’70 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ-44
RESTORED & ENHANCED
The Finished Product
In the end, the project was a massive success. We went above and beyond to meet our customer’s expectations, ensuring every desired feature was of the highest quality. Our final test, putting over 300 miles on the vehicle, confirmed that our work was completed and the cruiser was ready to go. Our customer can now enjoy their Nantucket Land Cruiser to the fullest, and it was bittersweet to part with it. The hardest part of any job is always letting it go!
VEHICLE OPTIONS
| Custom Chevrolet V8 and Auto Transmission | 4 Barrel Performance Carburetor | Aluminum Radiator |
| Aqualu Half Doors | Factory Disc Brake Conversion Front Axle w/ Aftermarket Rear Disc Swap | Custom Front Bumper w/ Warn 8247 Winch |
| Custom Rear Bumper Tire Carrier w/ Yeti Cooler Mount | 33″ BFG All-Terrain Tires With 17″ American Racing Wheels | OME 2.5″ Suspension Lift |
| Undercoated Frame | GM Saginaw Power Steering | Ididit Steering Column w/ Custom Wheel |
| Custom Marine Stereo System | Custom Interior w/ Roll Cage | Custom Safari Top |
| Color Matched Raptor Spray On Interior Floor Liner & Under-Fenders | Sherwin-Williams Beige Exterior | Tuffy Security Console |
Custom Chevrolet V8 and Auto Transmission
4 Barrel Performance Carburetor
Aluminum Radiator
Aqualu Half Doors
Factory Disc Brake Conversion Front Axle w/ Aftermarket Rear Disc Swap
Custom Front Bumper w/ Warn 8247 Winch
Custom Rear Bumper Tire Carrier w/ Yeti Cooler Mount
33″ BFG All-Terrain Tires With 17″ American Racing Wheels
OME 2.5″ Suspension Lift
Undercoated Frame
GM Saginaw Power Steering
Ididit Steering Column w/ Custom Wheel
Custom Marine Stereo System
Custom Interior w/ Roll Cage
Custom Safari Top
Color Matched Raptor Spray On Interior Floor Liner & Under-Fenders
Sherwin-Williams Beige Exterior
Tuffy Security Console
The Backstory
Starting From Square One
This vehicle started off its life as two Land Cruisers. We believe the trucks originally were a 1970 Toyota FJ-40 and 75-78 FJ-40 from body panel stamping and accessories. We started the build in the spring/winter of 2018 and completed the build in six months with all hands on deck. The vehicle came into the shop already stretched and modified, but most of the work was done poorly and needed to be redone.
Bodywork & Rust Repair
Bodywork and rust repair was job one. We did not take the body completely down to metal as we usually do, as time and budget were sensitive. Aqualu aluminum doors were added to the build since the customer was looking for them, along with a roll-bar to accommodate a full bikini top for the Nantucket beaches.
Prep & Paint
The interior was sanded, re-seamed, sealed, and Raptor lined for a durable finish. For the doors, we used custom Aqualu aluminum half doors on both the front and rear. The owner had really liked the color of one of our previous projects that we restored (Dales FJ) and we went ahead with the custom beige tan that we offer for our builds. The color is very similar to the factory tan that Toyota offered on these Land Cruisers. We use Sherwin Williams basecoats, Clearcoats & undercoats on all of our projects. The interior of the vehicle was also color matched with Raptor Liner for extra added durability and a clean look!
Steering & Suspension
The axles, as well as the steering and braking systems, got rebuilt from the ground up. The vehicle has Saginaw power steering, which is an excellent accessory for any Land Cruiser. Another cool feature this vehicle has is disc brakes, providing extra precision. The vehicle came in with a spring-over lift kit with 36″ Super Swampers. Both were removed and replaced with a 2.5″ OME suspension lift and 33″ BFG All Terrains on American racing wheels. We added an upgraded Ididit steering column and a custom wheel for comfort. The original steering columns didn’t tilt.
Engine Servicing
The pre-existing engine in the vehicle was a 5.7L 350 V8 crate engine mated to an automatic transmission. Both of these were serviced, to bring them up to par with the rest of the restoration. The V8 is a nice custom touch over the stock straight six. We custom-made a brand new wiring harness for the vehicle, as suppliers do not produce a direct replacement harness.
Interior & Accessories
We accommodated factory Toyota front seats for the first and second row of seating with factory jump seats in the back. We added a middle seat in the second row from a Land Rover SUV.
