Would this be worth doing... (1 Viewer)

[Volcano cruiser]

Guys,
I don't think that there could be a more sure sign of a cruiser addict than a guy who hasn't finished his 40 refurb yet and has his eye on a pig husk. A guy who runs a cruiser parts yard, has 4 40s and is in my club ran accross a pig husk. He has it parked ever so neatly in a corner of the place. All that is left is the intact, no rust, but no paint body and the frame, axles and wheels, aka rolling stock. It has all of the seats, dash steering wheel etc. It has no engine, transmission transfer case, drive shafts...nothing else. Although he is asking 1K I can probably get it from him for $600/750. I don't have much time left in this job assignment and so being realistic, If I'm here until June the most that I would do would be have it sanded down to bare metal, body work and paint and get the upholstery done. Thereafter the idea would be to pack it up and ship it back to the USA. My plan for the rig would be combo DD and off road touring rig. Not to be modified for technical stuff just to be able to get me there, wherever I want "there" to be.

Here is my problem, while I'm sure that I can import the 55 husk as projected, as parts, and not a vehicle fine. But then I would have to get all of the rest done in the States. Restore Options:
1)I would look for a wrecked gasser 80 series and drop the restored 55 body on top of it. Once done up like that, i.e. restored in the USA it shouldn't be that hard to register.

2)On the other hand If I had the time, my dream here would be to drop the restored 55 body on a wrecked diesel 80 series here and then ship it back. Much tougher to import the 55 because it would no longer be in it's unmodified state.

3) My third option would be to bring back the restored body and chassis and park it in a garage until I come accros the rest that I need, the right engine, trannsmission etc and load it all into the 55 husk. Going through this with my 40 has me making stinky face right now. I would turn out fine but would probably take me forever to get done.

I have been lurking and checking the classifieds and it seems that you can get a 55 back in the States for 1-5K depending on condition. Logic and prudence tell me to wait until I get back and sooner or later I will find something. I just have the feeling that I'll get much farther on this if I bring something back with me rather than endlessly searching the want ads.

So I ask you guys who all have been through and are going through Pig restores back in the States, do I sound completely out of my mind or does some version of this plan make reasonable sense.

Sorry for the long post and thanks for checking it out.
John

 

[animaldevictor]

para lo que necesite si te decidis, estamos a tus ordenes

Victor

 

[Sno bored]

You should buy the pig down there and get all of the bodywork/paint and upholstery done down there, where i'm sure it would be much cheaper than in the US. Once you get to the US you could get engine and drivetrain from some wrecked/rusted cruiser and drop it in.

 

[Volcano cruiser]

Realistically speaking, do the following:
- Price how much it will cost to do all the bodywork/paint and upholstery down there... add in shipping.
- Price how much it will cost to do all the bodywork/paint and upholstery in the states.

Now compare the two. If it is cheaper to do it down there and add in shipping, do it down there. Otherwise, wait and find a suitable pig in the states.

The problem with the states is finding a suitable pig in mostly unmolested condition at a reasonable price.

Re: the cost analysis. this is easy, the cost of body work, paint and upholstery here is cheaper than in the states by a lot. The shipping costs I'll have to look into though. However I think that even with shipping figured in it would still be better from that stand point.

Re: finding an unmolested pig for a reasonable price. That is exactly my fear if I don't do this. One benefit of starting with a husk is that I will be starting from a clean slate with known aquisition costs.

 

[Volcano cruiser]

para lo que necesite si te decidis, estamos a tus ordenes

Victor

Victor,
Mil gracias, pero oye no sabia que Uds. estan guardando tantos "porcinitos" alla. Tengo que verlos en mi proximo viaja alla.
Saludos,
John

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Hey! Knock that off. You 2 telling secrets about cruisers? better have enough to share w/ everyone!

 

[Volcano cruiser]

Hey! Knock that off. You 2 telling secrets about cruisers? better have enough to share w/ everyone!

Too funny. Honestly I had no idea that there were alot of 55s floating around CR. I have driven back and forth accross that country and all I saw was half dead rovers. I saw one or two 40s that had been converted to tow trucks in and around San Jose but that's it. Clearly I was traveling in all the wrong places.

 

[jtrock26]

I think you would be surprised how many 55'a are available stateside. I know I was after I paid way to much for mine when I bought it!!! I have since found better cruisers for less than half what I paid. I know of at least 9 in the Boise, ID area right now that are just sitting.