Land Cruiser Model 40 Series

Model 40 Series dominated the market from 1960 to 1984. Model 40 still looked like a Jeep and did not look much different from the 20 Series on the outside but Toyota was improving the engine output and performance and interior improvements and refinements year after year building on the legend that Land Cruiser was to become in a few years.

In 1960 the FJ-type took an evolutionary step into the 40-series. Though there was very little change in the external appearance of the vehicle, production techniques were modernized with the introduction of large-scale press equipment, and changes were made in processes, such as the way panels were assembled. Moreover, a LO range subgear was added to the transfer, which improved both acceleration and performance on bad roads. In addition, with the 2-speed transfer lever moved to the instrument panel and the 3-speed shift lever moved to the steering column, this made floor room so that 3 people could sit in the front. The design was so well received that few changes were made, and the first major structural development wasn’t seen until the 40-series. Whereas the 20-series F-type engine had an output of 105HP, by the FJ40 the engine had an output of 125HP, which eventually was boosted to 130HP, at least for the domestic market.

The 40-series lineup included the short wheelbase FJ40 (soft top and light van model), the middle wheelbase FJ43, and the long wheelbase FJ45. The FJ28 had 3 variations, a soft top, hard top, and light van model. The FJ43 came in only 2 variations, a soft top and a hard top model. The FJ45V was a van type, and there was also a pickup truck model made for export.
The FJ40V was styled as a top-heavy box-like extension of the paneling on the soft top type. To reduce the added weight resinous materials were used for the roof instead of steel paneling, and the reason for raising the roof so high was for improved visibility, with a window added to the rear corner section. The unique styling had a following and was popular.
In 1967 the market demand seriously increased for station wagons, and the FJ45V was replaced with a new FJ55V that had a wheelbase of 2,700mm.
In 1974 the BJ series debuted, which put a B-type diesel engine in the 40-series. At the time a 2.8-liter piston displacement was thought of as the upper limit for a 4-cylinder diesel engine, but the B-type extended the piston capacity to 3.0-liters, and was developed for installation in the 2-ton trucks like the Dyna and the Coaster. As a result the weight in the domestic market shifted from the FJ to the BJ in the 40-series. Moreover, from 1967 a model was produced for export that was equipped with an H-type 6-cylinder 3,576cc diesel engine.
The appearance of the BJ40 series was epoch-making for the Japanese domestic 4×4 market. Before that the FJ 4-liter gasoline engine had been classified in the Japanese vehicle registration system as a large vehicle, making it more expensive to maintain and a heavy tax liability for individuals to own. However, with the diesel engine it became reclassified as a compact vehicle, making it easier for individual users to own. Moreover, the F-type engine underwent improvements in the same year, and the FJ56V made its debut with the new 4.2-liter 2F-type engine.

Drawing the curtain on a 24-year history as a long seller in Japan, the 40-series was followed by the debut of the 70-series. During this time there were few changes made in the external appearance of the vehicle, but it was continually improved from within. In particular, from the late 1960s to early 1970s, when attention was increasingly focused on automotive air pollution and manufacturing defects, Toyota put great efforts into addressing these problems.

The BJ42V was the last short wheelbase model in the 40-series. Shown in the photograph is the top of the line luxury LX grade model, which not only had a softer ride with softer springs, and improvements in emissions with the 3B-type diesel engine. It also came with a 5-speed M/T and power steering as standard equipment, which made it easier to travel long distances.

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