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Best Option for a Daily Driven Work Truck?
- Thread starter sgtpeper
- Start date
MDH33
Hard Core 4+
Not really bad, but for the money you could get a newer, more dependable Toyota pickup that would be faster, better on gas, and require less maintenance. Also, an open bed seems more useful for a work rig.
A 55 falls into several categories:
* A project that you want to spend a ton of time and money on because you really love pigs
* A complete beater that may have iffy dependability
* A sweet ride that someone else has already dumped a bunch of money into, that will cost you some money to pick up, that will be too nice to use as a beater work truck.
The 55 is a collector vehicle.
If you want a work truck Land Cruiser, buy a 60 or a 62. No other Land Cruiser has the immense capacity of a 60-series anyway, so it will be a better work truck all around. You can also pick up a clean one for $5k or less, and many of them will include a lift as well. They are great rigs and very dependable.
* A project that you want to spend a ton of time and money on because you really love pigs
* A complete beater that may have iffy dependability
* A sweet ride that someone else has already dumped a bunch of money into, that will cost you some money to pick up, that will be too nice to use as a beater work truck.
The 55 is a collector vehicle.
If you want a work truck Land Cruiser, buy a 60 or a 62. No other Land Cruiser has the immense capacity of a 60-series anyway, so it will be a better work truck all around. You can also pick up a clean one for $5k or less, and many of them will include a lift as well. They are great rigs and very dependable.
The '87 in town that I looked at, and got kicked off the guys driveway before making an offer, his son contacted me and said so far his Dad would take 2700 for it but not from me haha.
Seems like a good truck.
Interior is perfect besides one crack in the side bolster of driver seat from getting in and out and the dash is cracked in like 3 places Seats had been covered their entire life until a few weeks ago so they are really clean. Even all the carpet is pretty perfect.
Exterior has one rust spot on the drivers fender at the bottom that does not touch the rocker panel. There is also a small bubble inside the passengers side rear wheel well at the very front - not visible from the outside. Everything else exterior is pretty perfect - paint could use some wax.
Frame has a bit of scaling but is very very solid. The rear part by the spare does have that wavy-ness that happens so I would need to repair that properly.
Engine sounded really really smooth and strong. Truck has 159k miles on it and is a one owner truck. Has new radiator, alternator, clutch, flywheel etc.
Problems: Power steering pump makes some noise, brakes had a bit of modulation in the pedal, the front drivers side knuckle looks a bit wet, and apparently even though he asked for it to be replaced, it has a slight rear main leak.
Oh it also JUST passed emissions. It had sat 3 weeks when I got there and with the choke open and pressing the gas twice it fired RIGHT up and sounded perfect.
What do you guys think?
Seems like a good truck.
Interior is perfect besides one crack in the side bolster of driver seat from getting in and out and the dash is cracked in like 3 places Seats had been covered their entire life until a few weeks ago so they are really clean. Even all the carpet is pretty perfect.
Exterior has one rust spot on the drivers fender at the bottom that does not touch the rocker panel. There is also a small bubble inside the passengers side rear wheel well at the very front - not visible from the outside. Everything else exterior is pretty perfect - paint could use some wax.
Frame has a bit of scaling but is very very solid. The rear part by the spare does have that wavy-ness that happens so I would need to repair that properly.
Engine sounded really really smooth and strong. Truck has 159k miles on it and is a one owner truck. Has new radiator, alternator, clutch, flywheel etc.
Problems: Power steering pump makes some noise, brakes had a bit of modulation in the pedal, the front drivers side knuckle looks a bit wet, and apparently even though he asked for it to be replaced, it has a slight rear main leak.
Oh it also JUST passed emissions. It had sat 3 weeks when I got there and with the choke open and pressing the gas twice it fired RIGHT up and sounded perfect.
What do you guys think?
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Doesn't seem high risk. If you are fair handy with a wrench. This is a 60 then?
MDH33
Hard Core 4+
Why bother if the owner doesn't want to sell it to you. What did you do? Tell him you liked his *eep?
Lost of good 60's for sale. Keep looking, you'll find a good one. But I still think a truck makes more sense. I own a 60, and I bought a truck for hauling and "work". Having to crawl around the back of a 60 on your knees gets old when you're hauling stuff.
My boss really liked the idea of a 60 over a pickup so far - mostly because it can hold a ton and be locked.
Basically he kicked me off the driveway because I was looking over his truck too hard to make sure it looked as good as it did.
Basically he kicked me off the driveway because I was looking over his truck too hard to make sure it looked as good as it did.
WERD! I miss my 62 for my DD/work truck! It was perfect for what I needed in one!
My 62 had a healthy V-8, 4L60E auto and OME heavy's in the rear. It hauled or pulled nearly everything I needed. Throw out all the grubby work stuff and toss in the fun stuff and with the help of the second transfer case and magic buttons (lockers) it made pretty good trail duty too.
WAY outside your price range but DANG this could be fun 
Maybe the seller would come down a bit in price to avoid shipping the Cruiser back to WA
http://forum.ih8mud.com/4172586-post177.html
Maybe the seller would come down a bit in price to avoid shipping the Cruiser back to WA
http://forum.ih8mud.com/4172586-post177.html
farnhamstj
Hard Core 4+
No.
DaveInDenver
Rising Sun Ham Guru
In terms of daily driver duties I would take a FJ60 with a small block over a stock FJ55. Parts are more easily found for the V8J60, not just engine but misc body parts, interior parts, etc. It's a common enough swap that if done well it's not gonna be a basket case.
DaveInDenver
Rising Sun Ham Guru
Not necessarily that many. Depends I guess on what drivetrain they used. The engine is usually a pull from a late model truck or a crate, so it's just a matter of calling your Chevy guy and asking for a sensor for a 1994 Silverado or whatever.
For the most part the few custom parts that make it work would be easier to work around than finding completely non-existent replacement FJ55 parts. Some of the mechanical parts will be the same as the FJ40, which are only semi-rare and/or expensive. The body mechanical stuff is tough, like rear window, interior parts, window regulators, etc. We'd love a Pig, but we've already got two relatively reliable Toyotas to cover getting to work and all that...
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1053498791.html
This one would be great! But my boss said too much money....
This one would be great! But my boss said too much money....
MDH33
Hard Core 4+
That's a nice truck. Wish I had the coin.
Here's a clean, low mileage truck. I was looking for something like this last year when I found my mini.
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1053128749.html
Here's a clean, low mileage truck. I was looking for something like this last year when I found my mini.
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1053128749.html