Help me figure out what to do, folks. Here's the situation. I'm in the rust belt Midwest, and I've found an old Toyota mechanic who's reached that stage of life where he's looking to unload some things (I can hear you guys now: what stage of life? You mean death?...).

This guy is a Jedi Knight of Packrats; he has Toyotas and parts up to the rafters, and I mean that literally. He has at least 12 Toyota cars&trucks, and parts of trucks spread over three pole barns (40'x120' each). The deal is, he has a 76 FJ40 he'll sell me for $700 or so, he's owned since 79. He uses it to plow the driveway, and he's kept it in good tune (for example all new brake lines last year), but the body has fist-sized rust holes, and he is old enough now he doesn't like the wintry drafts and so he bought himself a new plow vehicle (Ford F250! Gasp!). He also has two other FJ40 parts vehicles (74 and 77), mostly all there but also rusted badly. In addition, he has probably a whole other vehicle (or two) worth of random scattered FJ40 parts in the barns, in his basement, and in the yard. He'll sell me what I want from this stuff for a real good deal (from past 4Runner parts-buying experiences with him).

I have a mild 4Runner off-roader right now; I'm seriously thinking about getting the 76 and scavenging whatever parts are valuable from the 74/77, and seeing what I can make. Whats the consensus? What should I be looking for to decide if it's worth it, assuming I am looking for some reasonably reliable and comfortable Midwestern off-road beater, but not a trailer-queen? At what stage of rust and price do I say "I'm better off finding an old FJ40 in the SouthWest?" What valuable parts on the other vehicles/in the lawn should I be scrounging for?

Guidance please, from those of you who first became Cruiser owners by starting with a rusted hulk, and learned from there. I would have to ditch my 4Runner or my antique convertible (68 Karmann Ghia) to make room. I can pretty easily afford a $5k or more FJ40 if I wanted to, would that really buy me much more than this deal?

Thanks,
Kenton

ditch the karman Ghia and get the cruiser

just make sure the frame isn't rusted. otherwise go for it. you can easily weld new sheet in where it is rusted plus you want a wheeler not show truck. Buy that shit and wheel the fuck out of it (cruiser style) and keep your 4-runner.

IMO, buying a rough shape cruiser is perfect building material, and $700 for a running one is about right for this area. Kenton, you need to visit me here in Appleton soon, my buddy is building a full tube Cruiser for CORR racing and tuff truck/stadium racing. Sweet project, and he's done 15 others in the past, including "offroadable" bodies like mine as well as some that are REALLY nice.

The key is the frame....tubs are an EASY rework, honestly.

Besides, REAL cruisers are built, not bought....bolt-ons are for poseurs....

And, my wife looked seriously at the convertible Kharman Ghia's prior to buying her 1977 MGB....heh heh

fist size holes o rust?

I agree with woody, in that a trail truck could best be built from a rusty base. I would add, that you want the cowl/firewall, front floors, and the majority of rocker and door sill (everthing floor up) to be sound. The B pillar (where door latch is) should be sound, but behind that who cares. And don't fall for a restoration on the truck, just what makes the thing go. Ditch any hard top and run 1/2 doors. Don't spend any effort trying to find a bottom mount windshield frame-go with the common 1968-1974 style (available 5 to 1 over late model). $700 is not bad for a driver, but much of the drivetrain will disappear when and if the bug bites. Dana front and rear, sm420, 383 stroker etc may enter your vocabulary.

...and get all the parts you can for cheap, sort them, sh$#t can the junk, sell the rest to have a rotating bankroll for the project. Trading stuff can get items that might cost 3x as much.

If you are planning on wheeling it, nice bodies just hurt more when they are trail-damaged.
My truck seems to work much better after i mangled the right fender:D :D

If you have the parts resources, which it sounds like you do)..I would grab it.

Go for it!!!!! Grab whatever you can of parts and build yourself a sick trail rig.

I prefer the cleaner the better for starting with- if you can afford the initial $. I had to buy 4 but I finally got a 100% rust free one for my wheeler. Now I can paint it up all perty!

it depends on what is for sale for 5000$
near you.

I defanately have more money in my fj
than I could ever sale it for.

if you could find a fj with a good body
and a decent v8 convershion for
around 3500 I would buy that over a rusted
fj.
have you looked around at what is available??????

well...i dunno bout you guys...but i totally wish i had bought a clean one. its been a bitch and a half to build up a rusted cruiser. i mean..the tub swap was lame, every single bolt i take off needs to be replaced and torched off...it sux. not just the body gets rusted...the frame, the leaf springs, everything. soa is no good if your srpings are rusted! lol if i had to do it again...id buy a clean...not tottaly origonal and completely restored...but a wholesome, clean cruiser.:rasta:

Keton,

Seriuosly think about what land crusher is saying. And seriously decide what you are looking for in a rig. I built mine from the ground up and spent way more money making it a trail rig than I am selling for it now. I have spent at least $10,000 + in just parts on my rig, and now I can't seem to sell it for the $6000 I am asking.

If you are looking for one to buy for offroad use, take a look at mine. The tub is rust free, its 2 hrs north of chicago, and you can wheel it the day after you buy it. Check the For Sale section.

i forgot about cruiserrg's!!! dude...if i was anywhere near him...within days of driving and had $$ and time for a new cruiser...you cant go wrong with his! its a turn key wheeler! GET IT!:rasta:

I would recomend looking at his fj
as a starting point

Then you at least you will have a idea of
how much money and time you can put into
a fj and not see a return when you sell it.

And remember to ask for the pirates 4x4
discount.
I think the discount is at least 200$
maybe more.:smokin:

stop being such a pussy and buy a rig already. you can't go wrong either way. Buy cruiserrigs or the fucked up one and GET IT AWN already.

Inebriated.. c'mon man, he's asking for advise, if you didnt want to listen to his question, you shouldn't have read the post:rolleyes:

Don't be a jerk.

Matt:skull:

Here is the deal. Save your pennies and just get a good one the first time. Before the other guys jump on me I am just finishing my third cruiser project so I have some experience. I do not mean putting a lift on and wheeling it either. I have torn them down to little boxes of bolts and put them back together. Cruiser parts are big $$ when you look at the return.

Bottom line. If you love the smell of gear lube and looking at your rig in the garage buy the $700 rig. If you want to drive a clean cruiser that works when you want it to, buy one that some other schmuck like me has spent lots of money and hours on.

Good luck!

on the one we're building right now, there was rust holes the size of my torso:eek: But it's an experience like no other. it gives you a sense of pride to know that it was your blood and sweat that went into making it (not some jap named Hamichi Hotakockie). but i must say that reubens is sweeeet--GET IT!!
(or buy the rusty one and build it up if you have any metal skills)