For Sale: 1986 Toyota Land Cruiser in Bradenton, Florida

1986 Toyota Land Cruiser LJ70 Turbo Diesel �€" Spanish-Market Import with 2L-T Engine and 5-Speed Manual Why This Car Is Special The 1986 Toyota Land Cruiser LJ70 is not a vehicle most Americans have ever seen in person, and that's exactly the point. While Toyota was selling the gasoline-powered FJ60 wagon and the BJ60 diesel to North American buyers in the mid-1980s, the short-wheelbase LJ70 was being sold in Europe, Australia, Africa, and Latin America �€" markets that understood the value of a compact, turbocharged diesel 4x4. The United States never got it. Spain did. This particular 1986 Toyota Land Cruiser LJ70 was sold new through the Spanish market, evidenced by its Granada province registration plate (GR-7313-AH) still affixed to the front bumper. It is now eligible for import into the United States under the 25-year exemption rule, which allows vehicles not originally certified for U.S. sale to be legally registered here once they reach that age threshold. That window is what makes the 1986 Land Cruiser LJ70 accessible to American buyers right now, and collector interest in these trucks has been climbing steadily as more enthusiasts discover what the rest of the world already knew. The LJ70 sits on the same J7 platform that Toyota introduced in 1984 as a successor to the long-running FJ40. Where the FJ40 was a bare-bones, body-on-frame utility vehicle with a live axle at each end and minimal comfort features, the J70 series refined that formula with a more modern body, improved interior ergonomics, and updated powertrain options �€" while keeping all the mechanical fundamentals that made the FJ40 legendary off-road. Solid front and rear axles, leaf springs front and rear, and part-time four-wheel drive through a two-speed transfer case. The platform has remained in continuous production in various markets for over four decades, which should tell you something about how well Toyota got it right the first time. The engine in this truck is the 2L-T, a 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four diesel. Toyota's naturally aspirated 2L engine was already well regarded for its reliability and fuel economy, and the addition of the turbocharger gave the LJ70 meaningfully more usable torque �€" exactly what you want in a vehicle this size when you're hauling weight, towing, or climbing in low range. The 2L-T does not rev high and does not need to. It pulls from low in the rpm range and keeps pulling. That characteristic, combined with the mechanical simplicity of a diesel without electronics-dependent fuel management, is a large part of why these trucks are so sought after by serious off-road users and overlanding enthusiasts today. The odometer on this truck reads 240,155 kilometers �€" approximately 149,000 miles. For a properly maintained turbocharged Toyota diesel of this era, that figure is well within the engine's service life. The 2L-T has a documented history of exceeding 300,000 kilometers in working service around the world. Features List - Toyota 2L-T 2.4L Turbocharged Inline-4 Diesel Engine - 5-Speed Manual Transmission - Two-Speed Transfer Case with High and Low Range - Toyota 4WD System - Solid Front Axle with Front Disc Brakes - Solid Rear Axle with Rear Drum Brakes - Leaf Spring Suspension, Front and Rear - Power Steering - Power Brakes - Power Windows - Factory Two-Tone Body Graphics - 'Turbo' Embroidered Bucket Seats (Front) - Rear Bench Seat - Roof Rack with LED Lights - Front Bull Bar - Auxiliary Driving Lights - Alloy Beadlock-Style Wheels - M/T All-Terrain Tires - Rear-Mounted Spare Tire with Cover - Running Boards - Tow Hitch with Wiring - Upgraded Stereo Head Unit - Digital Gauge Display - Clean Undercarriage - Spanish-Market LJ70 Import Mechanical The 2L-T engine is a cast-iron, overhead-cam, four-cylinder diesel displacing 2,366cc. Toyota added a turbocharger to the naturally aspirated 2L to create the 2L-T, which was fitted to the LJ70 for markets that demanded more performance from the short-wh