Our Process
Clear expectations - There will be down time. PAyment schedules are critical for more reasons than you might think.
Strong Communication - There will be down time. There will be. All of it this is expected, and
High Degree of Organization - There are lots of moving parts (no pun intended) involved with the procurement, restoration, transportation of a vehicle from one country to another.
Ample Documentation
Zero Pretension - Restoring & importing a vehicle is an expensive process, but it doesn’t need to be a taughty one. After all, we’re all here because of our passion for vehicles, not our .
It begins with your vision.
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The first & most important step of the journey to get you the Bandy you’re looking for is establishing the key parameters of the project, namely: the end product vehicle you have in mind (base model vs. partial restoration vs. full restoration), the resources at your disposal to work with, and the timeframe in which you’ll want to complete the vehicle (if any work is to be done on it prior to shipping) & receive it at the place of delivery.
Once these big picture parameters are in place, we can create goals & deadlines around your vision and our availability.
Restoring a vehicle is an incredibly fun & exciting process, and Bandies are a highly customizable platform, so it is normal—and even expected—for preferences, priorities, and budget to change during the course of a project. That said, having a solid framework in place helps us establish expectations and work flow, and gets things started off on the right foot.
Key Questions to Answer:
Is this a restoration, a partial-restoration, or simply the importation/exportation of an “as-is” donor model?
What financial resources will I allot to the project, from start to finish?
When will I want the vehicle delivered, and to where?
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It goes without saying that the perfect Bandy requires the perfect donor vehicle. Bandeirantes were produced for a whopping 40 years, during which time their chassis, bodies, engines, drivetrains, and other components evolved with modern technologies & trends. You’ll want to consider the following key differences—and others—as you narrow down the ideal donor vehicle for your build:
Body Type: Jeep vs Pick-Up
Wheelbase: Short vs Long (Jeep); Single vs Extended Cab (Pickup); Native vs Long Bed (Pickup)
Top: Hard (steel) vs Soft (canvas)
Engine: OM-324 vs OM-314 vs OM-364 vs Toyota 14B
Transmission: 4-spd vs 5-spd
Depending on the nature of the project—particularly, whether this is the importation of a vehicle in original condition or a restoration—you may also want to consider the vehicle’s condition (ranging from mint to beater; nothing wrong with a complete overhaul!), interior (upholstery, dash, gages, etc.), and last (but certainly not least) colors.
If you plan on at least partially restoring the vehicle with TBC, keep in mind that many of the above-mentioned features can be addressed during the later steps of the process, although its generally better (and more economical) to find a donor with those features in place.
Key Questions to Answer:
Do I want a jeep or pickup?
If a jeep, do I want a regular (6-seater) or long (7-seater) model? Do I want a hard (steel) top or a soft (canvas) one?
If a pickup, do I want a single or extended (double) cab? Do I want a native or long bed?
Do I prefer a more rustic (high-torque, low-rev) engine or modern (smooth, high-rev) one?
How much of a priority is a 5-spd transmission over a 4-spd?
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Once we’ve successfully identified your vehicular preferences & budget, we’ll match them with a corresponding series & model (for example: 1989-93 OJ50LV-B’s) and begin sending you specific vehicles for your consideration. We’ll continue to send base model candidates—as well as our personal & professional thoughts, observations, and recommendations—your way until we find a Bandy whose potential & pricetag really speak to you.
At that point, we’ll want to fully inspect the vehicle (not mandatory, but very strongly recommended; see why here), the results of which we’ll document and send to you immediately.
In the event that the vehicle is one of our own, it will have undergone this inspection already. If it’s a vehicle that we’re tracking elsewhere in Brazil, it can take anywhere from 24 hours to 2 weeks to inspect.
There is no rush to settle on a base model candidate—in fact, depending on market availability, it can take weeks or even months to locate a suitable donor—but there is a rush to close on a vehicle once we have inspected it. Assuming positive results from the inspection, we’ll want to close on the vehicle as soon as possible in order to avoid missing out to another buyer (which would simultaneously result in a lost inspection fee, since they are charged per vehicle & non-refundable). This means that you should be fiscally prepared to close a transaction by the time we begin sending you vehicles to consider.
The Closing Process
Pre-purchase inspection (not mandatory, but highly recommended)
Inspection
Assuming satisfactory results from inspection, Buyer deposits 50% down
Run the plates,
Following
By the time this Step is over, you’ll be the newest owner of a Toyota Bandeirante and it will be located in Brazil, awaiting the next Steps.
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Paint, accessories, bumpers, brakes, interior, suspension, tires. You name it, there’s a good chance we can arrange it. Depending on the amount of advanced notice (hint: we always request as much as possible), we may also be able to change it, so it’s vital that our heads are in the game, that our communication is constant and dependable, and that you are aware of the possibilities, costs, and limitations of our capabilities as a shop.
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Item description
The first & most important step of the journey to get you the Bandy you’re looking for is establishing the key parameters of the project, namely: the end product vehicle you have in mind (base model vs. partial restoration vs. full restoration), the resources at your disposal to work with, and the timeframe in which you’ll want to complete the vehicle (if any work is to be done on it prior to shipping) & receive it at the place of delivery.
Once these big picture parameters are in place, we collectively establish goals & deadlines around your vision and our availability. Restoring a vehicle is an incredibly fun & exciting process, and Bandies are a highly customizable platform, so it is normal—and even expected—for preferences, priorities, and budget to change during the course of a project. That said, having a solid framework in place from the get-go helps us establish expectations and work flow, and gets things started off on the right foot.
Key Questions to Answer:
Is this a restoration, a partial-restoration, or simply the importation/exportation of an “as-is” donor model?
What financial resources will I allot to the project, from start to finish?
When will I want the vehicle delivered, and to where?
Step 1: Establish a Vision, Budget & Timeframe
The two most important decisions you’ll make during the restoration process are the team you’ll choose to work with and the base model you elect to restore. Bandeirantes were produced for a whopping 40 years, during which time their chassis, bodies, engines, drivetrains, and other components evolved with modern technologies & trends. You’ll want to consider the following key differences—and others—as you narrow down the ideal “donor” vehicle for your build:
Body Type: Jeep vs Pick-Up
Wheelbase: Short vs Medium (Jeep); Single vs Extended Cab (Pickup); Native vs Long Bed (Pickup)
Top: Hard (steel) vs Soft (canvas)
Engine: OM-324 vs OM-314 vs OM-364 vs Toyota 14B
Transmission: 4-spd vs 5-spd
Doors: 4 (available on Medium Jeeps & Extended Cab Pickups) vs 2
Depending on the nature of the project—particularly, whether this is the importation of a vehicle in “as is” condition or a restoration—you may also want to consider the donor vehicle’s condition (ranging from mint to beater; nothing wrong with a complete overhaul!), interior (upholstery, dash, gages, etc.), and last (but certainly not least) colors.
If you plan on at least partially restoring the vehicle with us, keep in mind that many of the above-mentioned features can be addressed during the later steps of the process, although its generally better (& more economical) to source a donor with those features in place.
Key Questions to Answer:
Do I want a Jeep or Pickup?
If a Jeep, do I want a regular (6-seater) or medium (7-seater) model? Do I want a hard (steel) top or a soft (canvas) one?
If a Pickup, do I want a single or extended (double) cab? Do I want a native or long bed?
Do I prefer a more rustic (high-torque, low-rev) engine or modern (smooth, high-rev) one?
How much of a priority is a 5-spd transmission over a 4-spd?
Would I like to add doors (4-door Pickups were available from the factory from 1999-2001, but the rear 2 doors can be retrofitted on most medium Jeeps and extended cab Pickups prior to 1999)
Step 2: Identify the (Perfect) Base Model
Once we’ve successfully identified your base model preferences & budget, we’ll match them with a corresponding series & model (for example: 1989-93 OJ50LV-B’s) and begin tracking those models in the Brazilian market.
We’ll send you base model candidates that fit the bill—as well as our personal & professional thoughts, observations, and recommendations—until we find a Bandy whose potential & pricetag (and location—more on that below) really speak to you. At that point, we’ll want to fully inspect the vehicle (not mandatory, but very strongly recommended; see why here), the results of which we’ll document and send to you immediately.
In the event that the vehicle is one of our own, it will have undergone this inspection already. If it’s a vehicle that we’re tracking elsewhere in Brazil, it can take anywhere from 24 hours to 2 weeks to inspect.
It’s important to note that, from our perspective, there isn’t a rush to settle on a donor vehicle—in fact, depending on your base model preferences, it can sometimes take weeks or even months to locate a suitable donor—there is a rush to close on a vehicle once we have inspected it. Assuming positive results from the inspection, we’ll want to close on the vehicle as soon as possible in order to avoid missing out to another buyer (which would simultaneously result in a lost inspection fee, since they are charged per vehicle & non-refundable). This means that you should be fiscally prepared to close a transaction by the time we begin sending you vehicles to consider.
The Closing Process
Pre-purchase inspection (not mandatory, but highly recommended)
Inspection
Assuming satisfactory results from inspection, Buyer deposits 50% down
Following
By the time this Step is over, you’ll be the newest owner of a Toyota Bandeirante and it will be located in Brazil, awaiting the next Steps.