Historic Vehicles story By Victor Ma

    1978 TOYOTA Land cruiser BJ40

Model: TOYOTA BJ40

Body Style: Ladder chassis with all steel body with removable hard top (1960~1984).

Engine: Water cooled inline 4cylinder 3.0L Diesel B motor. FJ40 use 6 cylinder 4.2L 2F Petrol OHC engine.HJ45 LWB use 6 cylinder 4.0L 2H Diesel motor.

Transmission: 3 speed or 4 speed manual part time 4wd with Hi, Lo Range & PTO ( very early model got 4 speed gear box without low range, the first gear was very low for off road use.80s LC40 some model got a 5 speed gear box.) 83-84 model got a 5 speed manual gear box.

Suspension: leaf spring all around with shock damper

Brake: 4 wheel drum brake ( 80s LC40 some model got front Disc brake.)

Max speed: 125 Km/h ( BJ model B engine ) 140 km/h ( FJ model 2F engine ) 130 km/h ( HJ LWB model 2H engine )

History: One of the symbols of the post war Japanese car industrys rebirth and one of the most successful post war small 4X4 off Road vehicle is the Japanese Toyota Land Cruiser Series, Toyota began in 1951 with a mid wheel base ladder chassis & a powerful 6 cylinder engine. It is very reliable & powerful than wartime jeep and British Land Rover, soon Land Cruiser used as military vehicle by many army forces round the world, such as Mid East, Africa, Australia, South Asia. FJ25/28 were the first export model, it was an powerful, reliable, strong 4x4 vehicle at that time. People drove Willys jeep and Land Rover, but when they meet the FJ25,FJ28,They know what happen. 

1960 new 40 series replace the old 20 series. The LC 40 still got a jeep shap, but with a more powerful engine and more reliable. Both SWB and LWB hard top, soft top ,Pickup and 5 door station wagon been made between 1960 until 1984.Between this 24 year, engine and gear box Transfer box been change many time, The most successful was use a 2H 6 cylinder Bus diesel engine / B 4 cylinder small truck diesel engine to put in 40 series at end of 70s. Those powerful and reliable engine make the LC40 more better performance and use less fuel. As a basic comparison a new BJ40 diesel returned a figure of 11.3 litres/100km of diesel fuel under similar conditions to those which had the same type of mid size 4 wheel drive vehicle with a six cylinder petrol engine showing 20-23 litres/100km, such as FJ40, Nissan Patrol, Jeep CJ5.The Land Rover series IIA got both small 4 cylinder 2.25 petrol and diesel engine, but both engine were too small and the Diesel engine smoke a little, at winter even not easy to start, The BJ40 near no competitor at mid of 70s.The 3 litre diesel has just 59.66kW compared to the 4.2 litre petrol engine's 115.6 kW. On the paper, that seems a lot, but when you drive the biesel, its performance comes as a pleasant surprise. both 62 litres fuel tank on 3.0 diesel and 4.2 petrol model, the diesel one got a maximum range of 549km,to the petrol one, only 307 km. This is why at 80s every body in Asia and Europe 4x4 maker build diesel 4wd. Today we still can see many LC40 in the world, but all  are very rust condition. as the steel body with a removable top, between the hard top, use many rubber, water always go inside the body. The one we got probably the Asias or world  best kept 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ 40.It was Imported to HK on 1978 by Toyota Agents, has not been in traffic since 1982,dry stored indoors since then. One owner with all Document, service history,invoice,15500 mile on the clock, in unbelievable excellent original as new condition, never rust, never welded, Interior untouched, all maths, seats clothing, all rubber, all glass are originals. When the owner getting older, this car sold to a work shop, This work shop to renew the brake cylinder, clutch cylinder,change the engine oil, gear box oil, axle oil, renew the bearing wash the fuel tank, put a new battery and repainted the car from yellow to black paint the chrome body parts to silver colour and Rereg the car again on the end of 2006.We will order some chrome parts, chrome bumper, indicator lights, suspension leaf and shocks, Radiators, and hose kit, PTO wiich for this car from Toyota Japan. The price of this BJ40 at that time cost HK$ 49,000, it is same as today's HK$500,000. a small Suzuki 800cc jeep cost lees than HK$10,000 and a small sedan cost only no more than HK$ 15,000.The HK people income between HK$600-2000/month. The optional air condition cost HK$1,010 only. The vehicle license for this 3 liter diesel private car cost HK$1,000 one year.

Today a 70s FJ 40 in this condition original un restoration may a few in the world only. One I saw at e bay in USA cost near USD60000. But this is not a untouch one. I believe if you like early LC 40, it also good to buy, because most of early 40 series Land Cruiser are very rust, and rough use at 60s and 70s.

Between 1986-1989 our Co got 5 unit of 40 series all SWB, 2 soft top 3 hard top. HK China and light power Co got many FJ45 pick up with PTO winch in front at mid of 70s.Today no more then 20 unit of LC 40 series in HK. We also got a 1977 FJ55,1988 HJ 60 and a 1988 BJ 70.a 1994 LC80, a 1997 LC90, 1998 LC100 and 2003 LX470.

            If you got some early FJ40/BJ40 body parts, or 80s 5 speed gear box, power steering box, just e mail me.

            Our email address: fourwdco@yahoo.com  shipping is not a problem