1980 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ40
Rarely seen on American roads, the BJ40 is the diesel variant of Toyota’s legendary 40 Series Land Cruiser. Introduced in the mid-1970s (with the B-series diesel appearing in 40 Series trucks earlier in global markets), it paired the familiar flat-paneled, body-on-frame design of the FJ40 with a 3.0-liter (2,977 cc) Type B indirect-injection inline four-cylinder producing approximately 80 horsepower.
That modest output belied the engine’s real strength: dependable low-end torque delivered through a four-speed manual gearbox and two-speed transfer case.
The 40 Series itself had been in production since 1960, offered across short, medium, and long wheelbases in configurations ranging from soft tops to hardtops, pickups, and troop carriers. Leaf springs at all four corners and four-wheel drum brakes kept the mechanicals straightforward and field-repairable (front disc brakes would not appear on the 40 Series until later in its production run in some markets).
The BJ40’s diesel powerplant placed it in a lower tax category in several markets, particularly Japan, and made it a natural choice for operators in remote regions where diesel fuel was more readily available.
Production of the 40 Series continued into the mid-1980s in some markets, spanning roughly a quarter-century run that cemented its reputation as one of the most capable utility vehicles ever built.
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