Our 100 Series is still in the works, but there’s a new Land Cruiser in the shop. Meet the 1988 Toyota FJ62 — a high-mileage classic with a five-speed manual and an OEM+ build plan that puts driving feel and long-term dependability ahead of everything else.
Meet OVR’s New Project Land Cruiser, a 1988 FJ62
Our second Land Cruiser has more than 300,000 miles, a five-speed manual and a build plan that keeps its factory character intact.
For the past few years, our 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser 100 Series has been OVR’s main in-house build. We’ve put plenty of miles on it along the way, and it’s now close to the long-distance trail rig we set out to build.
Of course, anyone with a project truck knows what “close” means. There are still more mods to try and more trips to take, so keep following the 100 Series.
In the meantime, we’ve made room for another Land Cruiser.
Apparently, 27 years old wasn’t quite old enough. Meet OVR’s 1988 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ62.
Why We Bought a 62
It takes some faith in Toyota’s build quality to buy a 38-year-old truck with more than 300,000 miles on the odometer. Then again, our 100 Series had already crossed that same mark.
We knew what a high-mileage Land Cruiser could do, and we’d always liked the FJ62’s straight body lines, upright glass and four square headlights.
It’s easy to see why collectors love these trucks, even after decades of owners using them for daily work.
With 155 horsepower and 220 lb-ft of torque, the stock 4.0-liter 3F-E inline-six feels underpowered by modern standards.
Toyota built it for a working truck, and its modest output is part of the reason it has a reputation for lasting as long as it does.
Toyota paired the 3F-E with a four-speed automatic in U.S.-market FJ62s, and that transmission really sucked the life out of an already underpowered engine.
Luckily for us, a previous owner had this truck converted to a Toyota H55F five-speed manual. Getting to pick our own gears drastically changes how the 3F-E feels on the road, and that was one of the big reasons we bought this particular 62.
It also came to us with a tidy 2-inch Old Man Emu lift and steering stabilizer, a combination that gives us the stance we want while keeping the 62 looking like a 62.
What We’re Building
We built the 100 Series around long trips. With the FJ62, we’re taking an OEM+ approach.
We want to keep the factory look and make selective upgrades that help it drive better, stay dependable and be a little more comfortable to spend time in. The mild lift and five-speed are right in line with that plan.
We already have a few maintenance items that will fuel the first few stories, and of course, there are upgrades in the works.
We’ll cover the jobs that come with putting an old truck back into regular use, then get out and put some miles on it.
Follow the FJ62 here on OVRmag.com and in the pages of the print version of OVR. For updates between stories, look for the 62 on OVR’s Instagram.
If you’ve been thinking about starting a classic truck project of your own, we hope this one gives you a reason to get going.
And if you already own a 62, we’d love to hear what’s worked for yours. Leave a comment below or on any of our FJ62 posts on Instagram.
Access More Great Stories!
For more informative articles like this, consider subscribing to OVR Magazine in print or digital versions here. You can also find the print edition of OVR at your local newsstand by using our Magazine Finder.
No comments yet