6 photos
Follow the Legend of the Land Cruiser back far enough, and you’ll reach the 40 Series — the off-roader’s first real point of differentiation from the World War II-jeep-knockoff it originally started out as. Still, once glance at that long-lived model (it stuck around from 1960 to 1984), and its common roots with history’s most famous troop transport are obvious, from the boxy lines to the round headlights and the two-door body.
It’s in part those timeless lines that have helped the old Land Cruiser become an automotive icon, one sought out today by collectors and enthusiasts — who are often willing to pay beaucoup bucks for mint-condition examples. The lack of those has, in turn, driven a small but dedicated market of restoration and modification shops specializing in building better versions of old Toyota four-by-fours, including the likes of Icon 4×4 of California and The FJ Company of Florida. And the latter has just rolled out what could be their coolest 40 Series yet. After all, what’s cooler than being able to share the vintage Land Crusher experience with more people at once?
The four-door 1981 FJ45 Troopy seen here was whipped up by reconstructing the steel body to include two extra doors on an original chassis, then adding Toyota mechanicals and other pieces crafted more recently than the 38-year-old off-roader. (As well as some non-OEM pieces that are much newer, like the Recaro front seats and the Alpine touchscreen head unit with Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay.) The custom second-row bench folds flat to the floor in order to make the most of the space, while a pair of sideways-facing jump seats in the stern add occasional seating for a couple friends who don’t value legroom very highly.
This particular example has already been sold, but should a four-door Troopy set your salivary glands to work, The FJ Company is more than happy to take an order for your very own bespoke version. Don’t expect it to come cheap, though; prices for the company’s existing stock of “regular” vintage Land Cruisers (all three of them) run from $145,000–$198,450, so your custom four-door job will likely run more than $200,000.
