Associate Editor Reese Counts brings a 1981 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ43 to the office and takes it out on the road. The retro Land Cruiser is heavily upfitted by the FJ Company which includes a 4-liter V6 engine that makes 240 horsepower, an iPad center console, and a backup camera. Read the full the story at autoblog.com
TranscriptREESE COUNTS: Hi, everybody. Reese Counts with Autoblog. Today, we are here with a 1981 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ43. But this just isn't any Land Cruiser. This has been up-fitted by the FJ company. This is their top-of-the-line signature model. Starts at about $200,000. Now, that sounds like a lot for an old FJ, but this has been completely reworked. In that, you get rid of the old in-line six and you get a modern Toyota power plant with custom electronic fuel injection.
So you've got these cool, like, pull latches on the side, but there's an actual hood latch under here. Ta-da. Look at this nice, like, carbon fiber engine cover. But this is a 4-liter V6 making 240 horsepower. It's the same one you'll find in the current Toyota Forerunner. You'll find it in the [INAUDIBLE] Land Cruiser Prado. It really gives this, like, a modern character. It drives well. It doesn't ever feel gutless. It makes it really nice for a nearly 40-year-old car.
It's also got Forerunner brakes. It's got that big worn winch. The suspension-- if you can look under here, it's got Fox shocks and Old Man Emu's suspension. Then there's, like, the little details, like the mirrors are machined aluminum. Lot of stuff inside we can point out later is machined aluminum, as well. Now, it's got a custom soft top that fits it really well. It's been raining and snowing, and there's no leaks inside.
Big spare out here. Big oil can. It's even got a backup camera. This thing's pretty awesome. We're gonna show you the back because it's quite a little process to get in. So you turn that handle, turn that one, opens this side. Then you get down here, you pull that off, then you open the spare tire. Now there's another latch right here inside. Michael, if you can get over here. You lift up, and then there's one up here that you fold up.
Now, the back seat has got these two bench backs. Pull the strap over. They go down, and you've got three more seats on either side. Another cool thing-- there's a custom leather tool bag that matches the rest of the car. Let's fire it up.
[CAR REVS]
This is their top-of-the-line signature model. And with that, you get a lot of high-end bits. Start with stuff like the door window cranks and the door handles. Those are both machined aluminum, as is the shifter for the four-wheel drive and the transmission. Really, really nice pieces. They feel very, like, robust and sturdy, but they have that retro look. Nothing looks overdone. It's just a lot of high-end touches.
The same goes for all the switch gear. You've got windshield wipers, lights, hazards, and so on and so forth. Under here, under this nice plate, we have-- if I can get it open-- the air locker for the front and rear, and then the air compressor. It's really nice, really handy. Keep you from getting out. Lots of nice leather around, including on these heated RECARO seats. Leather-wrapped steering [INAUDIBLE] boots.
But there's an iPad under here, which is super nice. You can play a bunch of stuff. It's even got air conditioning and heat, though I will say, it's not the greatest thing in this Michigan weather. It's got a backup camera. It's got a new instrument cluster. I mean, it's expensive, but there's a lot of high-end touches here.
Old cars are charming, but they are not the best to drive. This one actually drives like a modern vehicle. That's due to a few things. It's got modern Forerunner brakes. It's got an engine out of a Forerunner, and a relatively modern Toyota five-speed. So it drives, shifts, and like, has the power and brakes of a modern car, which is really nice because this is kind of a tall, big, heavy thing.
The suspension is all modern. It's offroad stuff, so it's a bit wallow-y and can be a bit stiff, but it's not bad. Fox shocks, Old Man Emu, a lot of nice stuff. Steering is power-assisted, but predictably sloppy. There's a lot of play right here. But you know, it's just fun. I wish it wasn't winter. Pull the soft top off. But god, it's just cool.
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