We’re not generally huge fans of painting cars (or trucks) in brown… especially cars from the Eighties. Too many memories of Malaise Era land yachts wobbling around corners. But this classic Toyota Land Cruiser has us rethinking that notion.
It’s a 1981 FJ43 that was imported to Colombia by a local energy company to transport its personnel along rough terrain.
The folks over at The FJ Company recently got their hands on it recently and brought it to what appears to be well beyond factory condition.
The company completed a full frame-off restoration that saw it rebuild the original engine along with the power steering system and front disc brakes. They installed a new carburetor, suspension, starter motor, pumps, aluminum radiator and five-speed manual transmission, and added a custom roll cage, fire suppression system, LED headlamps, winch… the works.
They painted it Olive 637 – right out of the original factory catalog – and upholstered the interior in brown leather, from the door panels and fold-down rear benches to the Corbeau Moab front buckets.
The result was dubbed the Copperstate Overland Edition, after the off-roading event that The FJ Company sponsors. Gooding & Company sold it for a mind-blowing $160,000 at its recent auction at Pebble Beach, which only goes to show that as impressive as the restoration work looks from the photographs, it must be that much more compelling up close and in person.
Photo Gallery
