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Birdman330

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J79 Land Cruiser, I prefer the J76 wagon myself. Thinking of importing a J78 Prado aka Bundera you can get them in a Manual, hard to find but they come in a manual.


And I wouldn't buy the truck, its not Federal Legal. Somebody used a ''back door'' trick that will pop up on the radar and bye bye Land Cruiser.
 
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tommudd

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J79 Land Cruiser, I prefer the J76 wagon myself. Thinking of importing a J78 Prado aka Bundera you can get them in a Manual, hard to find but they come in a manual.


And I wouldn't buy the truck, its not Federal Legal. Somebody used a ''back door'' trick that will pop up on the radar and bye bye Land Cruiser.

The body is a 2010 spec Land Cruiser 79 series body, and was purchased as sheet metal with glass but no interior parts.
So it was pieced together if you read the article
Everytime I am in Tanzania or my wife would send pictures of what they used as company cars I about crapped myself. Such great rides and can't buy them new here :thumbsdown:
 

Birdman330

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I'll put it in retrospec, the Feds don't like that. Here comes a novel but it's the only way to explain why its a fire cracker with a lit fuse. Early 2000's company called Motorex is formed with the business of Importing one of the hottest JDM cars around, the infamous Skyline GTR's. They claim they could legally import R32, R33, and R34 which one was owned by the late Paul Walker. Motorex spent more than it took in, the owner landed in some legal trouble, and come to find out they well lied to the Feds about crash testing, they only tested one model the R33. Some cars were stolen from them, the owner I believe is still behind bars. In the wake of the Motorex lime light, comes fly by night importers claiming to do the job in half the price. How? Using the ''Back Door'' known as the ''Kit Car Trick'' Strip it down, import it part by part re-assemble as a Kit Car. Well guess what, Feds didn't like that either several owners ended up in jail, cars seized and crushed. Along comes Kazio, buying GTR's stripping them down to a shell, making them a part number after certain safety modifications to the shell, you get the shell shipped to your front door and build your own GTR. Well, the Feds didn't like that either and he ended up behind bars and shut down. They've cracked down on importing body shells to get around the rules and regulations. Its registered on the state level, states don't give a care as long as you give them money, it doesn't have an actual federal issued bond release. Its not worth the money to have ICE knock on your door with papers to seize it or make you deport it.
 

twowings

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I think my very favourite thing is the 45 gallon fuel tank....would love to have that on my KJ...talk about range...
 

tommudd

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I'll put it in retrospec, the Feds don't like that. Here comes a novel but it's the only way to explain why its a fire cracker with a lit fuse. Early 2000's company called Motorex is formed with the business of Importing one of the hottest JDM cars around, the infamous Skyline GTR's. They claim they could legally import R32, R33, and R34 which one was owned by the late Paul Walker. Motorex spent more than it took in, the owner landed in some legal trouble, and come to find out they well lied to the Feds about crash testing, they only tested one model the R33. Some cars were stolen from them, the owner I believe is still behind bars. In the wake of the Motorex lime light, comes fly by night importers claiming to do the job in half the price. How? Using the ''Back Door'' known as the ''Kit Car Trick'' Strip it down, import it part by part re-assemble as a Kit Car. Well guess what, Feds didn't like that either several owners ended up in jail, cars seized and crushed. Along comes Kazio, buying GTR's stripping them down to a shell, making them a part number after certain safety modifications to the shell, you get the shell shipped to your front door and build your own GTR. Well, the Feds didn't like that either and he ended up behind bars and shut down. They've cracked down on importing body shells to get around the rules and regulations. Its registered on the state level, states don't give a care as long as you give them money, it doesn't have an actual federal issued bond release. Its not worth the money to have ICE knock on your door with papers to seize it or make you deport it.

And yes we all know that, but this one was pieced together from many different years etc, wasn't broken down brought in and reassembled.
ANYONE who is into vehicles at all knows the above story, knows the ramifications etc , knows the laws state vs federal etc
But hell isn't it nice to dream once in a while ?? :shrug:
:happy175::happy175:
Preaching to the wrong choir here I think
 

Birdman330

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And yes we all know that, but this one was pieced together from many different years etc, wasn't broken down brought in and reassembled.
ANYONE who is into vehicles at all knows the above story, knows the ramifications etc , knows the laws state vs federal etc
But hell isn't it nice to dream once in a while ?? :shrug:
:happy175::happy175:
Preaching to the wrong choir here I think

Doesn't matter, to them its walking around the boundaries and rules. Its the body shell that is the problem, it has a VIN tied to its Chassis Number. Feds can walk in take it with stating such rules. While all the more you can import all the straight parts you want legal or not, my Jeep is walking testimony to that. Sounds stupid but its how they have seized so many ''Kit Cars'' that were imported. The Grey Area surrounding Kit Cars has personally left me burned. I can build a car from the ground up, my own design via state requirements and in MOST states absolutely next to no requirements and register it. In Wisconsin you can practically register a go-kart with plates. I can't bring over Nissan Patrol because its ''dangerous''.
 

tommudd

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Thought this would be a nice
"what if"
" wish we could"
"isn't that cool"
"wow look at that nice build"
" would give my right *** for one"
But went he** bent south in a hurry
what a shame :shrug:

Thanks for sharing though if you find more please share:icon_lol:
I had seen it on Expo but never took the time to read the full story
 

M38 Bob

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Thought this would be a nice
"what if"
" wish we could"
"isn't that cool"
"wow look at that nice build"
" would give my right *** for one"
But went he** bent south in a hurry
what a shame :shrug:

Thanks for sharing though if you find more please share:icon_lol:
I had seen it on Expo but never took the time to read the full story

Yep. Not one in a million would get involved with actually owning one, and if they do without doing due dilligence, who's fault is that? For the rest of us tire kickers somebody always gotta pizz in yer Wheaties!:emotions34:

Bob
 

twowings

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"The truck is registered in Colorado as a 2015 ASVE (Assembled vehicle) and is fully inspected and emissions compliant. The owner, Christo Slee, says the truck was built to be a “new” vehicle to showcase their shop’s capabilities. Genuine Toyota parts were used as much as possible, and very few non OE components had to be installed. To find out more about Slee Off-Road or their products, see their website here."

It's wearing a Colorado tag in the pics...perhaps it's only offroad legal, but I wouldn't kick it out of bed for that...:gr_grin:
 

tommudd

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"The truck is registered in Colorado as a 2015 ASVE (Assembled vehicle) and is fully inspected and emissions compliant. The owner, Christo Slee, says the truck was built to be a “new” vehicle to showcase their shop’s capabilities. Genuine Toyota parts were used as much as possible, and very few non OE components had to be installed. To find out more about Slee Off-Road or their products, see their website here."

It's wearing a Colorado tag in the pics...perhaps it's only offroad legal, but I wouldn't kick it out of bed for that...:gr_grin:

Slee has built a number of similar ones where they put parts together, never have any issues since they are one of the best in that particular field.
Love some of their products, almost makes me what to go buy a Toyota :icon_lol:
Its very legal for the street
 

Birdman330

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"The truck is registered in Colorado as a 2015 ASVE (Assembled vehicle) and is fully inspected and emissions compliant. The owner, Christo Slee, says the truck was built to be a “new” vehicle to showcase their shop’s capabilities. Genuine Toyota parts were used as much as possible, and very few non OE components had to be installed. To find out more about Slee Off-Road or their products, see their website here."

It's wearing a Colorado tag in the pics...perhaps it's only offroad legal, but I wouldn't kick it out of bed for that...:gr_grin:

That's the only way Kei Trucks/Vans are allowed in that are under the annoying 25 year rule. They're strict off road vehicles, though some states have told the Feds to go feed themselves and allow them for minimal road use, though a couple states allow you take them on the interstate highways if you have all the hoopla removed from them. I think it was done to spite the Feds for allowing Mercedes (You can thank them for the 25 year ban as well) to bring over a glorified golf cart which has no business being on our streets if we can't have Kei Trucks/Vans which are bigger than those glorified golf carts. Since the Feds and EPA slammed restrictions on them, with the gear boxes having blocking plates put on so you could only use two out of the five forward gears and governors installed to keep them at 25 mph.
 

tommudd

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About ten or twelve of those little Toyota etc pickups down home ( cab over design ). They are used mainly on the farms but also ran up and down state highways. They will all do 50-55 easy , but have to have a special slow moving vehicle sign that states they will not go over 40 :happy175:
Just a way around the laws

But its still a shame we're talking about this instead of what great vehicles are out there that we can only enjoy elsewhere .
 

M38 Bob

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About ten or twelve of those little Toyota etc pickups down home ( cab over design ). They are used mainly on the farms but also ran up and down state highways. They will all do 50-55 easy , but have to have a special slow moving vehicle sign that states they will not go over 40 :happy175:
Just a way around the laws

But its still a shame we're talking about this instead of what great vehicles are out there that we can only enjoy elsewhere .

I've got 2 customers who've put ATV tires on the stock wheels and keep them strictly on the farm.

Bob
 

Birdman330

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About ten or twelve of those little Toyota etc pickups down home ( cab over design ). They are used mainly on the farms but also ran up and down state highways. They will all do 50-55 easy , but have to have a special slow moving vehicle sign that states they will not go over 40 :happy175:
Just a way around the laws

But its still a shame we're talking about this instead of what great vehicles are out there that we can only enjoy elsewhere .

They're designed to run 65 without breaking a sweat, and their fuel economy is just nuts.

Oh there are plenty of wonderful machines I want in my personal stable but can not have them because they were not slated for market here in the US.
 

Birdman330

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I simply can't afford any of my dream machines..:favorites68:

You know whats funny, the only real outrageous rides I want are the Skyline R33 GTST, Escort RS Cosworth, and Ford's AU XR8 Falcon. That's it, I'm serious contemplating after moving south of getting a J78 Land Cruiser Prado, and forward dating the front to the J76 Series for a more modern look but leave the interior alone minus a better radio. Land Cruiser is the only real SUV I've ever wanted since reading Jurassic Park. Not to say I haven't enjoyed my Liberty since I have put a lot of work into it myself and shop work.
 

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