This High-Mileage 1992 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ80 Is Ready To Take On Even More Adventures

The Toyota Land Cruiser story begins in 1951 with the BJ, a military vehicle produced in Japan and used by Americans in the Korean War - talk about Mr. Worldwide. After the armistice agreement in 1953, the little off-roader was no longer needed, but Toyota wanted to keep making them.

To achieve that, Toyota needed to redesign the rugged off-roader and make it a little more user-friendly, translating to comfier seats and softer suspension. The result was called the 20 Series, which came in gas and diesel form. This model is the birth of the Land Cruiser name in 1954, making it the longest-running nameplate in the automaker's history. Toyota tried to sell the new 20 Series abroad, which was a first for them. You see, the problem was that after the war, every country already had domestic manufacturers, but Toyota did a smart thing.

The 20 Series was comparable with America's Jeep. So, they did this: they sent the Land Cruiser to oversea markets, and next to it strapped the Crown. The Land Cruiser's toughness gave credibility to the sedan, and Toyota got itself in markets all over the world using this strategy.

Next up, in 1960, the Land Cruiser got its first refresh, and it was called the 40 Series. It was more refined and stronger, and it had a low-range gear, which, combined with more powerful engines, meant greater off-roading capabilities.

In 1967, the Land Cruiser got a major redesign - and I think it's safe to say it's the ugliest one yet. It is called the 55 Series and looks like a disfigured pig. That said, it was more of a lifted station wagon, which set the trend for Land Cruisers to come - it was a shift from the ultra-utilitarian character to a more lifestyle, adventure-oriented vibe.

What followed was a slow but steady shift towards comfort, which peaked with the 80 Series, released in 1989, and it was a full commitment to luxury. Toyota started to understand that most people were not going to take the Cruiser off-road, and it was more of a family car - but don't think for a second that it lost its edge when taken off the beaten path. Now, to take a deeper look at what makes the 80 Series so good, we have here an example from 1992, so let's dive.

Before getting to the car itself, we should take a look at Toyota's naming insanity. They might seem confusing at first, but they really are not. The first letter is the engine, and it comes in two variants, with 'F' meaning it has a straight-six gasoline engine. At the same time, 'B' and 'H' represent diesel variants in four-cylinder and six-cylinder mills, respectively.

The following letter is the letter 'J,' and that is just Toyota's talk for Land Cruiser. The number after that is what you'll hear fanatics refer to in terms of body style. If it has a 40 to 42 number, it means that it's a short wheel-base configuration, while 43, 44, and 46 are medium wheel-base and 45 and 47 are long wheel-bases. Now, the one we have here today is an FJ80, so let's get our greasy paws digging and find out what makes it so cool.

On the outside, the Model 80 is not flashy at all; it's quite easily overlooked, actually. That said, its size and tall stance give it an intimidating look. This FJ80 left the factory in Dark Gray Metallic, and it was refinished in its current shade of gray under the current ownership. Contributing to the tough look of this behemoth, you'll find a front brush guard, a receiver hitch, a roof rack, and the all-important mud flaps.

Providing you with grip on the busy highways and on the forest roads are Michelin X LT tires that are wrapped around 15-inch alloy wheels. Behind them, you'll find disk brakes in the front and drums in the rear.

Moving on to the inside, you'll be greeted by a super luxurious interior, at least by '90s standards. The seating arrangements are more like a living room with two armchairs and a sofa rather than a car cabin with seats and a rear bench - but, no matter which one you choose to sit in, you will lay yourself in a little cloud upholster in gray cloth. Gray cloth could also be found on the third row of seats. They are not currently installed, but the brackets are there, and the bench itself can be tracked down by the owner. The dash and other trim pieces, however, leave a lot to be desired, as black, outdated plastic is the norm right here.

Guiding you through tight parking lots and tight forest trails is a three-spoke steering wheel that fronts a 110 mph (180 kph) speedometer, a tachometer, and a plethora of other gauges, among which we find the odometer. I mention the odometer for one special reason - it shows 334,000 miles (538,000 kilometers). This is the sole reason I chose to show you this particular Land Cruiser and not another pristine one. It's a trooper. After all of that traveling, it still looks great, and it still is ready to take on more adventures, which is a testament to how rugged and dependent the whole Land Cruiser lineup is.

This insane reliability can be best seen under the hood. The 4.0-liter (244 ci) inline-six produces an apparently-crummy 155 hp (157 ps), but power is not the main concern here. The main focus is reliability and torque, and with 220 lb-ft (300 Nm) in naturally-aspirated form, it's more than enough to pull itself out of any tricky situation. That rather low power is sent to all four wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission and a locking center differential that came as standard.

This Land Cruiser really paved the way for the ones to come. It's the perfect blend of comfort, off-road capabilities, and status. If you fancy yourself one of these bad boys that are ready for anything you can throw at it, this particular FJ80 is up at auction in Los Angeles, California. Given the high mileage, it won't reach absurd price points, meaning you can enjoy the awesomeness for a reasonable price - and I've seen these reach over 600,000 miles (965,000 kilometers), so this one is still fresh, just out of the break-in period. Also, keep in mind that the Carfax report shows mileage inconsistencies in November 2021, so the total number is unknown, but again, that shouldn't be a problem.