1970 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40
From the Atacama Desert to the Rocky Mountains, from the dunes of Dubai to the open plains of Australia, the Toyota FJ Land Cruiser stands alone as the most reliable, long lasting, and nearly unbreakable vehicle that gets you anywhere you need to be. There's really no sugar coating it: Toyota reverse engineered the Jeep and perfected it within a decade. By the time the US started placing orders for the FJ to assist in the Korean War, the FJ had grown into the sturdy 4-4 we know and still love today.
For consignment, a 1970 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 showing 53,754 unverifiable miles as the title reads Mileage Exempt. It has a rebuilt and upgraded engine and new tires and per our consignor, was originally a California car.
Exterior
Charcoal Gray is the primary color of our FJ and presents in a satin finish, perfect for bushwacking and mudding! Up top, in FJ fashion, the roof is painted white and also presents in worry free condition with remnant mounting points and discoloration in the paint. Diamond plate steel makes up the rocker panel trim and wraps the rear corners and back edge, obscured in part by the full sized spare black wheel. The front of the Cruiser shows typical patina and with some surface rusted bolts and less than perfect flat black paint on the large bumper which houses KC offroad lights and tow hooks with plenty of room for a winch if that was in the plan. There's a bit of rust on the hood latches as well and along with some bubbling, scuffs and scratches, a ding or two, and a crack in the glass, this rig is ready for some stress free playing while presenting great bones for a cosmetic restoration. The 15-inch chrome wagon wheel style wheels hold 32x11.5R15 tires with a late 2023 date code.
Interior
Sparse and utilitarian design begins with the inner doors which have no panels and are painted white showing off the stamped steel configuration. Tall gray cloth bucket seats are up front with lots of floor space in between, and the back is rhino coated and empty and is where the roll cage rear braces are mounted. A GT steering wheel shares some column space with a tachometer and a simple gauge cluster is framed in a top hat shaped bezel. To the right, a variety of knobs, switches, and toggles reside together and no radio is present. The rubber booted shifter and range selector come from the floor which is rhino coated and black and between the seats, a fuel shut off switch, fuel line, and transparent fuel line filter. A felt like headliner is up above and in good condition.
Drivetrain
Pop those hood latches to reveal the 3.9 liter inline six cylinder in driver quality condition. It's been rebuilt, bored .030 and fitted with a new cam and lifters, along with the head being redone. It's fed by a 2-barrel carburetor, wears headers, and is rated at 125 horsepower. Meanwhile, a 5-speed manual transmission sends power to 4.10 gears at both axles. Drum brakes occupy the front and rear wheels.
Undercarriage
A clean gas tank skid plate leads to a driver quality belly with plenty of typical surface rust, some residual oil on differentials and pans and some caking grease on wheel components around the ball and claw axle. Headers meet at a single exhaust and encounter a stock style muffler before making a turn to exit behind the left rear wheel. Leaf spring suspension is front and back.
Drive-Ability
We climb up into the cab of this high rising Land Cruiser and are afforded with good visibility and a comfortable perch. We row the gears as the inline six puts out a muffled growl and take the streetable Kumho Road Venture A/T tires onto the blacktop where the rig rolls nicely, tracks straight, and stops on command. Though functions are limited, they all operate as intended on this 54 year old 4x4. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.
You see these at car shows and television auctions and they're almost always pristine and restored to concours level specs. Well, here's one that provides a few opportunities. Hit the hills and enjoy the dirt in its current condition with a new set of treads and healthy powerplant. Or restore it to show level conditions and coast in gently to Cars and Coffee. Either way you slice it, this generation of Toyota FJ's will continue to be among the coolest of vintage utility trucks and this one has solid bones.
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person. There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee is not included in the advertised price.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
