Something old, something new. Toyota’s Land Cruiser – like rival the Land Rover – is an off-road legend. It has been around since – well – almost forever. In the days when four-wheel drives first blossomed out into the private sector, the ‘shorty’ FJ40 had a cult following. The long wheelbase ‘Cruiser arrived in the late 1960s to broaden the range and add family appeal but things really took off with the debut of the 60 series in 1980.
While it retained the rugged off-road characteristics of previous Land Cruisers, the 60 was designed to better compete in the emerging sport utility vehicle market. The 60 was given a variety of creature comforts like air conditioning, a rear heater and upgraded interior.
The J60 became the go-to Toyota wagon – even in the US, where it went up against V8 engined four-wheel drives from the ‘Big Three’.
Its cult status is reflected in this ‘resto’ Cruiser from Corsetti Cruisers. It’s a 1984 60 Series reborn thanks to 2,200 hours of painstaking labour and it is fresh from the spring shackles on up.
A strip down to frame and ground-up rebuild sees every bolt and nut cleaned and zinc plated, all bushes and rubber fittings renewed and a Chevy Corvette LS3 V8 engine installed, lifting the Cruiser from the 100kW (135 bhp) of its stock six cylinder engine to a healthy 362 kW (485 bhp). That engine swap even improves fuel economy, the big truck returning a claimed 9.8l/100km on the open road.
The Chevy V8 feeds power through a four-speed auto with overdrive and a stock Toyota transfer case and braking is upgraded to discs all round.
The suspension is by Australian company Old Man Emu and the truck rides on BF Goodrich T/A radials.
The interior is refinished with custom leather stitching and a custom heavy-duty rubber flooring for easy clean-up. The upgrade continues with sound deadening materials throughout the cabin and new headliners. The original dashboard is refreshed and has modern instruments installed. Other upgrades include a new audio system replacing the original AM-only radio and featuring a powerful subwoofer hidden in the rear seat, Focal speakers, a 10-inch Pioneer touchscreen, and a satellite navigation system with a reverse camera.
Company owner Brian Corsetti says each Corsetti Cruiser is built to a specific brief and taps into a rich vein of nostalgia for tough, simple trucks that are comfortable – ‘streetable’ – on the road and capable off-road.
“Each Corsetti Cruiser truck is produced for clients who have fond experiences of past Land Cruisers, and we see each restoration as the creation of a new family heirloom. These trucks are meant to be enjoyed with people, and our clients often want to pass along the original feeling they had driving or being driven in a FJ along to those close to them. This new series of truck is meant to be passed through generations.”
The Cruiser shown is priced at $135,000USD ($192,000NZD).
