Land Cruiser FJ45 & FJ55 years to avoid, and the best years to buy
Every Toyota Land Cruiser FJ45 / FJ55 model year: which ones owners and specialists recommend, which have documented problems, which carry recalls, and what they sell for now.
There's no settled answer. Later trucks have the 4.2 L 2F, a four-speed and front disc brakes (the domed hood is the easy tell), and factory power steering came at the very end. Even IH8MUD members disagree on exactly when those arrived, with some 1974–75 trucks carrying odd mixes of parts. Earlier trucks use the 3.9 L F and a three-speed whose first gear has no synchro, which some collectors prefer for originality. Owners agree on one thing: rust is your biggest enemy, so buy the straightest body you can find.
Land Cruiser FJ45 & FJ55 year by year
| YEAR | VERDICT | WHAT CHANGED |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | — | FJ45V four-door wagon (2,650 mm) launched alongside the short-wheelbase 40 |
| 1963 | — | 2,950 mm long-wheelbase FJ45 pickup and cab-chassis added |
| 1967 | — | FJ55 wagon launched in August with Toyota's first fully boxed frame, replacing the FJ45 wagon |
| 1972 | — | HJ45 launched with the 3.6 L H diesel six; FJ55 gets revised side markers |
| 1975 | — | 4.2 L 2F and a four-speed replace the 3.9 L F and three-speed; FJ55 gets a domed hood (sold as the FJ56 in Japan) |
| 1978 | — | FJ55 rear lamps move lower with integrated turn signals and reverse lights |
| 1980 | — | FJ55 production ends in July; HJ47 and BJ45 arrive |
| 1984 | — | End of J40-family production in Japan; Venezuela built long-chassis trucks until 8/1985 |
“Sweet spot” means owners and specialists recommend those years; “Beware” means documented problems; “Recall” means check the recall was done rather than walk away.
What a Land Cruiser FJ45 & FJ55 costs (October 2026)
Long-bed FJ45 pickups and Troopies have overtaken FJ55s at auction, while stock FJ55s stay surprisingly affordable and LS-swapped restomods fetch big money.
| FJ55 project | Under $5k |
|---|---|
| FJ55 stock driver | $11k–21k |
| FJ55 restored or restomod | $33k–106k |
| FJ45 pickup / Troopy, driver | $14k–41k |
| FJ45, excellent or rare | $69k–152k |
Based on Bring a Trailer sales from January 2025 to October 2026: 18 FJ55s (median about $19,100, with LS3 and Vortec swaps at $42,500–$106,000) and 54 FJ45s, excluding Bandeirantes (median about $28,400; a 1965 SWB pickup made $122,000). Hagerty's FJ55 guide put the 2023 median at $34,500 and #2 condition at $46,300.
Recalls by year
Best years are buyer consensus from owners, specialists and forums, not spec sheets. See all Land Cruiser years to avoid across every generation.