Stunning 1965 FJ45 has been subject to a thoughtful restoration with a dash of LS1 for some added punch
Known globally as one of the toughest vehicles on Earth, the FJ series Toyota can be seen literally anywhere in the world, and usually in places that no typical car could survive. From the outback of Australia to the Amazon jungle and even on Miami’s boulevard, the humble Toyota, like this one, took the Japanese company to the global market. Of course today we know this lineage of vehicles as none other than the Land Cruiser.
The genesis model, the BJ40, quickly made its arrival known and in 1951 managed to climb its way to the sixth station of Mount Fuji. Toyota wanted to make the car the vehicle of choice for the National Police Agency, but the presence of the Willys Jeep meant none were interested. This was when Toyota rolled up its sleeves and proved what their new car was capable of.
It convinced some officials from the National Police Agency to witness their its leviathan in action, and by action they meant climbing Mt. Fuji. Naturally the officials were dumbfounded, and just one month after returning the dotted line had been signed by the NPA.
The Willys company wasn't too impressed by Toyota's advances, and one carefully fought lawsuit later the car was renamed to the brand that’s recognisable around the globe today; the Land Cruiser. The F stands for the engine type installed and the J translating to Jeep, the FJ series enjoyed a product life cycle of five decades. Branded the Bandeirante in Brazil, the FJ survived in South America until quite recently, in 2001, when the final model rolled off the production line.
The F type engine was yet another hallmark of this icon. The six cylinder unit was about as indestructible as the leaf springs upon which it sat, and is well known to break half a million miles without so much as a sigh. Bearing in mind the life these vehicles were subject to, that kind of mileage when translated to asphalt-only driving could likely be multiplied several times over. How many Willys Jeeps do you know with galactic mileage?
The car featured here is possibly one of the coolest we have come across in a while. As the FJ45 model, this is the long-wheelbase version and a pickup at that. One awesome stance comes as standard on this weapon.
Throw on some 17” American Racing wheels and some gargantuan 37” Goodyear Wrangler rubber and you have one of the coolest looking FJs available. Complete with subtle paintwork and some restomod features to leave the originality intact whilst promoting usability, this FJ features coilover springs for more comfort, and the legendary LS1 mated to a five-speed transmission.
To find out more, visit the Motorious classifieds where this Toyota is going to be sold for $86,900 (£65,950, €76,700).
