The LJ70 is online

by "Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction" (rustholes-are-weight-reduction)
Published 08/22/2017 at 11:24

Tags: Landcruiser ; LJ70 ; RANWHENPARKED
STARS: 1

Well it’s been online for 2 days now, not really moving though, and part of me wants this non-running rustbucket to stay.

My dad bought this Landcruiser when I was 12-ish(?). The parking lot dealer we bought it from also had a Delorean and an Opel GT. That Delorean was for sale for 3300 Deutsche Mark at the time (That’s 2300€, adjusted for inflation).

We took it home to replace the Pajero we had sold as our new tow vehicle.
It was close to perfect when we got it. Low mileage, no rust, and a great interior. It was a real upgrade from the Pajero.

After a few weeks, one of our customers asked if it was for sale. Of course it was, everything we had was for sale as long as you paid the right price!

So it went to that guy, close to retirement, hardly needing it to pull a trailer, but using it to go into the woods to go hunting. He kept it for some years. He took care of it, but each time he brought it in for service, it had a new scratch or dent. Driving in the forrest is hard on cars.

He eventually sold it to another customer, one of his hunting buddies. From then on, degradations intensified. He didn’t really care for it. it was his hunting car. He had his C-class for the show. The cratches became rust, rust became holes. Despite earning a lot working for Mercedes, he was a cheapskate when it came to fixing his Cruiser. He ripped out the rear bench to put in a box for his dogs. He never bothered to clean the car, interior or exterior, so working on the car was a mess and the rust issues became worse. Some years ago. it started overheating (it was the thermostat IIRC) and instead of stopping and tow it to the shop, he drove it, boiling it a few times before getting it to our place.
He proceeded to buy a Dacia Duster, and the Cruiser sat in my backyard ever since. It took him some time to sign the paperwork so we could get rid of it.

It’s been sitting for some years now. And my dad finally decided to sell it, so it’s currently up for auction as a parts car.
It has a solid frame, the transmission works, and that’s about it.
The to do list looks something like this:
- Check cylinder head (possibly warped or cracked)
- Change head gasket
- Change all bushings
- Change suspension parts
- Check brakes
- Replace interior (It smells really badly, the carpets are stained, and the rear bench is missing)
- Bodywork
-Paint
If I didn’t have the Pajero, I might just do that, but the Pajero is family, we rebuilt it together with my dad, and I don’t plan on replacing it.
If it doesn’t sell, I might do it, and find a way to get it to the US, you guys like old diesel trucks don’t you?

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Hey! I wanted to keep those wheels for the Pajero! I would need a fifth one though.

Replies (2)

"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
08/22/2017 at 11:38, STARS: 0

Why haven’t you listed it in the ‘vehicle’ category? Because of the costs of the ebay ad? I bet many/most people looking for one these go to that category, resulting in your ad not making it past their search filter. As in: they might not find it.

For the Americans here: 1989 (28 years old, so importable into the US), turbodiesel, listed on ebay for a few days now for €300 and no bids.

Surely one of your guys could see some potential in this truck?

"Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction" (rustholes-are-weight-reduction)
08/22/2017 at 11:46, STARS: 0

I have no idea, My dad put the ad up. I wouldn’t mind if it doesn’t sell though.