Righty moves to San Diego

[perrobravo]

After months of lurking here and searching for the right 70 series, I pulled the trigger this week on a 1986 BJ74 from Steve at Land Cruisers Direct (http://www.landcruisersdirect.com) and Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters (http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com). Some may recognize this truck as "Righty", the pretty much bone stock truck Kurt has had around the shop for a couple years. Thankfully (for me at least) Kurt was willing to part with the truck and now it has a new home in San Diego.

Nothing too crazy planned for the truck. My 100 will handle the long distance, family, and more remote trips, so the BJ74 can be more mild/original with a keep it simple approach. Am replacing the suspension with some OME stuff Kurt supplied this weekend and then will prioritize the little fixes and tinkering from there.

Thanks to everyone here for your posts and the wealth of information provided!


5 generations of Land Cruiser here at Kurt's place

OME kit going in now

With big brother

 

[cruiseroutfit]

 

[wardharris]

Beauty, eh? Mazel tov!

Good work by Steve and Kurt - keep it up, my trucks need the company.....

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Welcome to a small but proud group.
Please register your 70 Series here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/u-s-70s-registration.804314/

 

[eman375]

Nice rig!

 

[perrobravo]

Thanks!

Got the OME kit from Kurt installed. Stance looks better and the ride is MUCH improved over the worn out springs and shocks. Had to use an angle grinder to coax off some of the old parts, but in the end things seemed to have worked out.

 

[NM Frontier]

That is one clean 74! The OME set up made a night and day difference with mine also, my favorite part of the install was the removal of the rear shackles.

 

[eman375]

Very nice. Nothing like new suspension for instant gratification. Well, after the install of course...

 

[perrobravo]

Officially registered in California! Technical procedure:

1. Print and fill out all the right DMV documents
2. Go to AAA to do registration since you pay for a membership and never get much benefit and don't feel like waiting at DMV
3. Have vehicle inspected by AAA representative (who coincidentally happens to be a 100 series owner)
4. Get told AAA can't complete registration because a DMV "manager approval" is needed due to JDM VIN
5. Go to DMV
6. Wait 5 hours (because the next available appointment is 4 weeks away), question sanity
7. Have DMV clerk fetch manager who literally presses one button on clerk's keyboard (note no vehicle or even ID check at all)
8. Write large check for tax and registration fees
9. Take new plates and go home
10. Drill new holes in plates, mount

 

[Gun Runner 5]

You'll question your sanity a number of times while owning a diesel Land Cruiser buts it's a good kind of crazy.

 

[wardharris]

Officially registered in California! Technical procedure:
1. Print and fill out all the right DMV documents
2. Go to AAA to do registration since you pay for a membership and never get much benefit and don't feel like waiting at DMV
3. Have vehicle inspected by AAA representative (who coincidentally happens to be a 100 series owner)
4. Get told AAA can't complete registration because a DMV "manager approval" is needed due to JDM VIN
5. Go to DMV
6. Wait 5 hours (because the next available appointment is 4 weeks away), question sanity
7. Have DMV clerk fetch manager who literally presses one button on clerk's keyboard (note no vehicle or even ID check at all)
8. Write large check for tax and registration fees
9. Take new plates and go home
10. Drill new holes in plates, mount

Sorry for your lost day....I moved back to Washington State after 20 years in California.
1. No income tax
2. No smog (by non-urgan county and over 25 years exempt)
3. No inspection pre-registration (or DMV manager approval) - license/title agents are pleasant, flexible and inexpensive
4. No issues with non-USA VINs...I have registered a JDM 62 and a European 73 with no issues
5. I prefer the weather "back home"

Congrats again on a fine rig....

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Congrats on the plates.

That is looking so solid with the OME. Really makes me regret not doing the OME on it when I had it and boy did the shocks need it

 

[fireball]

Congrats on the awesome truck and welcome to the club!

Is @cruiseroutfit even still a member of the club? I think this is the 2nd one he's sold in the past few months

BTW, you probably violated about 10 different California state statues by drilling those new holes in the license plate!!!

 

[wardharris]

Congrats on the awesome truck and welcome to the club!

Is @cruiseroutfit even still a member of the club? I think this is the 2nd one he's sold in the past few months

BTW, you probably violated about 10 different California state statues by drilling those new holes in the license plate!!!

Ben -
I realized just now that you and the Big Dog are like the Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney of Cruisers.

Maybe you could swing by San Diego on your way home and do an "Ebony and Ivory" photo portrait,

Great rigs-very exciting to see all the cool 7x trucks rolling into USA!

 

[1tontoy]

Nice rig! Curious - was it titled in Utah before bringing into California?

 

[perrobravo]

Nice rig! Curious - was it titled in Utah before bringing into California?

Thanks! It was titled and registered in Utah. Signed title, copy of Utah registration, and a fat check were all it took...in addition to one keystroke by a manager to override whatever VIN format "issue" was flagged by the DMV computer.

 

[fireball]

I just had the pleasure of spending three hours at the Pennsylvania DMV and apparently I am missing form HS7 which customs should've provided to me at the border. So in addition to writing a big fat check when the time comes I now have to plead with the local customs office or somehow figure out how to get this form!

 

[perrobravo]

Is this the form? http://icsw.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/hs799short.pdf

If so, and you have a copy of your entry document 7501, it seems like you could fill it out with information from the 7501 and head back to DMV. Granted I'm not a vehicle import expert and I certainly wouldn't wish more hours at the DMV on you or anyone, so you might want to validate this before getting back in line.

 

[perrobravo]

Got the windows tinted in order to cut the glare down a bit. Didn't want to go too dark, so went with 50% all around which seems pretty good on first impression. Need to drive around a bit more to see how I like it in different conditions.

 

[Mr Tibbs]

Congrats on the great rig!