GALLERY: 1953 Toyota BJT

THIS Toyota BJT had been wasting away in the corner of a Tooleybuc shed in NSW for the better part of 40 years.

One of only two examples imported into Australia by B&D Motors in Footscray, the rare, barn-found BJT saw out its past life performing many outback duties, from tractor work to delivering mail.

This specific example, a 1953 Toyota BJT – #159 – was one of 298 used as a civil defense vehicle of the National Police Agency in Japan. It was sold in 1956 to B&D Motors as a used vehicle.

The BJT was the first production vehicle after the Toyota BJ, but was the first production vehicle that would later carry the Land Cruiser name.

Paying homage to the Toyota FJ Cruiser

In the early 70s, this example was sold to its last owners for a mere $200 and was used mainly as a bush-basher, before it was left to rot in the corner of the Tooleybuc shed.

The needle-in-a-haystack BJT is now on its way to the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum in Utah, USA, after it was snatched up by Cruiser collector Greg Miller.

It will headline CruiserFest 2017, to be held on September 9.