1978 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40

The 40-Series Land Cruiser might have died in 2001 but this one was revived only recently with a body-off restoration. It was a great base for a resto too; built in 1978, it spent its first years in Indonesia, which means salt-induced rust simply wasn’t something they needed to address.

It’s also got its original 4.2-litre, six-cylinder, 133bhp petrol engine under the bonnet, so power isn’t going to be on your list of things to worry about, either. 

Nor traction thanks to front locking hubs, a low-ratio gearbox, selectable four-wheel-drive, and 210lb.ft of torque. 

Power steering and air-conditioning add the sort of luxury folk who drive Land Rovers of the same period can only dream of, which makes this the utility vehicle of choice for drivers who want to arrive unflustered no matter what the environmental conditions.

And in considerable style of course.

The body-off restoration included a full respray in its original colour of Nebula Green. There wasn’t, we are told, much rust to deal with, which left them free to concentrate on making it look pretty.

Which they did, by adding new genuine Toyota badges on top of that gorgeous new paint.

Plus, new genuine headlights, taillights, indicators, and reflectors. And new, genuine Toyota glass. And new door locks and handles.

Mudflaps with the Old School Toyota emblem too, plus the same badge on the rubber overriders that have been fitted to the front and rear bumpers. 

It’s got a white roof too, plus a matching front grille, O/E mirrors, new bonnet catches, and lots of new fasteners.

This was, as they say in the West country, a Proper Job.

And they weren’t finished there because the FJ sits on 16-inch grey steel rims that are enhanced with the original chrome centre caps – and of course the wheels are fitted with a matching set of chunky 7.5-16 LT Goodyear Hi-Miler Ultra Grip tyres, including the spare, which is mounted on a swing-away spare wheel carrier.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

As you can see, there’s nothing to fault, just a superbly-executed restoration of an iconic off-road vehicle and if you’re currently drooling, you’re not alone.

The interior is just as impressive as the exterior. It too benefits from lavish investment including new upholstery, a set of genuine door cards, new floor mats, a refurbished speedometer cluster, and much more.

It’s also air-conditioned, which is an unexpected luxury in a vehicle of this vintage but one that is, perhaps, less of a surprise when you understand which country it came from.

The rear seats are simple benches on either side of the rear luggage area. Accessed via a rear step, they’re in great shape and free of rips, tears and other damage.

It’s the same story for the two front seats. The driver’s seat is a single, while the small bench seat next to it can seat two at a pinch. 

The two gear levers, one for the four-speed main gearbox and the other for the selectable four-wheel-drive system, fall easily to hand. The latter gives access to a stump-pulling low-ratio gearbox too, which will come in handy when you’re rescuing Defenders. (We’re joking, obviously…)

Simple rubber floor mats are entirely in keeping with the rest of the cabin being both straightforward in design, practical in nature, and in an as-new condition.

As for flaws, there aren’t any as such, but the steering wheel is more patinated than anything else, so does rather stand out.

Other than that, the driver’s mat doesn’t look as well designed as either the passenger or rear mat, so you might like to investigate whether it’s the right one or whether you need to spend your off hours scouring the Internet for one. Still, that is the very definition of #firstworldproblems, isn’t it?

The mechanical side of things hasn’t been neglected, and we are told the following work has been carried out:

• Refurbished power steering and a rebuilt steering box
• A new radiator, coolant hoses, fan belt, thermostat, waterpump, and a coolant flush
• New suspension and steering bushes plus new tie-rod ends
• New fuse box, wiring, and a Bosch horn
• Rebuilt carburettor as part of a “heavy service” that included new engine oil and filter, sparkplugs, fuel filter, 
• All the brake hoses replaced with new items
• The exhaust system, including the manifold, has been refurbished

The engine and chassis numbers are said to be matching, which means the engine is the original 4230cc straight-six petrol unit it left the factory with.

You could guess what the engine bay would look like even without the photos, couldn’t you – and you’d be right. It’s beautifully presented, bears witness to much recent expenditure, and that straightening the radiator fins is the only job we can see the fastidious might like to carry out says it all.

As you’d expect given its provenance, the floor is said to be “excellent”. Mind you, as the seller’s left the floor pan painted rather than undersealed, you can judge that for yourselves.

The Toyota’s MoT certificate is valid until January 2025, so that’s yet another thing you aren’t going to have to worry about.

There’s a letter from HMRC confirming that UK VAT and duty has been paid, too so you can tick that off your list of things to check. The new owner will be responsible for registering the car in the UK.

If you’re looking for a Land Rover-style vehicle but have been put off by the idea of having to sort out a rotten chassis, then this Land Cruiser might be right up your street.

And lack of corrosion aside, the Toyota might just be a better bet than a Landy of the same vintage; while we yield to no one in our admiration of British engineering, the Japanese have been known to take a successful formula and make it even better…

Best of all, at a time when a freshly refurbished Icon FJ from the ‘States will set you back a minimum of $200,000 (plus taxes and shipping), we estimate this one could be yours for between £29,000 and £34,000, which feels like astonishing value to us given the time and money that have been lavished on it. 

It’s always better to let someone else do the heavy lifting and if you’ve had half-an-eye on buying an FJ, we can’t see a single reason why you wouldn’t want to come and check this one out.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.