Re: SouWinner - Yo-lota Lancruisers
Hi-ya Kiwi and Dunarama,<br /><br />Here is whats up. I decided about two years ago that the perfect vehicle for me is a 1993-1995 Toyota Pick-up, extended cab, 4 cylinder with auto trans, white in color, gray interior, 4X4. That truck would meet my every need and do everything I want in a vehicle. I went on a nationwide search for the above described truck and could not a single truck with 4X4, 4 cylinder with an auto trans. There are millions of them with the 5 speed here in the states, and even more of them with the 5 speed in Australia / New Zealand, but none with the 4 cyl./auto trans combination. So I checked with the local Toyota lot, and they said that there were some ordered with the 4 cyl./automatic, but not many. No kidding..... So I broadened my search to include any color, still no dice. <br /><br />So anyhow, I was looking on eBay one day and found this 1962 Land Cruiser for sale down there in New Zealand. This puppy has fewer amenities than a WWII army jeep, but it is kind of cool....in a spartan sort of way(the windows don't roll up and down, they slide with a funky little slide handle in slot in the door panel, no A/C, no radio, but it does have a Chevy 327, my all time favorite v-8). So I bid on it, and as things turned out the high bidder didn't want to pay the reserve, so I was offered the truck. I was hoping that the $4000 price was in AU dollars, but it was US dollars....no worries, I can do that, so e-mail the guy with an offer to buy and haven't heard back from him. I think he must have sold the truck to someone there (he has a car sales business). Now, the truck is nice and all, but the bed is a flat bed and it was shortened so now it really short, and there is no room on the truck to put stuff. So I have been looking to see what else was out there (on the very same web sites that you listed in your post!), since the guy said he could ship "roll on-roll off" F.O.B. New Orleans for $1600. Then I found the Land Cruiser BJ 55 LP 2BL ( the extended cab Cruiser that was sold to utility companies in western Australia ) and figured that would be a lot more functional and generally handier than the bob-tailed little '62 cruiser. The snag is that I can only import trucks (or cars) that are 25 years old or older, and the guy said that the BJ 55 2BL's were first brought to AU in 1980, so I can't bring one to the US until after January ( or the governemtn will destroy it at my cost, Land of the Free?? My azz). So now I am just kind of hanging loose waiting for something to happen.<br /><br />My wife has a 1993 Cruiser with the 4.5 liter in-line 6 cylinder that I wish was diesel, because the hog only gets 13 miles per gallon on petrol. Great huh? Diesel Toyota's in the US are about as plentiful as diesel Mercedes g-wagons (which I would also love to have). Yesterday we had the '93 Cruiser off road and covered her in mud. I just came in from washing it, but I promise that the next time we take it off road I will post some pics of it with some good suspension articulation and mud covering that nice white paint.<br /><br />So here is the deal, if I can get hold of a BJ 55 LP 2BL (I don't care if it's a danged ole Bandeirantes OJ-55-LP-BL from Brazil) in good condition(no rust-through, no smashed-in panels, you know, a decent used vehicle, and one with the enclosed utility box on the back would be ok also), for under $5000. US, with "ro-ro" f.o.b. New Orleans for no more than $1600 (preferably with sales docs stating a sales price/vehicle value of about $1500. us for customs duties etc.) I would be a happy little camper. Any chance I can find deal like that down there???? Oh, BTW, I really would prefer one with the original Toyota running gear, and I think a diesel engine is what I want, the 3B engine. <br /><br />Do any of you guys know what I'm talking about in regards to the BJ 55 2BL? Any of these for sale in the $5000. US price range? One thing about the 2BL model, I think I may be able to develop a market for these trucks in the US because that body configuration was never offered here, if I can get them for the right money.<br /><br />Anyhoo, I gotta go get a shower and wash this mud off of me. <br /><br />Cheers,<br />Wes
