Franken470
SILVER Star
Build 1965 Seminole Red FJ45 SWB
- Thread starter jomelo
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405
GOLD Star
Well I guess I should start saving! 
Ahh, the one that got away. Tough market right now.
BaT isnt the answer right now.
Yep. Has not been for some time.
I'll put a FS ad together on Mud to start. Let people pass it around a bit. Someone out there wants a completely turn key drivable ultra rare truck.
I thought there might be some buyers left after that 77 went for 110 this spring.
You can’t pay to have these built to this level for much less than $100k.
He's got a bit more than that in it but I think he's realistic about what he can get for it as well
Finally got to see it in person. The perfect early FJ.
Can still read the TSL/SWAMPER lettering on the outer tread blocks. Based on my experience, that means this baby has sub 3k miles on pavement.
Franken470
SILVER Star
You can stop by and see its twin too. Just across town.
I should have! I had a bid loaded and almost clicked back in the day. What a crazy auction. Such a beautiful truck.You can stop by and see its twin too. Just across town.
Wouldn't surprise me if it's sub 300.
need the $?
if not, just put a price on it and wait
if not, just put a price on it and wait
That's the plan.
So from what I can gather, the removable top SWB FJ45 was only sold as a 1965 model and only in the US market.
The Removable Hard Top SWB list has about 55 entries but some of those look suspect.
Anyone have any idea how many of these were actually sold? It could possibly be the rarest of all US sold models.
The Removable Hard Top SWB list has about 55 entries but some of those look suspect.
Anyone have any idea how many of these were actually sold? It could possibly be the rarest of all US sold models.
As far as I know and from the information I’ve read and been told over the years the SWB removable top is the rarest of the 4 FJ45 models brought to the US (‘63-‘67). As it was only imported for 2 years for the US market starting in June ‘64 & ‘65. The later year registration/titling has been well discussed here as they sat on dealers lots due to multiple factors with negative WWII sentiments toward Japan being among them. Initially brass tags then later aluminum tags were used to indicate the year that they were actually titled/sold.
As far as rarity goes most rare to least rare:
SWB Removable top (June ‘64-‘65)
LV (‘63-‘67)
SWB fixed top (‘63-May ’64)
LWB (Aug ‘64-‘67)
How many are still out there? I think that’s anyone’s guess. You could take the number of LV’s imported to the US and reduce it by some multiple? However, the LV production number itself is often speculated.
Following copied from @treerootCO ‘s LV for sale ad:
“I have only found two sources for the actual production numbers. Rick Donnelly reported that the total number of pre 1968 [FJ45] frames came in at 20,000 plus These frames ran from 10,001 to 29,000 plus. This number includes all pickup and wagon models worldwide. According to Rick, the North American population of 45 wagons included the earliest, a 1963 at 14,088 sold by TLC, and the last, a 1967 owned by Don Roht at 29,964.
The second source was published on Koji Komoto's website, www3.telus.net/fj45lv. His site shows the FJ45v and FJ45lv was produced from December 1960 to January 1967. The total number of 45v and 45lv models was 5,080 with about 1,500 exported to North America.”
A LV that sold at a Mecum auction in 2015 listed the total imported into the US as 1,000 which might have been a sales tactic.
More production numbers here:
My personal guess is somewhere between the less than 300 BJT’s and ~1,500 LV’s.
This is by no means the Bible on this topic. My time with these trucks is a fraction of most here. I’m just reposting info that has been shared with me. Please feel free to correct anything you see is incorrect and I’ll get it changed asap.
As far as rarity goes most rare to least rare:
SWB Removable top (June ‘64-‘65)
LV (‘63-‘67)
SWB fixed top (‘63-May ’64)
LWB (Aug ‘64-‘67)
How many are still out there? I think that’s anyone’s guess. You could take the number of LV’s imported to the US and reduce it by some multiple? However, the LV production number itself is often speculated.
Following copied from @treerootCO ‘s LV for sale ad:
“I have only found two sources for the actual production numbers. Rick Donnelly reported that the total number of pre 1968 [FJ45] frames came in at 20,000 plus These frames ran from 10,001 to 29,000 plus. This number includes all pickup and wagon models worldwide. According to Rick, the North American population of 45 wagons included the earliest, a 1963 at 14,088 sold by TLC, and the last, a 1967 owned by Don Roht at 29,964.
The second source was published on Koji Komoto's website, www3.telus.net/fj45lv. His site shows the FJ45v and FJ45lv was produced from December 1960 to January 1967. The total number of 45v and 45lv models was 5,080 with about 1,500 exported to North America.”
A LV that sold at a Mecum auction in 2015 listed the total imported into the US as 1,000 which might have been a sales tactic.
More production numbers here:
My personal guess is somewhere between the less than 300 BJT’s and ~1,500 LV’s.
This is by no means the Bible on this topic. My time with these trucks is a fraction of most here. I’m just reposting info that has been shared with me. Please feel free to correct anything you see is incorrect and I’ll get it changed asap.
Last edited:
Seminole Red, frame off restoration. 2F, Holley Sniper, Mosley Cop +P motor
