1976 Toyota LAND CRUISER FJ45 Pick-Up

The first thing to note about this 1976 FJ45 - apart from the gorgeous colour - is the John Barwell Toyota dealer sticker in the rear window. Yes; this was a UK-supplied Land Cruiser.

‘That’s quite unusual,’ notes owner David, who bought the car in 2014. ‘And it’s the pick-up of course - and there are fewer of those too.’

Almost as soon as he bought it, David began a programme of rebuilding; a process which he documented with a full photographic record. 

‘It’s had a full, body-off nut-and-bolt restoration,’ he explains. ‘No big names; but [good] local restorers. It was repainted in its original Toyota colour.’

Since that time, David has been using it as an aside to his tree surgeon consultancy work; ‘I’ve mainly used it to collect fire wood,’ he says. With that and other trips - including driving it from Dorking to us in Abingdon - the FJ has done about 4000 miles. That emphasises a point which (to put it delicately) not all Land Cruisers of this era share… ‘It drives well,’ he says emphatically - if in that slightly rough and ready manner that four by fours of this period do!

So, even before we start looking round this truck, we know it has a lot going for it.

Please use this link to watch a delightful YouTube video David has had taken of his FJ45 in its home environment https://youtu.be/Ye4KIYMb9DY.

By any standards, this is a good-looking truck. It maintains just the right amount of gloss-to-scuffs patina for a work-horse pick-up. Looking at it from ten paces or so, you are struck by how straight the vehicle appears - not an easy achievement for one of these - especially the pick-up. Doors and bonnet line up very nicely with the body (I’m not even sure they were meant to when new) and panel gaps - there are a fair few joins on these - are clean and even. Those big hinges and the mirror mounts are secured by clean bolts and mounted onto strong, un-warped metal. As already mentioned, the truck was repainted in 2015 and retains a very good gloss and finish. Going around it, you will find the odd tiny rust spot, or very small areas of surface corrosion, but nothing threatens to go deeper or in any way upset the structure. Serious viewers are more likely to say; ‘I get it - it fits the whole vibe (not wanting it to sound like it’s an installation art piece). It feels authentic.

The rear tub looks a little more scuffed (generally light,clean battle scars) and the wheel arch covers are a bit hammered - it has been carrying logs remember. But again, the reaction is likely to be; yes, just how it should be. By the way, the rear deck floor comes from a Land Rover 110 High Capacity.

All the over-centre catches are very clean and smooth operating, and what little chrome there is, is good, with some light pitting. Badges are new, but that distinctive grill is original and in good shape - no cracks. And those big headlights have LED bulbs in them - great on those forest tracks.

Behind the wheel of this Toyota is a good place to sit and enjoy the view. One of the great things is just how straight the interior fittings are - door cards, sun visors, as well as other bits that absolutely no one knows the name of. (Sometimes the interior of restored 4x4s can be a disappointment). There is no sign of damp or heat induced warping, and edges and corners remain true. All instruments and knobs are present and correct, while the (restored) minimal dash panel has unfaded orange needles in instruments that work. The radio and speaker are original - and again, both work. How rare is that?

Heater hoses and vents, gear stick gaiters and pedal rubbers all retain that cared-for, feel-good factor and look good for years to come. Door seals are pretty new and similarly good. The one under the passenger door has come a little out of place and there is a little surface corrosion there. There is also a tiny bit under the rubber floor mats, but nothing that should worry any new owner.

The inside of the roof is clean (headlining - what headlining?) and the seats in fine fettle. The passenger bench was recovered at the time of the restoration and, like all the interior vinyl, retains a good colour. The interior chrome is good and the big, utilitarian steering wheel clean with boss and horn features retained/restored.

One of the great thing about this is era of four-by-fours is that you can see most of the parts - what you see is largely what you get, and the underside inspires confidence.

‘The original chassis was too rotten,’ David says. ‘So we got a very good condition second-hand one - though it still wears the truck’s original VIN plate..’ The new chassis was shot-blasted and powder coated; ‘with the same stuff used on council gritting lorries,’ he also points out. The thick chassis rails and members look strong (and still well coated).

All appendages welded to or hanging off them are in similarly good order. Dumb irons/out-riggers are good (front bumper is new) and spring hangers strong and solid. The leaf springs themselves look in good nick (a little surface corrosion here and there) and there are no signs of leaks from the dampers.

Suspension components - rods, arms, track rod ends, etc. all looks good. Understandably, there is surface corrosion in places, but it is superficial and all components look highly serviceable.

Moving up into the engine bay, the big six-pot four-litre looks to be in good shape. (That motor tips a nod to the Jeep American Motors straight six, and is equally unburstable. Like the rest of the vehicle, the under-bonnet space has that kind of easy-going yet vigilant vibe. The odd bit of surface rust in tiny places, but everything - including some very delicate wiring - correct and in its place.

The engine was not overly rebuilt during the restoration, but has been carefully and regularly maintained. That isn’t to say it hasn’t had its share of upgrades. It boasts electronic ignition, an electric fan and a new sump. It also breaths better through a Weber carburettor upgrade - improving both performance and fuel economy according to David. At the other end of the combustion cycle, the FJ has been treated to a stainless steel exhaust. (The fuel tank is also stainless, though uses the original filler cap).

This truck has been used by Dave for his business, verification of its integrity in itself. Dave then drove it over 70 miles to our HQ. Solid stuff, but let's add our own test drive feelings: we have driven a number of FJ40's, mainly examples of the recent influx of far-eastern imports, and we can categorically say that this truck is chalk'n'cheese better as a driving experience than even the best one we have driven before - no exageration. Almost as if it was a different vehicle.

The big highlight, of course, is that restoration back in 2015. There is a comprehensive photographic record showing the truck’s transformation, and against which we can check its ‘health’, as well as sundry invoices to show its upkeep over the 4000 miles since it came out of the workshops. It’s a simple wagon requiring simple maintenance, so no need to go looking for big, intricate invoices - most jobs on these need little more than a couple of wrenches and a hammer (preferably large). Oh - and did you notice by the way; the Toyota retains its original tool kit (in its pouch) and jack. Further evidence that this truck’s owners have been careful to keep it all together.

As we’ve already said; this kind of a truck is largely what you see is what you get. There are small ‘faults’ but nothing to detract from its usefulness, its appearance (given the rugged workhorse stance) nor its value. It’s tidy - very tidy. Plus, it’s an original UK car and, unlike quite a few of these, drives well too. And that engine is tank-like.

4x4s of this period have strengthened considerably in value over the last few years. Also - as ephemeral as it might seem - they have started to appear in all sorts of ‘lifestyle’ roles and ad campaigns.

Neat-looking FJ station wagons can sit in the upper teens, with the best achieving well into the twenties, and the pick-up is quite a rare beast, so be prepared to pay for the privilege of picking up this one. We expect this gorgeous example to sell for between £19,000 - £28,000, but please remember that the final purchase will include VAT, so if you are fortunate enough to be VAT registered, you should be entitled to claim that element back, possibly making this truck a very smart buy indeed……….

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abindgon; to arrange an appointment 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, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.