Overlanding Ready: Restomod Land Cruiser FJ60
It looks ready to hit the trail. But would a rebuilt title keep you from pulling the trigger on this Land Cruiser FJ60?
While Toyota pulled the Land Cruiser from the United States last year, prices for classic models have continued to climb, and this 1982 FJ60 restomod looks like a killer example of the breed. Now, in the description on Craigslist Reno, there’s no mention of a cosmetic restoration. But looking at the pics, everything from the sheet metal, to the interior, to the engine bay looks squeaky clean. And given the chassis is said to have a whopping 270,000 miles on it? I’d say this baby has been already been given a fairly through going over.
One thing we don’t have to guess about, however, is the powertrain. In this case, the original manual gear box has been retained, but the 4.2-liter I6 has been replaced with Chevrolet’s trusty 350 small block. Which means your local Pep Boys will have most any part for it in the event something goes wrong. Additionally, that mill reportedly only has 150,000 miles on the clock, so it’s a relative whipper-snapper in regard to the body surrounding it. In keeping with the restomod theme, a host of other bits have been added as well.
As eagle-eyed readers might have noticed, those bits are all geared toward overlanding, and include an ARB Old Man Emu four-inch lift, a Smittybilt XR3 Winch, an ARB Roof rack, and ARB off-road lights. To make for a comfortable stay on the trail, there’s also a Gen 2 Overlander XL rooftop tent, though none of the posted pics show it raised. Other solid mods include a 30-gallon gas tank, and a Pioneer sound system. Plus, the transmission has been rebuilt, and the steering box, brakes, shocks, and exhaust are new.
So overall, everything looks great. The rub — other than the $45k asking price — comes at the very end, where the seller reveals that the title has been branded as rebuilt. Even though that designation is said to be the result of being stolen and recovered years ago, it’s likely to given a significant amount buyers pause. Which begs the question: are you one of those buyers? Personally, I’m less wary of a rebuilt title on a vehicle of this age, as rigs were so much simpler back then, and a decent inspection would likely uncover any underlying issues. But what do you think? Hit me up and let me know!
Photos: Craigslist Reno
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