Buying a Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 to restomod: what to look for and what it costs

The FJ40 is the Land Cruiser everyone pictures: short, square and nearly unbreakable. It's also one of the most popular restomod bases of any era, because the body is simple, the parts supply is deep, and a well-sorted 40 is worth more than most classics. Here's what they sell for, which years to look for, what to check, and what the usual upgrades cost. Values come from sold results over the past year; parts prices were checked on October 11, 2026.

What they sell for

CLASSIC.COM's market benchmark for the FJ40 is about $36,000, and it barely moves by year. Actual sales spread out by condition:

• Projects and rough drivers: about $12,500 to $16,250. A modified 1982 brought $12,500 on Bring a Trailer in July 2026; an original 1983 with 75k miles brought $16,250 in May.
• Solid drivers: about $20,000 to $30,000. A modified 1978 sold for $29,000 and an original 1974 for $30,000 in September 2026.
• Nice originals and restorations: about $37,500 to $57,000, with an exceptional body-off 1978 at $87,000 in September 2026.
• Modified and custom trucks: about $45,000 to $66,000.
• Professional restomods are their own market. An ICON FJ44 sold for $98,000 in May 2026. New builds from shops like The FJ Company were quoted at $85,000 to $220,000 in 2018-2019.

The same truck sometimes sells twice within weeks for very different prices, so check a car's sale history before using it as a comparison.

Which years to look for

• 1975: the 4.2-liter 2F six replaced the F, and the four-speed became standard in all states.
• 1976: front disc brakes.
• 1979: factory power steering became an option, along with a catalytic converter and taller 3.70 gears.
• August 1980 on: a split transfer case and an improved four-speed. Many owners rate the 8/80 to 1983 trucks as the best drivers.
• 1983: the last year sold new in the US.

For a restomod, a 1976 or later truck saves you a disc brake conversion, and a 1979 or later may already have power steering. If you're in California and plan an engine swap, note that gas vehicles from 1975 and older are exempt from smog checks there; later trucks have to follow the state's engine-change rules.

Where they rust

Land Cruiser Nation's buyer's guide lists the usual spots, roughly in the order they go:

1. The seam between the rear quarters and the tops of the wheel tubs
2. Under the rear doors
3. Behind the taillights
4. The box section under the door sills, and the lower edges of the doors
5. The fenders around the turn signals and frame brackets
6. The windshield frame under its gasket, and the hardtop's lower edge
7. Front floors and the rear bed under any covering

Body panels are fixable: fenders, the rear tub and door bottoms are reproduced. The cowl, hood and hardtop mostly aren't, so rot there costs more.

The frame is the deal-breaker. Check the rear crossmember, the rear spring hangers and the gusset plates above them. On pre-1981 frames, look for cracks where the frame boxing ends above the front rear-spring perch. Sight down the rails; a shackle that isn't square to the frame can mean a crack. Probe soft spots with a screwdriver and look hard at any old weld repairs.

Mechanically, look for compression around 130 psi or better with cylinders within about 10 percent of each other, leaks at the knuckle seals and axles, and gear oil on the brake shoes. Odometers get swapped, so trust dated receipts over the gauge.

Make sure it's an FJ40

• Check the frame number. It's stamped on the frame in front of the right front tire. Match it, the wheelbase and the engine to the title. An FJ43 has a longer wheelbase and an FJ45 longer still.
• Watch for Bandeirantes. Brazil built an FJ40-style truck from 1968 to 2001, with Mercedes and later Toyota diesels. They sometimes get listed as FJ40s. A diesel, a model year after 1983, or a 17-character VIN starting 9BR means it's not a Japanese FJ40.
• Imports. Right-hand-drive and diesel 40s can come in under the 25-year rule, which counts from the build date. Federal clearance doesn't guarantee your state will title it, and the EPA expects the original engine, so don't plan an engine swap before it's legally registered.

The usual upgrades, priced

• Engine. An LS or other GM V8 is the common swap. Advance Adapters' GM V8 and LS to Land Cruiser transmission adapter is $449.99 and keeps the Toyota four-speed. Cruiser Corps' GM V8 adapter kit with mounts and crossmember is $905.58, but it's for older small-blocks, not the LS, and needs the transfer case moved forward and floor work. Our Donor cars page for the FJ40 lists the engines and what used ones cost.
• Five-speed. Adapters to put a GM NV4500 ($749.99) or an AX15 ($599.99) ahead of the Toyota transfer case are the common routes. Expect a custom crossmember, driveshaft changes and floor cutting.
• Power steering. Saginaw conversion kits from Specter Off-Road ($826.25, box and pump extra) and Cruiser Corps ($899.47). Both involve cutting and welding.
• Brakes. Wilwood's front disc kit for 1970-75 trucks is $1,299.97, bolt-on with vented rotors and four-piston calipers. Cruiser Corps' conversion starts at $599.95.
• Suspension. Old Man Emu two-inch kits for the FJ40 ran $2,004.75 to $2,429.70 at Cruiser Corps, several of them on six- to eight-week backorder.
• Air conditioning. Vintage Air's Gen IV SureFit kit for 1968-83 FJ40s is $2,100 with compressor, condenser and lines.

Those are parts only. Add a frame and rust repair budget first; on most 40s, that's the biggest line.

The bottom line

Buy the best frame and tub you can afford, even if the drivetrain is tired; engines and transmissions are the easy part. A $15,000 project needs everything, and a $25,000 to $30,000 driver with a straight frame is often the cheaper start. Our FJ40 chassis page has suspension and frame kits, and Japanese Deal Finds lists Land Cruisers priced under recent sales.