Buying an FJ 43

[jayfrem]

Hi there

I am new to the thread here. I have always loved cruisers for their reliability and ruggdness.

I am looking to buy an FJ 45. I am overseas in Lebanon.
I have found two :

An 1982 FJ 45 ( short bed ) or FJ 43. It has the 2F engine and no power steering. The paint and upholstry are new. The hits you see have been fixed and were from fitting 3" without any lift.
What are main areas to be wary of ?
The mileage on this truck cannot really be told. How long does the 2F engine usually lasts mileage wise ?
I intend to keep the vehicle stiock maybe 33" it it does not regearing. Our roads are hilly. How bumpy is the ride in an FJ 43?
Does it usually come with hot air and A/C ?

The other truck is an FJ 45 ( long bed) with a 3 F engine and power steering. It is an 1983 model but i have no pic of it.
Which engine if more recommended the 2 F or 3 F ?

 

[Johnnybaja]

Try to buy a DIESEL I can not stress that enough you should have access to plenty of them over there they are 10x better than a Gas cruiser.

 

[singletrackjunkie]

Try to buy a DIESEL I can not stress that enough you should have access to plenty of them over there they are 10x better than a Gas cruiser.

Can I get an AMEN!

 

[fjwagon]

Welcome. I would look into getting one with original paint and complete with a hard top and all. I could not imagine locating a hard top for a fj43here in the USA. You may pay a little more but won't get headaches thinking about it. A Diesel would be nice but that is just me. Look a little harder.

 

[alkarich]

True diesels are great.

But if the price is right?

2F and 3F's are great venerable motors as long as they have had basic maintenance and not driven hard.

The ride will be rough in either case. Possibly less in the lwb.

a/c was an OEM extra, as for the heat that should be stock. Just for the cold desert nights.

Good luck and keep an eye out for the diesel.

P.S. welcome to Mud.

 

[Bear]

Jay,

Since you asked:

Nearly all the FJ43s and FJ45 longbeds sold in much of the Middle East did NOT come equipped with factory heaters--your country might be another story. Power steering was available at extra cost initially. Most had no disk brakes, even into 1984, although power drum brakes were used from 1979 on. Factory Nippon Denso A/C was a luxurious option.

Watch out for the bondo bandits--they like to skim coat cars in that part of the world, sort of like frosting a cake, after they pound out the dents and before they repaint. A truck with surface rust and original faded paint tells you more than a shiny truck with no visible rust, dents, or scratches.

On your pictured truck: the front turn lamps, the wheels, and likely the exterior mirror heads look like replacements--also popular in the MidEast.

If you can drain out a little of all the different fluids--diffs, tranny, transfer, radiator, etc.--it might be an eye-opener to see how well cared-for the current owner maintains his truck.

Good luck !

 

[voyager:01]

nice 43.. i've always loved those.. don't ever see many.. i notice the oem soft top bows.. is the rear half of the bow setup there and complete? and is there a full soft top for it?

 

[Texx]

Try to buy a DIESEL I can not stress that enough you should have access to plenty of them over there they are 10x better than a Gas cruiser.

Holy overstatement, noob! 10x better than a gasser? What a load of crap. Nothing wrong with diesel, but gas engine land cruisers have made their mark all over the world, and of course, especially in the USA. Diesel is a bit of a fad right now, evidenced by statements like the one above. The various F variants give plenty of long life, with much greater power at hand than the non turboed diesel variety. Your choice.

 

[JohnnyC]

The various F variants give plenty of long life, with much greater power at hand than the non turboed diesel variety.

X2 I second that

my 74 f155 ...some call the f.5 engine lasted almost 450,000 miles...and was still running when i had it pulled for a refreshed f.5....i am good to go for the next 30 years

 

[jayfrem]

Guys thanks so much for all the inputs.

There are no Diesel models here in Lebanon. Customs are very strict on diesel SUV/trucks coming in. It is only reserved for big commercial trucks.

This FJ 43 has been restored. I do not know how well the rust has been cleaned out. Where are the main points to check ?
It has two soft tops and a hard top.

Am I better of with an FJ 40 ?
Which models came with factory heating ? Can you retrofit a heater for it if so which one ?

2F vs 3F engines : what are the main difference ?

Ride Quality : With leaf springs i guess it ll be pretty bumpy. Any of you drive these as a daily driver ?

 

[JohnnyC]

great reading material for buying a cruiser:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/132481-buying-land-cruiser.html

 

[fjwagon]

I daily drove my fj40 for many years up until last year but I still drive to work every now and then( took a little getting used to the gas prices). About the only complaints I have are sometimes you don't have enough room. It came with an after market A/C set up that I removed since I did not use it. I did not like not having P/S which I later installed. I went with the factory setup since the 2f already had the holes for a factory p/s bracket. After doing it, feel as though the fj60/saginaw would been a better setup. I think if you plan to bring it to the States, installing a heater from a donor of the same vintage should not be too hard to do. It may already have the factory holes for a front /rear heater. Don't know unit you start looking and comparing what is available down there. Good Luck with your search.

 

[jayfrem]

Thanks a lot the links are very helpful. However they are hard to find here in Lebanon and the price range varies anywhere from $3K to $7K depending on cleanliness.

Between an FJ 40 and FJ 43 : what do you guys recommend ?

I am mainly interested to have this for hunting trips. occasional daily/weekend dirving , off-road ( more trails). I have the Rover fitted with Toyota 8" diffs and IROKS for the rocks.

Many Thanks

Jay

 

[jayfrem]

I am still looking ....boy those 40's are hard to find down here to Lebanon and whoever has them never want to sell or ask ridiclously high.

Between a 40 and a 43 what do you guys recommend ? Truck will be used for light off-road and on road use. The nice thing about the 40 is that the hard top covers it all and it has more of a classis look.

Let me know yout thoughts.

Thanks

Jay

 

[redsands]

if you had both side by side, same condition and price..get the 43