Price Check on FJ60 w/ conversion

[rmcquet]

What is the right price and what additional questions should I ask of the current owner to get more comfort?
If I buy, will be first FJ (we own a 4Runner) and will be used as daily driver.

- 1987 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 – 4 Door - Four Wheel Drive
- California Car – Rust Free
- 96,000 miles
- Body looks clean from the pictures I have seen
- original paint (I think) Champagne
- 1989 Chevy 350 conversion completed less then 20,000 miles ago
- Engine is classified by California BAR as a 1991 motor.
- Exhaust System was new at time of Engine Conversion
- stock manifolds and three inch spintec muffler
- Toyota Manual Transmission with 4 speed
- Recent radiator work completed 09/04. Car runs cool.
- Tow Package
- Air Conditioning is fully functional and charged
- Separate Rear heater (under passenger seat) is fully functioning
- Recent California Smog check – Passed – if title is transferred – no additional California Smog certificate required if sold in the next 45 days.
- Tires are in good condition – plenty of tread left – no need to replace any time soon 31/150R Wildcat Touring All Terrain
- Brakes were overhauled in 02/05 – Bearings replaced, remanufactured calipers and new pads installed
- Sale includes the Original Toyota Owners Manual
- Paint and interior is original. Paint is showing some signs of oxidation, and Interior has some minor tears – Car was a daily driver since new.
- No rust
- no major offroading
- Car located North of Sacramento

 

[IH8Wood]

If you're going to register in CA make SURE the seller will provide a smog cert. The Bureau of Auto Repairs gulag is a horrible place to go.

 

[hammer1]

96k and they already did a conversion? why? the original will go forever...sound fishy to me

 

[DocB]

About 5 to 6 k if conversion done well and all runs good and cosmetically good. Sounds like a TBI motor due to year; good simple reliable set up. What adapter? I bought an 82 in Stockton last year, on Ebay. 1990 TBI; AA Ranger OD adapter, two small rust spots, clean interior with no rips; had a tranny leak now fixed (between Ranger and tranny); 190k miles with 150k on TBI (still going strong at 205k); AC still with slow leak; paid about 3300. For the last several months it has been a daily driver. I really like the 350 in a 60.

 

[baldredhead]

i'll second the warngin about the CARB. take the truck to a smog shop, preferrably a referee to be 100% certain it will pass the next smog check. though they are harder and harder to find, you can find shops that will let you pay your way through the certification. better to be safe than sorry and an owner with nothing to hide won't care

 

[rmcquet]

Thanks everyone for the input.
Will check it out, excellent advice re: the smog.
Also a bit embarrassed, i think i should have posted this in the vehicles wanted section.
sorry about that . . . :whoops:

 

[wingysataday]

I think it is fine to post about this! No worries. You need to check the conversion and make sure it looks and sounds good. I second taking it to a smog place before buying because you don't want to go down that road........... cause it SUCKS!!

 

[rmcquet]

So, turns out that Hammer1 was dead-on right. The car had been driven for four years with a broken speedometer, so actual mileage is much higher. Apparently the original engine was overheating (this seems unusual to me) and had leak in the exhaust manifold that kept coming back whenever the car ran hot.
Current owner has smog certs, but if i buy, i will certainly take it in first.
In the pics I've seen, there's significant oxidization on the rear quarter panel below the fuel door - clearly from the fuel, but not sure why that would happen unless PO left gas cap off for a while then never washed car?

For those of you who are interested, here's a picture of the new engine:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=35045&stc=1

 

[browser5031]

The fuel oxidation is from the filler neck leaking at the cap. Mine was worn out and did the same thing when the tank was full. Make sure it's been replaced. $275 from SOR.