Vehicle Description
If America's favorite off-roader is the Jeep, then Japan's is the
Toyota FJ. This Japanese-American hybrid 1978 FJ40 Land Cruiser
successfully crosses the Pacific with its box-shaped bodywork
that's instantly identifiable on six continents, and is stuffed
with an equally famous Chevy small block V8. But the creativity
didn't stop there, as the ins-and/outs were turned up to 11 as
well. Take a closer look...
Typically, it's hard to call the FJ40 "styled" because it's simply
the bare minimum required to carry people and gear to inhospitable
places. However, this is no ordinary FJ40. The entire vehicle was
lifted four inches, and then the roof was chopped down three
inches, completely changing the profile of this Toyota into
something much more exciting than the norm. But the fun didn't stop
there, the hard top is no longer removable, it's now joined in with
the rest of the body work, almost like a makeshift panel delivery
from years past, and the entire body was coated with a faux patina,
tan matte paint job for a Mad Max style look. There's a heavy-duty
stinger bumper up front ostensibly designed to push large objects
out of its way, a black roll bar bumper out back, a custom roof
rack, an Australian-made windshield visor, and a huge jack mounted
on the passenger's side of the truck for emergencies. The restorers
still couldn't keep their hands to themselves, and made an
integrated, custom grille for the now forward-tilting hood,
installed '54 Ford truck headlights, and frenched in '59 Cadillac
headlights. And you know what, it all just works perfectly
together. What a special FJ!
Just like the exterior, the interior is a fever dream of design and
ingenuity as well. Corbeau race bucket seats replace the originals
up front, split by a Tuffy center console with cup holders. The
dash is a custom smorgasbord of Auto Meter gauges, switches and
dials, a JVC AM/FM/CD stereo, and even wooden accents that preview
the rear cabin area. For durability, the floors have been covered
with a diamond-plate patterned mat and the roll bar behind the
seats is also part of the roof's support structure in case things
get a bit "upside down" out on the trail. The aftermarket steering
wheel rest atop a tilt column, and that extended shift lever with
the skull on top controls a 4-speed manual transmission. And
despite its ruggedness, this Toyota actually has R134a A/C pumping
into the cabin through an under-dash unit. Out back the backseat
and cargo area features tongue-and-groove wood that covers the
inner walls and headliner, providing a truly one-of-a-kind look
that one again harkens back to panel deliveries of the past. The
floor in the cargo area is covered with the same rubber material
found up front, and a fold-away jump seat allows for an extra
passenger.
A few years ago when this FJ was fully restored, the original
inline-six was yanked and a rebuilt 350 cubic inch Chevy V8 went
into its place under the hood. The swap is not unusual, and the
quality of the work means that this off-roader is still just as
reliable as it was originally but with about twice the horsepower.
Clearly a lot of thought went into the installation, as the
alternator and compressor are mounted up high and out of harm's
way, and the reservoirs for the hydraulic clutch and master
cylinder are likewise where they'll stay dry. A big radiator will
keep things under control even during low-speed climbs and service
access is fantastic thanks in part to the forward-tilting hood.
Underneath, it's still mostly Toyota, with original axles fore and
aft suspended on a 3-inch lift that looks awesome and adds ground
clearance. Wrapped headers feed a custom exhaust system for a
distinctive sound heard several blocks away and you can see that
the floors are in great shape too. Aftermarket Stockton military
wheels carry giant 35x12.5-15 off-road radials that look like they
could climb Mt. Everest.
Go ahead, take this one out and tear up some dirt, or some
pavement, it won't mind. FJs are like that, and with 350 V8 power
matted to a 4-speed, you'll always be the first to the top of the
hill. Better yet, most people won't even know what it was that beat
them up there. Hurry and call today!
