1973 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40

Description

If you've been paying attention, you'll notice that we're not the only ones selling Toyota FJ40 Land Cruisers. Trucks like this 1973 FJ40 are the hottest things on four wheels right now and if this one looks affordable, that's only for the moment. With the right look, the right colors, and the gear, it's still a lot of fun off road, but it can also be a wise investment.

Apparently the best shape for a 4x4 is a two-box design with sharp corners, and Toyota has been doing it successfully for decades. You'll note that this one wears proper khaki paint for the real adventurer look and the flat bodywork is remarkably free of damage. Clearly this one hasn't been crawling through the jungles of Burma, but rather lived an easy life on pavement somewhere in the warm southern US. Typical Toyota build quality means these trucks are virtually indestructible, but just for good measure someone spent quite a bit of time and effort, not to mention money, getting it back into shape. There's an appropriate shine that's not so glaringly perfect that it looks domesticated, and the simple bumpers, distinctive white-framed grille, and rubber fender flares all reinforce the ready-for-anything vibe. The rubber weather-stripping is new throughout, so it seals up well and it's hard to beat the look of something that treasures function over form like this FJ.

Remarkably, the interior of this FJ is mostly original, starting with the supportive front bucket seats. Sure, everything is pretty basic inside, but the FJ does it with style, and compared to the slippery chairs in a lot of vintage trucks, these actually help hold you in place while you're playing in the dirt. The rear bench is newer and there's plenty of room for four inside, plus their gear in the cargo bay. No frills is taken to a whole new level with the FJ, which offers painted floors, steel door panels with exposed hardware, and a contrasting white roll bar that you'll hopefully never need. The cleverly designed dash allows easy construction of both right-hand and left-hand drive trucks, with the white instrument panel holding a speedometer and auxiliary gauges that are easy to read. Controls are easy to decipher and everything works as you'd expect from a Toyota.

The 3.8-liter inline-six has served on at least six continents over the past 50 years and remains one of the most reliable and sturdy machines yet conceived by man. It's also pleasingly torquey and smooth, so you won't regret sitting behind the wheel for a few hours. The point of the FJ isn't all-out speed, so it's fairly stock under the hood, with an aftermarket air cleaner and brightly colored plug wires, but nothing that will interfere with its reputation. You'll note there's a modern dual reservoir master cylinder, which powers a set of front disc brakes, a worthwhile safety upgrade. A 3-speed manual transmission, 2-speed transfer case, and heavy-duty axles provide the go-anywhere part of the FJ's resume, and the suspension, while capable, is civilized enough to use every day on your commute. There's a recent exhaust that has the right sound and it's fitted with big 235/75/15 BFG All-Terrain radials on the original painted steel wheels.

Make no mistake, FJs are more than just Japanese Jeeps, and the market is speaking. Will this be the one you finally take home for yourself? Call today!