Perfectly-restored FJ45 Pickup Is a True Survivor
The subject of a painstaking restoration, classic Toyota Land Cruiser is ready for a new home.
To us, Toyota’s 40 Series Land Cruisers are stone cold classics. They’re our Ford Model A, or ’57 Bel Air, or ’69 Camaro. They’re icons of off-roading that deserve to be preserved and remembered.
That’s why we get so excited when we see a nicely restored one. Restoring any car is a labor of love, but the work is always worth it. Slee Off-Road in Golden, Colorado is offering this beautiful, fully-restored 1965 FJ40 Land Cruiser long wheelbase pickup. Let’s take a look.
While most Land Cruisers live a hard life, this one has spent the last twenty years as a pampered classic. After an intense frame-off restoration in 1999, the truck has only been driven 2,500 miles, and never taken off-roading or driven in the rain. Naturally, it was always garage-kept.
During the intensive restoration, several factory upgrades were performed to improve the Land Cruiser’s driveability. All of these upgrades were performed with factory parts, while maintaining a stock appearance.
The firewall was replaced with a 1976 unit with improved heating and controls. Power steering was added, and the brakes were upgraded to powered discs all around. Again, all of these upgrades were performed with factory original Toyota parts from other Land Cruisers.
The restoration was carried out with long-term durability in mind. Each component, nut, and bolt was carefully refurbished or replaced with factory Toyota parts, including the seals and weatherstripping, which is often nearly impossible to find for older vehicles.
In several areas, the finish is superior to how the truck originally came from the factory. For example, after the frame was bead blasted, it was powdercoated for durability.
Obviously, this restoration represented a ton of work, and that doesn’t come cheap. With the prices of early Land Cruisers steadily rising, it’s no surprise that this one carries a $62,500 price tag. If you ask us, it’s worth every penny.
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