The Toyota Land Cruiser is widely considered overlanding royalty with the 80-Series considered one of the best (for more, read Matt Scott’s Why The Land Cruiser 80-Series Is The Next Classic). I’ve recently featured several adventure-ready examples, including this 1992 HZJ80, a 1996 HDJ80L, and a 1997 FZJ80. So, what makes this model such a desirable overland platform? In short, they just work; whether you’re navigating desert dunes or battling the arctic tundra, you can count on a Land Cruiser to get you home. It’s therefore no surprise that Land Cruisers dominate the world’s most remote and inhospitable locations with organizations such as the United Nations utilizing them for frontline work. In fact, Toyota even produced an ultra-simplified version of the 80-Series known as the Poverty Package for such purposes which removed as many points of failure as possible in favor of absolute reliability (reference this ex-Nato 1992 Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ80 for more). There are various 80-Series configurations available, but one of my favorite builds has to be this 1990 HDJ80 Maltec Conversion shared by Ashley Giordano. Today’s well-maintained (check original listing for a list of recent work) 1991 VX Limited has covered 242,000 miles, features tasteful modifications, and is offered at a reasonable $17,000 OBO.
From the Seller:
“I am selling my 1991 HDJ81. I have owned this truck for nearly a year, and I have invested a lot of love to get it to the point it is today. I’ll start by recognizing that this truck is not without its faults, and my price is certainly negotiable. The truck is definitely a driver. Iit shows wear and its age, but mechanically it has been very dependable, and I wouldn’t hesitate to take it deep into the middle of nowhere. The truck runs and drives great, I just took it to Colorado and it was happy cruising on the highway, no wobble, no issues maintaining speed.”
1991 Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ81 VX Limited
The HDJ81 is fitted with a 4.2-liter turbo diesel that produces 164 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. A long-lived engine and drivetrain are mated with legendary go-anywhere capability thanks to 4WD, high and low range, manual locking hubs, center locking differential (aftermarket rear ARB locker also installed), and more. Inside driver comforts include:
- Airconditioning
- Power steering, doors, windows, and mirrors
- Sunroof
- Cruise control
- Headlight washers
Distinguishing Features
- SCS F5 wheels with Kenda tires
- Old Man Emu lift
- ARB front bumper
- Turbo-back 3-inch exhaust
This 1991 Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ81 VX Limited is listed for $17,000 OBO and is currently located in Gilbert, Arizona. Check the full vehicle specifications via the original Expedition Portal forum post here.
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