Vehicle Description
This is a rare opportunity to own a cool off-roader that never was
sold in the USA. Rugged and sporty SUVs like this 1990 two-door
Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ73 were never sold at your local dealer, but
rather imported from Japan, and with increased popularity they're
finally starting to find their way Stateside. This beautifully
restored/upgraded, unique 4x4 diesel offers a unique blend of
modern upgrades to the original tough attitude that's the bedrock
of the Land Cruisers iconic image. Welcome to America!
Let's start with the design: The two-door carries all the
distinctive appearance of the four-door modern-classic Land
Cruisers that we received in the USA (such as the FJ60s and FJ80s),
but this one has amped up the machismo inside a compact form that
simply worked better in densely populated countries like Japan. The
restorers kicked up the tough look even further with the addition
of a heavy-duty ARB bumpers up front, a menacing round-bar brush
guard with integrated IPF fog lights, and there's even a Warn winch
mounted on the front bumper if you ever get stuck in the deep bush.
The body color is Dark Gray Metallic, and it looks especially
handsome on the sculpted body and wide front fenders of this rugged
SUV, showing incredibly well with only minor imperfections to speak
of. From the looks of it, this J70 hasn't seen anything more rugged
than a garage in a long time, and it can be shown-off with pride
knowing that the finish is so dialed-in. The bright chrome grille
and the minimal amount of brightwork that's on the truck looks
great, with the removable gray top and rugged step bars adding
contrast to the factory dark gray finish. There's also a
rear-mounted spare with a matching Mickey Thompson off-road tire
and Level 8 rim ready to go, and they even mounted an extra Hella
light back there for higher visibility out in the bush when the sun
goes down. Many of these upgrades were dealer options and in some
cases even factory options in Japan and South America, so that
means a full parts network is available to you online, but since so
few of these were ever personally imported, you will always be
unique wherever you go.
There's a lot more "Off-Road Chic" happening on the inside, too.
First of all, this is right-hand drive vehicle that was built for
the Japanese market and then legally imported across the pond. So,
in true Japanese fashion this upper market ZX model has plenty of
clean, efficient designs and bulletproof controls inside. The front
bucket seats and rear bench are wrapped in original, comfortable
cloth upholstery, the carpets are plush and show almost no wear,
and the pure '80s nostalgia dash is free of any cracks or blemishes
as well. Ahead of the familiar Land Cruiser steering wheel you get
the standard speedo and tach in the full gauge setup, and it's a
short reach to the 4x4 lever and floor shifter that manages the
5-speed manual below. Tunes are managed through a stock Toyota
AM/FM/Cassette stereo in the center of the dash (a rare find
itself), and just above it Yota fans will love that a factory
altimeter and thermometer panel is fitted and ready for use out on
the trails. There's even an air conditioning unit that's fully
functional to keep you comfortable in the great outdoors, and with
power windows, locks, and mirrors, a tilt wheel, and a differential
lock selector all at arm's reach, this Land Cruiser boasts plenty
of amenities to go along with its trail-ready prowess. But of
course, all you really have to do to be impressive is show up at
any car show or trail meetup and show off all the original Japanese
instructions on the (left) passenger side of the dash. Out back,
the barn doors swing away and there's ample room in the cargo area
for all your gear.
As cool as this 4x4 looks, don't forget that it has to live up to
the go-anywhere Land Cruiser name. The capability starts in the
engine bay where the venerable 4.2-liter I6 diesel motor is the
perfect mix of all-out ruggedness and stump-pulling torque. This
1HZ model under the hood is believed to be the Toyota's original
motor, as is the 5-speed manual transmission that it's mated to,
and it fires with ease and runs superbly. The J70-series took the
lessons learned from its famous predecessors to make these
virtually indestructible. So that means the suspension has been
augmented with an Old Man Emu lift, and those bright yellow shocks
are joined by maintained components throughout that ensure a great
ride quality both on the road and off. And for those who just want
the most unique SUV in the neighborhood, this one feels great on
the road with power steering, the easy-shifting 5-speed manual
transmission, and power front disc brakes. Plus, the rugged
285/75/16 Mickey Thompson Baja Claw tires are wrapped around
black-out Level 8 bead-lock wheels and more than live up to their
name by working nicely on or off the pavement.
You can tell all those FJ Cruiser guys to eat their hearts out.
This is the 4x4 secret that Toyota Japan tried to keep for
themselves, but a very select few trickled into the U.S., so it
will be tough for you to find another one of these, especially this
nice. Call today!!!
