Seeking help purchasing / importing an HZJ75 from Australia to the USA

samuelashirley

Observer
Hi Everyone,

I have decided its time to build something fun, and rare for a North / Central America road trip. Time and life are finally allowing such a thing.

I am wanting to import a pre-1995 HZJ75 flatbed from Australia and throw a flatbed rocky mountain four-wheel camper fleet on it.

Has anyone worked with an Australian exporter or US importer that will help find and import specific vehicles?

Example vehicle - https://www.autotrader.com.au/car/10954272/toyota/landcruiser/qld/macleay-island/single-cab

Needs some love, but id rather bring over a cheaper higher milage truck and replace a bunch of stuff than try to find something clean on the internet and hope its actually as clean as the photos are.
 

Christian P.

Expedition Leader
Staff member
Samuel

That seems like a decent example for the price.

Just one note that you may or may not know - there are a couple countries in Central America that are not RHD friendly. The regulation seems to change weekly and probably depends on the mood of the custom guys...but you may want to check on that if your main goal is to explore Central America.

one example:


Right hand drive vehicles are not permitted.

A couple got refused at the Costa Rican border coming from Nicaragua in January 2016. They got told that RHD are no longer allowed in Costa Rica and that there is no such permission as in El Salvador. What the couple did, they slept at the border and tried it the next day in the morning again and then they could enter, only because the officer didn`t notice that it`s a RHD.

We crossed the Costa Rican borders 6 times in a RHD between August 2015 and February 2016. Five times out of six we had no issues whatsoever. Our last crossing turned into a major hassle. When we asked the officials how come we were able to cross the country 5 times and no one mentioned anything about RHD, all they could say that the system was malfunctioning.

 

samuelashirley

Observer
Samuel

That seems like a decent example for the price.

Just one note that you may or may not know - there are a couple countries in Central America that are not RHD friendly. The regulation seems to change weekly and probably depends on the mood of the custom guys...but you may want to check on that if your main goal is to explore Central America.

one example:


Right hand drive vehicles are not permitted.

A couple got refused at the Costa Rican border coming from Nicaragua in January 2016. They got told that RHD are no longer allowed in Costa Rica and that there is no such permission as in El Salvador. What the couple did, they slept at the border and tried it the next day in the morning again and then they could enter, only because the officer didn`t notice that it`s a RHD.

We crossed the Costa Rican borders 6 times in a RHD between August 2015 and February 2016. Five times out of six we had no issues whatsoever. Our last crossing turned into a major hassle. When we asked the officials how come we were able to cross the country 5 times and no one mentioned anything about RHD, all they could say that the system was malfunctioning.
Oh wow I was not aware of such stipulations. To be completely honest I think that 90% of my travels will be North America with some touring around Baja / Mexico. It is funny that they were allowed in later, and I think I would just hope for that sort of situation if that were to happen.

I'm not sure where diesel left had drive HZJ75s existed, or if they existed. I'm not entirely stuck on importing from Australia if there is a different place I could do so easier / left-hand drive.
 

Paddler Ed

Adventurer
That one in the link is a funny one, it says it's turbo, but a 1HZ isn't a turbo engine.

Also, very few people I know use Autotrader (I didn't even know it existed here, used to it in the UK), so have a look on Carsales.com.au as well as you might find more range.
 

C p weinberger

Active member
1HZ is not factory turbo charged, adding one is very problematic.. google 4xoverland Andrew bought a cruisr in South Africa and explains issues
With that said you can turbo 1HZ successfully, You just better budget for possible significant repairs if they did it wrong And have been overheating that engine.
 

samuelashirley

Observer
That one in the link is a funny one, it says it's turbo, but a 1HZ isn't a turbo engine.

Also, very few people I know use Autotrader (I didn't even know it existed here, used to it in the UK), so have a look on Carsales.com.au as well as you might find more range.
Found so many more on carsale.com.au - Thanks!
 

samuelashirley

Observer
1HZ is not factory turbo charged, adding one is very problematic.. google 4xoverland Andrew bought a cruisr in South Africa and explains issues
With that said you can turbo 1HZ successfully, You just better budget for possible significant repairs if they did it wrong And have been overheating that engine.
Interesting, I'll do some more looking - I guess I didn't realize it was that different from the 1HD-T in the 80 series.
 

toastyjosh

Adventurer
check this




 
Last edited:

wewillroam

New member
Hi mate - we'll be shipping our Troopy over from Melbourne or Brisbane towards December this year to continue our travels through the Americas. Might be a little way off for you but happy to share a container if moons align :)

Also, Simon Dangerfield and the team at CMS Maintenance Services in Bacchus Marsh are the Landcruiser whisperers and defacto mechanic of choice for a large portion of the Troopy community here, even those not based in Victoria. If you need a reliable and informed opinion on a potential purchase, could be worth giving them a call to inspect and sound it out. I'm also happy to help if we're anywhere near prospective purchases on our travels; i love a good look around older cruisers.

Hope this helps,
Ant
 

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