This mint old Toyota Land Cruiser is hiding a big secret

Usually when someone plugs a modern engine into an old car, there are a few tell-tale signs that all is not as it seems. As far as we can see, though, that is not the case with Legacy Overland’s Toyota Land Cruiser.

Indeed, lurking beneath this ’82 FJ40’s period-correct bodywork is a 5.7-litre V8 from General Motors and a four-speed automatic gearbox. Other mechanical upgrades include disc brakes all-round, power steering, more modern suspension and beefier tyres wrapped around 16-inch OEM rims.

Save for the tyres it looks almost exactly like it did when it was new almost 40 years ago. If you’re a Land Cruiser expert no doubt you’d spot the differences from a mile away. But we aren’t, so we can’t.

Inside it’s a bit more obvious that this is no standard FJ40, but not by much. The front seats are original but re-trimmed in vegan-friendly leather, there’s a modern stereo camouflaged as an old one (it’s the speakers that give the game away), and a slim auxiliary air-conditioning unit under the dash. It’s even got the original steering wheel, which is a nice touch.

What’s got your money – Legacy’s Land Cruiser, or Gateway’s Bronco?