Toyota will manufacture replacement parts for the 40 Series Land Cruiser. The automaker made the announcement on August 1, as part of its celebrations for this year's 70th anniversary of the Land Cruiser's launch.
Manufactured from 1960 to 1984, The 40 Series wasn't the first Land Cruiser model, but it was the first to catch on globally, creating a legacy carried on today by the latest 300 Series model. The 40 Series' age also means parts are getting harder to find, so Toyota has decided to work with suppliers to reproduce certain items, based on surveys of Land Cruiser fan clubs and restoration specialists.
Managed by the Toyota Gazoo Racing division (responsible for the current Supra and Toyota's sports car racing programs), the heritage parts program will include "engines, drivelines, and exhaust systems," Toyota said, without giving a more specific list of parts. The automaker didn't discuss U.S. availability, but said it's targeting a launch date of early 2022.
In addition to the 40 Series, Toyota said it will consider reproduction parts for later Land Cruiser generations. The 40 Series and most subsequent generations were sold in the U.S., but Toyota isn't bringing the recently-unveiled 300 Series here.
Gazoo Racing previously oversaw reproduction parts for the Toyota 2000GT and A70 and A80-generation Toyota Supra. The latter production run included everything from headlights to front bumper covers.
Other automakers have launched replacement parts for popular models as well. The Mazda MX-5 Miata, Honda S2000, and Nissan Skyline GT-R have all benefitted from factory reproduction parts programs, making it easier for owners to keep these cars on the road, and in the case of the Land Cruiser, off the road, too.
