Yet another comedian has good taste in cars.
Joel McHale took to Instagram today for an important announcement. The comedian has finally bought what he describes as his “dream truck” – a 1990 Toyota Land Cruiser J60. Actually, he purchased the off-roader a while ago and kept quiet about it, paying for a complete restoration. The result is nothing short of drool-worthy.
TV host and Land Cruiser restorer Brian Corsetti was hired to do the work, and the finished product looks quite good. Corsetti even included retro tri-color graphics down the side and a full luggage rack over the roof of the vehicle.
The exterior wears a glossy coat of paint, plus all the original badging, front fender vents, and other details to make the complete package. McHale didn’t post pictures of the interior, but considering Corsetti’s reputation and the completeness of the exterior, it no doubt looks quite amazing.
While Land Cruisers started out stripped-down and small like the original Jeeps, the J55 made it more like a modern SUV. When the J60 launched in 1980 it was even boxier, bigger, and more comfortable. It didn’t grow soft, keeping the live front and rear axles, plus four-wheel drive. Families could use it as a primary in-town vehicle, then go camping, hunting, or whatever else in the wilderness on the weekends.
Starting in 1988, the J60 dropped the two round headlights, wearing four square headlights instead. A smaller engine was introduced, but thanks to technological advancements it boosted output from 125-horsepower and 200 lb.-ft. of torque to 155-horsepower and 220 lb.-ft. of torque, making the tail end of the J60 that much more desirable.
Thanks to the need for more military vehicles to fight the Korean War, the US Military asked Toyota to build a jeep-like off-roader. It was the beginning of a legend that continues today. Since the Land Cruiser’s first public test scaling Mount Fuji, the vehicle has thrilled off-road enthusiasts like McHale. Land Cruisers are quickly becoming big time collectibles, including the J60s.
Photos credit: Instagram
