Vehicle Description
1978 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40
"If you look at the grizzled, yet familiar face of this classic
Toyota FJ Series 40, your mind immediately races to faraway lands
with rugged mountain tops, dense jungles, frozen tundras, and
seething deserts. Sure, the modern car companies want you to
believe that your crossover is just as good at plodding through the
jungle as it is conquering the Sahara but modern vehicles are
simply an illusion to what a proper SUV should be able to do." Thx
velocity.com, March 2021, "The Toyota FJ Series is No Poser"
For consignment, a 2 owner 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40, showing
82,752 miles but the true miles are unknown. It has had the benefit
of a professional mechanic as a previous owner who restored the FJ
from 2010 to 2013.
Exterior
Aptly named Dune Beige, covers this rig with a distinctive Cygnus
White roof, there to reflect light and heat when trekking the
Serengeti, or the Trader Joe's parking lot in summer. The white is
picked up characteristically on the grille surround that takes in
the round headlights, giving the FJ a familiar and recognizable
face. Those headlights wear rock guards and a heavy duty bumper in
front has steel tubing that further shields the fascia. In profile,
the FJ is wonderfully slab sided with articulated front fenders
that bends at angles rather than circle over the wheel opening.
Rear quarter windows wrap around the corners while the barn door
type access ports in the back hold a spare over a trailer hitch
cleverly mounted within a step up. The tail lights are almost an
afterthought, but one might guess their position influenced
Mercedes on the position of their own lights on the G-wagon, which
came later. There are a few bubbles in the paint down low, and some
paint over rough metal around the edge of the door, but beyond
that, paint, windows trim, wheels, and the rest present well.
Interior
Purposely sparse and utilitarian, the door cards are vinyl and that
almost seems luxurious for an off roader. Tall back bucket seats in
black vinyl show some use but are in good shape and are topped with
head restraints, while seating in the back consists of two, center
facing benches and the rear section is framed by a roll bar. Back
up front, a rather modest steering wheel, (compared to your EOS
Grenadier), fronts a simple instrument cluster all contained in a
metal frame plate while rows of knobs occupy the center and control
the fan, choke, and the burn on your cigarette. A robust hold
handle is there for your navigator, just in front of the gear
shifting instructions displayed on an engraved metal plate. The
subject of those instructions, the shifter and range selector, rise
from the floor covered smartly by a diamond patterned rubber mat
ready to take on sand, snow, or scat. The white headliner along
with rows of windows keep things light inside.
Drivetrain
Under the hood is a 4.2 liter inline 6 cylinder putting out 130
horsepower and fueled by a 2-barrel carburetor. A 4-speed manual
sends power to one or two differentials, both with 4.11 gears. No
power steering here, but power brakes are provided as front discs
and rear drums.
Undercarriage
Relatively clean underneath with ball and claw axles carrying some
extra grease and some oil on the rear differential, possibly from
the pinion seal. A single exhaust flows from the engine to a stock
style muffler which turns towards the side and disperses a tailpipe
out the right rear corner. Suspension is made up of leaf springs
front and rear.
Drive-Ability
We step up into this vintage utility vehicle and the bulletproof
4.2 provides plenty of grunt for our jaunt around the test loop and
visibility is off the charts, which bodes well for your next
safari. All functions work in what some people consider an
"overbuilt" Toyota. 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.
The call of the wild is strong in this rig. Whether it's the
Canyonlands of Utah, Windrock park in Tennessee, or traversing
through the Caddo National Grassland in Texas, we want out, and
this is the ideal ride! Oh sure, you're still going to be the envy
of everyone at Cars and Coffee, but man, this thing begs to see
some dirt. Hey, it's gonna be your truck, so it's completely up to
you. Just be prepared for staring onlookers and thumbs ups no
matter where you go. Vintage 4x4's are the hot ticket.
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!
