Potential Project, requesting advice

[Purple People Eater]

I have acquired a Land Cruiser. I believe an '86. FOR FREE. The question is, is it salvageable? Friends of the family have had this thing sitting on their 200,000+ acre ranch up in Wyoming for about 10 years. I don't know if it runs (although the keys are still in the ignition), and the rats have made it nice and cozy on the inside.

Is this worth putting some money into to get running and put some mild modifications on?

I don't have the pictures on this particular hard drive, so here's a link to my Facebook album...

Land Cruiser photos


What do you think? Remember, it's free.

 

[ddog45]

I think if it doesnt work out for you I would be interested.

 

[p71]

Link did not work for me...

If the body is straight and relatively rust free it would be a good basis for a build. Virtually everything else is a candidate for replacement or upgrade.

 

[ttora4runner]

I say go for it.

 

[TangoBlue]

What kind of cruiser? Link doesn't work for me. Even if the vehicle isn't salvageable many parts might still be useful for another project. You could bring life to another Cruiser!

 

[Sawyer]

I cant see the photos either... so hard to say. I think it would be a fun and rewarding project.... but might also depend on how deep the pockets are.....

 

[BKCowGod]

A free car can sometimes be the most expensive vehicle you ever own. Figure that an FJ60 in rough but driveable shape is gonna be $1000-$3000. If it's an FJ40, $2000-$4000.

How much will you spend putting the vehicle in that same condition?

If nothing else (and if you have the time), sell it for parts and use the funds to buy one that hasn't been sitting for quite as long. Expect to have to replace all fluids, all filters, all vacuum lines and brake lines and suspension bushings on this one. Rubber doesn't like sitting.

 

[Mike S]

I started out with a clean, stock FJ60 a few years ago, and spent north of $10,000 getting it here I wanted it... OME suspension, FF rear end and with anti-sway bar, H55F tranny, Dual battery system, electronics, and miscellaneous other goodies.

If you add replacement parts and repairs that would be needed on a beater, you are seriously behind the 8 ball.

 

[Purple People Eater]

The body is pretty straight except for a few dings here and there due to it being a farm truck, and I would be replacing all the belts/hoses/brakelines/suspension components. The interior would be stripped and shampooed. I'm thinking this won't be a couple months restoration, but a couple years. It'll end up being a rig that my dad and I work together on, and will probably drop about $10,000 into, and put Historic vehicle plates on.

 

[N8URE2]

1st thing to make sure of is the title, can you get the title in your name? I've heard several stories of people in situations like this that put some money into it only to find out that the title is lost or nonexisting, or the title is not in the landowners name and then they have to head down the path of trying to get a replacement title or trying to get the title out of some third parties name.
If all is good and you can get the vehicle in your name, I say GO FOR IT!!
I would jump at an opportunity like this.