Hello from Mississippi home of Southern Shite cars!

[Ian Nexus]

Hi,

Moved form Bedfordshire UK to USA at the start of 2011, my first daily driver was rescued from behind my father in laws garage, he had started to repair it but lost interest. $50 of new timing chain and cover and a new battery from Walmart had it up and running. Its a 1993 Toyota Pickup (the Hilux name is not used in US) extended cab 2.4 auto.

Spent $38 on a "personal" number plate and $5 on an inspection (the version of the MOT that takes 5 minutes and did not notice the missing front sidelight).

Its a luxury to be firing on all cylinders and have present and working lights!

[rml2345]

Welcome! That pick up looks...

Well...

Welcome anyway! I take it they aren't very strict on what passes an inspection then?

[MrDuke]

I love the fact that over here, someone called Ian would spend several hundred pounds (or more) on a plate with 'X14 NXX' illegally spaced in an attempt to be cool, whereas over there you can have your Actual Name for $38.

[Ian Nexus]

The inspection is just a visual safety check and as the local garage doing it gets nothing for the privilege of performing it only looks for glaring issues i.e. missing wheels or collapsed bodywork. Mine passed with broken windshield, missing rear exhust section and holes in muffler, no number plate lights and no front grille.

Truck has done 306k miles on original engine (think it has had a replacement transmission as it shifts perfectly) I had to completely rebuild rear brakes as the cylinders had failed causing the rear brake linings to unbond and stick to the inside of the drums

[hairnet]

what do you expect for fiiiii dollar

 

long as it stop and goes its fine

[eddyramrod]

Marvellous stuff. Welcome along Ian. I love the southern states, you do see some sights! I'm hoping for photos of a lot of on-street cars that wouldn't look out of place as background in Shaft...

[gtd2000]

The only part of this that isn't funny is the price that Toyota Truck would fetch if advertised for sale...you could possibly buy 5 shitters in the UK for the same money...

 

Hello from California!

[Cavcraft]

Welcome along!

[Ian Nexus]

Im looking at a 1992 Oldsmobile Park Avenue that is also "in storage" at my father in laws, if I can get it running I may swap it for the pickup, I need more seats as my Son barely fits in the tiny rear seat in the truck. He also has a 1969 Shelby Mustang GT500 in the workshop, and I have found a El Camino under a tree!.

[eddyramrod]

There must be a GM fairy at the bottom of that garden! Can I come and live over the garage, like Fonzie?

[vulgalour]

Welcome along, what a great abused truck that is.

[Ian Nexus]

It has similar qualities to the Top Gear truck, span it on a wet intersection a couple of weeks ago, so really needs new tires at the back!, forded 2ft of flood water last week, just seems to keep going. It appears to be one of the last Japan made trucks before they started making them locally in the US.

[Ian Nexus]

Forgot to post front view

Previous owner (teenage girl) had a slight fender bender, destroyed the front grill and bent the radiator a little - no coolant leaks though. Front number plates are not used in this state, note gaffer tape holding front indicator lens in.

[eddyramrod]

note gaffer tape holding front indicator lens in.

My Polski 125 estate had that little tweak for some time.....

[gtd2000]

Im looking at a 1992 Oldsmobile Park Avenue that is also "in storage" at my father in laws, if I can get it running I may swap it for the pickup, I need more seats as my Son barely fits in the tiny rear seat in the truck. He also has a 1969 Shelby Mustang GT500 in the workshop, and I have found a El Camino under a tree!.

 

I see you are fluent in "'Merkun" already!

[Ian Nexus]

Latest picture of our Jeep Cherokee, its a 1996 4.0 Sport with 247,000 miles, its starting to get a little small for our family but has been a reliable workhorse over the last year and nine months. Does the equivalent of 22 UK MPG (US gallon is 3.98 liters so our figure is 20 MPG) and is quite quick off the mark.

[jonny69]

Wouldn't that be better off with a rebel flag and a gun rack with spotlights?

[PhilA]

Doing it wrong.

 

The cab isn't leaning against the pickup bed.

 

Spray more salt water underneath for the proper effect to take hold.

 

(At least they check to see if your lights are working on inspection here, but it costs $10. And bad, you're not allowed to use numbers to look like letters ;P )

 

Good little trucks though.

 

--Phil

[Ian Nexus]

Wouldn't that be better off with a rebel flag and a gun rack with spotlights?

 

I'm trying not to be the same as everyone else here!, I am still very British having only lived here for 1 1/2 Years so far.

[AnthonyG]

Welcome along!

 

I've been told some southern states are great for old junk, but not sure about Mississippi - is rust a big issue there?

 

A Park Avenue is a Buick BTW. If its an Oldsmobile of the same era and size it will probably be a Delta 88 or possibly a 98.

 

Funnily enough, someone posted on here about getting a Park Avenue going that they had found in a relatives' garden to use instead of a pickup - was that you?

[Ian Nexus]

No rust on the old Toyota or on the Jeep, they don't salt the roads here so that probably is why. I haven't decided if I should rescue the Buick Park Avenue yet or try and find a Ford Aerostar / Dodge Caravan / Chevy Suburban / Ford Expedition.

My neighbor told me not to swap the Toyota pickup for a Buick, apparently old Yota pickups are quite valuable and old Buick's are not! and the Yota is very reliable and economic.

[eddyramrod]

Precisely because it is unloved and worthless is why you absolutely should rescue the Park Avenue! They are a really plush thing and highly satisfactory as regular family transport. If you're not going to, then put it on a boat for Heysham, I'll pick it up in October.....