1971 FJ40 Toyota Landcruiser

Engine - 2F 4.L Petrol
Transmission - Manual
Suspension - Factory
Tyres - Radial Powergaurd
Equipped For - Crusing

Hey Forrest! Thanks for sharing this 71' FJ40 with us. Can you tell us how you got your hands on the car?

Hey! No worries, thanks for having me! I got a phone call from my old man one day while I was at work (I work as an Aircraft engineer) asking if I'd be keen to restore an old 40 that he'd seen for sale on Facebook. I was a bit hesitant because I know how much time these projects can sponge, but I couldn't curb his enthusiasm so we were in town later that day winching it onto a trailer.

What can you share with us about the restoration process? 

The old girl wasn't running initially and all 4 wheels were on a strange angle and facing different directions, the interior didn't really exist and I don't think there were more than a handful of bolts on the truck that were actually torqued up. Luckily there were only a few rust issues, and with a fair bit of mucking around and fresh parts the gearbox, clutch, brakes and engine all ran really well. 

I tried to be methodical about the process, started by going through the axles and hubs so we could at least push the truck around our shed, next we made sure the engine could run and then I went through and did a full rewire and had the seats recovered by a local upholsterer in town.

I had a fair bit of fabrication to do just to get old rusted parts repaired and to make them fit well. I really enjoyed the re-wire and doing more of the fabrication, which dad Isn't a huge fan of so he stuck to mechanical repairs and did a lot of general assemblies. Huge help having my mate Gary spray the paint and making it look mint after a few days of us prepping it together over a few beers. 

We love the soft top! What gave you the idea of going down that path? 

There were a handful of FJ40's that originally came out with a removable canvas cover, this one came up for sale and being pretty rare was a bit of a drawcard for us. Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos with the roof off but it looks unreal! 

Do you have any tips/advice for anyone looking to go down the restoration path with their classic 4x4? 

Was stoked to do it with my Dad, helps a lot having someone to bounce ideas off. You'll need a lot of time, patience and a few $$$. Next time I will be investing in a lift for the shed to save a fair bit of grovelling on the floor. 

Photos by Chris Maunsell

Car Owner Forrest Roberts