This 1977 FJ40 has been with the same owner for the last 20 years, and has received significant investment in practical upgrades to make the car the perfect weekend cruiser for the short-wheelbase enthusiast. The current owner is regrettably offering the vehicle for sale, having covered only 3,500km since the engine was replaced with a new 350ci unit in 2006.

This cruiser is offered with full NSW registration expiring on 26 February 2019, and is in excellent roadworthy condition, seeking a new owner who will appreciate the time, energy and dollars that have been put into the car over the last two decades.

- Mechanical

An engineer complied 350 Chev is currently fitted, with a Holley carburetor, and power sent through a 5-speed manual gearbox with additional Fairey overdrive gears making for relaxing highway cruising whilst retaining the classic bottom-end FJ40 4X4 capability.  The engine runs very smoothly, with all 4WD gear connected and working well. The car also has power steering and a power clutch fitted for ease of driving.

In 2006 the car received a replacement engine (receipts can be provided). Since then, only 3,500km have been covered. The engine operates with dual-fuel through the addition of twin 80-litre (150 useable litres) stainless steel LPG tanks in the rear cabin (in addition to the 100L petrol tank). This provides excellent range for those long weekend trips.

The brakes and suspension have also received significant upgrades. Front discs are fitted, and the larger diameter front drum brakes have been fitted to the rear wheels.  Load variable shock absorbers have been installed in the rear, allowing pressure to be increased under heavy loads or to suit the driving conditions.

The car also received brand new rear axles in July 2018, and sits on near new 16 X 8 GT 8-pot alloys with barely used Light Truck 285/75 R16 Hankook DynaPro MT tyres (including the spare).

- Body and chassis

The history of this vehicle is not straightforward. The chassis and running gear are from a 1975 vehicle, with the body from 1977. At great cost in 2006, a good straight 1977 body was sourced and taken off its chassis. The shell was then fully submerged in a caustic acid then a phosphoric acid dip to kill all and any rust inside and out. The condition of the undercarriage is a testament to this, and having been garaged all its life the body remains very well preserved.

Following the acid dip, body work was completed to adapt the owner’s preferred rear barn-doors to enhance accessibility (originally the vehicle had the lower barn-doors and upper hatch). The factory mild steel bolts fitted throughought the body were all replaced with stainless steel bolts, to prevent any future rust outbreaks. It then received a 2-pak paint job of gloss black with burgundy accents. The body was then put back on the chassis with the V8 driveline and various upgrades. Although there are some minor scratches and blemishes around the body, the paint retains and excellent shine, and only small touch ups would be necessary.

The vehicle is currently fitted with a light-weight aluminium bull-bar (with Narva spotlights), and towbar. All electrics are hooked up and working.

- Interior

The seat trim has been very well preserved for its age, with the current owner having always fitted seat covers to the original bench seat. Examples of the cloth condition can be seen in the images, with very limited wear to the seat bolsters or bases.

Custom-cut rubber floor mats are fitted to the front floor-pans and rear deck sitting on top of the metal, providing for great protection and easy cleaning. The floors are all in excellent condition. In the rear, neat side benches have been custom built to house the twin LPG tanks, which sit nicely on either side of the rear deck, with plenty of space in the centre for luggage.

- Extras

The cruiser comes with a large number of spare parts and extras as part of the price. This includes a water pump, 2 front brake rotors, 4 front brake pads, 4 rear drum brake shoes, 2 rear shocks, Chev vacuum advance, 2 new distributor caps, tail lights, headlamps and more.

Fore more details and to arrange an inspection, contact Adrian by clicking "contact seller" above.