For Sale NOT MINE - how to identify foreign versus USA FJ40 (1 Viewer)

Location

United States

I want to learn so I can buy the best vehicle possible. This is listed for sale, but some things that have clued me that this may not be USA is the lack of roll bar for a 1978.

I know the seats are not original, but that could have just been a choice.

What else is a dead give away? I am seeing so many Colombian/Costa Rican FJ40 that it takes vigilance to weed out the foreign trucks.

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/toyota/fj40/2093624.html

 

[overton]

That is definitely a South American Land Cruiser. Fiberglass aftermarket hardtop. Rubber bumpers on front and rear. No heater. Easy to spot.

 

[Efjayforty]

Wow! Where can I get some of those door panels?

 

[alabamatacomaguy]

usually the ones from south america dont have dash pads that ive seen but the heater seems to be the easiest way.
those door panels are interesting. If i was doing a restomod type build i would like those in mine.

that one does look like a nice cruiser but with the ones from down there who knows the quality of work. The body looks good from pics but then the motor has rust all over it so they didnt take time to even rattle can that. I would want to see pics of whats under that shinny paint before it was sprayed on before looking any further to consider. Labor can be low priced down south but most people are in the business of making money so cutting corners gets done.
im not trying to come off as a hater of south american cruisers either. I think they are cool, just would be careful buying one like any cruiser

 

[1MOA]

I want to learn so I can buy the best vehicle possible. This is listed for sale, but some things that have clued me that this may not be USA is the lack of roll bar for a 1978.

I know the seats are not original, but that could have just been a choice.

What else is a dead give away? I am seeing so many Colombian/Costa Rican FJ40 that it takes vigilance to weed out the foreign trucks.

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/toyota/fj40/2093624.html

What is the large black box with a locking hasp that is on the firewall where the blower would go?

 

[studawg]

On that one it looks like you've got the smoker vent windows in the front doors, speedo in KMH, front bench seat, no rollbar and the longer rear jump seats in addition to the fiberglass top, rubber tits on the bumpers.

Signs I've seen on other 40s are the funky turn signals that mount on the apron instead of the fender, lack of upper dash pad and a lower dash pad that goes all the way across and covers the radio hole.

 

[emoto]

Looks great, rear pan, floor look good. Not sure about the 30K great tho...

 

[BlueMarblePA]

Here's another one that confuses me. The little rubber bumper things, lack of roll bar (although that was added 9/1973 and this may be earlier). The instrument cluster does look like mph, and the presence of a heater suggests USA.

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/toyota/fj40/2113226.html?refer=alert

 

[mudpaws]

That two tone one, yes, non original hardtop. Original will be metal and multiple pieces with the signature white painted fiberglass "cap" at the very top, riveted to a metal rain gutter. It needs to also have popout vent windows on the hard top sides; wrong vintage jump seats, wrong front seats and wrong vintage steering wheel; Correct, no roll bar. Dash knob orientation looks questionable. No heat, yep...
aftermarket wheels..and "custom" door panels. Wrong bezel for 1978; rubber "bumpers" on the front amd rear are dead giveaways of non-u.s. By 1978 they didn't have the cowl drain tubes anymore so that floor cover is likely a 1975-76.
Rear emblems are all wonky...looks like they threw things together haphazardly..lots of extra holes at rear door hinge area not filled or repaired..also extra holes in dash..wring.

 

[mudpaws]

What is the large black box with a locking hasp that is on the firewall where the blower would go?

Possibly a utility box of some sort. Maybe to hold a spare quart of oil, rags, perhaps some little spare parts?