1978 Toyota Land Cruiser

Click photo for enlarged view.

I've been around FJ40 Land Cruisers almost my whole life. My parents drove them when I was a kid, and since then my family has had too many FJ's to count. We have continuously owned Land Cruisers since 1980! As a result, I have owned, restored, and hunted down my fair share of them, with FJ40's being my favorite for obvious reasons. On this page is the finest original FJ40 I have ever seen, and it has been part of my private stash until now. I am reluctantly offering it for sale as I am about to begin on an ambitious restoration of a 1967 FJ45 which will likely consume cubic dollars multiplied by many hours.

This 40 is a two-owner truck, born and raised in dry Northern California where it resided until I brought it back to Wisconsin earlier this year. The second owner is friends with the original owner, and tried for years to buy the truck.

Unlike all of the "restored" 40's that seem to pepper the market and claim to be "the best" or "better than new" this one is head and shoulders above them all. It is NOT restored, it is a lovingly cared for and amazingly preserved ORIGINAL truck. You are looking at the original factory applied paint sprayed on at Toyota, the original interior, untouched engine compartment, heck, even the perfect exhaust that doesn't even have surface rust is the original, factory installed Toyota exhaust! Notice the perfect gold cad and zinc plating on almost all of the original fasteners, even on the underbody. Those who know FJ40s will similarly be amazed by the rear cargo area pictured below- check out the flawless floor, grey "dum dum" caulk applied at the factory over the spot welds, perfect ambulance doors, full factory jack and tools in their factory locations, and hundreds of other details rarely seen after these things left the dealership when new! It goes without saying that there is zero rust anywhere and every component with the exception of the radio, shocks, and battery is factory original.

Never driven off-road, and always treated with care by just two mature owners, this is one 40 that never needed to be restored. It has never had even one of the "upgrades" that people insist make these awesome machines "better." You know what I am talking about- huge mud tires that make them drive like a dump truck with a bent frame; cut fenders with huge flares; Holley carburetors or even worse Chevy 350 V-8's!; diamond plate "body armor"; undercoating so thick you can't even tell there is an FJ40 under it (in most cases there may not be?); "Marine Grade factory exact replacement seat covers" or other so-called "correct" restoration parts; Rhino-lined interiors; custom seats; you name it- these poor things are usually so cobbled up they shouldn't even be considered Toyotas any more.

Upon my purchase, we went through this 40 with a fine-tooth comb and comprehensively serviced it from end to end. Serious buyers are welcome to contact me so I can bore you with details if so desired. The complete set of Michelin tires in the appropriate size are brand new. With just 99,000 miles from new, this 40 runs and drives like it has 900 miles on it. I absolutely guarantee you will not find a better driving 40 anywhere. It is simply like new - like stepping back in time and buying a brand-new FJ40. It is smooth, quiet, and strong just like Toyota intended. It sails down the freeway at 65 MPH, starts perfectly hot or cold, and has that famous silky-smooth Toyota "click-click" gear change that only a fortunate few of us have experienced. Unlike any car or truck that has been taken apart and put back together again, regardless of the skill (or lack thereof in most cases) of the restorer, nothing drives like an original unrestored vehicle. This is one 40 that can be driven with confidence anywhere- and as the crow flies, if you are so inclined!

If you think driving a new Ferrari, pimped out Escalade or Hummer, Corvette or whatever car is "hot" at the moment gets attention, wait until you drive a flawless FJ40 like this one. People just can't get enough of it and always want to know "when Toyota started selling them." Of course, I tell them 1954! If you have been lucky enough to avoid getting stuck with a rusted-out, recycled, reconstituted, recreation of a real FJ40 and have been wishing you could go back in time and get a REAL one, here is your chance. Remember, they are only original once. Hurry up before I come to my senses!

$45,000