Signs of car rebirthing

[336LJ]

has anyone here bought a car and suspected (or found out the hard way) that it was a chop job?
I bought a factory white hilux - with the paint code and all matching numbers and shit saying it left the factory painted white. but it looks like its been resprayed from red!

[chopiesel]

well if you bought it from anywhere in west syd.....its a chop

look around the firewall, and inside the heater intake panel for signs of bodywork, bog or just anything that looks repaired, people actually make their own complience plates these days too so try look at another car to make sure its the same.

[Large]

If the previous owner was achmel/ahmad/mohamad/asif, you've prolly bought a chop.

Are you the guy with all the guns? Can you "negotiate" a refund?

[Azrael]

http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1290547180.jpg

[Tony OW31]

quote:Originally posted by 336LJ

has anyone here bought a car and suspected (or found out the hard way) that it was a chop job?
I bought a factory white hilux - with the paint code and all matching numbers and shit saying it left the factory painted white. but it looks like its been resprayed from red!




Sure it's not just had some panels replaced, check something that isn't usually changed like the firewall or inner wheel arches.

[Big Dan]

quote:Originally posted by Large

If the previous owner was achmel/ahmad/mohamad/asif, you've prolly bought a chop.

Are you the guy with all the guns? Can you "negotiate" a refund?
Good one Large[8D]

[RevHead]

lift the mats and check for colour in there also pull off the odd door trim ,cheers

[LKC73]

Another thing to look at is the door hinges. Toyota use seam sealer and paint over it around the mounting plates on the door jambs. If thats gone, the the ute has more likely had a respray at some point.

[336LJ]

LOL trust me I considered casually pacing around the car with my shotty broken over my shoulder and politely requesting a refund.
Okay heres the deal
I bought it knowing it had a bit of rust replaced in the gutters (nearly all the cars I have bought I didn't care about this)
I just wanted a good running 4x4. a LEGIT one...
first sign of trouble was one corner of the windscreen seal not resting in properly, I figured it was probably a bit of rust bubbling up and would chip it out later, no big deal.
My mate does windscreens for a living, and when he pulled the A pillar roof lining back, noticed it had a bit of a kink in it, meaning the windscreen is at its limit and thats stopping the seal from popping in how it should.
THEN - curiosity gets the better of me and I rip all the corners of the roof lining back, I have found a big ass weld in the C pillar. and what appears to be the maroon over spray. at the worst I guessed it could have been a roll over fixerupperer, I went to another bloke I know who runs a toyota dealership but he had no idea what the go was. the revs check I did and the check he did matched the car how it stood.
I was then directed to a panel shop - the owner showing me all the dodge fixes, he's positive the roof has been replaced, non factory silicone sealant on the door skins, quarters, the roof was mig welded, all shit I have no experience with, and would never have noticed!. I then asked him why a FACTORY white car, with all the matching numbers on the tags, would have the paint code for a WHITE car, but has a layer of paint from a maroon car between the primer and top coat. and in that case, why would even the rebirthed car be a cut and pasted piece of shit.
the other colour is underneath pretty much from the underside of the wheel arches, firewall, gutters, sills all the way to the back window. with exception to the floor and so far the back panel under the window which is still white. the sills hav mig welds instead of spot welds..
It has me fucked - I paid a good sum for this car, and have asked the previous owner if he will refund my cash and he takes the piece of shit back but he reckons he had no idea

[Redmohawk]

respray due to hail damage done by a dodgie pannel shop roof replaced because it was "quicker" ?

[RevHead]

could have been a write off not repairable but the prick who fixed it had a rusted or fucked toyota same model and decided to renumber it then repaint it ,i see a lot of this shit up here from time to time as backyarders in sydney do this kind of thing,best thing to do is clean it up spend a little cash and sell it on ,i know i know,but at least youl get your hard earned cash backthis is why they dont SELL repairable write offs any more

[Snaffler]

i thought it was illegal to do cut-n-shuts these days? panel and skin replacements yes but not framing etc.

[K6Thou]

quote:Originally posted by Snaffler

i thought it was illegal to do cut-n-shuts these days? panel and skin replacements yes but not framing etc.

AFAIK this is the case ...... Doesn't stop it happening though.

[336LJ]

I think with these year model hilux's and cause they are a full chassis car - the vin is stamped onto the chassis rail, but not on the body, and any BODY numbers stamped into the actual cab/rad support/tray etc aren't even on the compliance plates!? I checked on an 04 model, its the same thing?! I thought the vin would at least be stamped into the firewall..everyone I have asked so far, even a rep from toyota said its not uncommon for people to wreck a body somehow, find/steal a tidy car unbolt the body whack it on the old chassis, drill out the rivets and stick the compliance plates on and nobody would know. how the FUCK does this help anyone except thieves!?
I'll get to the bottom of this tho, there has to be a VIN number stamped into the body somewhere...

[RevHead]

i recently had an 00 hilux that had been littly rolled bought to me the owner told me to cut the roof,i said r u fuckin nutz, i porta powered the roof out then fitted a new skin,i took a week to get the shape of the windscreen area right,but atleast when he resells,the new owner wont fell hes been ripped,