1973 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser – SOLD 🏁

About This Car

“These were the go-to vehicles for U.N. peacekeepers and warlords alike, and in many places they still are. The idea of the FJ40 being tough enough to handle the harshest conditions on the planet took root in the subconscious back then and has not only endured right up to present day, but blown up like tech stock prices in the ’90s. By so many standards, the FJ40 Land Cruiser is the definitive 20th century 4×4. With an international pedigree like a Land Rover, the rugged simplicity of a Jeep and swagger like an old Bronco, the FJ is a greatest hits album of classic trucks. Fun to look at, sure, but driving one will take your appreciation to a whole new level”.

The story of the Toyota Land Cruiser J Series (FJ40 / BJ40 etc.) starts in the Philippines during the Second World War, the Japanese had invaded the nation, along which much of the rest of East Asia, and they found an abandoned Jeep that had been left by retreating American forces.

There is a little contention as to exactly which Jeep or Jeep-like vehicle it was that they found, most sources say it was either a Willys Jeep or a Ford GPW (Ford’s Jeep), but some claim it was an American Bantam BRC 60 Mark II. Toyota themselves haven’t included any reference to this captured vehicle in their own history of the Land Cruiser, and instead pick up the story in the 1950s.

Whichever vehicle it was, we know that it was an American military 4×4, and we know the Japanese military immediately recognized how useful it would be to have their own version. It was shipped back to Japan, and Toyota was tasked with building a local version using as many off the shelf parts as possible – they were also instructed to make sure it didn’t look too much like a Jeep.

The FJ40 was in production from 1960 to 1984, and all the way up to 2001 in Brazil. It was Toyota’s best-selling model in the United States between 1961 and 1965, an easy accomplishment seeing as it was the only new Toyota sold here in the U.S. during those years. By 1965 global production had reached 50,000 units. By 1973 300,000 of them were roaming the planet in either hardtop, soft top, station wagon or pickup form.

The “F” in FJ refers to the Type F engine and the J stands for jeep, meaning the more generic WWII-borne use of that term and not the brand Jeep currently owned by Fiat Chrysler. The “40” refers to the displacement of the inline-six engine and the “Land Cruiser” name was conceived in 1954 by Toyota technical director Hanji Umehara who said: “I had to come up with a name for our car that would not sound less dignified than those of our competitors… that is why I decided to call it ‘Land Cruiser’.

The folks that grew up seeing these vehicles on the nightly news or in the pages of National Geographic now have the money to buy them as a pleasure vehicle, seeking to restore some of their youthful adventurousness, all while adding a much needed “cool factor” to their lives without being ostentatious. It is the happy medium between the tweed wearing, duck hunting Land Rover Series III crowd and the “hold my beer” Jeep CJ/Ford Bronco contingent.

Autobiography

Speedart Motorsports is proud to offer for your consideration this masterfully refurbished FJ40, authentically restored to the highest standards and guaranteed to please any aficionado with a penchant for all-terrain vehicles or just nostalgic urban adventurers.

Chassis No. 141635 was sourced by its last custodian in 2017 as an original survivor with the intention of painstakingly restoring it to its former glory. After a long and tedious refurbishment process by renowned FJ40 specialists in Venezuela the motorcar was finally imported into Miami, FL sometime in 2022.

Unlike many restomods and various interpretations of this legendary off-roader offered in today’s market place, the scope of the aforementioned restoration was to recapture the charisma and adventurous character of the era paying special attention to originality and OEM components as was intended by the manufacturer at the time of production.

The entire body work was media blasted, primed and rotisserie-painted in its original Capri Blue enamel over a distinct White rooftop with the frame powdered coated in correct Satin Black during the full disassembly of the chassis.

The F155 inline-six matching motor No. F420325 was fully overhauled including rebuilding the carburetor and replacing the oil pump, water pump, radiator, regulator, alternator, seals, and spark plugs with all hardware cadmium plated or replaced as necessary. Power is routed to the rear or all four wheels through a three-speed manual transmission and a dual-range transfer case, which were also painstakingly overhauled. The suspension is further augmented with Old Manu Emu Nitrocharger Sport shocks and the 15 inch steel wheels have been replaced and complemented by polished hubcaps, wearing Firestone Super All Traction ND tires. Stopping is applied by the original drum brakes, completely rebuilt and all eight wheel cylinders calibrated.

The interior is equally impressive accompanied by the original instrument cluster, steering wheel and factory knobs along the genuine windshield wiper motor. The front seats and inward-facing rear jump seats were reupholstered in Palomino leather in lieu of the canvas, with additional work including re-upholstering the dash pad and replacing the perforated headliner.

All stages of the motorcar’s frame-off restoration are fully documented by an extensive photographic portfolio.

With the exception of very few ‘period correct’ enhancements this museum quality FJ40 will appeal to the purist and most demanding collector alike. It is guaranteed to please every marque enthusiast, gathering admiration on the road or at the concours field.

The automobile has accumulated a total of 20 careful miles since its restoration, always kept in a climate control facility, offered for sale with a free and clear Florida title and it qualifies as smog exempt for road use in the state of California. A full set of custom tailored insulated floor mats is supplied in order to preserve the floor enamel during use.  This is a turnkey vintage Land Cruiser with a prohibitive cost and time to duplicate, as such we believe this is an opportunity not to be missed.

Speedart Motorsports would like to invite all serious inquiries and interested parties to witness up-close and personal this folk hero at our Design District motoring gallery.