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.
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.
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