More and more, Japanese 4x4s have come onto my radar as the next frontier for collector vehicles. Capable, cheap and reliable, they are darlings of adventure-seekers and Instagram celebrities who just want to look adventurous. There’s a ton of them that have been cheap for a long time, but the FJ40 series Land Cruisers have typically held their values quite well. You can snag this example here on eBay for a mere $5,500 if you can live with rusty floors and a persistent engine knock.
I’ve been looking at older Toyota trucks following my fascination with the 1981 Toyota HiAce I acquired almost two years ago. They have a personality I don’t see in modern Toyota vehicles, which automatically makes even rustbuckets like this somewhat endearing to me. Perhaps it’s their stubby character, a go-anywhere vehicle that will continue to run long after its body gives out. I’m not sure whether the engine knock is a misdiagnosed condition or typical for the Land Cruiser’s utilitarian powerplant, but the seller notes it grows more audible as the revs climb.
The interior sports seats from a later model vehicle but that’s really the only improvement that’s been made. The floors are quite rough and rust is present in other locations on the body. The Land Cruiser sat for ten years in the previous owner’s driveway, and the seller claims he’s already begun letting it stay parked for long stretches, which is what forces the sale. There’s rust in lower parts of the body beneath the doors as well as where the floor meets the tailgate (which has been replaced with an aluminum panel). I’m sure there’s rust hiding elsewhere as well.
The engine has received some recent maintenance, including new points, rotor, plugs, and wires. The seller also replaced the clutch master and slave and installed new tires. While it runs and rolls, the discovery of engine knock had to throw some cold water on this project for the seller. Still, engine swaps are common and this may be one of the cheaper FJ40s on the market. If you can manage the bodywork yourself or rebuild or replace the motor, there may be a modest upside. Would you take on this needy FJ40 Land Cruiser?
I do like these Toyotas, if I had the extra cash to have the bodywork done I would fix the motor and drive the heck out of it. Oh and maybe put a aftermarket A/C system in it just because it’s 90 and humid a lot in the summer here in Missouri.
Vintage Air makes a complete kit for fj40 and works great. I put one in my 1977 fj 40 and get Hot here in N.Ms.
New tub, new Cummins R2.8, coat the whole thing in Line-X, and you’ll be ready to roll for less than the cost of a new Wrangler.
Assuming you have a lift, a paint booth, a cherry picker, a couple of unemployed friends, and thirty grand of room on the ol’ Visa card…
It’s 30 K just for the Cummins installation and the new tranny to hook to it.
The battery hold-down is a nice touch!
Japanese Jeep ! The frame looks OK , kind of nice that its body on frame (?), easier to service/ restore. Appears to have nice potential, starting bid seems too high though…
Well, maybe the bottom finally fell out on these. I’m very surprised this has a puked motor. Usually, these engines far outlast the bodies. I doubt it’s a rod, or it would knock all the time, probably more like piston slap.( like the old 300 Fords used to do) I’ve had a couple, and never heard of one puking. Since it does need work, I’d go the SBC route. Lot’s of folks have “Landies” in their back yards here in Colorado. Fact is, I’ve never seen so many in one town before, but not many with a SBC.
Pound for pound, a far better all around vehicle than a Land Rover. Is that a Weber carb conversion?
Yes. Original is the Aisen.
Those engines are easy to rebuild – parts are cheap. The rust its got just adds character, – I’ve seen far worse. Load up your tent, some grub and supplies, your trusty ol’ 30-06 and head on out to the wilderness.