Date:         Mon, 11 Jul 2005 23:49:02 -0700
Reply-To:     Brad Estergaard <bestergaard@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Brad Estergaard <bestergaard@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      Re: re. 88 toyota van from japan on ebay
Content-type: text/plain; reply-type=response; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed

For anyone that is interested in that van...

These Toyota Masterace/Townace van are real sweet.  Not quite as spacious as
a Vanagon but the seating is hyper manouverable and having a true 4low is
real nice and the skylite roof is rad.  The little 2Litre 2CT turbo diesel
engine is also surprisingly peppy, quiet and very fuel efficient (for USA
residents this engine was used in the 80's Camry diesel so parts and
mechanics should be available anywhere).  One of these vans totally smoked
me on the highway the other day zipping by at around 120kmh.

Parts for these imports are failrly easy to obtain from any toyota dealer as
long as you know the part number and can wait a few days/weeks for delivery.
Having said that I live in a small town of 35000 and my local toyota dealer
has had a number of requested parts IN STOCK for my import (1989 Hilux Surf
aka RHD diesel 4Runner) or available the next morning.  Driving a RHD
vehicle in a LHD world only takes a day or two to master...everything is the
same except the turn signals and window washer arms are on opposite sides
(you feel real cool turing on your window washers at every intersection for
the first week!!).   The only negatives driving RHD is that turning left at
intersections can be a little harder to see.  Also passing takes a new
tactic as you have to jag to the right a bit to see if its clear before
passing left (but you don;t pass much in a toyota diesel, you are more
likely to BE passed, just like driving a Vanagon!!)

Hope that helps anyone who might be interested...

Brad


----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary Lee, Vanagon Racks" <gary2a@TELUS.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2005 7:59 PM
Subject: re. 88 toyota van from japan on ebay

> I see a few of these vans on the streets in Canada.  More common than the
> vans though are Japanese market landcruisers.
> I would consider buying one, but these imports are all Righ Hand Drive.
> No
> thanks. Also, what about parts for a vehicle which was never sold here?
> There is a company near me that imports JDM vehicles, all are RHD.
>
> Maybe that american van was imported to Canada first, then exported to the
> US.
>
> Gary Lee
> http://www.telusplanet.net/public/gary2a/vw.htm
>