1977 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ 40 SUV

The Toyota Land Cruiser was patterned after the Jeep and Land Rover utility vehicles, offering reliability and the ability to tackle rugged conditions. Toyota's new Land Cruiser also demonstrated that they were capable of producing more than just economical cars. The Land Cruiser was available in a multitude of sizes and configurations, including short, medium, long and extra-long wheelbases, with a variety of roofs, half cabs, soft tops and doors. The list of engine options was also vast, including various fuel types.

The Toyota Land Cruiser was introduced in 1967 and would remain in production for a quarter-century. Toyota paid homage to the model in 2004 when they introduced the FJ Cruiser.

This 1977 FJ40 is believed to have spent its life in Wyoming, where it was used primarily as a ranch vehicle. Currently, it has under 25,000 miles on the odometer, which are believed to be original. It was given a restoration and since that time, it has been driven fewer than 200 miles. The restoration was described as a 'nut and bolt body off' affair.

The SUV is finished in its period color combination of red with a white top over black upholstery. It features the Warn locking front hubs and a rear seat heater. The engine is an overhead-valve six-cylinder unit displacing 4230cc and offering 135 horsepower. There is a 4-speed manual transmission, front disc brakes, and rear drums.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2015