1966 Toyota Land Cruiser

LV Wagon

Manual

FJ45-24461

Clear

Gasoline

Few off-road vehicles are as legendary or have as dedicated a following as Toyota’s venerable (and virtually indestructible) Land Cruiser. While the most recognizable and well-known classic Land Cruiser is the FJ40, this is an extremely rare vintage Land Cruiser, considered the “Holy Grail” for serious Land Cruiser collectors. The Toyota Land Cruiser FJ45 LV wagon was produced from 1963-67 and estimates are that of the 5,000 produced, only 1,000 of them were imported into the United States. While Toyota assembled the running gear and chassis for these rare vehicles, an outside coachbuilder, Gifu Auto Body Industry Company, constructed the LV’s special body. Considering fifty years of attrition, it is easy to understand why most people have never even seen an FJ45 LV in person. Given their scarcity, a restored FJ45 LV recently sold at a Meacum auction for $180k, as compared to the pre-auction estimate of $140k-$160k. After years of searching, in 2014 a friend stumbled across an ad for this Land Cruiser which was located in Chico, CA. While much of the body still has its original paint, a previous owner had removed the paint from the fenders, aprons and hood and left it parked outside in the elements where it fell into disrepair. Although the vehicle was not running and despite not having seen the vehicle in person, I took a gamble and purchased the truck. I had it shipped across the country and some friends and I embarked on a mission to get this classic into road-worthy condition. When it arrived, I found that a previous owner upgraded the front axle to disc brakes, added Aisin hubs, and installed a 60 series brake booster and master cylinder. For easier driving, a previous owner had installed a Saginaw power steering pump and box. To replace the original tailgate (which is in really rough shape), a previous owner had thankfully purchased and stored in the rear of the wagon the tailgate shown in the photos. Within a few weeks of delivery and after taking all the necessary precautions and preparations, with a fresh battery and fuel, some friends and I got the engine started up and the truck idled surprisingly well. In getting the truck road-worthy, all the fluids were changed; the fuel tank was professionally boiled, sealed and painted; the radiator was professionally cleaned, pressure tested and painted; a new exhaust and muffler were professionally installed; new glass in the liftgate was purchased and installed; the rear driveshaft was professionally re-tubed and balanced; and keys were cut to fit the door and tailgate. I purchased and installed an ignition switch, water pump, thermostat, hoses, temperature sender, air filter, radiator overflow bottle, battery cables, fuse box, seatbelts, spark plug wires, valve cover gasket, Sunpro tachometer, clutch master and slave cylinders, rear pinion seal, brake soft lines and new cylinders in the rear drum brakes. I had the rear brake drums turned and rebuilt the parking brake. The replacement tailgate is temporarily installed. A compression check of the motor showed that all cylinders were between 140 and 155.I spent countless hours tracking down a period correct carburetor, a second row seat, period correct horns and steering wheel parts needed for them to function, and a vacuum line for the distributor. A previous owner had installed a lift on the truck and I purchased five new factory wheels from Toyota and five new BFG 33 x 10.50 x 15s to replace what came on the truck. To finish the look, I tracked down period correct reproduction hubcaps. As I couldn’t stand the surface rust, I had the hood, fenders and aprons blasted and primed and was planning to fauxtina them and the tailgate to mimic in the truck’s patina.The vehicle is very sound in regards to all the mechanical aspects. The original motor runs well, it has a comfortable ride, and it stops straight. Using GPS to verify speed, the truck runs 70 mph at 3k RPM and easily goes 65 mph on the local interstates. All electrical, the factory PTO winch and four wheel drive work. The truck still has the original “three on the tree” shifter and can be converted to a floor shifter. What it needs most is to have the front two thirds of the floor repaired or replaced.Since being in road worthy condition, I’ve taken it not only all around town but on several trips including a 400-mile+ round trip to the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee where it logged dozens of miles on forestry roads. Thankfully, I didn’t need the winch as both high and low 4WD worked well.Included but not shown are additional parts including but not limited to a Petronix electronic ignition conversion kit and Flamethrower coil, the original hood spear, and an early chrome FJ55 driver side mirror.The main reasons I am selling the vehicle is that my family prefers my 1977 FJ40 and I only have room in the garage for one Land Cruiser. Although this vehicle is road worthy and fun to drive, at the winning bidder's expense, I am willing to assist in having the vehicle shipped. I highly recommend contacting Aaron Frost with Summit Auto Transport for a cost estimate. For more photos, visit my album on Photobucket. (Try cutting and pasting this link into your browser: http://s626.photobucket.com/user/FJinTegaCay/library/1966%20Toyota%20FJ45%20LV ) Please contact me with questions or requests for additional specific photos. If you're looking to replicate the Meacum auction results, this is a great candidate for a full restoration but it is also fun and capable to drive as is.