Got some Questions

[texastoyota]

Hey everyone just joined the site,
Posting a mssg on here looking for everyones opinion on buying a fixer upper.
Its a 1973 toyota Hilux with aprx 27k miles on it. Yes 27K !!! (truck still has original tires on it)
The vehicle has been parked for unknown number of years by an elderly family member to my father in law.
All I have seen is the Body which except for faded paint is in great shape. Im simply looking to buy this as a little project and hopefully a great gas saver back and forth to my job, which happens to be a Parts Counter guy at a Toyota Dealer, and my part time job which is at O'Reilly Auto Parts.
Questions are mainly if parts are avail. still somewhere ?
All the parts i have looked up for it have been discontinued through toyota.
However there are still a number of parts avail through O'Reilly.
What kind of Offer should I put on the table for this thing?
$500 ?

[Oz_Stout]

Hey texastoyota and welcome to the TORC forum.

A '73 Hilux? Heck yes you should buy that truck. Why? Firstly, they are cool...... secondly if you clean it up a bit and get it running well then you won't lose money on it. The minitruck boys are all after old skool stuff these days and a '73 Lux certainly fits into that category. Thirdly..... 27k miles? Jeez. I'll take it please.

My '65 Stout was a similar story... parked up for 10 years and paint was horribly faded. I grabbed it, got it running nice, fixed up all the brakes and gave it a heck of a polish and now I have a truck that people keep offering me money for. It's great.

As for parts being available, here in Australia I would imagine that things would still be available somewhere. Like any gaskets, filters etc I have needed for the Stout so far I have been lucky enough to find, but it takes some hunting around sometimes. I'd say the same situation would apply in USA and the beauty of forums such as this one is that generally there is someone that can help you if you need something.

As for price to offer...... yep, I reckon start at $500 and see what happens. That would be a pretty good price to pay for a '73 truck with only $27k miles and body in good straight condition. Even if it cost you a bit more than that would still be worth it in my opinion.

So.......... in summary................ GET IT !!!! ;D

[hilux]

I'd offer $2,000 - even more if the interior is not badly sun damaged and if the engine is not damaged. If you go to look at the truck you should not try to start it up. There are a number of things you need to do (e.g. drain the old gasoline, change the oil. pour oil over the valvetrain, put a small amount of oil in each cylinder, turn the engine over by hand several times, clean the cooling system, etc) if the engine has not been run for many years, otherwise you could ruin it in a matter of seconds. An acquaintance ruined his low mileage '73 engine because he did not prep it first.

Parts for a '73 are hard to come by unless you've been collecting them for a number of years. I've got a great
collection so this truck would be ideal for me to get roadworthy again. But I guess you're going to get first crack at the truck since you have family connections. If you decide against getting the truck, please let me know.

[Oz_Stout]

Apr 29, 2008 17:51:25 GMT -8 hilux said:

I'd offer $2,000 - even more if the interior is not badly sun damaged and if the engine is not damaged.

Gotta agree with hilux. This truck is definately worth more than $500 if it is what you say it is. Also some good advice before you try to run it.

Keep us posted on how all this goes and some pics as soon as you have it in your possesion please.

[lovesdastout1900]

Hey there.... I am new to this, and all, but I just wanted to comment, I have my eyes On (FELL IN LOVE WITH) a real nice Stout1900... I haven't any idea what I should offer this guy for his baby, or if He is even considering selling Her, but I think She is a Beauty. In fact, I never even knew that the Stout1900 even existed, until I saw this Baby winking at Me. I thought, "Wow, what a Beautiful Truck..... Unusual looking, unique, yet beefy, small, Yet BIG...." I stood there looking Her over for like 10 minutes..... Nicely lined bed, interior looks in good shape, minimal rust....WOW!!! I have been admiring This Beauty ever since, and even took photos... I would send them, but I can't figure out how here. If You'd like I could E-Mail them to You. My addy is [e-mail] I would like to know what You would offer this guy for His truck, to tempt him into selling.... I really dig these trucks, and like I said, when I saw Her, I fell right in LOVE....