Colombian Blue 77 on BaT

[soft60]

Lovely, recently-imported Patrol on BaT:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1977- ... rol-4x4-4/

[Esteban]

Looks very good. However, the canvas top deviates a lot from the original.

[plateaucal]

A two year restoration, complete with frame repair. hmmmmmmmm That must have been one messed up truck. It is trashy looking...I say they spent two months on that, part time. I especially like the black paint on the undercarriage.

[Mantonis75]

This is my truck now and let's just say; "it's not perfect". I was lucky enough to crackdown an original NOS VHA carb (also bought a NOS VC42) and am also replacing Break cylinder and distributor. Hoping when done, it will be the truck that I thought I was buying....

[Mantonis75]

BTW, avoid that seller if you ver see another of his cars available, The horror stories would fill a page.
It'll be perfect when I get done (or as close as I can get it to), but his advertisement was full of lies...

[RiverPatrol]

I recall this seller acting a little shady. One of his auctions he actually started getting flippant with people that were questioning things. I think he even blamed the low winning bid on negative comments. He really didn't have good answers for many questions. Sorry that you're finding out the hard way what so many others have - many of those Colombian restorations leave much to be desired.

[L60Boerne]

Greeting Patrollies,

Please note, Columbians are good people with great coffee. Just know those machines were run hard as every day drivers on very rough roads every day of their existence.The fact that one can look as good as this is a miracle. Ours were occasionally driven....theirs...every day and twice on sunday with heavy loads.It likely came from a place with coastal mountains much western Oregon or N CA.

The seller is a crook, likely one from N of the border.

You have to go there to appreciate this Patrol.

Rolling and Patrolling,
L60Boerne

[timber]

I can validate the above complaints of this seller, Escofon. They are dishonest. They said my Patrol was basically perfect and totally restored. Well it is not. There is much to be desired. In 2 months I have only driven it less than a mile due to needing new battery, battery cable and starter. It was sitting in the driveway and it just started leaking coolant without being driven. Just sprung a leak. Needs a new radiator core @ $850. Bracing myself for what's next once I get the cooling system fixed and I'm able to drive it. At idle, the engine sounded very good; like a little kitten and it has zero rust, so that is good. I am not sure what action I can take against them other than going to the BBB. I have been to Columbia several times and like the Columbian people. I do not like dishonest people wherever they are from. I will never buy another car or truck without seeing it in person.

[RiverPatrol]

Two complaints against the same seller, that is disturbing. I agree completely, this is nothing against Colombians at all. We have outstanding examples of some amazing perfectly correct restorations right here in the forum, here is just one example: rrodriguezsal. Yes, Just as L60Boerne says, almost every Patrol in Colombia has been used excessively for multiple generations. When it breaks they fix it, not always correctly though because it's often a bush/trail fix. If you'd like to read a really great thread showing exactly what these vehicles go through this story is worth your time: Patroling Through South America.

This seller is apparently taking advantage of Internet sales. Make it shiny and look good and the rest the buyer has to just trust what he says about condition. And the buyers are usually people unfamiliar with Patrols so they don't really know what to look for that might be suspicious. We have several 'buyer beware' stories here on import purchases.

As for what can be done, I'm not sure. He says he's based in LA. On one BaT auction are pictures of import documents but the importer's name is redacted. I know this blue one had been sold previously on Hemmings. So, Maybe BaT and Hemmings should be notified. It doesn't look like he has sold anything else on BaT since this one. Interestingly, I'm pretty sure it was this BaT auction where he got flippant with people questioning things but all of those comments have been removed. Maybe BaT moderators didn't like the negativity?

[timber]

Escofon LLC is based in Delaware, but there is a mechanic shop in Miami. The importer is based in Houston. If I wanted to go see it prior to sale, I was told it was in Miami and that is where it was shipped from. I engaged the auction on Autohunter.com and asked some questions about where the photo was taken because it showed a tropical shoreline with hills in the background but it had Delaware plates. There is no place like that in USA except Hawaii. The seller said I was trying to sabotage the auction. The car never met reserve. I called them up after the auction to further try to purchase. I asked for additional pictures and they sent them. Lesson learned for me is you just gotta go and see for yourself or maybe hire a mechanic to look at it. It is lipstick on a pig, but I will try to get it how I want it eventually.