1985 Toyota 73 Series Landcruiser
1985 Toyota 73 Series
Engine - 2H
Transmission - Manual H55F 5 Speed
Suspension - 2 Inch
Tyres - Maxxs Big Horns
Equipped For -Daily/ Weekender
Kelsey, what’s the story of getting your hands on this 73 Series?
My partner had an '02 Hilux that we loved building and taking on trips, I quickly became addicted to the fun of mucking around working on cars, making it better for the next trip and so on. After he sold that I knew I needed my own 4x4 so I came across the Middy, fell in love straight away and the rest is history.
How much work has gone into it since owning it?
The Middy was barely drivable when I took it home, the paint was chalky, the wiring was totally haywire and the previous owner's backyard mechanics made it interesting. Now it’s a completely different car, since it’s my daily it had to be comfortable so throwing in the XR6 seats, sound deadening and vinyl was non-negotiable. Besides that, and around 200hrs of mechanical work, I've tried to keep it as original as possible, restoring its 80's charm rather than turning it into something super modern and flash.
553744 KM
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553744 KM -
Do you get questions and offers to buy the car on a regular basis?
All the time. I can't count the number of times I've been approached in car parks or been called out to while stopped at a red light. Not a bad little ego boost haha. The 73/74 series community is really good, since it's such a rare model vehicle we all band together to figure things out since there is such little info available, so having the 2H swap I get contacted by Fj73 owners all the time.
What do you love most about the 73?
I love where it’s taken me: there are a lot of things I wouldn’t have seen, people I wouldn't have met and knowledge I wouldn’t have if I didn't own the Middy... and the factory electric windows are also a pretty big flex.
Do you have any future plans for the 73?
I'm currently on the fence about keeping the old girl or not, being a uni student and owning a 37-year-old car don’t really mix, unfortunately. But if I do keep it, I'd love to learn how to rebuild an engine and rebuilding a 2H is the perfect place to start. Putting a custom set up in the back to make the most of the space in there with the roll cage would be pretty sweet too.
“So having a 2H swap I get contacted by FJ73 owners all the time”
Photos by Belinda Van Zanen