The Toyota FJ40 is about as iconic as it gets for JDM metal here in the U.S. It even registers for folks who could care less about the Supra,->ke355 NSX,->ke2673 or any other of the more typical Japanese products gracing our shores.

The FJ40 came along in 1960 as a replacement for earlier J-series Toyota->ke88 trucks. Tracing the lineage further back reveals its birth from the U.S. Military’s Willis MB Jeep that saw action in WWII. Yep, the FJ is Japan’s version of the Jeep, but that doesn’t detract from its unique features and numerous body configurations and engine options.

Not surprisingly, it’s easy to admire the FJ. That’s exactly what Josh Commons did when he purchased the worn-down Toyota in 1982. Small fixes here and there kept the rugged truck running, but eventually Josh had to sell it. Fortunately it was his sister that made the purchase, and within a few years, had restored much of the FJ to its former glory. The FJ then went to live with Josh’s parents who continued to keep the FJ in working order.

Josh swooped in a repurchased the FJ soon after his parents left the FJ sitting unused under a tree. Cleaned up and running right, the FJ works perfectly. Josh says he plans on never selling the FJ again and hope that one day his kids will be driving it. "I don't see these as disposable, I see them as infinitely rebuildable," he tells Petrolicious. "It's definitely an heirloom now."

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