Chris Goes Fauxverlanding. 1987 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60

Well I finally bought my dream truck. After exhaustive searching for over a year I had just about declared that an FJ60 was priced too far out of my price range to ever get thanks to Aesthetic-seeking Hipsters like myself. Just as the light of hope was setting on the horizon though, a Savior appeared. While searching for a third-gen 4Runner to replace my XJ, this Red Beauty showed up on FB Marketplace's feed. Priced still a bit higher than I am willing to spend (still early out of school so on a "Student Budget +" at best) I kept my eye on it. Later, I found it posted again on a forum, this time with an asking price that was irresistible. Sure enough, 3 days later this is being towed to my parent's house.

It is far from perfect. Being from the Northeast, it has rust. Less than many that I've seen, but still there for sure. The frame has been spared save for surface sclaing, but there is bubbling on the rear dog legs, one rear wheel well, areas of the rust (it fortunately hasn't made it to the roof rail yet), as well as I'm sure plenty of other areas. The big reason it was towed (as well as not having an open DMV to register it at, thanks to Coronavirus) is that the radiator had a leak on the top flange. Being that this is a dream vehicle of mine and I would like to keep it for a long while, I ordered a Mishimoto unit to replace it and began disassembly yesterday. Forgot to take many pictures but did take the skid plate and fan shroud and put a coat of paint on them while they were out. Not pretty, but effective at sopping the rust building on them.

The rad should be here Tuesday, so hopefully everything goes together about as easily as it came apart. Either way, I can't stop smiling every time I see it, and with the rear seats folded flat I can lie down perfectly straight in the back.

The plans for this are barely a build, and more of an exploration log as modification plans are currently minimal, as well as slow due to the limited budget.

Very cool. I love me some 60-series.

I love a nice FJ60.  I sold mone to a buddy a few years back.  They are super cool trucks.

In reply to pimpm3 (Forum Supporter) :

Man that's clean! I'm hoping after rust repair and a repaint mine can look pretty decent but that's down the road a bit from now.

Cool truck!

Man I love these things! Looking forward to more!

Not much of an update, but got the Mishimoto rad in the truck and it seems to work suspiciously well. Slight coolant weep under pressure from garbage hose clamps but new and proper ones are on order. No pictures during the process as it was messy to work and take pictures, but I did get to take the old pup around the block once done.

Still waiting on the DMV to open so that I can register the truck (no need for inspection as NJ doesn't inspect vehicles older than 1996).

Congrats 

Long time nissan patrol and FJ owner here. We had 60 when new and a 62. Did the 5 speed manual on the 62. Sold it for 35,000$ on BAT to a hipster with a man bun, who probably buys spray dirt to make the truck look dirty. Moved on to 100 and then 200.

love your truck . Parents still have a 60 with 700k miles on it. 
 

hopefully you join us at Ih8mud - best forum for Toyotas 

following 

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

I actually have an account on mud! I found the truck on a listing there in fact. Frankly I should also be posting this there, I just get lazy. Maybe later tonight I can do it. I get slightly intimidated by the builds there, as this is basically just a journal. Here I feel less bad about it because I know this forum is super supportive of every kind of "build" thread and the community is the best I've found in a forum. But, I should give Mud a fair chance too.

In reply to Sk1dmark (Forum Supporter) :

Been on mud almost 21 years. People there are supportive and helpful. Glad to see the truck stay in the mud family 

I have not before seen the term Fauxverlanding.  I love it! 

In reply to Sk1dmark (Forum Supporter) :

Feel free to link to this thread in your Mud posting. Maybe that will help to set a tone. 

John Welsh (Forum Supporter) said:

I have not before seen the term Fauxverlanding.  I love it! 

I'll be honest I stole it. I took it from a group on Instagram called Average Squad who used to sell these stickers:

I have picked up these for every 4wd vehicle I've owned, this one included. It just seems perfect for the level of commitment I have, haha! Mostly taking this on small trips rather than crossing the Northwest Passage or something.

I need to get me one of those Fauxverlanding decals for my truck.

I've got an FZJ80 myself. Honestly, it's really not for me. The one thing that a LandCruiser does exceptionally well is off road. The one thing I do not do is off road. 

It's reliable and sturdy and everything you'd want in a Toyota. But living with it for daily driver usage and never using it off road really isn't that awesome. It's expensive as berkeley for the miles traveled. I think if I'm honest with myself, the only reason I haven't sold it and moved on to something else is pure vanity. Dudes worship my truck and middle age soccer moms look at me like I'm some sort of most interesting man in the world character.

Not to rain on your awesome FJ60 parade because 60s are rightous. Just rambling that my lifelong desire for a Cruiser has kind of been a let down. Don't pay any attention to me.

In reply to Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) :

So in essence,  pooty tang 

Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) said:

I need to get me one of those Fauxverlanding decals for my truck.

I've got an FZJ80 myself. Honestly, it's really not for me. The one thing that a LandCruiser does exceptionally well is off road. The one thing I do not do is off road. 

Fellow FZJ80 owner here... and you just totally described my feelings about it. It'll be for sale soon.

To the OP: Bitchin' 60!

Owner of the highest mileage Land Cruiser on here. 432k miles.

Though mine is a UZJ100 and I will likely upgrade to a 200 when the time comes to replace it.

My upgrades are just 285/75r16's. My only issue is gas mileage, also the horn broke so I had to wire one to a button on the dash.

Honestly that's one of my bigger fears. There's been a few cars that came and went quickly just because the reality didn't live up to the dream (Fox Body Mustang was a big one, Focus SVT (still for sale actually, hard to find a buyer), and a 1st gen 4Runner) so I'm hoping that once this is on the road the good quirkiness combined with the very much not daily driver status will keep me from having buyer's (and subsequently seller's) remorse over the thing. Let's hope the phrase "don't meet your heroes" is just a phrase!

As far as getting the fauzverland stickers, they don't sell them anymore but I messaged them on Instagram and they were gracious enough to give me some with an order I was making anyway. Possibly if enough people message them they'll print a full new run and more people can get in on it!

Good friend has a 80 series that's all built out.  Bumpers, rack, big wheels/tires etc.  Maybe he takes it off road a few times a year and nothing that my old GX470 that was basically stock couldn't handle.  Building it is his hobby, I get that, but I still tease him about how good it looks fording that trickle of water going into the Starbucks drive thru and how he's ruined it for the 99.5% of how he really uses it daily.

docwyte said:

Good friend has a 80 series that's all built out.  Bumpers, rack, big wheels/tires etc.  Maybe he takes it off road a few times a year and nothing that my old GX470 that was basically stock couldn't handle.  Building it is his hobby, I get that, but I still tease him about how good it looks fording that trickle of water going into the Starbucks drive thru and how he's ruined it for the 99.5% of how he really uses it daily.

You just described most of the people who own them, but I get it. I've lowered and exhausted and intaked and ruined otherwise excellent daily-driven cars without any intention of competitive use. It happens. My FZJ80 is stock other than OME suspension and 285 KO2s and I still feel like a poser in it. Ha.

Powar (Forum Supporter) said:

docwyte said:

Good friend has a 80 series that's all built out.  Bumpers, rack, big wheels/tires etc.  Maybe he takes it off road a few times a year and nothing that my old GX470 that was basically stock couldn't handle.  Building it is his hobby, I get that, but I still tease him about how good it looks fording that trickle of water going into the Starbucks drive thru and how he's ruined it for the 99.5% of how he really uses it daily.

You just described most of the people who own them, but I get it. I've lowered and exhausted and intaked and ruined otherwise excellent daily-driven cars without any intention of competitive use. It happens. My FZJ80 is stock other than OME suspension and 285 KO2s and I still feel like a poser in it. Ha.

I will say a former coworker took his 80 offroad a lot, but it was where most stock 80's could have gone. His was an 80 with the ARB catalog thrown at it, Air lockers/bumpers/winch/jerrycan holders/roof rack/storage slider/35's. He also had a restored FJ45 for nice days and a Supercharged TRD Pro Tundra that he was using as his daily while he was restoring the 80(electrical and full drivetrain refresh).

In reply to MrChaos :

That's my friends truck.  Winch, bumpers, rack, 37's I think, suspension, lockers, etc, etc.  Gotta make sure you're gonna make it across the sprinkler stream at the Starbuck's drive thru!

I've certainly ruined my fair share of cars for daily use by turning them into track cars.  I've walked a very careful OEM+ line with my 911 to try and keep that from happening.

I drove my FJ60 all over Alaska for several years and knew that thing inside and out. Never ever left me stranded (came close a couple times though haha)

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/trips-adventures-and-get-togethers/crankwalk-explores-alaska-general/109109/page1/

Have fun with it! I'll be following along. 

docwyte said:

In reply to MrChaos :

That's my friends truck.  Winch, bumpers, rack, 37's I think, suspension, lockers, etc, etc.  Gotta make sure you're gonna make it across the sprinkler stream at the Starbuck's drive thru!

I've certainly ruined my fair share of cars for daily use by turning them into track cars.  I've walked a very careful OEM+ line with my 911 to try and keep that from happening.

i wont lie, I have been looking at 2020 Land Cruiser Herritage editions, but $90k

I know it's not a Land Cruiser, but it was the Land Cruiser I could afford; The Sumo, Montero. 

I need to make up some sort of Fauxverlanding sticker for it. Currently, it seems to need front shocks and tires are getting worn.  That's bringing me to the point of deciding if I want to make it less "road-going". 

A slight lift, some slightly bigger/more aggressive tires, and a roof basket would make this pretty butch.