What your opinion on the "1983" FJ40 (1 Viewer)

[emac]

Sellers reply to my inquiry about the VIN:

"Yes, you are correct, this is a wrong number, the correct VIN number is FJ40350599"

Shouldn't later models have a long VIN in the US? That VIN shows production around 81/82 according to SOR. Very fishy, I wonder what is up with the license plate bolted in the heater area?

 

[73fj40lc]

Above and beyond what has already been mentioned I don’t get the color scheme. Yellow and grey is not two colors that I would put together. By the paint job it looks like it wasn’t taken apart and sprayed but just some areas taped off and then the rest sprayed. All the rubber is painted yellow around the hood and aprons.

 

[cruiserdan]

Sellers reply to my inquiry about the VIN:

"Yes, you are correct, this is a wrong number, the correct VIN number is FJ40350599"

Shouldn't later models have a long VIN in the US? That VIN shows production around 81/82 according to SOR. Very fishy, I wonder what is up with the license plate bolted in the heater area?

It is a South American-spec truck. Hence the short VIN and the left over license plate

 

[David70FJ40]

Contacted the seller with a question, incorrect VIN, here is his reply.

New message from: j.johm.dbzlpdakr (9)
The vehicle have a US legal title and is insured
Thanks for inquiry


Reply

Reported to eBay because of the fraudulent VIN.

 

[Living in the Past]

Interesting the back of the passenger's wheel well looks to be enclosed. I have some factory skid plates that were for an emissions tank in the right rear wheel well on the 71/72 FJ40s with the two piece back passenger's seat. Thought of using them to help keep mud off the rear sill. Have a feeling it has a different purpose on this one. Wondering if they added the cubby hole like on the mid and long wheel base.

 

[SD_rdcruzer]

I asked about the year and why it doesn't have the correct dash for the year he claims. Got this as a response:

The vehicle LEGAL US TITLE say MODEL 1983 again the vehicle still have present ORIGINAL manufacture TAG and say
DEC 1981
I'm not claiming anything, I just say what is in the Legal Title.
On reference to the VIN number is FJ40350599 I'm no an expert and never put attention to this matter until now and the explanation I received from experts is the vehicle was manufactured on late 1981 and exported on early 1983
So manufactured date is 1981 and legally Title as 1983, keep on mind 1983 was the last year model for the fj40 in US.
also according with the experts this fact made the vehicle more value and unique because of the legal error.
PLEASE SEE PICTURE OF LEGAL TITLE ON VEHICLE PICTURES


I wonder who is "experts" are...

 

[cruiserdan]

I wouldn't run away from this one, I'd grab the Bullet Train................

 

[David70FJ40]

So the truck hung around the Toyota plant for a year before being exported. The super rare '81/'83 model.

 

[emac]

I would bet it was imported into the US recently and someone got it titled as an 83. He claims 83 based on the title. He never responded to my asking for VIN plate photos. Why lie? Just sell it for what it is or say nothing about it being imported. Its worth something to someone.

 

[Geezer Cruzzer]

Reported as a fraudulent listing.

 

[N919HJ]

Come on guys!!! It’s got power windows and a sweet exhaust. It’s totally worth 42k...

 

[rrv333]

Snidely Whiplash is just trying to "cash" in on the 40 market. He/She knows enough about the market to try and pull this flim flam.

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

The missing heater gives it away as a Colombia spec FJ40.

The front bezel comes from a 1994-1998 70 Series, as do the indicators. The latter is a pretty common modification in South America. It is also common down there to shoehorn a 70 Series front grill instead of looking for a proper bezel. What else is shoehorned (or should I say hacked) on that 40 Series but well hidden?

The instrument cluster is from a US spec truck, and it is there quite likely to fool potential buyers.

I bet the tub came from an earlier model Cruiser. And who knows what else is hiding below that shiny paint job.

A pretty elaborated scam, I think.

I would run from this truck. On second thought, would the Colombian seller accept $10.00 for it?







Juan

 

[mesa man]

Ship it back to Colombia!

 

[Living in the Past]

Hello,

The missing heater gives it away as a Colombia spec FJ40.

The front bezel comes from a 1994-1998 70 Series, as do the indicators. The latter is a pretty common modification in South America. It is also common down there to shoehorn a 70 Series front grill instead of looking for a proper bezel. What else is shoehorned (or should I say hacked) on that 40 Series but well hidden?

The instrument cluster is from a US spec truck, and it is there quite likely to fool potential buyers.

I bet the tub came from an earlier model Cruiser. And who knows what else is hiding below that shiny paint job.

A pretty elaborated scam, I think.

I would run from this truck. On second thought, would the Colombian seller accept $10.00 for it.

Juan

What is interesting is the heater blower, side defrost vents and center console with a heater.

The switch in the A pillar for dome light started with the 82 model so the December 81 seems to fit the tub. It has South America mods, parts of a heater system and to short of a VIN for a US import. Did Canada have speedometers in miles and short VIN in 1981? Thought a large part of the world we're in Kilometers. If the speedometer been switched then even with odometer that reads to 999,999.9 if it's changed doesn't matter how many miles it shows. Probably a interesting history how this thing got to this point. Would be curious if the seller imported it or someone who got burned trying to unload it? Being in Florida could easily be either since Florida is where many from South America are imported.

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

The tub has an indicator light, common in South American spec Cruisers until around 1976. Hence my remark on it. Perhaps a handy mechanic managed to mate it with a later model pillar.

This truck has A/C, another Colombia spec giveaway. Later model 40 Series in that market had A/C but no heater. The LH side defrost vent has a switch, so it is possibly non-functional, and is there just to match the model year.

I have seen Canada spec 70 Series, available between 1985 and 1987, with speedometers in kilometers and miles. Canadian 40 Series probably had them as well.

Service manuals have procedures for adjusting the speedometer. Nothing a handy mechanic cannot do. Colombian (and South American) mechanics are very resourceful for some things; many moons ago I heard colorful stories about them tinkering with the transmission, speedometer cable and odometer to make the mileage look smaller.

I guess the seller had this truck put together as a 1982-83 model year in a shop -full of creative mechanics- down there, and shipped it to the US. Quite likely someone got burned -and badly- while unloading it.

As of 7:00 pm today, there is one bid. I insist on $10.00. I assume, of course, that one or two components are salvageable.

Again, I would run from this Cruiser.





Juan

 

[1969FJ]

I would pay at least 500.00 as the hardtop and other part-out items would eventually sell for a bit more.

 

[Living in the Past]

Do I see a air rail on the head? That is a air cleaner for models with air pump but the cap for the power steering reservoir is not where I would expect it be. Should be with the pump sitting on top of the air pump. If this is a non-emissions 2F and someone switched the air cleaner in a effort to fool someone into thinking it's a US import would that be fraud?

 

[SD_rdcruzer]

His answer to my question was that he was just relaying what was on the title and he had "experts" giving him advice on what was what. It seems to me that's his way of getting around any responsibility for inaccurate or fraudulent claims. I'm just surprised it still hasn't been removed.