High Miler: 1983 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 – SOLD!

September 13, 2021 Update – We confirmed the seller of this FJ40 “Classifind” deleted their listing, so we’re now able to call this one “SOLD!” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

These days, almost every generation of the Toyota Land Cruiser has become a collector’s item. The FJ40 kicked things off, and subsequent generations have all enjoyed a steady rise in price.  This 1983 Land Cruiser is an FJ60 chassis model originally listed in August 2021 on Craigslist in Arlington, Massachusetts with a staggering 347,000 miles and an equally staggering asking price of $15,000.  Comparing this price against the Hagerty Insurance Online Valuation Tool tells us the seller isn’t necessarily far off with a “Good” model valued at $22,700 and a “Fair” example priced at $11,100.

Now, the Land Cruiser is a proven commodity. They are ridiculously reliable when maintained, and are still pretty comfortable even with their go-anywhere capabilities. The bigger value these days is the love affair the hedge fund and island crowds have with vintage square bodies for parking at the marina or country club, typically with near-perfect interiors, mildly scruffy exteriors, and zero intent to use them anywhere near a trailhead. The style factor is through the roof with trucks like the Land Cruiser right now, and if you spend any time following influencers tied to a lifestyle brand, you will almost always find a post on their Instagram page with a Land Cruiser, Jeep Wagoneer, or first-generation Ford Bronco somewhere in the photo array. Despite having terrible fuel economy and zero handling or speed abilities, this is a vehicle that has clearly become all about the looks.

This Land Cruiser video featured on Jay Leno’s Garage YouTube Channel provides a nice history of the vehicles as well as one restorer’s perspective on them:

And that, in turn, is why a rig with close to 400,000 miles on the clock can be posted with a serious asking price of $15,000. Now, here’s the good news: the engine is a lower mileage replacement, with “only” 170,000 on the clock. That helps rationalize the seller’s asking price, but it does make it a more challenging proposition for a collector looking to buy an FJ60 for not only immediate enjoyment but also long-term return on investment. Still, there’s lots of value elsewhere, including a new clutch, radiator, engine and transmission mounts, Old Man Imu suspension lift kit, and more. Oh, and there’s the serious bonus of it being a factory five-speed manual truck, a treat considering how many FJ60s appear for sale with automatics (because the owners of the manual trucks don’t want to sell them!) So, high miles but lots of good bits attached and an engine that’s barely broken in. Seems like $15K is one of those “new normals” we keep hearing about!

Here’s the seller’s description:

“selling my beloved fj60. California truck came to the east coast last summer. absolutely no rust. the engine has 170k (it’s not the original but it is a stock 2F…old engine had 342k and was on its last legs) — is fully desmogged. new clutch, radiator, engine, and trans mounts, frame preservation paint, front brake rotors, and new 4runner calipers, old man emu 2.5 inch lifted complete suspension, 33-inch bf Goodrich ko2’s, new starter, battery, distributor cap, and rotor, spark plugs and wires. mechanically this car needs nothing. it runs great and just had a fresh oil change. everything works except the AC. will pass inspection with no problem. driver’s seat cover does have a tear that you can see in photos.“

Do you have a Toyota Landcruiser story you’d like to share?  Comment below and let us know!