Buying a M1010 as an overland expedtion vehicle

[ABQIRONPIG]

This truck is an 86 with 30k and supposedly runs and drives great with lots of fuel system components replaced. My question is, is it stupid to buy something like this to travel around South America in over a Toyota Landcruiser?

I know squat about these vehicles and am hoping to get some advice on what to look for initially, replace right away and life expectancy/failure rate.

I can tell you anything you want to know about Landcruisers, but I am out of my element with the M1010.

Thanks for any advice!

ABQIRONPIG

 

[m1010plowboy]

I've done a few cross country trips but never South of Mexico. If something breaks, you want parts, so take the vehicle you can support. Are you jungling it in the bush or jingling it through towns, City's and other tourist areas? Can you take napa with you or find Chev parts on the road? No hablo Espanol. A 1010 in South America.......with A/C would be such a cool adventure. One of our own SS boys did the Alaska Highway this summer with an M1010, hopefully you can hear his story too.

I put a few thousand miles on the 1010 now with few issues. Front axle, bearings, hub lock operation problems after a little swimming, alternator after adding a plow, batteries from leaving lights on and all foreseeable problems that get solved easily, when the parts are available. Last run was 800 miles of pure M1010 pleasure.

BUTT I don't go anywhere with my 26 year old where I can't get a Jolly tow truck or a happy hooker to tow her back home. I don't trust anything 26 years old. At the same time I could probably jump in it and drive to South America and back without an issue. You got a tough call to make but if it were me.....I'd be in a brand new A/C Landcruiser or pulling a mechanics shop behind the 1010.

Just a little jealous about a South America trip so you'll need to tell us about it, Good Luck and Welcome to Steel Soldiers.

 

[ABQIRONPIG]

Thanks, I will take your advice, but the M1010 is on IH8MUD and was used as a SWAT vehicle, it looks nice but i guess ill take the Crusher since we will be boondocking through the jungles.QUOTES][/QUOTE]

 

[Skinny]

With an M1010...you can put a mechanics shop in the back!!!

I know nothing about expeditions outside of the country but I would safely assume that parts for a Nissan or Toyota truck/SUV (especially one that is sold on a global market) would have a **** of a lot more parts availability than a truck made for the US only. Not saying parts don't exist, lots of people drive newer Super Duty's and such but for every one of them there are ten Land Cruisers/Nissan Patrols/Land Rover Defenders

 

[Varyag]

If you can get a hold of a LC I would go with that. Like Skinny said there are a dozen of them to one chevy. They made the FJ40 till just recently down there. Personally I would go with an FJ60 if it was me. I have an FJ40 and it is hard to pack enough stuff in it even with a roof rack and still have somewhere out of the rain and bugs to sleep.