This venerable 1997 80-series Land Cruiser, clad in Lexus badging and luxury while retaining all the mechanical advantages of the 80 series chassis, has been mechanically baselined by Gary Kardum at Mudrak in Sonoma, CA using only Toyota OEM parts except where noted as part of the moderate overlanding build, and meticulously maintained with no expense spared.

Over $20,000 has been invested in parts and materials alone, with a focus on mechanical perfection, capability, and reliability.  Only once I was satisfied with the mechanical, I turned towards increasing the usability for overlanding, making this particular LX450 ready to pursue any adventure you might conjure up, near or far.  All of the work has been documented.

The LX450 was purchased new at Magnussen Lexus in Fremont, CA, and spent from 1997-2021 in the Bay Area, California, so there is little-to-no rust.  It moved with us to the Boise, ID area in 2021 where it has been stored in a climate-controlled garage since and barely driven.  It currently has a clean Idaho title, and clean Carfax report showing no accidents or damage.  The exterior is in great condition for the age of the vehicle, with only a few minor surface scratches and tiny paint chips.

As it sits today, there are only 97,XXX original miles on the vehicle. If you’re looking at this ad, you know the inline 6-cylinder 4.5L engine is a workhorse and will easily go 300,000+ miles.  Coupled to the robust transmission and dual-range transfer case with locking center differential and CDL switch, you’ll cross nearly any terrain with ease.  You’ll see a factory front and rear locker switch installed in the dash; however, this vehicle is not triple-locked.  My intention was to install lockers that would be integrated into the factory harness, so I grabbed a switch and custom wiring harness while they were still available.

The stereo system has been upgraded to a Pioneer head unit with Bluetooth capabilities, along with infinity speakers in the doors sitting underneath the factory grills.  Rounding out the electronics and telemetry is a tablet mounted to the Wits’ End useless cubby insert running Torque Pro and connected via Bluetooth to the OBDII port (easily removed).  The keyless entry and alarm both work well.

The interior is very clean, especially considering the age of the vehicle.  Dash and wood trim look nearly new.  The front leather seats are in very good condition, but do show a little wear on the driver’s side left seat ban bolster.  The rear seats are supple, with a small scratch in one seat pan.  The third row seats are near showroom condition.  Carpeting throughout the vehicle is exceptionally clean, and has been protected with Weathertech mats front and rear.  Factory carpet floor mats are included.

Original owner’s and service manuals, binder, window sticker, documentation, and original tool kit and bottle jack are included.