Restomods garner the appreciation of automotive enthusiasts and casual observers, like the owner of this restored vintage Land Cruiser. Not only is it a form of mechanical art, but it’s also becoming an extraordinarily lucrative business practice.

Legacy Overland is a purveyor of vintage off-road vehicles like Land Rover Defenders, Mercedes G-Wagens, Raver Rover Classics, and other capable beauties. Recently, they overhauled another vehicle demonstrating their expertise, an exquisite 1971 Land Cruiser FJ40.

Tasteful modern revamp of a restored vintage Land Cruiser 

The FJ40 restomod looks almost perfect. That’s an “almost” because the exterior was buffed and repainted in a beautiful dark metallic gray, but it keeps a bit of the original patina for a standout charm. The 51-year-old FJ40 boasts its iconic boxy shape and rough-and-ready trimmings on the outside, and the interior shows an old-school flair with a period-correct 8-ball shifter knob.

Land Cruisers have a quintessential trail-ready look with a soft top, swing-out spare tire carrier, and 15-inch steel wheels. Legacy Overland keeps these period cues intact but provides newer, sturdier versions.

Retro Styling with Contemporary Comforts

The Connecticut-based shop has a remarkable reputation with Toyota Land Cruisers. While they ensure the original factory looks are kept, they also include a few updates for customer delight.

Underneath the sleek yet spartan interior is a custom-built roll cage to provide safety on the trail if this beauty ever does leave the pavement. Whether on-road or off-road, the owner of its astounding FJ40 will welcome Legacy Overland’s addition of an air conditioning system.

A leather-wrapped steering wheel is a luxury point of focus in the cabin as eyes are also drawn to the original layout of the FJ40. The shop keeps the functional passenger-carrying capabilities with two front bucket seats and two rear sideways-mounted benches.

Mechanical Malaise Replaced with V8 Power 

The 1971 Toyota Land Cruiser rolled off the production line with a 125-hp 3.9-liter I6 engine. Although Legacy Overland loves retro design language, they don’t have a particular fondness for 1970s performance. Therefore, the shop threw all of it away and shoved a carbureted Chevrolet 5.7-liter V8 under the hood, mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Although the shop doesn’t provide power figures, the powerplant is a welcome decision for keen offroaders.

Upgraded front and rear disc brakes and power steering allow for better control on the road, and a front bumper-mounted Warn M8000 winch and an additional farm jack prove well for on-the-trail needs. When the sun goes down the trail, the lucky owners won’t have to suffer from a lack of light either. The original FJ40’s headlights, which were about as effective as candles in jam jars, have been replaced by Halogen headlamps.  

How Much Is the 1971 restored vintage Land Cruiser FJ40 Restomod?

Legacy Overland hasn’t released a figure on their new creation. On Classic Cars website, some restored and modified FJ40s are fetching above $50,000. Legacy Overland’s will likely bring a pretty penny with the modern touches.

Whether this Land Cruiser is a garage and trailer queen or a trail-pounding offroader, it will always be a gorgeous specimen of automotive history.