Should I buy it?

[domino]

My wife and I are still waiting to find out what's going on with my 4runner, but with as much damage it has (air bags, windshield, frame, entire front end), I am pretty sure they're gonna total it. We've found a deal on another 4Runner in St. Louis. 2000 Limited with elocker, 4.30 gears, fully loaded with 135000 miles for $7300. There's a couple of dents in the rear bumper from what was apparantly a pretty minor accident, but what I'm mostly worried about is rust. I'm not sure where the truck's from, but there appears to quite a bit of surface rust underneath. I've never bought a truck from that far north, and I've never dealt with rust, so how much is too much? I don't want to get all the way up there just to find out the frame's gonna fall apart on me or something..
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/aaron034/6605749034241365134IM104565x421_A56.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/aaron034/6605749037241365134IM107565x421_A56.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/aaron034/PICT0257.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/aaron034/PICT0258-1.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/aaron034/PICT0259.jpg

[ArkieTaco]

Im gonna say no, just by the rust on the rear axle and the rust on the inside frame rail. My rear axle on my 85 looks better. The place you would want to look at is the outside frame rail in front of the rear tire near the body mounts (I believe that is one of the problem areas). I'm always looking around I'll shoot you a PM if I find a good deal :D

[GOT COPE?]

Id hate to work on that vehicle. Personally I bought a pair of axles off a 97 FZJ80 and they were rusty enough to convince me to never buy a vehicle from above the Mason Dixon. Maybe not even that far north.

Depends though. All in all it looks perfectly functional, depends on price and how long you expect it to last ya.

If it were my truck and Im constanly modding it, Id hate dealing with that level of rust everytime I go to weld or paint or bolt something on.

but if your wife is gonna dd it and your just gonna change the oil and put gas in it, and never look at the underside, id consider it.

Just my two cents. Sorry if I wasnt technical enough in my explanation

EDIT: to me it looks like there's a hole in the gas tank skid already. amazing how fast things go to shit up there. my truck is a 2000 and barely has a speckle of rust. It fell within the VINs on the frame rust "recall", Im sure if it was a northern truck rather than a Georgia truck it'd probably be headed to the crusher right now. So sad.

Oh, and damn that 4runner is clean on the interior.

Sheesh, I keep thinking of more stuff, as far as its origin, run a carfax with the VIN and it will tell you its past owners locations.

Thats how I found my FZJ axles lived 7 years in IL and PA then 3 in GA before being totaled in a collision with a side of flop. Explained the rust all over them.

[79coyotefrg]

WHOA SKIPPY, what happened?? i didnt know you where in a wreck WTF

[YotaJosh]

Being that far away, I'd pass. A vehicle in that condition should be inspected by you before laying down the cash.

On the other hand, STL isn't that far away, and it only looks like surface rust. Plus it's got the elocker and better gears. Personally, I'm a glutton for punishment, and would probably get it, and repaint/recoat the rusty areas.

If it were my truck and Im constanly modding it, Id hate dealing with that level of rust everytime I go to weld or paint or bolt something on.

but if your wife is gonna dd it and your just gonna change the oil and put gas in it, and never look at the underside, id consider it.

I agree with this.

[domino]

WHOA SKIPPY, what happened?? i didnt know you where in a wreck WTF

Well, last Monday my wife was driving through an intersection when some kid decided he'd try to turn in front of her. She hit the side of his daddy's lexus and took out quite a bit of the front of my truck. We're still fighting with his insurance since he's been avoiding their phone calls.

Depends though. All in all it looks perfectly functional, depends on price and how long you expect it to last ya.

If it were my truck and Im constanly modding it, Id hate dealing with that level of rust everytime I go to weld or paint or bolt something on.

but if your wife is gonna dd it and your just gonna change the oil and put gas in it, and never look at the underside, id consider it.

If all goes well, I am hoping that I can buy back my 4runner and rebuild it. (I'm assuming the only frame damage is where it's bent at the crush zone and the suspension/steering is still alright, that may not be the case) I could then trade diffs with the new runner. I'd then have a nice pretty 4runner for my wife to dd and my old one to take to the trails. Regardless, this new one is way to fancy for me to beat on and would stay mostly stock. Keep throwing me your opinions, I'm gonna have to think about this before I commit to driving 6 hours away.

[79coyotefrg]

Aaron GET A LAWYER

i didnt think i was hurt bad at all the day of my wreck but DANG was i messed up

www.chaneylaw.com is my lawyer, he's super nice and when i told him i was in trouble with my house he pushed my lawsuit hard, he says i should have a settlement this month

[domino]

Here's a little update. His insurance(Geico) finally decided to admit fault, so we're starting to get things moving a little bit. I finally got a rental car after 2 weeks of being without. I'm going to try to demand something for the loss of my truck for that time. They've made an offer for pain and suffering for my wife and Weston, but we're gonna wait before we sign anything about that.

[79coyotefrg]

Here's a little update. His insurance(Geico) finally decided to admit fault, so we're starting to get things moving a little bit. I finally got a rental car after 2 weeks of being without. I'm going to try to demand something for the loss of my truck for that time. They've made an offer for pain and suffering for my wife and Weston, but we're gonna wait before we sign anything about that.

if its not at least $25000 laughin their face

[DirToyBoy]

Being that far away, I'd pass. A vehicle in that condition should be inspected by you before laying down the cash.

On the other hand, STL isn't that far away, and it only looks like surface rust. Plus it's got the elocker and better gears. Personally, I'm a glutton for punishment, and would probably get it, and repaint/recoat the rusty areas.



I agree with this.

my runner looked similar to that underneath...i just went crazy with a wire brush and black spray paint....all fixed up

[domino]

Well, we had planned on going up tomorrow to look at the 4runner but they sold it yesterday. It looks like we're probably going to be buying ashley a new sentra and i'll be looking for an older toy. I've got a lead on an 85 22re with detroits fr/rr 33*12.50 tsl swampers and hi-steer for $4000. I'm gonna try to go look at it this weekend. I'd rather have something a little older to wheel anyhow. Worrying about messing up a newer truck can make some trails more stressful than they really are. We'll see what happens...

[domino]

Well... I finally found another truck. I drove to Fort Smith and hauled back an '83 pickup. 5.29's, locked fr/rr, 33in boggers w/ beadlocks, no lift, and some rust. I'm gonna have to find another set of tires/wheels and do a little work to it, but overall I'm satisfied. We take the new honda everywhere, so this will only be used for my 1/3 mile commute to work 3 days a week and for emergency grocery store trips. It could be in better shape, but once I graduate in may it'll go back to being a trail-rig only.

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/aaron034/DSC01557.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/aaron034/DSC01560.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/aaron034/DSC01558.jpg

[YotaJosh]

Nice! :xpimp: Way to save a First Gen.

I like the doved flatbed. Simple and clean. :thumbs:

[wadeunderwater]

Great rig Domino. that thing looks fun and functional just the way it is. Low CG and great visability. a simple hoop welded to the bed and your ready to go. My kind of rig. I love those first gen's!

[79coyotefrg]

:thumbs:

[fulleroffroad1]

VERY NICE!!!! I've been looking for a first gen in the area forever! Nice find!

[domino]

I'm gonna feel like an idiot later, but I think I'm going to trade off the set of beadlocked boggers for 5 33x10.50 bfg mudterrains and black steelies. I still need to drive to the trails for the next year and I just can't do that on these tires. I don't know what else to do really.

[YotaJosh]

That's not a bad decision. BFG MT's are great tires on and off road. And you can't really DD with beadlocks anyways.

[extremetoy2000]

Don't know if you are still looking for a 4runner or not but here is a decent deal on one in St. Louis.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/804259828.html

[colsoncj]

wow.. cant believe i didnt see this before.. nice rig man!

[domino]

wow.. cant believe i didnt see this before.. nice rig man!

Thanks! It's still needing some work done to it. Gonna try to fit 35's but I'm gonna need an IFS rear axle and a little lift to keep it from rubbing on that bed. If anyone has any ideas on how to lift the rear without moving shackle hangers back let me know!

[colsoncj]

Give me a call about the IFS rear... we might be able to work out a deal...

On the rear, without moving the hangers, either lift springs, lift blocks, or longer shackles. You could still install some chevies, move the front hangers, and go longer shackles... I can get pretty creative if needed...

hmm... then take the rears, hang them up front and shabam... cheap 4 corner lift.

[domino]

Give me a call about the IFS rear... we might be able to work out a deal...

On the rear, without moving the hangers, either lift springs, lift blocks, or longer shackles. You could still install some chevies, move the front hangers, and go longer shackles... I can get pretty creative if needed...

hmm... then take the rears, hang them up front and shabam... cheap 4 corner lift.

Don't worry... I've been working up another parts list to call ya with. :D I'm really trying to avoid a shackle and block lift. I'm considering trying to do mazda leaves or f150s turned backwards. Either one would prob. require a track bar though.