in hopes that it would give a better gauge of the price. In my searches, this is one of the cleanest examples I've seen in this price range. Add to the fact that (reportedly from the mudder test drive) she runs true, no smoke on startup or during operation, and seems very solid without excessive steering play or noises. Thanks for the feedback!


want2wheel said:
That shot of the passenger quarter panel looks like the body filler is thick and cracking.
Click to expand...

I did see that crack. Apparently a magnet stuck there. I'll try it again when I inspect her in person.

allan man said:
I sense that you really like this cruiser;) buy it...and congrats!
Click to expand...

I do Allan! I know she has some tacky bits on her, but those can come off. One concern now is that welding seam where the rear floor meets the wheel arch on the interior. It looks a bit chunky, but apparently it's solid.

If anyone else has an opinion on if overall they think it's a fair price for the rig based on the pictures, a positive road test and running inspection, and lack of major body work, please do throw it in the mix. I wouldn't take any of it personal. It's not a done deal. Thanks!
 
I don't see anything real alarming. Looks like some rust here and their poking through, hard to tell the severity of it. I thing if you don't mind the fact that likely some repairs on it may be cheap and kinda cheesy and need redone at some point, and as long as all the door seams are straight as in they properly braced the tub before replacing panels then I think you are good. I don't see any major frame issues or things that are really bad.
 
The rear sill has obviously been replaced. There should be a seam at the back of the floor. That plug in the back is standard. I have a picture somewhere of my 76 FJ40 with the plug. Wiring won't scare me but questionable body work would.
 
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