Stupid question: How rare are fj43's in the states? (1 Viewer)

[aljollano]

Yeah, I've seen lots of that. Costa Rica, Columbia, Venezuela, they're all a super-humid tropical environment with lots of mud. Any vehicle suffering in that type of environment for 40-50 years is going to look horrible.

Colombia is the only country in South America that got the FJ43 model and it depends where in the country you buy so not all the areas suffer from high humidity.

Just for argument, there are plenty of “painted pig” NA FJ40’s that are dumped on the market to the unaware buyers Who think that they just have to have the “iconic 40”.

Well said @devo

do all 43's have the same super heavy rear spring packs? they seem a lot like 45 springs. all the ones I have driven have rode really hard compared to a 40 with the lighter springs.

Correct, the 43 uses 45 pack in the back and 40 in the front.

In my opinion the 43 rides smother than the 40 because of the longer wheelbase. In the 40 I feel the rear axle in my kidneys.

 

[suzuguru]

Colombia is the only country in South America that got the FJ43 model and it depends where in the country you buy so not all the areas suffer from high humidity.

Well said @devo

Correct, the 43 uses 45 pack in the back and 40 in the front.

In my opinion the 43 rides smother than the 40 because of the longer wheelbase. In the 40 I feel the rear axle in my kidneys.

I didn't say FJ43. I said ANY vehicle.

 

[jmac3]

I guess it's only fitting to chime in since I have two FJ43s in my driveway at the moment... tan one is the lipstick on a pig and the green one is relatively unmolested. It's actually awesome to have them side by side to compare the differences.
My impression is that FJ43s were likely a fantastic utilitarian vehicle in SA and most of them probably got used pretty heavily as work trucks.
Just like in the USA, a truck that was used hard in an arid state may hold up decently over time, and one in a coastal area is probably going to be totally rusted out. It definitely seems like US folks with SA connections are finding/buying them, then paying cheap SA labor to clean them up before importing them to the USA. A great deal depends on that process for sure. What I personally didn't get when buying was any history on the vehicles, so it's lots of forensic work, which can be fun - or frustrating (especially if covered with bondo or seam sealer). It may be funny to create a thread to list all of the creative Colombian hacks - I have not seen any I want to keep yet (worst is trimming off the ends of the springs so that they don't ride in the worn ridges anymore).
In the end - if you take out the SA variables, the design of the vehicle is awesome - it's a 40 with an extra foot of space in the rear and springs that it borrowed from its big brother the 45. I'm definitely growing very fond of them as I work on them.

 

[jmac3]

To the original question - I think rarity may be relative... rare compared to what?
Certainly more rare than the number of 40s in the US. But, rarity does not necessarily translate into value or desirability.
Rarity definitely brings along challenges for finding parts that don't match the 40!
I went into my purchase thinking about making money because of the rarity, but now I just want to drive it because it's a timeless classic and will always be cool.

 

[RmeAv8r]

I currently have two FJ43s and an FJ40, all imported from Saudi Arabia. The FJ43 is a better ride IMO and gets more attention due to its scarcity rather than rarity.

 

[peesalot]

Did you import yourself or use a service ? If you are inclined please PM me a round figure of what the 43 costs landed in the states ? Worth importing, been waiting for a 43 for 20+ years, wanna sell one ?

 

[RmeAv8r]

Did you import yourself or use a service ? If you are inclined please PM me a round figure of what the 43 costs landed in the states ? Worth importing, been waiting for a 43 for 20+ years, wanna sell one ?

I imported one and then the other two with the help of a shipping broker. First one was a good experience, the second, not so much. I thought I had a good understanding after the first shipment but this last one has been hell with FJs damaged in transit and CBP hassling me over duty. Long story but I feel a need to share my experiences so others may benefit.
I may be willing to part with one if the price is right.