RUST: Am I in over my head? (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Aug 22, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
2
Location
charlotte
I am flying to pick up this cruiser this week and wanted to know what everyone thinks of the rust. It’s a 1982 fj40 and I’ve wanted that year for a while now. However I do not want the rust. Does this rust warrant a new tub or am I being dramatic?
700CEF78-4FF1-41D6-A102-BC54D441F4C2.jpeg
C0C34870-E21E-4F87-B857-F8FC30E29267.jpeg
 
yes, over your head. I will buy it from you, how much did you pay, I will match it. PM me.
 
I had a friend, long since passed away. He was of strong German descent and a metalurgist who loved the landcruisers. He once told me that in '79 Toyota switched to a high carbon steel that was stronger, and thus could be formed in a lighter gauge, helping Toyota's overall fuel mileage specs. He said the high carbon steel was far more prone to rust than the mild steel used in earlier models. In '78 this man brought a new FJ45 lpb across the border from Canada and through much chicanerey got it licensed here. He later died in a gun battle with his neighbor. Sounds kinda rough, but all that knew him knew he was a genius. Just sayin....
 
I'd say get a better look at it in person before buying it.
sure looks like it has been covered up and is rusting thru, probably alot more there than the few pics are showing.
 
You don't say where you are flying to. Since it an 82 with a seventeen digit VIN would a Carfax. Besides seeing any reported accidents will tell you where it has spent the last thirty nine years. Compared to plane tickets, vehicle shipping and the cost of the vehicle Carfax is nothing. 1981+ Carfax is tool I always use. Few years back a friend sold his 82 FJ40 at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale. Sold for far less than it should. Only visible thing could see was the opening for the radio had been cut and not properly repaired. I know Carfax showed it had been it an accident and had been towed. Not sure where it had been registered but believe it had been back in the Northeast or Mid West. If it had been a 80 none of that information would be easy to find. 81+ is always an advantage to a buyer. Seller could help or hurt.
 
I think I know this truck. Located near CO Springs? I reached out to this guy and he mentioned someone flying out to see it.
 
What you are describing looked exactly like what I bought until I got it home. Ha Ha.

5AD4E239-7ED3-4AC3-B6E1-D6A328D0ECB2.jpeg
 
Anything you see visually will be much worse when you start stripping paint. It all depends on how much time you have. Looking through the forum there are some talented people and rust runs from them. I’m from Az and would pay a premium for less rust because I don’t want to be wrenching for a couple of years and I don’t want to pull something apart and then realize the whole truck needs to be disassembled. Yeah I’m at that point now and the rust on mine was minimal. Build those priorities into your build. The bed doesn’t appear to match the condition of the other rust. Like others have said you will find more work than expected.
 
My 83 is rusted in a similar way, though not as bad. It’s weird because like yours the sill is near perfect. If you are going to drive it like that make sure the structure that supports the tire carrier is solid

You can get replacement panels for those sections, or at least the PO of mine was able to get them at some point.
7C2995BD-882C-483B-A844-F46D9C9F3E5E.jpeg
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom