1966 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ-45 Wagon

Few off-road vehicles are as legendary or have as dedicated a following as Toyota’s venerable (and virtually indestructible) Land Cruiser.

While the most recognizable and well-known classic Land Cruiser is the FJ40, this is an extremely rare vintage Land Cruiser
In getting the truck road-worthy, all the fluids were changed; the fuel tank was professionally boiled, sealed and painted; the radiator was professionally cleaned, pressure tested and painted; a new exhaust and muffler were professionally installed; new glass in the liftgate was purchased and installed; the rear driveshaft was professionally re-tubed and balanced; and keys were cut to fit the door and tailgate. I purchased and installed an ignition switch, water pump, thermostat, hoses, temperature sender, air filter, radiator overflow bottle, battery cables, fuse box, seatbelts, spark plug wires, valve cover gasket, Sunpro tachometer, clutch master and slave cylinders, rear pinion seal, brake soft lines and new cylinders in the rear drum brakes. I had the rear brake drums turned and rebuilt the parking brake. The replacement tailgate is temporarily installed. A compression check of the motor showed that all cylinders were between 140 and 155.

I spent countless hours tracking down a period correct carburetor, a second row seat, period correct horns and steering wheel parts needed for them to function, and a vacuum line for the distributor. A previous owner had installed a lift on the truck and I purchased five new factory wheels from Toyota and five new BFG 33 x 10.50 x 15s to replace what came on the truck. To finish the look, I tracked down period correct reproduction hubcaps. As I couldn’t stand the surface rust, I had the hood, fenders and aprons blasted and primed and was planning to fauxtina them and the tailgate to mimic in the truck’s patina.

The vehicle is very sound in regards to all the mechanical aspects. The original motor runs well, it has a comfortable ride, and it stops straight. Using GPS to verify speed, the truck runs 70 mph at 3k RPM and easily goes 65 mph on the local interstates. All electrical, the factory PTO winch and four wheel drive work. The truck still has the original “three on the tree” shifter and can be converted to a floor shifter. What it needs most is to have the front two thirds of the floor repaired or replaced.