J80 Land Cruiser Restomod Might Be the Nicest One in Existence
Turns out, the man behind ICON can build a pretty sweet Land Cruiser as well.
You’re probably already familiar with ICON, the Los Angeles based outfit that turns all manner of off road vehicles into stunning works of art. But Jonathan Ward, the man behind ICON, actually started another company first – TLC. That company specializes in performing nothing but Land Cruiser restorations, and they do some pretty amazing work as well.
As you would imagine, most of that work involves restoring rare and collectible trucks like old FJ’s. But when a customer approached Ward with the desire to redo his J80 1996 Land Cruiser, he wasn’t about to turn down the opportunity. The result of TLC’s work is what might just be the nicest J80 you’ll ever lay eyes on.
Ward performed a complete restoration on the Land Cruiser, taking it down to the frame. Every nut, bolt, and part was either rebuilt or replaced. While some parts remain OEM, aftermarket bits are used where appropriate. The idea, like all ICON creations, it to maintain the original spirit of the vehicle yet enhance it with modern reliability and performance. It’s essentially a “new” J80 Land Cruiser.
That much is obvious from the quality of the fit and finish, which far exceeds anything Toyota offered from the factory. Everywhere you look you see nothing but pure perfection and obsessive detail. The kind of detail that’s normally reserved for vintage and collectible cars. Which makes it oddly satisfying to see an oft neglected model get its time in the spotlight.
