Beautiful 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 Soft Top

Frame off with a Vision

1978 “GREASE” topped the box office and Night Fever knocked us out! Meanwhile, Toyota quietly continued to build one of the best 4x4 vehicles the world had ever seen. What was Far became Near.

One-Of-A-Kind Alert!

Sometimes a restoration becomes an all consuming quest to achieve a vision.Expense is secondary and quality is paramount.Such was the goal when building this 1978 FJ40. This FJ40 was an North American model (FJ40LV-KCJA) originally shipped to Puerto Rico. It's owners then brought it to Bogota Colombia.I was told by the owner that Columbia was a cool place to own an FJ40. On his missions south of Bogota, he would drive through the mountain villages where you saw nothing but vintage Nissan Patrols and Toyota Land Cruisers, with an occasional Willys thrown in.

In 2005, this FJ40 underwent a Frame-Off transformation being built from the ground up by talented craftsmen. Every nut and bolt, brake line, fuel lines and several other parts were freshly zinc plated. Any part with appreciable wear was replaced with new.

The original 2F engine was rebuilt at 103,000 miles (10,000 miles since rebuild.)

The entire frame, bumperettes, wheels, bull bar, headlight bezel and nerf bars have been powder coated in a hammered gun metal finish.

The underside of the Tub and all horizontal and cargo surfaces were coated in color matched Reflex®. Reflex's Polyurea Hybrid Chemistry provides a rugged, watertight, durable liner for demanding, every-day use that won't crack, peel or warp over time.

The entire truck was then painted with Dupont Polyurethane in Dune Beige.

Disc brakes were added to replace the rear drum brakes

New High Speed Warn 9500i Winch with hand control.

Toyota Power Steering was added

Old Man Emu Suspension was added in 2014

The soft top is awesome and you will likely never see one like it. It was custom made in Colombia and I believe the bows and rear ambulance door framework is all OEM Toyota.
The attention to detail on the interior is impressive. The carpet kit is high quality and was totally hand crafted for fit and finish with bound edges. The front seats, jump seats, door panels and visors are covered in a rich brown waxed duck canvas material that is rugged, good looking, comfortable and matches the look of the soft top to a tee!
The door panels are covered in a match material and painstakingly sewn to match the original pattern. The steering wheel is padded and wrapped in black perforated leather like that of a sports car.
Other restored items included a newly-rebuilt Toyota OEM Smog pump and emissions hoses, new OEM emissions vacuum valves, new Rancho 5000 shocks, new side mirrors, new OEM gear shift and transfer case knobs, new front and rear lights, side markers and reflectors, all new Toyota OEM Emblems, Five new Kuhmo 31x10.50 MT tires, New clutch disk and clutch master, new pressure plate, replace all seals.
Stereo Spec's Alpine CDA-7930 AM/FM/CD Head Unit Alpine 6-CD Changer mounted in glove box, Power Amp, Pioneer Front Speakers, Pioneer Rear Speakers, Powered subwoofer: 200 watts and a 10" sub

All nuts, bolts, brake and fuel line were zinc plated, replace nuts and bolts with new OEM, Powder coat the entire chassis frame, painted with Dupont Polyurethane paint color Sand Dune Beige (Original FJ40 Color), custom nerf side bars, OEM roll bars, custom bull bar, New Rancho 5000 shocks, New side mirrors, New OEM gear shift and transfer case knobs, New front and rear lights, side deflectors, All new Toyota OEM Emblems, New-rebuilt Toyota OEM Smog pump and emissions hoses, new OEM emissions Vacuum valves, New clutch disk and clutch master, new pressure plate, replace all seals, under carriage was treated with reflex, Power steering, 4 wheel disk brakes, New transmission and motor mounts, New OEM style radio antenna. Always garage kept!

She runs and drives excellent and has been lovingly maintained. She has some thoughtful and desirable modification however you will NOT find diamond plate, fender flares, tape decks, CB antenna holes, jerry cans, roof racks or a V8. This FJ40 retains the Toyota iconic looks of the factory soft top. The inline six cylinder purrs quietly and the steering, clutch and 4-Wheel Drive transmission are all in excellent working order.

This FJ40 has spent most of her life in the higher elevations of Colombia and now in Arizona and her body and frame are excellent. None of the usual FJ40 rust issues exist here. All the original emission equipment is in place, and she passed her smog tests with flying colors when returning to the USA a few years back.

The floors both front and rear are 100% solid and rust free as is the entire truck. EVERYTHING works, as it should. Killer sound system, heater, turn signals, hazards, headlight high and low beams, wipers, windshield washer, taillights, backup lights, license plate lights, odometer, speedometer, fuel, oil, amp and temp gauges all functioning flawlessly. Nestled between the front seats is the original metal console to hold your belongings. New rubber weather stripping doors. The dash pad is in great shape.

This FJ40’s suspension which consists of rugged solid axles andthe favored Old Man Emu 2.5"leaf springs, shocks and shackles at both ends, has a slightly raised stance. At the back of the truck's frame you will find the factory rear step, flanked by the original bumpettes to assist your passengers who want to climb in back. Under it all you will find matching powder coated 15 inch steel spoked wheels AVM locking hubs surrounded by Kuhmo Venture MT 31x10.50 tires that have 10,000 miles them.

This FJ40 comes with a Tool Kit, Jack, Jack Rods and Handle. This is one bad-ass Land Cruiser FJ40, rust free totally restored. Pure understated COOL. Turn the key and the fun begins!

Mileage and Use

This Land Cruiser shows 113,000 miles but feels more like 10,000 miles with the extensive rebuild and restoration. The motor is the original 135 horsepower 2F six cylinder which looks and runs beautifully! Based on General Motor's stalwart Stovebolt Six, Toyota's famous overhead valve mill has certainly proven its ability to take this compact 4x4 exploring the furthest reaches of the wilderness. Driven sparingly since the rebuild,this reliable FJ40 is waiting for your BIG adventure!

All in all, this FJ40 is a jaw dropper! I took this beauty to the Toyota Dealership and the mechanics in the Service department were all over this truck and loved it. Get used to people following you around to get a better look. If you don’t like attention, don’t drive this.

Buyer is responsible for shipping which is typically $1000 to the west coast. I will assist as needed.Please call me or email with any questions BEFORE bidding!$500 non-refundable Paypal deposit is required within 24 hours after Auction closing. Remaining balance due with 5 days of auction closing in the form of a wire transfer,cashier check or cash. Please have your funding in order prior to bidding. Anyone with less than 10 feedback's will need to contact me prior to bidding. Auction may end at any time. Good Luck and Happy bidding!

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Contact me at (515) 864-1275 or e-mail overton@aol.com