Coppernicus the FJ60

[sadovnik]

No doubt we tend to get pickier as we get older. I suppose the same holds for buying cars — the more you've owned, the more particular you become.
I'd been hunting for an FJ60 or HJ61 for the better part of a year. I bid on a few promising rigs on BaT, but nothing panned out. I was somewhat willing to compromise on mechanicals and mileage. Rust, however, was non-negotiable. It had to be essentially rust-free, which is a tall order on a 40-year-old Land Cruiser.

After an expensive lesson buying an East Coast rig with hidden rust, I made a rule: any car I buy MUST have spent its life somewhere mild and dry. That meant the Southwest or parts of the West Coast. No more East Coast cars for this guy- EVER. Texas was also excluded from the search area for many other reasons.

I also wanted something unmolested — another tall order on any Land Cruiser, but especially older trucks like the 40 and 60 Series. They are so darn simple and accessible that everyone with a socket set thinks they're a mechanic. The result is usually a truck that's been "improved" in all the wrong ways.

So basically my requirements were:

• 1985-1987 FJ60
• Very little or no rust.
• Sub 200k miles. OK if higher with well-documented maintenance.
• Unmolested mechanicals, or as close as possible.
• Reasonably priced

If you’ve been looking for a nice 60 recently, you’d know I was essentially looking for a unicorn. And of course, I wanted all that AND I did not want to pay a fortune for it. Seems like people are asking way too much money for rusted out 60s nowadays.

Enter Coppernicus

…Then out of the blue @thegreatgazoo posted about checking out this rig which was semi-local to me… So naturally I sent him a message asking him to get me in touch with the seller if he decided to pass. And he did! He passed on it and gave my number to the seller! A couple of weeks later I got a text message from the seller. I called him and arranged to go see it the very next day. Took time off work (priorities, right?) and closed the deal on the spot.

The original owner bought this truck from Burt Toyota here in Colorado back in '86. He later relocated to Idaho and brought the truck along, but it saw minimal use over the years as he commuted by bus while working at Westinghouse. Then when he moved back to Colorado, instead of leaving the FJ60 behind or selling it, he did the sensible thing and towed it back (smart man!).

The good:

• One owner since 1986 !
• 99,500 miles
• Original EVERYTHING, including shocks and springs
• Body is 99% rust free

The Bad:

• Hasn’t been on the road since 2011 and so it has at least 15 years of deferred maintenance that needs to be addressed (leaks galore)
• Requires some body work, but no rust repair - looks great from 20 feet away
• Shade-tree mechanic removed the original carb and replaced it with a Webber knock-off. As expected, it runs like
• Same mechanic did a half-assed desmog
• Frame has surface rust, but nothing concerning. I may just have it dry-ice blasted.

Yes, it’s slightly faded and a bit dinged up but has a rust-free body. The front end could be better as the fenders have a minor accident from the PO’s daughter hitting some garage shelves. As to the upholstery and plastic on the inside, I would rate it a solid 8 out of 10. The seat foam still feels good and even the dash only has one or two small defects, but no cracks.

Overall, I feel I did alright with this buy. I am so excited about this truck! Build thread to follow….