[LandCruiserSteve]

I started with Land Cruisers in 1967 when I turned 16 and bought my very first vehicle for $750: a midnight blue 1959 FJ25 soft-top model. Like an idiot, I sold it a few years later and I’ve been kicking myself in the ass ever since. About 20 years ago I got back into Cruisers again, mostly out of nostalgia for “the love that I lost” many years earlier. Many FJ40s (and even a 100 series) have come and gone since then, and I still have a nice green ’78. I found a burgundy colored FJ25 on eBay, wanted it desperately, submitted on winning bid on it . . . . and the rest as they say, is history.

It’s also a ’59, but this one a hardtop model (minus the actual hardtop). And from what I could track down from POs, it started life as a truck on a pineapple farm in Hawaii. A number of slight differences between it and known US models, indicates that it might’ve been a “foreign” import FJ25 (kilometer speedo, absence of windshield vent, no apron air intake, etc.).

Somewhere along the line, a mid to late 60’s rebuilt F engine got swapped in (which runs great) and it sports what appears to be a late ‘90s GM burgundy color. But otherwise, the truck has remained pretty much unmolested from stock. The frame and body are virtually rust-free, and fortunately all of the POs did a pretty nice job of keeping it pristine over the years.


Some FJ25 rarities it still has:

Completely original tranny (non-synchro 4-speed w/ 5.41:1 1st gear) and single range transfer case.
Most of the original engine compartment components.
Original undercarriage (axles, suspension, brakes, etc.)
OEM 16” wheels.
Original FJ25 hubcaps.
An uncut dashboard with original dash placards.
Lower dash dome light and firewall-mounted accessory light socket (even has the little plastic cover over it).
Battery still under the driver’s seat.
And of course, the bezel-less front grill.


What I’ve done so far:

Recovered the seats with SOR’s FJ25 seat kit.
Repainted lettering on control knobs and stick shift.
Fabricated driver seat extension brackets to move seat back three inches.
Painted seat frames.
Installed ConFerr locking storage box (painted to match seat frames).
Fabricated front floor mats and rear tub mat.
Replaced steering wheel (previous one was cracked to the max).
New fuel pump and filter.
New single circuit brake master cylinder and new wheel cylinders.
Installed spare tire carrier and tire.
Painted and installed bumperettes and pintle hook.
Replaced PO’s “trailer lights” with OEM FJ25 taillights.
Fixed some minor grounding problems in the dash lights.
Brand new tires all around (BFG Commercial T/A LT215/85R/16).
Bought, painted and installed tailgate doors.


What still needs to be done:

Fix the joining seam under the split hood that has a little rot happening.
Detail the engine compartment.
Fit it with gray soft-top and doors (temporarily gave up on trying to track down all the necessary parts to rebuild an original hardtop).
Track down some OEM tire changing tools.
Get my TNK wiper motors rebuilt (running JCW electrics in the mean time).
Eventually, if time and money permits, I might return the entire truck to its OEM color (green).

Anyway, it’s definitely no hardcore machine and it probably won’t see as much off-road action as my 40. Yep, it will likely spend the rest of its life being a street machine. But, with the scarcity of parts for these old beasts, I don’t want to beat it up too much.

Here’s some poser pics with more to follow.

[LandCruiserSteve]

And some more . .

[LandCruiserSteve]

And more . . .

[LandCruiserSteve]

And of course, one of those 1967 vs. 2005 "then and now" shots. (Okay, so I lost my hair and my skinny body someplace. )

[FJ40onNOS]

DAM, simple and sweet, Nice Cruiser man, hope we meet down the road and i get to check it out in person

[74fj40]

very very cool cruiser, kinda cool that its imported...

[lunyou]

very nice rig.

lunyou

[HawkDriver]

That is a sweet rig man. Cool you've been at it for so long. Before and after shot is classic.

Any closer closeups of the interior, repainted knobs, seat mounts etc?

[Degnol]

Isn't 1959 when Hawaii became a state? Maybe its not "imported" after all. Cool pics and thanks for keeping it as original as you have!

Ed

[77TLCFJ40]

Great write-up. I love to see the older rigs in such well cared for condition.

Please give us a little more detail on repainting your dash knobs and pictures if possible. Thanks

[Mace]

Dam...


I'll give a 5 bucks for it

[Magoo]

bling

[foxfab]

Is that commercial door mat material in the back? Good idea.

[Trollhole]

Great job and nice cruiser. Good to see some stock cruisers still out there and a 25 at that!

[Cruiser_Nerd]

Hey, nice 25!

Always regretted not going to see it when it was close to me. Maybe I'll invite myself over when I'm headed south. Nothing the family would rather do than stop to see a FJ25 and a Cruiserhead!

Enjoy it as is......................and fix your brakes!

[LandCruiserSteve]

Originally Posted by Degnol

Isn't 1959 when Hawaii became a state? Maybe its not "imported" after all.

I never thought of that. Good point. Who knows, maybe this truck was used in the state inaugural parade.

[LandCruiserSteve]

Originally Posted by Mace

I'll give a 5 bucks for it

4 bucks if I have to spend much more time with these brakes.

[LandCruiserSteve]

Originally Posted by HawkDriver

That is a sweet rig man. Any closer closeups of the interior, repainted knobs, seat mounts etc?

Thanks, Hawk. Sure, here's a few more interior shots.

[LandCruiserSteve]

Originally Posted by foxfab

Is that commercial door mat material in the back? Good idea.

4x8 outdoor mats (about $8) from Home Depot cut to size for the back. Used a piece of newspaper to size a pattern for the two fronts.

[LandCruiserSteve]

Originally Posted by 77TLCFJ40

Great write-up. Please give us a little more detail on repainting your dash knobs and pictures if possible.

Thanks, 77.

Some slightly off-white paint for the knobs. Over-painted the grooves for the lettering. After it dried, real fine steel wool over the whole face of the knob. That leaves the recessed white lettering intact and polishes my knob at the same time. (Did I really say that? )

[LandCruiserSteve]

Some more interior and a good reason to re-do 50 year old seats.

If anyone's interested, Foxfab and I did a step-by-step seat recovering post in the FJ25 Forum.
http://forum.ih8mud.com/fj25-owners-group/46314-sors-fj25-seat-covers.html

[LandCruiserSteve]

Originally Posted by Trollhole

Great job and nice cruiser. Good to see some stock cruisers still out there and a 25 at that!

Thanks, Trollhole.
And thanks Magoo, lunyou, 74fj40, Mace, FJ40onNOS, Foxfab and CruiserNerd. That's appreciated coming from MUD vets like you guys.

[nuclearlemon]

that thing is beautiful... still not the same as first love, but close

[NuOkie]

Very Nice!

They sure did a nice job with the paint. Looks great in every shot, inside and out.

Good luck with the brakes,

Keith

[REZARF]

Great looking rig! I love the before and after shot.

Rezarf <><

[JJS]

dang, that's a nice ride. if i could find one of those at a good price, i would jump on it.

[wesintl]

I've always had a soft spot for the original. Nice cruiser!

[LandCruiserSteve]

Originally Posted by nuclearlemon

that thing is beautiful... still not the same as first love, but close

Thanks, Ige. The first love is what you remember of it (if you got any brain cells left). But yeah, this is my new love.

[camcruiser13]

freakin money in the bank, thats bad ass

[RHINO]

wow what a nice ride. and its awsome that you did most or all yourself.
i really dig the then and now shot, with the same pose and all. where was the then shot taken? kinda looks like maybe arcadia area.