1972 Toyota FJ43

This is a deeply characterful FJ43, with a very well documented and fascinating history from a life spent mostly in Kenya. Shipped from Mombasa to Felixstowe in 2008, it ended up being discovered a couple of years ago by its present owner. “I saw her parked at the side of the road and just fell in love with her,” she tells us. “I’ve hardly used her though – even though she’s actually really comfortable, lovely to drive and makes a fantastic noise. I don’t really want to sell, but she ought to go to someone who’s going to get proper use out of her.” She added "There are two petrol tanks, (one under each front seat) we think an extra one was fitted at some point for long range safaris." 

The vehicle has had a quiet few years, resulting in a seized clutch slave cylinder, so it isn't currently driveable – although the engine is running sweetly. There doesn't appear to be much wrong with the vehicle overall, and it’s essentially solid, so there’s huge potential here!

You get a whopping 3.9-litre straight-six petrol engine and three whole gears to play with, drum brakes and leaf springs all round, a petrol tank to sit on, and even a wildlife viewing hatch in the roof. What’s not to like?

A few spares are included in the sale, as shown in our photos. These include new manifolds, a clutch, thermostat and belt. 

“Shabby chic” probably sums it up. It isn’t short of cosmetic “issues”, but whether they’re unwanted flaws or value-adding scars is up to you. This is no Chelsea tractor – it’s the real deal, complete with bull bars, roof rack and functional chequerplate, evidence of a life spent exploring the African savannah. Even the red-and-white warning signs wear some form of official-looking Kenyan stamp.

It began life as a pick-up, and according to a hand-written note stamped by the Kenya Police Vehicle Inspection Unit, it was converted into this station wagon in 2002. We don’t recognise the style of windows, so presumably it’s a locally-made offering. 

Period-style Firestone tyres (including two impressively bald spares), mounting steps and that large viewing hatch in the roof all add to the appeal.

A full respray would risk eliminating too much of this car's well-earned patina. There are a few areas of bubbling, but on the whole the green paint is still fairly presentable. Please zoom into our images to make your own assessment of the corrosion. The main areas that let it down visually are the rust on the white radiator surround, and it could benefit from having features such as the bonnet latches and door mirrors resprayed and re-chromed – not that this matters. You’ll need to fix a broken rear light if you want to MOT it (the test is optional as the car is over 40 years old) but the other lamps seem to be in good nick.

The plush vinyl seats in the front are probably not original to the car. They're certainly comfy and their condition is quite impressive, but one of them has a small area of damage, as shown in our photos.

Some interesting joinery has been added to the dash, adding a touch of practicality (it even incorporates a map light) and an extra dose of period charm. Those flabby mats in the footwell can be lifted to reveal solid floors – as our photos show. If you can turn a blind eye to the over-painted door seals, the doors and the bulkhead/dash are pretty smart and in good condition.

Note also the headlining and trim around the rear sides – it’s all pleasingly intact and presentable. presentable, 

Everything appears to be as solid as can be expected for a 1972 vehicle and we’re not aware of any serious corrosion, although we would advise you to keep an open mind. Cruisers from the first half of the ‘70s are generally believed to be the best at resisting rust, and because this one spent most of its life in dry and dusty Kenya, it has escaped the tin-worm that so many UK examples suffered from. It has also been rust-proofed at some stage, which has no-doubt helped.

There are one or two small oil leaks, notably from the front differential – nothing severe. The leaf springs front and rear are in good shape, without any splaying.

The engine starts beautifully on the key, idles peacefully and responds willingly to the throttle, without any undue smoke from the exhaust. (The rev counter isn’t working, but it’s not essential.) During our photoshoot the engine did begin to run hot, which is presumably due to a sticky thermostat. The owner is planning to investigate next week and replace the thermostat if required.

A large box of papers come with the vehicle describing its colourful past life, including photos, inspection certificates and licence paperwork, and receipts for servicing, mostly in Nairobi. Everything points towards meticulous ownership.

The FJ43 was exported to Kenya when new, and is believed to have worked commercially as a safari vehicle – hence the viewing hatch in the roof – before passing into private ownership. Upon its return to the UK in 2008 it was registered with the DVLA and MOTed with zero advisories, but has had covered less than 100 miles since then. 

The 3.9-litre straight-six petrol is a replacement, and the owner assumes that the odometer reading of 18,526km relates to when this was done, although we can’t be certain.

J40 Land Cruisers are highly prized classics, and FJ43s in particular don’t come up very often. This is quite an early example, dating from before Toyota introduced the J40 to the UK, so it’s loaded with appeal. In April we auctioned two lovely FJ40s which sold for £29,593 and £44,444 – giving you some indication of the potential value here.

Obviously it will need a thorough mechanical going-over, but if you’re after an accessible project that’s oozing patina and feisty go-anywhere character, this will be right up your street. Opportunities to bag a Land Cruiser with such an evocative history don't come up very often. 

Expect to spend hours pouring through its papers, a few days tinkering with its gremlins, and years making memories with it!

We are happy to offer this vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £10,000 - £15,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Rattray, Blairgowrie, Scotland. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.