Author Topic: Is there a market for refurbished Toyota Trucks?  (Read 7483 times)

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H8PVMNT

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Is there a market for refurbished Toyota Trucks?
« on: Dec 15, 2012, 10:26:02 AM »
Do you guys think there is a market here in the US for fully restored '79-'85 Toyota 4x4s?  I have seriously been considering a project like this to see if I could come out on it.

I think I could come out on a truck completely rebuilt near stock with my time if I could sell one for $6,000 - $8,000. I would probably add a few niceties like a modern stereo and maybe some old man emu suspension, etc.  At this price do you think they would sell if they were brought up to near mint near stock condition?

I need a sideline and have been considering this as a small business for some time...
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bleakhorizon

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around here... yes...
 doesnt even have to be 4wd or first gen..... 
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Wainiha

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In Hawaii there is a market.  We love our Yotas.
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ajordan1975

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I'd say yes.
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I've seen quite a few go for big bucks out here in CO. I'd say give it a whirl
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tgmaul88

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i seen i 1st gen  with 49,000 in Hawaii go on ebay for 14,000

Wainiha

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You can't swing a dead cat w/o hitting a Toyota here.
2000 3.4L xtra-cab Tacoma.
Icon C/Os
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FLOODED...GONE

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 King resi C/O
and Total Chaos UCAs

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I LOVE FIRST GENS    there the best trucks ever made!

kneedownnate

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parts that are usually trashed are often the hardest to find; interior.  good luck finding a source for those parts!
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I would say no.
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Check out awhotrods build. He just did one on an 82 long bed. Frame off. Looks awesome. Be ready to drop some serious cash on doing it though.
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ABD Motorsports
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If you can't convince them, confuse them.
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H8PVMNT [OP]

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“I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth.”
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"Except for maybe Seattle."  -H8PVMNT

"I plan to hit 300k in this truck"  :)bestgen4runner

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H8PVMNT [OP]

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On the interior parts I would say you would have to make some consessions and reupholster the best you could.  Heck I am making some aluminum diamond plate interior door panels for my '80 I think people would dig those in a 1st gen.

The biggest problem I can see with my plan is that I would want to keep every truck I rebuilt. Maybe I would be better off just finding them tuning them up and doing a quick flip rather than investing the time to completely redo them. There are quite a few out here just wasting away but most aren't for sale because nobody wants to take the time to dig them out and there is absolutely NO market in this area.
“I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth.”
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"Except for maybe Seattle."  -H8PVMNT

"I plan to hit 300k in this truck"  :)bestgen4runner

 "I'm jealous of your shop. It has concrete and doesn't smell like pickles like the old shop  "  300K

46&2

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I would imagine demand would be pretty good for them on the east coast/south. I know those parts of the country are famous for drivetrains that outlast frames and bodies.
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zembalayan

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I think there will be a market for them if the economy ever picks up and they are done up like the rigs by http://www.icon4x4.com/

I think the 1st gen.s' style and their decent, right-off-the-assembly-line off-road performance would get a lot of people interested.  Part of this plan would require remanufacture of interior parts, which could be bucks, but hell!  For me, I'd take some modern looking stuff inside the old style body: we'll call it Mr. Miyagi style--humble and plain on the outside, fancy on the inside.  Couple that with a new diesel engine option, focusing the builds on using an International 2.8 TGV (which ICON offers now) or a Cummins B3.3; people would be stoked.  You could even pull in all the biodiesel hippies as long as smaller diesels engines stay "different."
« Last Edit: Dec 16, 2012, 04:24:47 PM by zembalayan »

zembalayan

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Going further though, I could see myself paying decent bucks for something similar to Slabcs's dad's red 1st gen. or Green Truck's 1983 crawler. 

H8PVMNT [OP]

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Out 1980 longbed had been the best all around 4WD pickup we had ever had. The smallness and simplicity of the thing with the slightly inceased payload area makes it totally viable for farm/ranch use.  I can haul about 1600 lbs of hay no problem. With a 20r it's not fast of course, but 900 lbs of firewood or camping gear doesn't even slow it down. With lockers, near stock height and little tires I can wheel nearly anything my built 4Runner will. These things are an amazing tool and it's a shame there is nothing on the market to take their place right now.

I like the deisel idea, that would just add to the tractor package.
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"I plan to hit 300k in this truck"  :)bestgen4runner

 "I'm jealous of your shop. It has concrete and doesn't smell like pickles like the old shop  "  300K

jimbo74

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there are the epople that think toyotas are gold.....

then there is the rest of the world, that recognizes toyotas rock, but isn't to try and sell their toyota for more than it cost new.....

no matter what, it isn't a classic car... it won't appreciate in value.....


that said..... there is probably some schmuck somewhere that would buy anything
:usa:

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There is a company back east that is buying the old Jeep Grand Wagoneers, and rebuilding them to look like new, off the showroom floor.  And they want $50,000 or more for them, and they can't keep them in stock. 

http://www.grandwagoneer.com/ 

:warning, their site is very picture heavy, but worth it.
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jimbo74

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yeah, but that is because yuppies drive jeeps... and the old yuppies have $$$$$$$
:usa:

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I like the warning before it loads the site. Don't know if it would be a money maker but wouldn't hurt to try.
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H8PVMNT [OP]

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there are the epople that think toyotas are gold.....

then there is the rest of the world, that recognizes toyotas rock, but isn't to try and sell their toyota for more than it cost new.....

no matter what, it isn't a classic car... it won't appreciate in value.....


that said..... there is probably some schmuck somewhere that would buy anything

That right there is motivation not to make it a business venture.  The fact that people are willing to pay $60K for redone landcruisers has made the price of hammered ones go through the roof as well. Early broncos as well and even jeep CJs are headed that direction. I have really enjoyed picking up old Toyotas for next to nothing and that's one of the best things about them if you are willing to fix them up cheaply and use them.

Maybe I should just do a resto project for myself and get it out of my system.  I still hate to see so many 1st gens getting parted out though.

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"I plan to hit 300k in this truck"  :)bestgen4runner

 "I'm jealous of your shop. It has concrete and doesn't smell like pickles like the old shop  "  300K

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I think one of the main things is how quick you want to flip one, demanding a high price will limit those that would be truly interested and can afford it.  If you did this I would stay as stock as possible and then when you drop a line and hook a winner make them pay you for any upgrades such as radios, lockers, lift and the like. That way you minimize your initial outlay and maximize your profit and time. Plus all of the upgrades can be charged out at full price with labor and not be a part of the asking price. You may want a display truck with a bunch of upgrades so that people can see what their rig would and could look as an enticement.
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Snowtoy

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While the ebay examples are tempting you have to remember that those prices are for original low mileage trucks that have withstood the test of time w/o aging, not restored ones.  The rarity of being in like new condition with low mileage is what makes it desirable to collectors.  Outside the collectible speculator willing to gamble on future values I think you are about 5-7yrs to late.  Neither the current economy nor the economy going forward is going to support a price point of $6-8k for a 30yr old restored stock truck, not when you can buy clean trail ready DD's or 1st gen Tacoma's for the same price or less.  I know people keep hoping the economy will turn around, but it is highly likely we are already in the economy of the future right now.  We have been in a global economy since the late '80's early '90's, it is just now that we as a nation are having to accept wages that are globally competitive, the "home equity credit card" was our last ditch effort of trying to maintain living standards that are no longer viable in a global economy. 

You could restore them and put them away for 20-30yrs in the hopes of there being a collectors market, but that is about as risky a proposition as playing "Russian Rullette" with 5 of 6 chambers loaded.  What made the '60's muscle cars so collectible/profitable to restore(not so much anymore) is basic Supply/Demand economics.  The number of "Boomers" who in their 50's and 60's and wanted something from their youth along with the money(either actual or credit) far exceeded the supply of cars, which is why rusted out '69 Camero shells once sold for $25k at auction and now you can pick up bolt off resto/mods that cost $250k for less than $25-50k.  The collectible market for Toyota trucks will most likely be just the opposite.  Given the build quality and the number of units sold, there are far more trucks available now and will likely still be 20yrs from now, so the supply will always be more than demand, especially with the very high probability of "X gens" having far less disposable income as compared to their "Boomer" counter parts.  Also unlike their "Muscle Car" counterparts, Toyota trucks didn't have any roles in the movies that would have made people want to go out and buy one then or want one now for nastalgia purposes, like the movie "Bullet" did for Mustangs.  The only movies that come to mind are "Back to the Future" and the brief moments of the black 2nd gen, and there was a 1st gen with off road lights in "Tango and Cash"(hitman after Cash drove one in the parking garage chase).  In all liklihood we have already seen their popularity come and go during the hieght of the wheeling hobby where non running ones were bringing $2000-2500.
 
If you are looking for a hobby that can make you extra cash(if you don't count your labor), learn some new skills, and your local market will support it, I would say go for it if.  I have been doing this for the last 8yrs or so w/84-up 2/4wd rigs, and have made pretty good extra money for my effort.  Granted I am making about half the profit I was 5yrs ago, but I am still making more than the top KBB values.  I do get the "It isn't worth that much" or " I can buy one in _____ for less" comment from “tire kickers”, but I have never had to wait more than a couple of weeks to a month to sell one.  When I listed this '84 2wd for $2950 about 2yrs ago I thought I was going to have to wait a while, but it sold at my asking price within 12hrs of listing it, I probably could have sold it for more.


It was a full restoration from engine rebuild through paint and interior, as well as swapping 4x4 fenders/bed and sourcing good like new bumpers, interior items, etc.  It was also the lowest profit margin rig I have done, I only made a few hundred over costs.  It was originally intended for my nephew's first car, so I replaced a lot of components I wouldn't normally have done if I was selling it to the general public.

I hear you on wanting to keep each one you restore.  When I started out it was kind of hard to let the first ones go since I never got to enjoy the reward of my hard work.  However being able to try out new ideas w/o having my personal rig down and a nice stack of cash when its sold seems to be a fair trade off.
« Last Edit: Dec 18, 2012, 01:25:39 AM by Snowtoy »
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Ghettofab88

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While the ebay examples are tempting you have to remember that those prices are for original low mileage trucks that have withstood the test of time w/o aging, not restored ones.  The rarity of being in like new condition with low mileage is what makes it desirable to collectors.  Outside the collectible speculator willing to gamble on future values I think you are about 5-7yrs to late.  Neither the current economy nor the economy going forward is going to support a price point of $6-8k for a 30yr old restored stock truck, not when you can buy clean trail ready DD's or 1st gen Tacoma's for the same price or less.  I know people keep hoping the economy will turn around, but it is highly likely we are already in the economy of the future right now.  We have been in a global economy since the late '80's early '90's, it is just now that we as a nation are having to accept wages that are globally competitive, the "home equity credit card" was our last ditch effort of trying to maintain living standards that are no longer viable in a global economy.

This is an interesting view point.

I've been toying with the idea of starting a company to sell restoration parts to the Toyota crowd.  I might do restorations as project buildups and marketing, but not looking to make a profit on restoring them.  My thinking is that these trucks are incredibly popular even 30yrs later, maybe more popular now then when new.  Of course most of these folks just want to make a trail beater out of them, but a few I think would like to keep there's nice or restore one.  Unlike other restored vehicles, these things drive really nice!  You could easily daily drive one of these or take it on a long trip, plus the initial purchase price is fairly low all things considered.  I think they are still too new to be considered "classics", but in time they will be, especially the first gens.

Kevo

toyyota

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I'm all for saving these 80's Toyota trucks. I am 95% through a frame off restoration on a 87 4x4 factory turbo truck. The problem is that so many parts are no longer available from the dealer. Little things like turbo manifolds and plastic do-dads are not available. Aftermarket lights and metal parts are crap compared to original parts. I have a huge stock pile of used stuff, but its all used stuff. Restore them if you can. If you have a nice original, it cant be replaced...Bob

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we have been doing it for 17 years .. http://www.toyotafiberglass.com
it's a tough business , and absolutly has it's ups and downs  . lots of guys love there toyotas , but unlike a muscle car , most are just not willing to pay someone the money to build them a truck ,  in most cases they are just building there own , heck look at all the build threads on EVERY forum !! . Parts buisness is great for the DIY'rs .. companies like marlin , trail gear , ect .. are doin'  great  cuz there are so many DIY er's

I'd sell my Trekker for 40K , if anyones interested ?


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logan

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I don't know about making money off them but between Ebay and this website http://www.amayama.com/ i think I've found most of the stuff i need to restore my 82

njtrekker

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logan
have purchased anything from amayama.com.was wondering if its legit.
 

 
 
 
 
 

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