The attention to detail on the exterior is magnificent. The front aprons and grille body panels were replaced with factory Toyota panels from the ('79-'83) U.S.-specific FJ40 Land Cruiser. All exterior body hardware was upgraded to stainless steel for durability. U.S.-specific exterior lights and reflectors were also swapped in to be sure the vehicle meets U.S. rules of the road. TLC also added metal Toyota apron emblems from the ('58-'74) FJ40 vintage model, removing "Land Cruiser" from the emblem.
The suspension was mostly retained from the stock Bandeirante. Both axles were freshened up but remain stock with 4.11-ratio gears. Old Man Emu provided the aftermarket suspension components consisting of new leaf springs, lift shackles to gain height for larger tires, and all-new shocks and stabilizer. BFGoodrich T/AKO 285/75R16 tires were installed around black steel wheels with Warn manual-locking hubs up front. Disc brakes are found in the front, with drums in the rear.
Six months to the day from when the vehicles arrived at TLC, the new FJ prototype was shipped off to the Calty Toyota plant for dissection and discussion. Although we're only showing you one of the prototypes, three of these vehicles were actually produced by TLC, and all three were kept secret by Toyota, being revealed to the public right here in the pages of 4WD&SU.
The new FJ Cruiser has already proven to be a worthy off-road vehicle and a great seller for Toyota, but can you imagine seeing a fleet of TLC's creations at dealerships? With only three of these vehicles in existence, your chances of driving one home are about as good as winning the lottery. If we're lucky, maybe a few of the decision makers at Toyota will read this article and be convinced that they need to bring a little more old-school style back to life.