We may think the idea of a comfortable SUV that can take the family and tackle the trail is a new concept, but the FJ45-series Toyota Land Cruiser says otherwise. This one is a rare FJ45LV, which effectively translates to being a long-wheelbase version intended for the U.S. market, of which only 1,000 were imported. Far fewer remain today, making this example here on eBay a rare bird indeed. The seller details some restoration work that’s already been performed but there’s plenty left to do. The asking price is $49,000 and is located in Northern California.

If you want a truly eye-watering account of how a restoration can spiral out of control, check out one of my favorite reads on Road & Track about the $200,000 FJ45LV restoration. These are significant vehicles, but the scarcity of parts and the irony of restoring a vehicle for off-road use that you never actually use off-road is a very real concern. Despite the rough appearance, there’s some significant work already done to this FJ45LV, including a rebuilt motor with zero miles on it and a repainted interior and undercarriage.

The interior does look very near ready for final assembly, but the seller doesn’t elaborate as to why the project stopped here. The body appears largely rot-free, but the seller’s mention of body panels (specifically, the doors) included in the sale makes me wonder if there’s still rust that needs to be removed. The body has already been sanded, but the description is fairly clear that the body still needs restoration. Original colors were quite pretty – blue and white – as these FJs often came from the factory with a two-tone job.

It’s strange to think of a rebuilt engine that has yet to run, and really, this project has all the hallmarks of becoming too costly to keep going. That’s the key takeaway from the article I shared earlier, as it just becomes a runaway train when you’re trying to perfect a rare vehicle with parts in short supply. The Land Cruiser fortunately retains its original gearbox and motor, so after all is said and done, the drivetrain will be numbers matching. Would you take this stalled project on, or would the potential difficulty of tracking down OEM parts scare you away?