Yahoo Autos I'm Rebuilding My Dream Car, a Beat-Up Land Cruiser
Land Cruisers are renowned for their off-road chops. Toyota has been building these trucks since the 50's, and although the appearance of each generation differs, every Land Cruiser has the guts to survive in the toughest terrain.
Ever since I drove my friend's FJ40 Land Cruiser in high school, I've been smitten. We'd take it for jaunts through the desert on lunch break and try not to get stuck. On weekends we'd run it through washes and the back roads of Tucson. I've since owned numerous four-wheel drive vehicles, from a 1970 Bronco to a 2001 F-150, but the classic FJ62 Toyota Land Cruiser never left my bucket list. Now, I've finally got one.
A truck build is a marathon, not a sprint.
Why Four-Wheel Drive
Growing up the Southwest, the roads were always clear and we could always wait out the occasional thunderstorm. You didn't need four-wheel drive for daily motoring. But if you had any interest in exploring the vast desert that lay just beyond the pavement, then you had to have a 4X4.
After my first, a 1976 Honda CVCC, nearly fell apart on a washboard road, I ended up with a 1984 Mitsubishi Montero. I loved the square body style. The inclinator dial and suspension seat may have been gimmicky, but they were endearing. This truck allowed me to explore more than any other vehicle, and the thrill of ascending a road that would be tough to climb on foot is part of what makes four-wheeling so fun.
After living in New York and now L.A., I crave any opportunity to explore wide-open spaces-I prefer rock crawling in 4-low than crawling on the 405. Fortunately, Southern California is blessed with a ton of trails within easy reach and the options for camping in solitude are abundant. Being alone in nature is just so much easier with four-wheel drive.
My Land Cruiser
From squatty all-wheel drive Subarus to race-ready Ford Raptors, there's no shortage of capable four-wheel-drive vehicles to choose from. Which one is right for you all depends on what you plan to do. But the current crop of modern four-wheel-drive SUVs and trucks are either too large for many trails and have a rounded crossover styling that just doesn't appeal to me. The Jeep Wrangler has maintained a distinctive style and is still the best performing 4X4 you can drive new off the lot . But if you seek a classically styled truck that is easy to wrench on and has a ton of aftermarket products, dealer support, and a thriving community of drivers, then you've got to take a close look at the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 and FJ62.
The FJ60 and FJ62 are nearly identical, with the FJ62 being the more modernized truck that was sold from 1988 to 1990. The FJ62 features fuel-injection, automatic transmission, and power windows and door locks. The easiest way to distinguish between the two are the square headlights in the FJ62 as opposed to the rounded one on an FJ60.
Jonathan Ward of ICON 4X4, which specializes in restoring early model Land Cruisers, gives a great rundown of the FJ62 in this video:
I love both models, but even the newest ones are almost 30 years old. Land Cruisers are known for being extremely reliable, but as with anything used, it's all about what the previous owners have done or neglected to do. My target was an FJ62 that had the signature styling and capability but was a bit more refined, and had an automatic transmission that's crucial for stop-and-go Los Angeles freeways.
After about a couple years of casual looking, I got serious for a few months. What I found was initially disheartening. Prices for all classic 4X4s has spiked and people are asking $10,000 or more for rust buckets. Just a few years ago, early Broncos, Scouts, Jeeps, and Land Cruisers could be had for less than $2,500 to $3,000. Nowadays if you do find one with lowish miles and no rust for under $5,000, then you've scored.
I found my truck on Craigslist after using SearchTempest, which searches Craigslist everywhere. The truck was an 1988 FJ62 with 207,000 miles located in Tucson, Arizona, which meant I could take a road trip home to pick up the truck. The CARFAX report indicated the vehicle had lived its entire life in Arizona, which was a good thing, and that it had a clean title and no major accidents. The current owner had only had it for about a year and drove it once a week. It seems like the vehicle was a bit too rough around the edges for himself and his family.
I met the owner in a McDonald's parking lot right off the freeway for a first look at the truck. It was starting to get dark, which is the worst time to look at a used vehicle, but I had my flashlight which allowed me to fully inspect underneath the truck, under the hood, and throughout the interior. Everything was stock: No lift or larger tires. No engine or exhaust mods. It was basically a blank slate, which I was betting could get me the 500 miles back to L.A. with no problems. It did.
The Build
My new truck was in decent shape, but first thing I needed to do was baseline it so I knew the history and condition of the most integral pieces. That means changing all the fluids including the engine oil, transmission fluid, transfer case oil, and front and rear differential oil. All belts and any worn hoses would also need to be changed immediately.
The truck did have a badly leaking steering box that required a rebuild. This repair wasn't cheap ($500 for rebuild and install), but it was necessary, and I knew going in to budget for it. While the Toyota was in the shop I also had them check the compression at each cylinder because that's a good indication as to the health and strength of the motor. Surprisingly, the Land Cruiser had near factory quality compression levels at each cylinder, which was great news.
Although my goal is to do most of the repairs and upgrades on the truck myself, when seeking a shop I knew it would be best to take it to a Land Cruiser specialist. I chose K & H Auto Repair in Canoga Park, based on their reputation and area of expertise. Once the baseline repairs were completed and the steering box was fixed, I could consider future mods that needed to be done in order to turn it into a more respectable off-road vehicle. These include:
