Features

Bench Seat
Of course, the bench seat has no side supports and if it weren't for the two-point seatbelts, me and my passenger would be doing a lot of bouncing around on the backroads. Turning the steering wheel uses the back muscles, so its great exercise for couch potatoes. The seat moves forward and back, and it's usually set at a position that is comfortable for me. Not so comfortable for my short-legged wife. The rear benchseat folds down for ample cargo space. I'm sure the cargo capacity of the FJ45LV is much larger than that of today's Land Cruisers. The rear seat is slightly higher that the front seat so passengers have a good view. (I've never been in the back, so I'm only going on what others have told me.)

Headlight Switch
The switch is a dial-type, right in the center of the dashboard facing the seat. The first click left turns on the small lights on the front grill, typical of the early FJ40s. A click to the right turns on the headlights. The dimmer switch, to go from high to low beam, and back, is down on the floor near the brake pedal.

Shift lever
The floor-type shift lever uses the H-pattern, with top left, reverse; lower left, non-synchromesh 1st; and top and bottom right, synchromesh 2nd and 3rd, respectively. The transfer change lever uses an L-pattern, with 2H, 4H and 4L. Of course, the operation means coming to a full stop, and double-clutch action is required when slowing into 1st while in motion.

Wipers
The single-speed wipers are either on or off. The wiper switch is in the center of the dash and hard to get at, and the wipers operate at a 90 degree angle and stop in the field of vision. For these reasons, I find Rain-X essential so that I don't have to use the wipers unless the rain is heavy. The wiper motor is mounted behind the dash, beneathe the front glass. I hope the motor never fails, because I'd hate to have to go through the process of removing it.

Radio
No such luxury item in this FJ45LV. The engine noise would drown out any music, anyway. But, it seems as though the previous owner put up an overhead console for a radio and CB. I may do the same and crank James Brown or Dire Straits up as I head for the hills.

Cigarette Lighter
Got one. Ashtrays, too. The ashtray for smokers in the back seat is set into the back of the front seat.

Heater
In the front is a heater core with a valve to direct air for defrosting or foot-level heating. However, the heater blower is traditionally mounted in the engine room and directs air to the heater core via tubing. As optional equipment, a motor-equipped heater can be installed under the front seat for the benefit of backseat passengers.

Interior Lights
A light is mounted at the top of the interior pillars between the front and rear doors. The lights, housed in a retro-looking, inverted-triangle, milky-white plastic, are turned on from a switch on the dashboard panel.

Seatbelt
Two 2-point seatbelts are installed for the front seat only. They are attached to the floor with eye bolts.

Ventilation
Triangular windows. A member of the FJ40 family just wouldn't be the same without these windows. And they serve a practical purpose, too, to bring outside air into the vehicle. The FJ45LV also has openings at the back of the engine hood and under the overhang of the roof above the windshield.

Instrument Panel
The the traditional FJ40-style all-in-one panel features a speedometer in mph (though Canada is now metric) up to 100mph, but the limit is really 70mph. Auxilliary meters are, from left to right, for oil, temperature, fuel and amp. To properly adjust the carburetor, I really wanted to have a tachometer, so I cut a hole just to the left of the instrument panel and installed one. All I needed was a tachometer that went up to 4,000, but today's tachometers are all in scales of 8,000. What a shame not to use the full capabilities.

Spare Tire
The spare tire stands in the cargo space, on the driver's side. It's held in place with a huge locking screw. I've currently got 7.00-15" 8-ply bias tires on my FJ45LV.

Jack
The hydraulic jack has its own storage dish under the front seat. I really like the ease of use of this genuine hydraulic jack.

Rear Gate
The rear gate is split into upper and lower portions. The top springs open and the bottom is pulled downward. According to sources, a hinged ambulance door style was available, as an option. I would have preferred that, but beggers can't be choosers. The lower portion is incredibly heavy and well-made, so I doubt is would sustain much damage if the vehicle were hit from behind.

Turn Signal Lenses
Originally, the front turn signal lenses were round. The round style really suits the shape of the engine hood, which is split-pressed. At the back, long, red, rigid plastic lenses cover 1-bulb, 2-filament lights. Apparently, the tail light lenses on the early-model FJ45LV were different, but I've not seen an example. The lenses on my late-model FJ45LV are not available in North America any more and my local FJ45LV pals are really in a bind. I'd like some spares, too. I asked at the original manufacturer, Koito, but, of course, replacement lenses are nowhere to be found anymore.

Hazard Light Switch
I can't be sure, but I think a hazard light switch was offered as an option because "hazard light (optional)" is written on the illustration of wire harness circuitry. My FJ45LV has a hazard light switch so it might not a genuine part. The previous owner probably installed it. Or maybe he got a genuine part? Whichever, I've got hazard lights.

Air Cleaner
The air cleaner was the paper element type but an oil bath type was available as an option. I've got the oil bath type. The fact that the FJ45LV is an old model is really noticeable, here. What would happen if the vehicle flipped over on mountain terrain? This cleaner is extremely heavy and is held in place by a bracket that shares two bolts on the left front side of the engine head.

Fuel Pump
In the original condition, the fuel pump was a diaphram type. When I got this FJ45LV, the fuel pump was leaking so I took the opportunity to install an electric pump. What I got was a powerful NASCAR-oriented electric fuel pump with maximum output of 12psi. When conected to the genuine Aisan single-carb, the pump suddenly flooded the float chamber. So I installed a pressure regulator and adjusted the idling, which left output at a satisfactory 4psi. I guess I should have bought a cheaper pump. Oh well, chalk one up to experience. Maybe one day I'll get a Weber 32/36 carb.

Spark System
After overhauling the engine, I replaced the sparking system. The distributor, itself, is a genuine Toyota part, but I replaced the breaker point plate, condenser, distributor cap and rotor. I also replaced older Toyota parts with a high-capacity plug cord and high-voltage coil from Accell, and added the MSD-6A multiple spark discharger, from MSD. I tried out several plugs. NGK's BPR5ES-11 (R is for resister plug; 11 is for the gap) is probably the best. But I'm currently using Denso's W14EXR-U (R is for resister), and I get smooth acceleration from idling to highway speed. I don't hear any backfiring.

Radiator
The radiator was clogged and leaked, and couldn't be used in that condition. My pal at the radiator shop rebuilt the core for me. But it wasn't a cheap request. Among TLCA members, thre are many stories about guys with rebuilt "Chevotas" (a Chevy 350 small block mounted on an FJ frame) who have problems with overheating because they connected their Chevy engines to a genuine Toyota radiator. It's clear to me that the small capacity of the radiator is incompatible with the capacity of the Chevy engine. Apparently, these guys have compensated with a switch-controlled electric radiator fan, so when the vehicle goes through deep water, like a creek, the fan can be shut off to prevent water in the engine room from splattering around. I hope these guys remember to switch the fan back on.

Fuel Tank
It wasn't until I started adjusting the engine that I discovered water or some kind of crud in the fuel filter. When I removed the tank and looked inside, I found it was red with rust. There were no replacements around and a special order was too expensive. I found out about a process that cleans and coats the inside of the tank. In fact, the process plugs leaks and strengthens the tank to better-than-new condition. Apparently, I was the only customer who's ever removed a tank himself and brought it in for processing. My beautiful new tank was ready in just two days. And the cost was far, far less than order-made. The capacity of the genuine tank is 70 liters (18.5 US gal). I'd have liked 100-liter capacity, but I'll have to settle for a couple jerry cans and a full tank of gas. Among my Land Cruiser friends in North America, the jerry cans used by NATO forces are good.

Muffler
I couldn't buy a genuine exhaust system. Too expensive. But I thought, if I have to buy it, I'd go for the 2 piece header from Specter Off-Road. Exhaust interference is low and even at idling the engine is surprisingly stable. I heard a story about a famous F-engine mechanic in Japan who would put a 10-yen coin on the cam cover of a tuned engine and it would stay upright. I tried that, but the coin tipped over.

Oil Element Hose
I actually wondered why Toyota ran this rubber hose from the engine block to the oil element, and sure enough, when I had oil leaks, guess where they were coming from? Drip, drip, drip from the bottom part of this rubber hose. Attaching the hose to the header put it too close to the exhaust pipe. So I made my own hose out of brake line pipe. Absolutely no leaks! Its been several years since I made the switch and I am trouble-free so far. Yeehah!