FJ62 Questions from a prospective owner

[yossarian19]

I'm looking at an FJ62, FJ80 or Chevy Tahoe in the future.
The closer comparison is between the FJ80 and the Tahoe, I know, but I really like the '62s so thought I'd include.
I'm looking for opinions about capability, cost of ownership & daily driving manners between the 3 models. I know the Tahoe has a weak rear diff but it's easy to swap to a stronger unit, so...
What do you think?

 

[burnoil]

FJ62 (1988-early 1990). Tough. Slow. Like tractor slow, but will keep going. The 3FE engine is fuel injected so no carb fiddling.

The A440F auto trans is very parasitic, meaning it absorbs a lot of the power that the engine generates...which isn't much. They also generate a lot of heat. They (trans) are expensive to rebuild and not many know how to rebuild them correctly these days.

Power windows will be sluggish with age. The diffs are pretty beefy and won't give much trouble when regularly maintained. Body panels readily rust.

Oh, did I mention they are slow?

 

[tanglefoot]

You might get better responses in the Land Cruiser section:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/forums/15-Toyota-Land-Cruiser

I love the look of the '62 and how it still came with part-time 4wd and manually-locking front hubs. I wouldn't want to put fuel in one (not that newer Cruisers are much better) but I sure do enjoy seeing them.

Are you aware of the FJ80/FZJ80 cutoff and differences? The 1990-92 FJ80s have the more anemic 3F-E inline 6 and lower towing capacity than the 1993-1997 FZJ-80, with the more powerful 1FZ-FE 4.5L inline 6. Some came with locking front and rear differentials--these are the most coveted 80-series Cruisers.

The 100-series LCs are getting pretty affordable in the used market and have the excellent, 2UZ-FE V8. Many are grabbing them up at much lower than original prices for such luxurious wagons. Although they have independent front suspension, they're still quite capable.

Since you are considering the Tahoe, you may want to investigate the Toyota Sequoia. It's the product that best competes with the Tahoe. It shares a platform with the Tundra and is a very nice, full-size utility.

 

[1911]

FJ62: leaf springs

FJ80: coil suspension

As has been said, the 3FE engine in the 62 and the 80 (up through 1992) is a tractor motor great for wheeling, but far below modern standards of freeway acceleration and towing capacity. Plus they only get 12-14 mpg. Personally, I love these motors; they are easy to work on, stone reliable, and have a lot of character, but they're not everyone's cup of tea for a modern daily driver.

Either a 62 or an 80 is getting old enough that you'll have to be patient to find one that has been well-maintained and is in good shape, but if you can find one like that then the cost of keeping it well-maintained is pretty low, they will run nearly forever. My last 80 (a '91) is still in the family and a DD with about 300,000 miles on it.

Daily driving a 40 or 60-series Land Cruiser is a commitment, and not for the soft or faint of heart. If you like creature comforts then you'd be much better off with an FZJ80 or later Cruiser.