Toyota’s Land Cruisers have come a long way, each generation with a reputation for reliable off-road capability. The FJ60 started in 1980, bringing daily driver comfort to the table, comparatively speaking. This 1982 Toyota Land Cruiser has covered about 184,000 miles, a mere babe among Toyotas. Though not perfect, this “Land Crusher” runs and drives “well,” according to the listing here on eBay, and its Las Cruces, New Mexico zip code leaves it virtually devoid of tin worm bites. About a year ago I changed the coil on my 1982 Lazy Daze camper in an AutoZone parking lot in Las Cruces during its maiden 2500 mile road trip. Snapshots of the amazing mountain backdrop didn’t do it justice, but I hope the locals don’t take that vista for granted. With about four auction days remaining, at leave five bidders have this FJ’s market value over $8500. Excellent specimens can bring $30,000, according to Hemmings.
I’m actually digging this striped upholstery despite of its obvious roached-out state. The sun-faded plastics might come around with the heat gun treatment, something I first heard of in the world of refurbishing plastic stadium seats. If anyone’s had luck with this, please share your experience in the comments below. Credit the seller’s forthrightness in showing the driver’s seat bottom. Sellers who hide a car’s low points are basically saying, “Hey; I’m a liar, and I have this thing for sale.”
Close-up pictures show enough orange peel to suggest a respray, and some paint correction might really pay off. The FJ60 design suggests “full sized SUV,” but its length (184 in) and wheelbase (108 in) compares to a modern Subaru Outback. Full-length running boards aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but they’ve protected the lower panels from rock chips and can be easily removed.
The 4.2 L (258 cid) “2F” straight six displacement matches the famous 258 I6 from the Rambler and AMC/Jeep lineup, and both earned a reputation for bulletproof reliability and off-road torque. This one made about 135 HP and 210 lb-ft, according to Hemmings, about the same as its contemporary 5.0 L (302 cid) Ford Bronco.
Basic tests for usable cargo area include a. luggage for four people and b. would I put a dog back here? The FJ60 could probably accommodate both if nobody packs like Imelda Marcos. Reliable and fully depreciated, this SUV slays anything new when it comes to a mathematical value proposition. Every dollar adds value to this classic while every mile devalues a new one. Will you give this classic SUV some love and a second life?
Far as I’m concerned, Toyota could have stopped right here. These, to me, were the epitome of the “old fashioned” LandCruisers. My 1970 FJ55, a distant relative of this in every way, was one of the best vehicles I had. Quick correction,,the 2F 4.2, was the modern F series 3.9 in line 6,( it’s in there somewhere) and was not related to AMC. It was actually a knockoff of the GM Stovebolt 6s, only again, better in every way. The in line 6 dates back to 1955, and was the powerhouse for Toyota in all applications. None better. It was used until the late 80s. This is an awesome find, I think popularity waned a bit with these, still “old school”, but rest assured, you won’t find a better vehicle,,I guess “better” is the term here.
Interesting! I haven’t seen a one of these that wasn’t a Right-Hand-Drive. A couple of importers from the west coast were bringing these in from Japan by the boat loads. They were run a specific number of miles/years then the mandatory replacement laws kicked in and even super good vehicles were now designated scrap material. I might add that this is also unusual because the ones I saw were diesel-powered.
Not really interested from my camp. I always liked the FJ40, especially with the diesel but the FJ55 and this one never appealed to me. I might add that I like the newer FJ. A friend of mine has just crossed 500K miles in his; and no, they weren’t trouble-free miles. Both axles, a transmission and cylinder heads–twice. He just loves the car and says he’ll drive it until they no longer allow him to…
Nice vehicles but gutless with the 6