1994 KZJ78 Land Cruiser Prado

Stock #6423

The 70 series Prado delivers a true old-school Cruiser experience, and this tenacious turbodiesel lets little get in its way.

Exterior Overview

The 70 series Prado delivers a true old-school Cruiser experience, with the comfort and amenities of a more modern vehicle. The drivetrain is proven too, and this turbodiesel lets little get in its way. Finished in a stately Emerald Green/Silver (24v) this 1994 J78 is a stunning truck overall, and the bad boy aesthetic is further accented by a 4×4 engineering brushguard, a polished rear ladder, dual Bosch driving lamps, OEM rainguards and a 2″ suspension lift. Save for some light paint imperfections, scuffs, and dings the exterior shows well, and the 130k verified and documented miles on the clock should instill confidence in any Toyota enthusiast. You can ask our customers, the 70 series is collectible and fun to drive about your day to day, in other words, it’s a certified Japanese Classic!

Interior Overview

Designed about four decades ago, it’s surprising to see a cabin like this Cruiser’s hold up so well to daily wear and tear. This one is also bolstered with a few power amenities, and a desirable third row to make hauling a full squad a bit easier overall. The seats are clad in a durable two-tone grey suede, they complement the grey vinyl dash accents nicely, and no unwanted cracks, fading, or UV distortion is to be found on the dashboard. It’s a comfortable cabin for what it is, and a fully functional climate control unit has cold A/C and hot heat readily available. Adjacent to the HVAC, upgraded Alpine audio works like a charm and has old-school appeal. Further assisting daily use, all four power windows work as expected, as do the power locks and an optional power moonroof to funnel in some natural ventilation. The middle row can collapse forward to expand the cargo hold, and if you need some additional carrying capacity the third row seating can deploy from the d-pillars. The headliner is affixed taut to the roof, and the carpets beneath have resisted the past 30 years without succumbing to major damage. We have a ton of good things to say about this cabin overall, but that’s not to say it’s perfect as the power mirrors are inoperable and there’s some light pilling on the seats. Still, it’s in good nick for the age, and ripe and ready for stateside duty!

Mechanical Overview

The 1KZ is a beast of a powerplant. It’s dependable, frugal on fuel, and major services are easier than you’d expect! We’ve done the legwork of getting the service up to date, and this one cranks over with haste care of a new 12v battery. An oil and filter service was also performed, and we took care of some pesky oil leaks by replacing the rear main seal, valve cover gasket, and half moon seal. A new radiator was installed to aid thermal management, and we rebuilt the power steering pump to ensure this rig stays easy to maneuver. With the work performed, this lifted beast is a treat to drive both on and off tarmac, and we replaced the engine air filter and fuel filter to keep contaminants out of the 1K. The 3.0 delivers plenty of turbodiesel grunt down low, and an automatic gearbox throws power swiftly to the rear axle. 4WD engages at the push of a button if needed, and while the system works well. We did want to note some light oil seepage from the front hubs and that the rear locker is inoperable, but that wont affect daily use on bit. We also replaced a transfercase output seal for good measure. The suspension is comfortable overall, and new rear trailing arm bushings and sway bar link bushings were replaced to keep the drivetrain safe. New pads and rotors up front stop this ute on a dime, and the freshly refinished alloys were wrapped in brand new 33″ mud terrains. The new rubber looks mean, and we gave this Prado a fresh alignment to keep you tracking straight both on and off the beaten path!

*California Residents: In order to register a Grey Market vehicle in the state of California then it will have to be made CARB compliant first. CARB certifications will have to be performed within the state. Depending on the vehicle and any existing modifications will affect the pricing. Typically CARB compliance will range between 5-10K. Additional information can be found on the California Air Resources Board website.