Purists Hate It - Off-Roaders Love It: Meet the Most Radical FJ45

The crew at Fab Rats just dropped something that’s going to stir up every Toyota purist from here to Japan, and honestly, we’re here for it. When Paul picked up this forgotten 1965 FJ45 Land Cruiser pickup from under a tarp in someone’s backyard, he knew he was sitting on something special. What he did next turned it into the ultimate rock crawler - and yeah, some folks weren’t happy about it.

This wasn’t just any barn find. The FJ45 pickup is one of those unicorns that Toyota only made for three years between ‘67 and ‘69, and finding one this clean is like striking gold. Most of these things have either been restored to museum quality or rusted into oblivion. Paul’s approach was different - he saw potential for something that could actually get out there and conquer rocks instead of sitting pretty in a garage.

The transformation started with gutting everything that made it stock. Out went the original F-series motor, the leaf springs, and pretty much anything that screamed “vintage Toyota.” In its place went a 408 stroker LS that sounds like it could wake the dead, custom-built TMR trusses front and rear, and a suspension setup that would make a trophy truck jealous. The frame got boxed, chopped, and reinforced to handle whatever the rocks could throw at it.

Here’s where things get controversial - Paul didn’t just modify this FJ45, he completely reimagined it. The bed got shortened, the frame was cut and modified for massive wheel travel, and the whole thing sits on 42-inch tires that look absolutely massive under those classic Toyota lines. The purists weren’t having it, but watching this thing flex and crawl over obstacles that would stop most rigs dead in their tracks makes a pretty compelling argument for function over form.

The build process was anything but simple. Custom front and rear suspension with 14-inch travel, hydraulic steering for precise control on technical terrain, and a full air system for locking differentials and running air tools. The attention to detail shows in every weld - from the custom fuel tank placement to maximize departure angle, to the roll cage that ties everything together into one solid unit.

What really sets this build apart is how it maintains that classic FJ45 silhouette while packing serious modern capability underneath. The patina paint job keeps it looking like something that’s been working hard for decades, but the performance is pure 21st century. That LS motor doesn’t just sound good - it delivers the kind of torque that makes technical climbs look effortless.

The real test came when Paul took it back to Billy, the guy who sold him the truck. Watching an old-timer who’d owned it for 15 years see what it became was pretty special. Instead of being upset about the modifications, Billy was stoked to see something he’d let sit under a tarp for years finally living up to its potential. That’s the kind of reaction that makes a build worthwhile.

This FJ45 proves that sometimes the best way to honor a classic is to make it better at what it was designed to do. Toyota built these things to be tough, capable work trucks that could handle whatever you threw at them. Paul just took that concept and cranked it up to eleven. The result is something that can hang with modern rock crawlers while still turning heads at every gas station.

The Fab Rats crew documented every step of this transformation, from the initial teardown to the final shakedown runs. Their approach combines old-school fabrication skills with modern technology, creating something that’s both nostalgic and cutting-edge. You can follow their adventures and see more builds like this at thefabrats.com, or check them out on Instagram @fabrats and Facebook at facebook.com/thefabrats.

Sure, some people are going to hate seeing a clean FJ45 get the full custom treatment. But watching this thing tackle obstacles that would leave stock rigs broken and defeated makes it pretty clear that Paul made the right call. Sometimes you’ve got to break a few rules to build something truly special, and this ultimate rock crawler is proof that the best modifications are the ones that actually improve what a vehicle can do.