1975 Land Cruiser FJ40

1975 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 Description

BEAUTY MEETS THE BEAST

Up for sale is 1975 Land Cruiser FJ40.I purchased this Cruiser in August, 2004 on eBay from a guy (“Pete”) in Connecticut who had purchased it from a guy in Louisiana in 2003.According to Pete’s eBay description he did a “complete” restoration that included a “disassembly of the entire truck and stripped to bare metal.”The exterior hardware was all new.A custom fold-down aluminum tailgate (with interior storage) was added.All of the electrical wiring was replaced.

Pete’s restoration included a conversion to a 1967 300 HP 327 from a Corvette.According to Pete the engine had less than 6K miles on it prior to the conversion.Lots of chrome under the hood and it is clear that the conversion was well done.As for the suspension Pete installed the SOR top of the line 4” soft ride lift kit (“spring under”) with greasable shackles.The front and rear ends were both rebuilt and torque bars installed in the rear.A Saginaw power steering unit was installed.A big upgrade during the conversion was the installation disc brakes front and back.

For the interior Pete installed custom bucket seats, lockable Tuffy speaker/storage boxes (behind the seats), an Alpine AM/FM CD player, a cluster of new (“oldies”) gauges by Auto Meter, new door panels and new dash pad.

Pete’s eBay description said he spent over $24,000 on the conversion.Based on the receipts he gave me and the condition of the truck, I believe him.Pete even passed on the original owner’s manual which is in good condition.

The truck does not have a hardtop or the rear seats.

When I purchased the truck the odometer read less than 50 miles.The current reading is 2,760.Since I purchased the truck I have made several major improvements.I don’t consider myself a good “wrench” so most of this work was done by professionals.

·ARB lockers front and rear.

·Orion transfer case.If you are unfamiliar with the Orion do a little research.Built like a tank with a low range ratio of 4:1.

·Muncie SM465 transmission.The 465 was used in heavy duty GM trucks from 1968 to 1991.The transmission is great for off-roader because of its very low (6.55 : 1) first gear. Direct bolt to the 327, no adapter.

·Throttle body fuel injection system.This is a big improvement over the Edelbrock carb that Pete installed since the floats in that carb did not do well when the truck was crawling a steep grade.Also increased fuel efficiency.Note that the glove box is almost completely taken up by the TBI computer.

·Electric fuel pump and electric fan.

·Tuffy lockable center console and cup holder.

·Kaymar spare tire carrier, jerry can and hi-lift jack.

·Metal-tech roll cage (with SOR covers) and rock sliders.Four-point seat belts.

·A dash controlled “micro” brake lock that locks up the rear brakes.The system is designed primarily for tow trucks.Very handy when you a winching another vehicle.

·Warn XD90000i 9,000# winch with snatch block, shackles, tree protector, recovery strap, gloves and bag.

·Painless dual battery system (I just replaced the batteries with new Optima yellow-tops).

·Five “Outlaw” aluminum wheels.

·Within the last two weeks I replaced all five tires with 35 x 12.50R15/C BF Goodrich All Terrain KO2’s.

I have intentionally not replaced the factory 4:11 gearing in the differentials.The “crawl ratio” (6.55 [transmission] x 4.1 [transfer case] x 4.11 [differentials]) is 110 which means that the truck will go just about anywhere that you want to take it.

The truck comes with a full canvas top (keeps out 99% of the rain) and a bikini top both of which are in good condition. I also have an SOR cover for the truck and a Viair model 44043-449 portable compressor that generates enough PSI (150) to inflate the 35’s after an air-down. In addition to the Tuffy lockable speaker boxes behind the seats I have added a wood box that I use to carry some spare parts, lubricants and other things that I may need off-road.The box is ugly but functional so ff the buyer does not want the box and the contents I will remove it.

The truck obviously has great mechanical features but it also a real head-turner.It attracts a crowd wherever I park it.I had it completely re-painted within the last two months.The Sky-Blue finish is near-perfect.

As great as the truck is I need to point out a couple of things.The driver’s seat has two small tears along seams and the bumpers do show the results of “encounters” with rocks along the Rubicon Trail (and other places).There are some small rust spots along the interior painted edge where the soft top attaches to the truck.And the wheels/rims are marked up a little. Take a look at the pictures.Also, as the low mileage would indicate, I have not taken the truck on long trips.When I am going off-road I usually trailer it.The way the truck is set up it is not designed to cruise along at 65 or 70 mph.When I take it on the freeway I keep the speed at 55 or less.Yes, it is certainly capable of going faster but I am not comfortable with the handling at higher speeds.This is a vehicle that you drive with two hands on the wheel.And, it is loud.You will not be able to sneak home late without waking up the household and maybe some neighbors.

VIN is FJ40195941.Vehicles manufactured prior to 1976 are exempt from California smog requirements so there is no smog related equipment installed.

By this description and the pictures I have done my best to be as up-front as possible about the condition of the truck.That said it is being sold as-is with no warranties or representations about its condition.I am happy to answer any questions.If you would like to have the truck inspected we first need to agree on the price and you need to pay the deposit.If you don’t like the results of the inspection, I will return the deposit.

One final comment.I love this truck and am willing to sell it only because at the age of 67 I am getting too old to sleep on the ground, or a cot in a small tent. But I love taking it into town and seeing the reaction people have to it so am in no hurry to sell it and if it does not sell that’s OK with me.The price is the price.It represents 50% or less of the total investment in the truck.If you think you can reproduce it at a lower cost go for it.No trades, and no whining

Successful buyer needs to pay a $2,000 deposit within two business days after acceptance.Deposit payment to be made via PayPal.Balance of the purchase price to be paid within ten days of acceptance (or ten days after inspection) via cashier’s check or bank wire.Truck can be picked up once the check or wire has cleared.Buyer to pay for any transportation.I will cooperate with Buyer’s auto carrier.