Newbie with a question...Leg & head room (1 Viewer)

[MT-PTK]

Hi folks, my first post but I've been lurking for a little while. Great info and knowledgeable people here.

Back in the early 90's I traded a Chevy compact for a camouflage 74 FJ40 with the 350 conversion (I'll post picts when I dig them out of storage). It had a soft top with hard doors and needed a little transmission hygiene. I took care of that, stripped off the camo, fixed some dings in the body, painted her and raised her up about three inches. Being 6' 6'' tall, the original seats were a bit tight so I pulled them out, welded new tracks in for a pair of high back buckets and created a little more leg room for my tree trunks. I spent many a weekend wheeling the back woods of Oregon with friends in that rig. Unfortunately when I got out of school and had to get a real job I sold her...and still kick myself for it.
Anyway, the new FJ's have piqued my interest and I'm going back & forth trying to decide if I want to go with the new, or try to find an old FJ. I'm happy to see from the many posts here that Toyota decided to make it a real rig instead of a pavement glider. So, to my question:

Question: How have the taller owners out there found the leg and head room to be in the new FJ's? Roomy? Adequate?, Tolerable? Or feeling like a sardine after a few miles? So far I've only checked out the new rigs when the dealerships have been closed (not ready to be hassled by a salesman just yet).

Thanks in advance!

William

 

[spaldam]

As long as nobody is in the back seat, you can move the front seats back pritty far. It's got some good head room too.

 

[Uraja]

I test drove a FJC today for the first time. I've been fighting the urge. I currently own a 97 LC and I felt like there was more room in the FJC. I'm 6'0" but a big guy. I was surprised by the leg room and side-to-side room I had in the FJC.

I really don't want to get rid of my LC, but I expect to be adding the FJC to the fleet real soon.

All I can say is go drive one and see how it feels. Just be prepared to want one even more after you do.

 

[gearguywb]

I think you will be very pleasantly surprised at how much front seat room there is.

 

[SR.GRINGO]

I'm 6'4" with a 32" inseam....lots of upper body. Drove the new tundra--my eyes were above the windshield. Next drove the 6 spd fj--perfect fit. I too have been thinking about a 40--- but when you think about it the 80 will fill the same hole. I'm thinking eventually an fj---sort of hoping for a sunroof though.....

 

[MT-PTK]

Thanks for your replies folks.

I'll just have to suck it up and go down and try one out.......though I'm afraid of what I might come back with......more specifically, what my wife will do when I come back with it.




William

 

[woody]

I'm 6'3 and with the front seats 2 clicks forward, I fit in the rear just fine...knees are snug, but it allows for a 6'3 driver/passenger too.....LOTS of head room, I mean LOTS

I run the drivers seat about 1-2 clicks forward, keeps my knees at a more comfy angle....

and yes, i've done a few 800-1000 mile per day drives...no complaints....

 

[Gumby]

Much more room than my old 80 series.





Not as much as my CrewMax Tundra, though.

 

[adso]

Enough from you tall people.
I'm 5' 7" and with the seat jacked all the way up, I can see over the steering wheel... without sitting on a phone book!

 

[enricosonic]

I'm under 6 feet and I could wear a clown hat in my FJC. I think a possible issue for tall folks might be leaning forward to see traffic lights, the top of the windshield isn't very high.

 

[mjager24]

Dude,
I too am a sasquatch. I am 6'7 305 pounds. I fit great. I can even strecth my legs out on those long trips. Know body is allowed to sit behind me 1 becasue there is no room and second the Captain needs to be comfortable. Head room is excellent. Go for it. You deseeve it.
Matt

Hi folks, my first post but I've been lurking for a little while. Great info and knowledgeable people here.

Back in the early 90's I traded a Chevy compact for a camouflage 74 FJ40 with the 350 conversion (I'll post picts when I dig them out of storage). It had a soft top with hard doors and needed a little transmission hygiene. I took care of that, stripped off the camo, fixed some dings in the body, painted her and raised her up about three inches. Being 6' 6'' tall, the original seats were a bit tight so I pulled them out, welded new tracks in for a pair of high back buckets and created a little more leg room for my tree trunks. I spent many a weekend wheeling the back woods of Oregon with friends in that rig. Unfortunately when I got out of school and had to get a real job I sold her...and still kick myself for it.
Anyway, the new FJ's have piqued my interest and I'm going back & forth trying to decide if I want to go with the new, or try to find an old FJ. I'm happy to see from the many posts here that Toyota decided to make it a real rig instead of a pavement glider. So, to my question:

Question: How have the taller owners out there found the leg and head room to be in the new FJ's? Roomy? Adequate?, Tolerable? Or feeling like a sardine after a few miles? So far I've only checked out the new rigs when the dealerships have been closed (not ready to be hassled by a salesman just yet).

Thanks in advance!

William

 

[Tuktanuk]

Should be plenty of room as others have stated.

 

[MT-PTK]

Thanks for all your replies folks!

Well, I finally made the decision to go down and take a look at a new FJ up close. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of head room I had for being 6' 6". Leg room wasn't anything special, I'm used to being a little scrunched in most vehicles. The two areas of contention with my wife are going to be color, and 5 speed or automatic. She's leaning toward auto, I want the manual. There is some disagreement there, but she would be fine with the manual if it comes down to it. She used to drive my old 74 FJ-40 with no problems....well, she did have to put a pillow behind her back to reach the pedals. Color will probably be the real issue.

We've been going back and forth between getting a new FJ, or buying and older Land cruiser in good condition or restored. Right now I'm leaning toward new again.

It's about time to pull the trigger...which ever way we go.



Thanks,
William

 

[woody]

honestly, if you wheel, go auto....the stick is nice and sporty, but after driving a stick for 15 years offroad and an auto for the past few, you couldn't give me a stick anymore....

happy shoppin

 

[spaldam]

I like my 6-speed MT. It's cool. The only Auto's I've ever owned were all primarily driven by my wife. I even took one of them off-road for a short trip (Chevy Tracker), and got my wife mad at me for it even though nothing bad happened. It worked great, but I still prefer the MT. I feel more in control of what my vehicle is doing with the MT vs. the Auto.

 

[MT-PTK]

Well, I thought I would just give a "heads up" since I started this thread. We test drove the FJ and I was fine up front, but with the seat all the way back, and reclined for a comfortable position, left no room for a real person to sit behind me. When the kids are grown and moved out, no problem, but for now we need the room. Shortly thereafter, a really clean and strong running FJ60 came my way and I decided to grab it. has more useable room and is just as capable off-road. So, I won't be joining the FJC ranks just yet. Though, I did really like it. If you're interested, you can see the 60 at the link below.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=185856


Thanks for your help!!


William

 

[NYCTRD]

Pretty much echoing everyone else: I'm a BIG guy (6'2" 31" inseam...ALL torso)! PLENTY O' room...with the seats virtually all the way back (meaning, it's great with just 2 people...I wouldn't want to ride in the back seat)!

And I second Woody (and I was a stick guy for YEARS...get the auto. Ya get one more gear with the MT (would be nice in the AUTO) but unless you're doing some REALLY slow crawling, it's perfectly adequate.

Just change the stock tires (unless you get the TRD SE).

 

[LandCruisers4Life]

Hi folks, my first post but I've been lurking for a little while. Great info and knowledgeable people here. Anyway, the new FJ's have piqued my interest and I'm going back & forth trying to decide if I want to go with the new, or try to find an old FJ. I'm happy to see from the many posts here that Toyota decided to make it a real rig instead of a pavement glider. So, to my question:

Question: How have the taller owners out there found the leg and head room to be in the new FJ's? Roomy? Adequate?, Tolerable? Or feeling like a sardine after a few miles? So far I've only checked out the new rigs when the dealerships have been closed (not ready to be hassled by a salesman just yet).

Thanks in advance!

William

Well I am only 5'8" and I drove my old FJ40 for several years as a DD and even for me I had to adjust to the 'compact' area of where I was sitting. The new FJ is great, you should have plenty of room IMO. Zip down to Toyota and try one on for size. You'll also notice that the new FJ is lower geared than the original 40 series when you pop it in 4lo and 1st gear (assuming you go with the 6sp mt).

Good luck, and have fun.

 

[LandCruisers4Life]

Well, I thought I would just give a "heads up" since I started this thread. We test drove the FJ and I was fine up front, but with the seat all the way back, and reclined for a comfortable position, left no room for a real person to sit behind me. When the kids are grown and moved out, no problem, but for now we need the room. Shortly thereafter, a really clean and strong running FJ60 came my way and I decided to grab it. has more useable room and is just as capable off-road. So, I won't be joining the FJC ranks just yet. Though, I did really like it. If you're interested, you can see the 60 at the link below.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=185856


Thanks for your help!!


William

Ooops! Missed your latest update. Good luck with the 60!