Edmunds CarPool

Vehicle: 1985 Toyota Land Cruiser
Trim Level/Options: FJ60 - 2F Gasoline Engine with four-speed manual transmission
Purchase Price: $ 4,000
Current Edmunds TMV: N/A
Modifications: OME Suspension Package w/ Anti-Inversion Shackles; 33-inch BFG All Terrain tires, ARB Bull Bar with winch; Upgraded  85/100 Headlamps; Hella FF100 Driving Lights; Heavy Duty Centerforce Clutch; Aussie Locker (for the rear diff); 200-amp Delco Alternator; tons of cheapo tinker mods.
Other Currently Owned Vehicles: 2003 Subaru Outback Sport, 1982 Mercedes-Benz 300 TD, 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL, 2008 Kawasaki KLR 650
Previous Vehicles Owned: 1995 Honda Civic Sedan, 1981 Chevrolet El Camino, 1951 Chevrolet 3100 Pickup, 1973 Volvo P-1800 ES, 1995 Nissan Sentra sedan, 1970 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, 1974 Vespa Rally 200

So here's the "Beast", the "60", the "Cruiser" or even "Courvoisier." But mostly, it ends up being called "The Truck," even if it doesn't have a bed on the back.

The first time I got to know these rigs is through a college classmate. He had a 1989 FJ62 that he used as a surf wagon. I liked its interior space, cargo capacity, visibility and tailgate. After many years of driving and tens of thousands of miles, he ended up seizing the engine. It turned out he was checking the tranny fluid level all along, thinking that it was the engine oil level. All that time it never got an oil change or a top-off, and eventually...UGH. Yes, it was a tragedy due to gross neglect. But to me, it was also representative of the FJ's extreme durability.

Another classmate, this one from high school, was (and still is) really into Rovers. He took me along on a few wheeling trips. The challenge, the terrain, and the group of guys I met were all great -- but I didn't warm up to their Rovers; those things are definitely a labor of love. I wanted something that could get me anywhere I wanted to go, but not catch on fire due to dodgy electronics.

Around that time I had my '51 Chevy. I knew it inside out, and its industrial inline-6 was heavenly simple. The 216 and 235 were the first motors I really messed with. It seemed that anything could be fixed with a half-inch wrench and a trip to the hardware store. On the downside, it had stock gearing, was unsafe at modern highway speeds, and the bench seat got really uncomfortable as the miles ticked away.

In the end, my desire for the practicality and usefulness of the pickup, added modern cush, real off-road capability and solid reliability led me to getting an FJ. 

The fact that they had a very similar inline-6 was a bonus, and although the earlier versions ('81-'87) were carbureted, they had four-speed manuals, and I preferred that to the gutless automatics that the later ('88-'90) fuel-injected FJs had. Also, I'm a sucker for round headlamps -- so FJ60 it was.

Amazingly, I found a guy 3 miles from me that had one for sale. I did a quick CARFAX, and found that it had lived it whole life in Southern California. Upon arrival and inspection, the underpinnings looked great and weren't abused. It had a few scratches, but the body was straight and bondo-free. The cabin was clean, too. Yeah, the guy had done a ton of work on it in the last 6 months to get it to pass smog, but I didn't see this as an issue. That was less money I'd have to spend eventually. Right?

So I made an offer, and he accepted. I told myself (and my wife) that if I didn't fall in love with it, I'd be able to flip it easily and make some cash.

That was 5 years ago.

Since then, it's been a daily commuter, acted as a camera car for Edmunds, and helped friends move. It's gone all over California, from the Salton Sea to the ghost town of Bodie. Some trails are harder than others, but mostly I stay off the big rocks. It's not a custom crawling buggy -- think of it more as an extreme dog hauler.

John Adolph, Senior Video Specialist