The term “overland rig” is often used a little too loosely to describe a vehicle with big tires and a lift when in fact a true expedition truck takes years of careful design, investment, and will remain in a constant state of development. We’ve featured a number of truly exquisite builds recently that fit these criteria, including a 78-Series Toyota Troopcarrier, a Mercedes Benz 310 4×4 Camper, and a 2003 Land Cruiser HZJ79. I feel that if a rig is advertised as an overland vehicle, then it’s not enough to solely look the part, rather it needs a resume that demonstrates its accolades in the field. It’s easy to buy a vehicle, heavily modify it, and fit it with cool accessories, but I promise that it’s only when you hit the road that you’ll discover whether your vision translates in the real world. I’m therefore skeptical of any rig that claims to be the “ultimate overlander,” yet has limited miles and not a single scratch. Alternatively, today’s offering has amazing stories to tell and has been meticulously built from the ground up for round-the-world travel. This stunning 1984 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ45 showcases extensive premium modifications and accessories, a custom fiberglass camper, and is priced at a bargain $68,000 OBO. Additionally, the original listing contains a sales brochure that comprehensively details the build, documents its travels, and is accompanied by wonderful photography, so be sure to check it out.
From the Seller:
“This vehicle was purchased new and held by one Swiss owner until 2017. The original owner had a professional cabin builder to construct the custom fiberglass cabin in Switzerland in 2001. The owner then shipped the vehicle to North America in 2002, where he completed the Pan-American Highway, driving from Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina. Following this trip, the vehicle was shipped back to Switzerland, where it spent a number of years in secure storage, making the occasional trip to Landcruiser Club meetings and awaiting an overlanding trip to Africa that never came.
The vehicle was sold in 2017 to its second owners, a German couple who, after making a number of improvements, shipped the vehicle first to Iceland, and then to Colombia after which the vehicle was driven once again to Ushuaia, Argentina. When they returned to the U.S. from Latin America, the couple imported the vehicle to Arizona as a Class C motorhome and continued their travels up the West Coast to Washington.
In July 2019, we purchased the vehicle and had it titled in Washington. We then drove 2,000 kilometers in Washington and British Columbia before storing the vehicle and flying home to Australia. We hoped to return to start the vehicle’s third expedition down the Pan-American Highway in 2020, but unfortunately with the onset of COVID-19, we were unable to begin the trip, and the vehicle was stored securely until May 2022. At this time we pulled the vehicle out and re-registered it in Montana. It has spent the last six months touring British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and Alaska.”
1984 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ45
This left-hand drive BJ45 is fitted with the desirable stock 3.4-liter diesel motor which has been professionally fitted with an AXT turbo to improve performance. This set-up returns an average 19.6 mpg and has a range of 435 miles. A bulletproof motor and drivetrain is mated with excellent all-terrain capability, thanks to a body-on-frame design, 4WD, high and low range, Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires, winch, snorkel, and is equipped with all the recovery gear you could ever need.
Distinguishing Features
This is just a small selection of notable features. Please see the original listing for full details:
- House battery 170-amp-hour with 300-watts of solar power
- Waeco Coolmatic CCF18 fridge/freezer
- Truma Trumatic E 2400 heater
- Warn MRV-B-4 winch
- T-Max T160 compressor
- Rubena 170X2 air suspension system
- Three Dometic S4 windows
This 1984 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ45 Overlanding Vehicle is listed for $68,000 OBO and is currently located in Vancouver, Canada. Check the full vehicle specifications via the original Expedition Portal forum post here.
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