Vehicle Description
You've seen them racing across deserts, slogging through jungles,
and carrying people through some of the most remote areas on Earth.
For five decades, trucks like this 1976 Toyota FJ40 have been the
way people get places where others fear to tread, and today they're
red-hot collectables with all the off-street cred you'll ever
need.
The boxy, upright shape must be the most efficient for going to
remote places, because all the great off-roaders share it. The
Toyota is a little more butch than most, with a wide stance and
snub-nosed attitude that suggests a stubborn resilience. In fact,
that describes the Toyota perfectly, since it's as reliable as a
mountain goat and just as sure-footed. The bright white paint is a
flashy upgrade from the usual tan that you see in the National
Geographic films, but it looks fantastic thanks to a recent
high-quality restoration in 2013. The doors and hardtop top fit
quite well, sealing it up for inclement weather and making it
practical enough for everyday use and if you feel ambitious, you
can unbolt them for the traditional open-air experience. The grille
and close-set headlights are iconic and still echo in the
late-model FJ Cruiser, flanked by a set of simple flat fenders and
a hood that still uses spring-loaded hooks to hold it in place.
Glass, rubber, and the heavy-duty bumpers are also in very good
condition and unlike so many FJs, it hasn't been modified or
over-burdened with ersatz mud gear. Instead, it sticks to the
mantra that simple is better.
That theme continues inside where basic black is the dominant
color, offering a pair of high-back bucket seats and enough cargo
room to move your brother out of his apartment. The seats are brand
new units from BesTop and are wrapped in leather, not vinyl, so the
rear seat had to be upholstered to match. Nice work! Nevertheless,
the overall vibe is spartan, showing off exposed hardware on the
door panels and a rubber floor mat designed to be hosed off after
an afternoon of fun in the dirt. The dash looks busy, but the
controls are simple to use and easy to find without looking, which
was entirely the point, and a locking center console is a nice
addition to a vehicle like this. The floors were covered in
spray-on bedliner material, so you'll never have to worry about
scuffs again, and the twin shift levers manage the off-road system
and 4-speed manual gearbox. Someone obviously spent a lot of time
restoring this one to factory specs, and it looks awesome.
Power comes from a correct 4.2 liter inline-six, which soldiered on
in one form or another for more than two decades. Reliable,
torquey, and surprisingly smooth, it was the powerplant of choice
when your mechanic was also a goat herder in the desert. Rebuilt
and detailed with factory-correct finishes, plus a mini air
cleaner, it looks, sounds, and feels just like it might have in
1976. The chassis is equally nice, showing lots of restored or
repainted equipment, heavy-duty Rancho shocks, and a mild lift kit.
A recent exhaust system gives it the proper sound, and beefy black
steel wheels wear huge 31x10.5-15 Goodyear Wrangler off-road
tires.
Prices have settled on these trucks, but they'll never be cheap
again. It's not every day you get the chance to own an icon, and
you either get it or you don't. If you're one of the folks who do
get it, call today!