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I Imported a BRAND NEW 1980s Land Cruiser 76!
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I Imported a BRAND NEW 1980s Land Cruiser 76!

Importing the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series

Introduction to the Business Challenge

  • The speaker is importing the new Toyota Land Cruiser 70 series from Japan to revitalize a struggling import business, risking an additional £100,000 on top of existing unsold inventory.
  • Seeking assistance from a friend at Autocom Japan to ensure the right vehicles are sourced for resale.

Initial Conversations and Vehicle Selection

  • A conversation with Matt reveals that while there aren't many Land Cruisers available in the market, they can still be sourced through auctions.
  • The speaker expresses excitement about acquiring two specific cars and relies on Autocom Japan for sourcing them.

Arrival of the Land Cruisers

First Impressions

  • Upon arrival at Lee's workshop in Southampton, the speaker sees the beige Land Cruiser for the first time and shares preferences between it and a black model.
  • Acknowledges a conflict between personal preference and business decisions, indicating emotional investment in vehicle selection.

Modifications Required for UK Compliance

  • Discusses necessary modifications for UK road legality including fog lights and speedometer adjustments; identifies initial tasks needed for compliance testing.

Installation Process Begins

Wiring Challenges

  • The process begins with wiring in a rear fog light which is not standard in Japanese models but required in the UK; highlights challenges faced during installation.
  • Describes physical aspects of working on heavy-duty components of the vehicle, emphasizing safety concerns during installation efforts.

Complications Arise

Issues Encountered During Installation

  • Noticed damage likely caused by shipping methods chosen (container vs roll-on roll-off ferry), leading to complications with wiring access points within the vehicle's interior.
  • Adjustments made to install fog light switch due to lack of pre-existing wiring; necessitates more complex routing than initially anticipated.

Testing Modifications

Troubleshooting Electrical Issues

  • After completing wiring tasks, attempts are made to test functionality of installed components like rear fog lights; initial failure prompts further troubleshooting efforts.

Finalizing Modifications

Speedometer Conversion

  • Details on converting speedometer readings from kilometers per hour to miles per hour using specialized soldering techniques; emphasizes complexity beyond simple dial swaps.

Sales Opportunities Emerge

Selling Suzuki Jimnys

  • Speaker receives interest regarding a five-door Suzuki Jimny after advertising efforts; prepares for potential sale meeting with interested buyer named Simon.

Mental Health Reflection

Importance of Support Systems

  • Reflecting on mental health, discusses how external help has been beneficial when making significant business decisions; promotes BetterHelp as an online therapy option suitable for those seeking support.

Successful IVA Test

Driving Home

  • Celebrates successful IVA test completion allowing legal driving of beige Land Cruiser back home; expresses excitement about experiencing its performance firsthand.

Driving Experience Comparison

Contrasting Vehicles

  • Compares driving experience between old-school Toyota Land Cruiser and modern BMW iX3 highlighting differences in feel and character between vehicles.

New Sales Leads

Engaging Potential Buyers

  • Prepares for another sales opportunity involving grey Jimny with father-son duo visiting dealership; hopes Richard will successfully conclude sale while he films content elsewhere.

Showcasing Features

Demonstrating Vehicle Attributes

  • Engages Yianni by showcasing features of imported Toyota Land Cruisers while discussing their unique characteristics compared to other vehicles.

Final Sale Completion

Delivering Customer Satisfaction

  • Completes sale transaction with Tom who is excited about his new grey Jimny; emphasizes customer satisfaction as rewarding aspect of car sales business.

Conclusion: Future Prospects

  • Speaker reflects positively on recent sales success while acknowledging ongoing inventory management challenges ahead as more vehicles arrive from Japan.
Video description

Head to https://betterhelp.com/matwatson to get 10% off your first month with our partner, BetterHelp. It looks like it rolled out of 1985 — but this Toyota Land Cruiser is BRAND NEW, and I imported one because you still can't walk into a dealer and buy it in most of the world. In this one I bring the legendary 70 Series Land Cruiser (the LC76) in from Japan to try and save my struggling import business — then hand it over to get it road legal, which turned out to be a much bigger headache than I bargained for. Fog lights, speedos in kilometres, and a mountain of paperwork later, I found out exactly why almost nobody imports these. If you've ever wondered why Toyota still builds this old-school 4x4, what it's actually like in person, and what it takes to get one on the road outside Japan — this is the full story, the costs, and everything that went wrong along the way. Thinking of importing a car from Japan yourself? I work with Autocom Japan to source them. And if you're buying any used car, check its history first. The Land Cruisers are going up for sale on japanesedreammachines.co.uk. Subscribe to follow the business as it grows. 0:00 My £100,000 Land Cruiser Risk 0:46 Sourcing the 70 Series from Japan 1:40 The Brutal IVA Modification Checklist 3:13 Shipping Disaster: Container Damage 4:05 Wiring the Fog Lights (The Faff) 6:27 Splicing the Analog Speedometer 7:24 Selling a Suzuki Jimny! 10:22 Picking up the UK-legal Land Cruiser 11:28 First Drive: Land Cruiser 76 Review 15:15 YIANNI roasts my £100,000K gamble 16:45 Can a 6'6" person fit in a Land Cruiser? 18:02 Handing over the keys to Tom 20:42 The future of Japanese Dream Machines