One of the more maddening aspects of reviewing classifieds listings is seeing what look like excellent project vehicles and finding zero text in the description. I get it – we’re all busy – but if you really want to sell a vehicle, you need some words. Talk about the maintenance, talk about what makes it special, or just tell us the mileage and why you’re selling it. This 1969 Toyota Land Cruiser looks like a very worthwhile project and is priced fairly at $10,500 in Valencia, California. Plus, it presents as being rust-free in the photos with good paint and a very clean interior as seen here on Facebook Marketplace. Based on the dust covering the paint, it seems likely it’s been sitting for a spell.
The mileage is listed in the description as being just over 82,000; the odometer says otherwise, but at least it’s consistent. The details look good with this FJ40, with the top photo showing all lenses and trim accounted for, and the paint still having a good amount of shine to it. The gauge digits are still fairly vivid with bright with no obvious fading, which may suggest it hasn’t been sitting outside for ages. Actually, on that note, the photos seemingly indicate the Toyota has been tucked away in a garage, which is a good thing, but with such a limited description, it’s pure speculation at this point.
The wider angle shot of the cockpit shows a clean dash pad with minimal cracking on the surface, and the painted sections still present well. The factory instructions plaque is still bolted securely to the glovebox door. Another shot of the interior in the listing appears to show good floors, with no apparent rot that would otherwise necessitate floor panel replacement. The seller doesn’t tell us whether the Toyota still runs, but it certainly looks clean enough that it could just fire up and go. The steering wheel is particularly nice with none of the typical grease stains and tears in the material that would typically be visible after close to 90,000 miles of use.
While we can’t say for certain what sort of condition this FJ40 is in, the few shots of the exterior we do have appear to show decent paint condition and straight panels. If it’s been in California all of its life, there’s a good chance it has survived as a rust-free example unlike the trucks that unfortunately end up in the rust belt. Other photos provide some clues that the FJ is parked in what looks to be a very cool old-school shop; I’d love to explore the environment as much as the Toyota itself. Despite the limited info and photos, do you think this Land Cruiser is potentially a pleasnt surprise?
Even with it being a California car I would still expect some rust in areas. Rust is part of the FJ ownership. My high school friend and neighbor sold his 67 Firebird I lusted after in school to purchase a 80 FJ from a used car lot. It was bought by a young guy new who went into the service and later decided to sell it for something else. Had just a little over 3K miles on the odometer and I remember it still smelled new and what really impressed me was how rugged it was and how well made it felt. The first weekend we all piled into this Toyota, all 4 of us (it was a hardtop model) and proceeded to look for a place to go off-roading. First spot about a mile from home was a farm lane with a 90 degree turn. Instead of taking the turn he thought he would cut a diagonal through the field. Well we sunk to the axles with the skinny factory tires. Needless to say after the police arrived it took 2 tow trucks to pull the Toyota from the field. Tough lesson learned. He did later install larger wheels and tires and a PTO winch from a neighbor who sold his Cruiser after rust murdered it and then proceeded to run it into the ground like most teenage/young 20’s guys do.
This is the vehicle that made Willys sweat. Did them in, it did. As if the Bronco didn’t build the coffin, these were the last nail. They revolutionized 4 wheel drive for Toyota, and has remained the King ever since. Now, as a former “flash-in-the-pan”, prices for these were in the stratosphere for a spell, again, until people actually bought and drove them and found out, t’was no 4Runner. These were for utilitarian duty until Americans shanghied them into situations they weren’t designed for,,like comfort. This is what happened to most FJ’s in my neighborhood, set your eyes to stun,,
https://www.pinterest.es/pin/713116922217503590/
Looks like it’s going almost 20 mph standing still:-)
Yep FJs and BJs have plenty Rudy issues but if this is original paint I’d grab it on a heartbeat . I live in Costa Rica and even here it’s hard to get a real clean one for 10,000$
Sorry Rust not Rudy
I have a 1971 FJ40 ( for 37 years now) and I am a former Toyota Parts manager. I know these vehicles.
Comments:
That is 108,000 miles, not 82,000 plus. But that is most likely not accurate as once the needle gets stuck (18 mph sitting still) on one of these they quit working. (including the odo.)
No hard or soft top
It does have the rear seat heater option, however I don’t see any evidence of the rear seats
Interior is amazingly stock. (no floor shift conversion for 4X4 or trans shifter)
Seat covers are replacement and the ad picture shows that the passenger seat is a high back bucket used in much later FJ40s. the yellow frame between the seats is what used to be the center seat.
The reason that there is no rear/(3/4) pictures is that there will be rust in the lower, back 1/4s. There is a back horizontal bottom brace that catches all the dirt and moisture and holds it there to breed tin worms. (I installed inner fenders in mine to stop that issue after installing new quarter panels.)
My opinion of this is that it was stripped for all the good parts (front bumper, Hard top, factory floor mat/cover, original wheels and hub caps, ( these are original FJ40 wheels, but I don’t believe them to be the original wheels from this vehicle and there are being held on with acorn style lug nuts, not the standard ones that are used with the factory hub caps, etc,) for an exceptional original and this is what is left. A look under the hood would be in order to verify that the vacuum operated 4X4 gear is intact. (dash operated control)
Oh yes, the dash pad is cracked to 2 places. (right of the steering wheel and far right corner/edge)
Nearly 20 years ago I repaired the coach from a BJ45. It was the car from a friend of mine and he converted it to a high quality camper and also made a tour through Afrika with it. Late he sold it for a lot of money and restored first a Hilux and then a HJ. By the way a BJ45 is more or less the same car, but it`s longer and have a dieselengine. A lot of parts for welding I was made on my own, because he couldn`t get some or they were extremly expensive. But this wasen`t difficult because they were all simple shaped. But there was also a lot of rust and his car wasen`t the worst what was restored. By the way, this workings, also on the Hilux, is the cause why I own a L300 4wd from 1984. I really belive this car is worth to restore it and the price is OK! But of course, I always have the “view” from Europe and I can`t say anything about the prices on the other side of the atlantic…
Best regards,
Till J.
Like Jeff stated, the seller should have supplied a history and many more photos for the asking price. But maybe he doesn’t WANT to sell it, just listing it to appease the wife lol!