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1978 Toyota Landcruiser FJ40 with a B Diesel Engine

I recently purchased this beauty with the hopes I could work towards a restoration and use it as a daily driver through the process. As fortune would have it, I am stepping into a new position at work that requires much more travel and no longer have the time, location and on-hand funds to give to this project. It is too cool of a car to just have sitting around. It wants to be driven and loved.

It has a B Diesel Engine, one of the main reasons I was initially interested. It starts up with no problem and runs beautifully. I was hoping to get it running on vegetable oil or biodiesel in the future, though I never did much research on it. From what I have heard, it is a fairly easy and inexpensive switch and would only add to the appeal of this truck. The batteries and radiator were recently replaced. I added four new tires and a few other cosmetic things (door handle, shifter knob...) and started purchasing a few other parts (lower thermostat housing). It needs some brake work in order to be a reliable driver. I was going through a landcruiser mechanic in town for help with this but decided I could not justify a project car when I have so many other things going on in my life and another vehicle I have to deal with as well. I was planning on upgrading to disc brakes and bought an axle from an FJ60 that I will include for you to use and upgrade if you would like. The headlights and tail lights seem to work fine, though I would probably want new wiring in the future.

As it is a 36 year old vehicle that hasn't seen much use in the last ten years or so, other things will need to be addressed and replaced eventually (seals and gaskets, bulbs, etc.). The interior is in surprisingly good shape, though I removed the door panels as they were warped. The left side rear door needs some work to open. It has an AC unit but no compressor. There's some surface rust and other rust, but I believe most of it has been bondoed prior to my purchase.

Other than that, I don't know too much else. I love the look and feel of these cars and will definitely be on the hunt for one in the future, when I am ready to settle down and have the time and space for a project.

As you know, these cars are built to last. I am sad to sell it, but I don't want a vehicle like this just sitting around on my property neglected. It would make a fun restoration project or even a rock crawler.

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Toyota's Texas move could boost state's economy by $7.2B in 10 years

Thu, 15 May 2014

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and apparently that includes the Toyota's effect on the economy. The giant Japanese automaker's new headquarters in Plano, TX, will add an estimated $7.2 billion to the state over the next 10 years, according to a new study commissioned by the city and cited by Bloomberg.
The benefits appear to be an absolute steal compared to the direct incentives that Plano and the state are giving Toyota. The report finds that by the time the automaker's campus is complete in 2018, it could have 3,650 full-time workers there at an average salary of $104,000. The city has prepared $6.75 million in grants, plus property tax discounts, according to Bloomberg. In addition to that, the state is offering the business $40 million in incentives from its Texas Enterprise Fund. This is still a fraction of what Toyota is estimated to bring in.
Toyota announced in April that it would move its US operations to Plano after being headquartered in California since 1957. The move affects thousands of employees from the sales and engineering divisions. The first workers will arrive there this fall, but Toyota will eventually have a whole campus in Plano by late 2017. The move is expected to save it huge amounts in taxation and offer employees a lower cost of living. Toyota North America CEO Jim Lentz also says that the Texas location puts the headquarters closer to more of the business' factories in the south. Texas certainly appears to be showing it some southern hospitality.

Asian automakers still reluctant to use more aluminum

Tue, Jun 24 2014

There's a logical progression of technology in the auto industry. We've seen it with things like carbon-ceramic brakes, which use to be the sole domain of six-figure sports cars, where they often cost as much as an entry level Toyota Corolla. Now, you can get them on a BMW M3 (they're still pricey, at $8,150). Who knows, maybe in the next four a five years, they'll be available on something like a muscle car or hot hatchback. Aluminum has had a similar progression, although it's further along, moving from the realm of Audi and Jaguar luxury sedans to Ford's most important product, the F-150. With the stuff set to arrive in such a big way on the market, we should logically expect an all-aluminum Toyota Camry or Honda Accord soon, right? Um, wrong. Reuters has a great report on what's keeping Asian manufacturers away from aluminum, and it demonstrates yet another stark philosophical difference between automakers in the east and those in the west. Of course, there's a pricing argument at play. But it's more than just the cost of aluminum sheet (shown above) versus steel. Manufacturing an aluminum car requires extensive retooling of existing factories, not to mention new relationships with suppliers and other logistical and financial nightmares. Factor that in with what Reuters calls Asian automaker's preference towards "evolutionary upgrades," and the case for an all-aluminum Accord is a difficult one. Instead, manufacturers in the east are focusing on developing even stronger steel as a means of trimming fat, although analysts question how long that practice can continue. Jeff Wang, the automotive sales director for aluminum supplier Novelis, predicts that we'll see a bump in aluminum usage from Japanese and Korean brands in the next two to three years, and that it will be driven by an influx of aluminum-based vehicles from western automakers into China. Only time will tell if he's proven right. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Sean Gallup / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Honda Hyundai Mazda Nissan Toyota Technology aluminum

HQ move based on study, not pitch from Gov. Perry, Toyota says

Tue, 29 Apr 2014

Toyota's surprising announcement on Monday that it will move its North American headquarters from Torrance, CA location to the Dallas suburb of Plano, TX is allegedly not due to any political wrangling from the state's Republican governor, Rick Perry.
Perry (above) has been up front in his aggressive pursuit of businesses and jobs for Texas, traveling to California, Missouri, Illinois and New York to tempt corporations to his state. And it's not just about the promise of much lower taxes, a Perry spokesman reminds Automotive News that the state boasts, "a workforce that is skilled and ready to do any job."
For his part, Jim Lentz, Toyota's North American CEO said Plano was chosen through an internal process, with the location helped by its proximity to the company's massive pickup factory in San Antonio rather than any campaigning from the governor.

1978 Toyota Landcruiser Fj40 W/ B Diesel Engine on 2040-cars

Toyota Land Cruiser for Sale