Toyota may have just celebrated the sale of its 10 millionth Land Cruiser but looking back at the ancestors of today's big SUV, you'll notice something quite different: size. Early Land Cruisers were far smaller than today's mammoth SUV, though they were typically far less luxurious and more Spartan. You know, how a proper off-road SUV ought to be. Land Cruisers, like the Land Rover Defender, can trace their lineage way back to captured US Army Willys Jeeps during World War II. The Japanese, understandably impressed by the American Army's mode of basic transport, managed to capture an example in the Philippines and sent it back to Japan to be reverse-engineered.

The result, a few years after the war ended, was the military vehicle the Japanese produced which then became the civilian-spec original Land Cruiser.

History lesson over, the Land Cruiser eventually evolved into the J70 generation, which debuted back in 1984. It's still on sale today in overseas markets and it's quite different, though certainly no less capable, than the US market version, which rides on a different body-on-frame chassis. Unfortunately, anyone who wants a J70 Land Cruiser will have to import one or buy a used example from someone who's already gone through the importation process. The latter approach is probably the easiest, and that's why this 1987 Land Cruiser LJ70 caught our attention.

Up for sale on Bring A Trailer, this LJ70 was sold new in Germany but later exported to Spain about a decade later. Its current owner/seller brought it to the US earlier this past summer. The sale includes all import documentation and a clean Illinois title. Its next owner simply has to drive her home. Power comes from a 2.5-liter inline-four turbo diesel paired to a five-speed manual transmission and a two-speed transfer case. Total mileage: 66,000 miles.

This thing is about as analog as you can get. No fancy schmancy electronic features here. Obviously that won't work for everyone, but potential buyers ought to know about some additional modifications. These include aftermarket 15-inch wheels wearing 31-inch tires and a suspension lift. During its past life in Spain, the SUV was repainted white with black bumpers and there are some paint chips. Other exterior features include running boards, mud flaps, a trailer hitch and headlamp washers. At some point, a CD player with a USB input and a digital clock were added.

Now that midsize body-on-frame SUVs are beginning to make a comeback, specifically the upcoming 2021 Ford Bronco, old school examples like this '87 LJ70 Land Cruiser could increase in value, a phenomenon happening to many old Land Cruisers. But the fact of the matter is that this LJ70 is just plain cool and, as of this writing, had a top bid of only $5,200, though the auction has three days remaining.