Highly sought after classic SUV in fantastic overall condition
Imported from the dry climate of Australia
Just 12,856 kilometres indicated which the vendor believes to be accurate
Desirable diesel engined, four-speed, fully switchable four-wheel drive model
Fitted twin ‘ambulance’ rear doors from new
Very useable, with six seats and ample load space
Electric power steering recently fitted
All new springs, dampers and poly bushes - ‘Old Man Emu’ 2” lift kit fitted
History file covering maintenance and improvements in Australia and UK
Just issued fresh MOT with 0 advisories Until May 2024
Historic vehicle so LEZ and ULEZ zones exempt, MOT and tax exempt
THE APPEAL
The Toyota Land Cruiser needs no introduction. The 40 Series model ran from 1960 to 1984 -
proof positive of a brilliant design, executed particularly well. Born out of a plan to copy the success of the Jeep and the Land Rover, the Land Cruiser was built to Toyota’s exacting engineering and manufacturing standards. In Australia it is said that: “If you want to go into the outback - and most importantly - get back out again, you had better take a Land
Cruiser”.
This nicely preserved BJ40 is in great condition with history that includes ownership and work carried out in Australia and in the UK, where it arrived in 2007. Very little used in the UK - just 5,400 miles since import, the Land Cruiser has been refinished well in a correct Toyota red. Offered by an experienced classic racer and restorer due to lack of time to use it in their busy racing calendar, the BJ40 has already been warmly welcomed at classic car events and is an excellent and highly distinctive introduction to the thriving UK classic car community.IMG_2186.JPG4.58 MB
THE HISTORY AND PAPERWORK
First registered in UK on 23rd August 2007
Correctly registered with DVLA as an Historic Vehicle
MOT Until May 2024
All MOT certificates since import present
The vendor informs us that it has covered around 5,400 miles (approximately 8,700 kilometres) since imported from Australia in 2007
Substantial history file covering servicing and maintenance work, including servicing carried out by the current owner
Spent most of its life in the dry climate of Australia prior to being imported to the UK
Freshly retrimmed interior with ‘comfort’ cloth front seats
All gauges reportedly work well
Interior in very good condition including all correct factory plaques
Rear seats retrimmed in correct black vinyl
The original jack with its handles plus a wheel brace is correctly stowed in the vehicle.
The BJ40 is highly capable on or off road, but the interior is also built for comfort, with seating for
six and an efficient heater.
The interior of this example is in very good condition, with only a light patina of age. The original dark grey dashboard is in very good condition, with no obvious marks or deterioration, and is complete right down to the collection of factory metal instruction plaques and stickers. All instruments, and switches are said to work well, as does the efficient heater with defroster/demister.
The front seats are retrimmed replacements from a later Toyota. Covered in a hardwearing light blue velour material; they have headrests, are fully reclining and adjustable fore and aft, the driver’s seat also has height and lumbar adjustment. The rear side-facing fold-down seats are newly re-covered in durable black vinyl in the correct period pattern. The floors are covered in the original tough Toyota rubber mat to the front and a new rubber mat is fitted in the rear.
The roof and upper body is fully removable and the windscreen folds down to provide an unrivalled ‘wind in the hair’ convertible experience.
Chassis and underbody appear very sound with no evidence of previous repairs or indeed any required now
Fibreglass hardtop roof and structure in good condition
Full towing equipment with very strong towbar and functioning trailer electrics
The Land Cruiser may have been designed with function leading form but it is nonetheless an icon, as distinctive as an E-Type and as impactful on the world of rugged motoring as a Beetle. There are a very few stone chips to the red finish but no corrosion visible. The paint is good and glossy all over the vehicle and shows little fading considering its red colour. There is one mild soft crease, with no paint damage, to the driver’s side rear body, only visible on close inspection.
All the wings have rubber extensions to cover the larger wheels and tyres - all in good condition. The Weller-style steel painted wheels are in good condition and shod with all matching recently fitted 33 X 12.50 R 15 inch B F Goodrich Mud Terrain tyres.
The structure was steam cleaned recently and shows only a little surface staining, the chassis members are all very sound and have been repainted; some Australian mud is still present underneath! The underside looks in very good, solid condition. Also it has Just been issued a fresh MOT with 0 advisories Until May 2024. It has not needed any welding or other structural repairs in its life so far, and none are needed now.
Electric power steering recently fitted - making the vehicle more usable
Dependable 3.0-litre ‘B-series’ 4 cylinder non-turbo Toyota diesel engine
Four-speed manual gearbox
High and low range two and four-wheel drive
Warn freewheeling front hubs fitted
New battery fitted recently
New aluminium radiator fitted
New water pump and thermostat recently fitted
The vendor states that the engine starts instantly and runs well, remaining cool regardless of outside temperature
Recent comprehensive service which included:
Fluid service with fresh high quality oils and filters all round
New brake shoes and all brake cylinders, brake fluid changed
All grease points attended to, steering box and idler adjusted and lubricated
Good solid exhaust fitted
The Land Cruiser was built for worldwide use so had to be simple and very reliable. Those characteristics make buying one an attractive proposition. The B Series non-turbo engine and four-speed manual gearbox are well known for their durability and fuel economy, which is very good for a rugged vehicle.
The BJ40 comes with a thick history file of receipts plus a handwritten notebook of all works, detailing ongoing servicing and maintenance, including from its time in Australia.
Works include a full ‘Old Man Emu’ (amongst the most highly regarded) spring and damper kit giving a 1.5 inch lift at the front and a 2.25 inch lift at the rear. A new steering damper from Old Man Emu was fitted at the same time and all the bushes have been uprated to polyurethane. All the track rod ends have been replaced, and the idler arm box overhauled and it and the steering box have been re-lubricated and adjusted during the recent service.
There are no advisories on the recent MOT tested on May 2023. The previous MOT expired in December 2020 but the vehicle is LEZ, ULEZ, tax and MOT exempt and has covered less than 900 miles since. There were no advisories on that MOT.
The Land Cruiser was designed with a very serious purpose in mind, one that it fulfilled so well
that it has become an icon of off road motoring and is very well served by parts suppliers, including Toyota.
This BJ40 has a good history and a thick maintenance file. It needs nothing and has been enjoyed by the seller who is sad to see it go but needs to free up space and time for his racing activities.
It is a great, fun vehicle that is also immensely practical for towing and off-road activities and it does draw attention from classic enthusiasts and the general public.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*
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