Question Abt This One
- Thread starter SgnDen
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- #3
Thanks Seth S! Man, I'm glad I asked. I miss the days when BaT was not overrun with bidders. Not that your really know when and where you'll find something (this isn't up there). I don't need to steal anything, just want to try to understand what I can get for ~$22K or so.
I think you can get nicer for $22k. That one is really hard to tell if it’s nice or not. I see things hiding in the paint and while it looks like a clean stock truck I’d say it’s not worth the asking price. I have almost the same truck in similar condition and my paint is a little worse. I paid $9k for it 2 years ago.
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- #5
Got it. I'm just getting started but eager so I don't need to ride the motorcyle in the cold/snow-ish weather (much). I'll wave them off and keep on looking...they also have an '85 with 205K for $17K also unmolested example. Tough to tell the realiy in person until I can see one (and bring my magnets). ;^)
If you've got a choice when shoppng around, choose a 1986 or '87 FJ60 over the earlier models. For me... If I was faced with deciding between an '84 or earlier vs a 86 or later, I'd take the later model even if it was in a little worse condition and cost a bit more.
That first one has a dent int he front left corner
Gretsch
SILVER Star
Anything goes with pricing on these things these days, but I am in a similar situation as @Seth S. Bought mine three years ago with 174K on the clock. Paid half of the price range you are looking at just for comparison:
Silver one looks nice for the pictures included and appears to have the stock Emissions gear in place. But I personally have a hard time paying that kind of scratch for one of these knowing what I do now about them regardless of the condition they are in. I wouldn't buy one with a high price tag with the idea that you will be totally set to go. There is still plenty of work to be done on them even with the high price, make no mistake there. One thing to keep in mind is sometimes the lower mileage trucks simply end up being the trucks no one has done anything to. The lower mileage means folks did not perhaps need to or just didn't replace things that needed to be replaced. Thats now on you if you buy one of those. I know the market seems to demand the high pricing but there is just no way these are worth that sort of money to me. With everything I have done to mine, I would be crushed if I had paid $22K for it in the beginning. My point here is spending a lot of money for one does not guarantee it will buy you a worry free vehicle you can jump in and go with. Plenty of deals out there to be found. Be patient and take your time. HTH.
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- #11
Yeah, I saw that. Thanks. That one is out of the running.
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- #12
Makes total sense, Gretsch. I'm going to speak with the shop who has done all of the work on the silver one on Monday. The owner (has records) professes to have done oil changes every 5K miles, new brake pads/rotors turned, new AC compressor last year, rebuilt alternator, carb rebuilt, basically anything that has he has ever needed to fix, he has fixed.
My opinion is that a vehicle is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. That being said, your mechanical ability and willingness to do your own work on a 60 is a huge factor in finding the right 60 for you. I paid $2200 for my first 1984 FJ60. It was a fairly stock driver but had a lot of rust in the body and frame. I've been an automotive technician for over 20 years so I was able to do most all the mechanical work myself. Rust was one of the main reasons I sold it, I am not a body shop guy by any means. I sold it for what I thought was a fair price only to see it posted for sale multiple times for thousands more than what I sold it for. It was sad because I regretted selling it. The 86 FJ60 I just bought needs some mechanical work done to the brakes to be driven but is pretty much rust free and mechanically stock. I was willing to pay $6k for it and I did drive it home, a little scary but it made it.
cps432
SILVER Star
I think that frame is hiding a lot of rust under a fresh coat of rattle can paint. The paint from the factory was glossy and the bolts on the body mounts are yellow zinc plated, not black. I would run away from that truck. No carpet for 21k??? That’s nuts. And looks like there’s rust on the floor where the carpet goes. Yeah, don’t do it.
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- #16
Thanks, fellow Boulderite! That brown one is def out. The silver one I posted pics of looks very clean. Here's a bunch of pics JPEG
I had to look closely to notice it has a small dent above the left headlight but the usual rust zones look OK. What's with the headliner discolorization? Water?
Anyway, $20K. Every 5K oil changes, newer brakes, new ac compressor (2 yrs ago?), rebuilt alternator, carb rebuilt, records from local service shop, has all of the smog gear and has passed the nutty CA emissions.
Super helpful to have other's opinions as I am primarily familiar with FJ40's!
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With the discoloration, you may be right. I've noticed some of the California 60 series rust along the roof line for some reason, so be sure to check if any repairs have been made in this area.
Silver is the best color, IMO.
Like Dallas Cruiser says, it's worth what someone is willing/able to pay. Have you ever driven a 60? If you've got the money and want one then just go for it. Doesn't hurt to haggle a bit though.
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- #18
So true 89Gashog. Thanks for the feedback. I've owned a '76 and '78 FJ40, one FJ55 and one FJ60. All 30+ years ago and they were all semi-beaters. I worked on them myself including rebuilding the 55 engine in a carport in Colorado. I should really put the word 'rebuilt' in quotation marks. It was more like... "Take it apart, try to label everything, send the head-out, replace hoses, etc, and try to put it all back together correctly." Ha (I didn't).
This will be a DD until my new truck arrives in late December. So, winter in CO which can be really dry and cold or get hammered with snow and go sub-zero. You never know here.
I'm frankly just hoping to find something fun that isn't a project (whatever that means) and I can keep to enjoy/drive from time-to-time and if I decide to sell, I won't lose money. I am not buying for investment purposes at all just hedging, I guess.
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cps432
SILVER Star
It’s hard for me to feel super great about buying a vehicle sight unseen. I’ve done it with guitars and it’s been disasterous. I can’t imagne doing it with a 30 year old truck. But that’s just me.
That said, it seems like the silver one is in pretty decent shape. It certainly has some rust in the roof drains and behind the snake blinders. I would imagine there’s some other light rust lerking in some of the pinch welds. I bought mine with more visible rust than what the pictures show there.
The discoloration in the headliner does make me pause a bit more. however. Rusty roofs are no good.
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- #20
Thanks CPS. I know whatyou mean. However, I did just pick up an amazing Eastman E20D-TC that was up in Steamboat for $950 based only on pics but it was literally 6 months old and played maybe 3 hours...win. Anyway, I digress.
How do I tell if there is rust lurking behind the headliner? I guess this thing was a farm truck errand runner in the rural areas south of Carmel for the first 25 years of life and was dusty inside and out. Plausible that the headliner could be stained from just being dirty. That's probably the biggest worry I have since as you said, once those roofs rust, it's not a good thing.
I almost bought a ticket to fly out and look and drive back but dricing 1250 miles in it does not sound like much fun...
So, $20K + $1400K shipping (yep)...starting to get cold feet but waffling like crazy as I do believe it's as represented as far what can be seen in all of those pics linked above. Maybe I'll post just the pics of the headliner stains and ask what others think rather than this thread going so long. I see some that have sld out on BaT for mid-high 20's that don't appear as clean as this one. <sigh>
