The J-Series Toyotas are known the world over for being rugged to the point of almost being overbuilt. When members of militia groups use your vehicles, they have to be tough. The seller has this tough, four-speed manual-equipped 1985 Toyota FJ60 Land Cruiser listed here on eBay in Gary, Indiana, there is no reserve, and the current bid price is $7,600. The seller doesn’t take fake checks so that leaves me out.
I have never owned a Toyota Land Cruiser but a good friend had a smaller FJ45 that he restored over a few years and recently sold it and bought a (used) Ferrari. FJs are pretty hot right now although I’m not sure if the market peaked a year or two ago or not. Anything with a manual transmission is cool in my world and this huge Land Cruiser has one.
The Toyota Land Cruiser line is reportedly Toyota’s longest-running model, having been made since 1951 in various styles and sizes. They are still big and tough today but they’re also incredibly posh and expensive. In 1967, Toyota made what they referred to as the “comfort models” and in 1980, the J-Series came out which is where this example belongs.
They have a lot of room inside and a lot of storage room in the rear cargo area. This example is a little rough around the edges but given NADA’s low retail value of $9,250 and average retail value of $19,600, this one is a bargain at its current price. The seller has provided a few underside photos which is great, and it looks good but there are a couple of areas that are starting to show more than surface rust.
The seats look good both front and back but I’d want to strip out this interior and check out the condition of the floors, fix or treat any rust, and then add some dynamat-like sound-deadening materal and new carpet before putting the cleaned seats back in. This Land Cruiser has been in dry storage for the last decade according to the seller. With 157,187 miles, this one is finally broken in.
The engine is Toyota’s 2F, a 4.2L inline-six with 135 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque. This one has a new carburetor, starter, and battery since coming out of storage and it runs and shifts well. Have any of you owned a Land Cruiser?
I have not owned a FJ60 but I worked on a 88 red FJ like this one but in the automatic flavor. Really slow, really thirsty, but very robust vehicles. His transmission lasted to just shy of 300K before we had it rebuilt. That was going on 14 years ago. I bet that thing is still going strong!
I own a 1975 FJ40 with the same 2F engine. I’ve ditched the carb and converted to a Holley Sniper. Makes a world of difference in how the engine behaves – quick start-ups, more power, more progressive delivery and better fuel economy. This and converting the brakes to all disks are my top recommendations for this era of vehicle.
I had an ’83 just like this one, except root beer brown exterior. Only problem I had was a cracked intake manifold, which I understand was common to these 2F engines. It ran great, but could not pass Oregon DEQ. Otherwise, it was an awesome 4wd, and performed wonderfully on the snow.
Can the rusted parts of the frame be rectified? Replaced? Look at that alternator belt? Definitely not ready to make a trip.
love these, I have a newer 1996 FZJ80 series, it;s rusty but im working on it
factory lockers/35″ Goodyear MTR’s/ARB/winch/dual batteries
Carburation, and manifold issues are not unusual on these vehicles. (Seems to be emissions related, too much heat? As evidenced by Toyota installing a cooling fan to blow on the carburetor once the engine was shut off to keep the fuel from boiling. The same year FJ40s did not have this issue.) Other than that, bullet proof.
We never had one towed into the dealership. They all made it under their own power.
Back before our dealership had a drive-in service department, we had a lady pull up to the door and started laying on her horn. She was mad because her 6 month old FJ60 would not allow her to release her seat belt buckle. The service manager and myself were able to take the buckle apart while working in her lap and discovered a quarter (as in a 25 cent piece) had been inserted in the buckle before the before the shoulder harness tab went in. The kids in the back seat had the same issue with their seat belts. Once “THE MOM” was freed she did not hesitate in reaching back and backhanding the now trapped children in the back seat. She apologized for her attitude when she came in and paid us to also “un-trap” the kids. All in all a very funny event.
I own a 1985 FJ 60 (red, like this one) with blue interior. It is an amazing vehicle. Mine has 166,000 original miles. It is definitely a well built and head turning 4×4.