Thoughts on this 60? (1 Viewer)

[gregkline55]

Hi everyone, new member here! So to start off I come from a background of vintage BMWs and Porsches and have recently started finding myself really enjoying the older toyotas. Being in upstate NY you be hard pressed to find any toyota 4x4 that isnt filled with rust or on its 2nd (at least) frame, I recently had a '99 T4R that I picked up as a winter vehicle and I loved it, even with all of its rust!

Move on to a few days ago, I havent been actively looking for a new project but, a coworker approached and asked if I would be interested in his old land cruiser. He told me it has bad motor (ran it dry of oil) and its been sitting for the last three years. Prior to those three years it had been out in arizona and before he owned it, it was out in wyoming. The engine failed when he lived out there due to oil starvation and he had it trailered out when he moved to NY. Said he wants $1000 for it. So I show up today and this thing still has red arizona dirt on the tires, in the wheel wells, and in every crevasse! It never drove a mile in salty NY! The frame, driveline, and underbody is in absolutely beautiful shape, not a bit of rust! The body is also largely rust free sans behind the rear wheels where the paint is cracking from the underlying rust. The paint sucks, and the color is awful. The interior is missing a lot; door cards, headliner, trim, etc.. Transmission seems smooth shifting, while sitting at least, and I was told the 4wd works flawlessly.

So really its a great base for a project and the cleanest LC im going to find in the northeast, at least for so cheap. Plans would be to fix the body, paint it (not full restoration quality), replace the motor (possibly with a 3f and an auto so my lady can drive it), and then just maintenance work like bushing, seals, brakes, shocks, etc.. I have a full shop and am very proficient in the automotive world, so everything will be done by myself. Do you think I could go wrong on this for $1000? Any input is appreciated!

 

[Rusto]

Most definitely a strong YES.

 

[John McVicker]

^^^Agree. Around here, getting that for $1k would require you putting on a face mask...you could get arrested for stealing.

 

[henzmeister]

My parents had a Volvo 240 Wagon in that color, I love it. Pull the trigger before someone else snatches it up. If you're gonna do an engine swap do a Vortec instead of the 3F, I imagine the cost would be about the same and you'd have a more powerful and fuel efficient engine.

 

[MarkBC]

Nice find. That cracked paint is from bondo, it may have had an accident on that quarter, check the axle, maybe the wheel got hit too. But definitely some bondo work covering something up which is suspect since the underside is so clean so it couldn't be from simple rust, there must be a different reason underlying it.

 

[Hojack]

It all depends on how much time and money you want to throw at it really. $1000 but what do you have to spend? If you don’t have the time and money don’t buy it.

 

[MarkBC]

Unrelated question: how do those wheels go on? My 4runner wheels are hub-centric, I think the term is, with flat lug nuts and all they do it compress the rim on the hub and it centers itself. The 60 has those tapered lug nuts that go into tapered holes on the steel wheels (lug centric?) so they aren't interchangeable.

 

[morganism]

Check the roof gutters, if they are cracked out, the whole roof panel can go, along with the rear window.
Look at the A pillars next to the front doors, under the dash to the sides. if rusting in there you can have electrical probs too.

What color is the carpet under the front footwells, Rusty? If not bad, then not bad.

Is there cracks in the curve of the roof, above the back quarter windows? If so, its bondo cracks, and its been rolled.

These rust there even in AZ, so if not bad, take him some money now. And get the manuals !

 

[morganism]

Oh, and check the FAQ for the galley plug fixes, if that is what caused the oil starvation, then.....

Oil Galley Plug Opinions Needed - 2 FJ62s

Hello 60 series brothers, Just wanted everyone's opinions on my buddy and I's rigs.. I am of the mind that one of these galley plugs is fixed, whereas the other is not. Searched and getting different feelings here.. One rig at 260k miles, the other at 200k miles. Can anyone give a definitive...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[gregkline55]

Check the roof gutters, if they are cracked out, the whole roof panel can go, along with the rear window.
Look at the A pillars next to the front doors, under the dash to the sides. if rusting in there you can have electrical probs too.

What color is the carpet under the front footwells, Rusty? If not bad, then not bad.

Is there cracks in the curve of the roof, above the back quarter windows? If so, its bondo cracks, and its been rolled.

These rust there even in AZ, so if not bad, take him some money now. And get the manuals !

Roof gutters were great as well as the lower corners of the windshield, didnt notice any rust around the rear windows or hatch either. Didnt get to pull up the carpet but from underneath it looked clean, although undercoating can hide some demons. Didnt notice any other oddities in the body just behind both rear wheels where there was cracking. In my opinion i dont believe its bondo cracking but very thick junk paint thats cracking. There were a few scratches on it and the paint is incredibly thick, odd.

 

[pv40]

Do it! Put in a used good running 2f. Drive that way while you fix her up and save for a ls swap. At least you'll be cruiser her around until you take the plunge it cost some serious coin to swap

 

[morganism]

yeah, you can paint the underbody with regular boiled linseed oil, and will keep it from rusting too...

 

[FJACS]

Onur posted about a complete but rusted out 60 in Woodstock NY a few months ago.

you should probably buy it for the interior and maybe the 2f

What did you do with your 60 this weekend?

Knuckle job and OME lift kit.... All solo. Lacking sleep and almost too sore to pickup my coffee cup this morning! But she's finished. More detail coming in my build thread.

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Gretsch]

This is easy to answer: Get it. Since you have a shop and experience with repairs, this is a no-brainer. Would be a fun project with the sort of resources it sounds like you have. No Automatic though. Keep it manual. GL.

 

[AussieCruiser62]

Another definite YES from me!
But I gotta go with MarkBC here, 99% that's Bondo (or "bog") as we call it in this neck of the woods, cracking and swelling up in those rear quarters. Whenever ya see cracks like that, especially on a complete vehicle re-spray, ya just know there's gonna be bog under there! But, more than happy to be proven wrong, after all, you saw it in the flesh, we're merely looking at pics...
But anyway, ain't no biggie either way, just get it
And offer him $750, and explain how you've done your research and that these classic Cruisers are now hard to get parts for, particularly engines etc...good luck mate

 

[Seth S]

The bondo is probably the tip of the iceberg for other body issues but the chassis looks pretty clean in those pics and at the least it’s not too bad a price for a parts truck

 

[klinetime574]

Buy it and spend your time with it. I’d strongly consider going with a different engine and transmission unless you find a complete drivetrain that isn’t clapped out. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Hojack]

I don’t understand why people even have to ask whether they should buy anything
If you don’t somebody else will, if you do you may regret it or have to fix it. One way or another it’s GOING to cost MONEY and take TIME!
Could be a good investment in the long run but may also end up as somebody else’s project, hopefully it can be restored for us to see and somebody to enjoy instead of rust away. At least it has a 4plus bumper.

 

[hj 60]

Before removing the engine fill oil (can be old oil from other car) and see if it builds pressure and might start without problem.
If you want true 4x4 I don't think an automatic works the same up and downhill, might be easier to learn shifting?
Chassis looks fine, the body might have more surprises, between the total frame off resto and just having fun driving choice: lazy me would first get it running with the least amount of money and work, then see and decide.

 

[NCFJ]

You can not go wrong at $1,000.00. Yes, it has filler over the rear wheel wells and dog leg, a great many do. More and more need an engine rebuild or re power every day. Interior can be re built. If you don't want it, buy it and I will buy it from you at a profit and have it shipped here.