Importing Cruisers

[RMP&O]

Kind of a dead horse type of thread but I am bored and sitting down here in Panama where I have driven my 100-series.

I am thinking about importing some 70-series and 80-series from down here up to the states. I am familiar with import rules and laws as I have already imported two trucks to the USA before just not from Latin America. I also owned and opperated a restoration company for a number of years so know a good truck from a piece of junk. Many of my builds have been here on ExPo over the years, mostly my personal trucks and builds.

So who out there in Expedition Portal land would be interested in say a LHD Troopy with the 1HZ or even pickups!? How about LJ70's, HZJ75's, most with the 3B but a few with the 1HZ as well. Or the occasional HZJ77 wagon with the 1HZ? Even looking at some HJ80's with the 5spd and 1HDT.

I would hand pick the trucks myself and probably do only 3-5 a year. I wouldn't say trucks down here are exactly as low mile and clean as JDM trucks but they are LHD and at least for me, I will never own and drive a RHD truck in a LHD country.

Prices on these trucks would be $15-30k depending on what it is and condition.

Thoughts?

Cheers

 

[lumpskie]

If I hadn't just bought a 1HD-T converted FZJ, I would have been really interested. Now that I own the diesel, I can say that I love this powerplant.

 

[Sharky1528]

I bet you will have some people interested !!! I would love to have a Diesel 80 series

 

[stclair]

We thought about doing the same thing when we were down there in 2015. We saw a government surplus lot, and several 70s were just sitting there deteriorating. Spoke with some nice folks about them, but nothing more than that. Have you looked into government surplus vehicles? Also, I thought the vehicles in Guatemala were nicer. Too new maybe, but saw some really nice Cruisers and Hilux trucks there. Good luck with your venture!

 

[lumpskie]

I saw some nice diesel hiluxs in Costa Rica as well...

 

[Utah200]

I'd wager you could easily do that volume hand picking and pre-selling rigs to import so long as your judgement / communication of the vehicle condition is sound. The trick will be how much margin is actually in it to be made.

 

[4xdog]

I'd definitely be interested in a hand-selected 1HZ LHD HZJ78 Troopy or (maybe even better) HZJ77 wagon!

 

[RMP&O]

I'd definitely be interested in a hand-selected 1HZ LHD HZJ78 Troopy or (maybe even better) HZJ77 wagon!

I know where a HZJ77 wagon is right now. A 91 with the 1HZ but it is a bit rough and needs some work. Has not the best paint job on it too. The HZJ77 are rare down here but very cool trucks. The one of know of could be had for fairly cheap but then is it worth the time and investment to bring it up to par. It is a calculation thing for me.

HJ80's in general are in better condition, I know where a handful are in good condition and fairly low mile. On Mud I am getting a lot of "Latin trucks are junk" which I disagree with. I been coming down to Latin America since 2004 and looking at trucks and sure a lot or work trucks and beat down but not even close to all of them are like that. I also like the Latin Spec trucks a lot, for example a lot of the HJ80's have rear A/C.

Cheers

 

[4xdog]

I'm definitely, through a lot of hard lessons, in the "buy the best you can" camp. A premium for a very, very good truck, that measured in both $$$ and time to find one, is the way I'd go.

 

[RMP&O]

If I hadn't just bought a 1HD-T converted FZJ, I would have been really interested. Now that I own the diesel, I can say that I love this powerplant.

Last one I saw for sale that was converted was $40+k!!! Not saying that is what you paid and I don't watch eBay, CL and the like 24/7 like some people but man I never seen a converted one go for cheap when I have seen them. Just buying the 1HDT in good condition costs a lot of coin and then paying somebody to do it for you, wowzers that gets expensive fast!

Cheers

 

[zimm]

find only the good trucks, and charge appropriately. dont short yourself, and dont ship a lesser truck even if the buyer wants it.

Be TLC, where the poor complain about his prices but envy the trucks, dont be one of the many that get hung up short on junk and trash their rep while disappearing into the hinters.

my experience with central american trucks is they are well used, it DOES rain every day at 4:00, and beach water isnt much kinder than winter salt. my buddy diego would happily take a southern US lx570, but importing down there ads something goofy like 40% to the cost of the used rig. and people think OUR rules are draconian!

 

[RMP&O]

I'm definitely, through a lot of hard lessons, in the "buy the best you can" camp. A premium for a very, very good truck, that measured in both $$$ and time to find one, is the way I'd go.

Been there more than once myself. I am very well versed in trucks especially Cruisers, all models. More than a decade and a half now I been doing this buy and build them up thing.


That is why I think there is very few people importing that could offer what I can offer. Many years of hands on experience backing up the hand picking trucks myself as well as bring them up to par myself. The only real guy I know doing that is Joeri over on mud, few others out there I am sure but he is the only one I know of.

Cheers

 

[RMP&O]

find only the good trucks, and charge appropriately. dont short yourself, and dont ship a lesser truck even if the buyer wants it.

Be TLC, where the poor complain about his prices but envy the trucks, dont be one of the many that get hung up short on junk and trash their rep while disappearing into the hinters.

my experience with central american trucks is they are well used, it DOES rain every day at 4:00, and beach water isnt much kinder than winter salt. my buddy diego would happily take a southern US lx570, but importing down there ads something goofy like 40% to the cost of the used rig. and people think OUR rules are draconian!

I agree with you Zimm, pretty much 100%. Especially the draconian part!

Cheers

 

[Arktikos]

There may be some interest in Fzj70. Dunno if they got those in Panama or what first year was for them. 93?

 

[4xdog]

Here are copies of the 70- and 80-series brochures I picked up in Colombia in 1995, in case anyone's interested:
http://forum.expeditionportal.com/t...80-series-Brochures-from-1995-Scanned-copies?