Becoming an Ibiza Town Transport King/Queen
The FJ Toyota Land Cruiser has always retained its appeal as a tough and durable vehicle, though one special restomod stands out from its peers by incorporating features from the more luxurious arm of Toyota, Lexus.
Dubbed ‘Project Saint Joan’, Retro Power of the United Kingdom is responsible for this stunning restomod endeavour. It was conceptualised as a tribute to the municipality with the same title, where the owner resides, located on Ibiza, one of Spain’s Balearic Islands. The shop takes us for a tour of the vintage SUV in the clip below (go to 17-minute mark), prior to giving possession to its proprietor.
At the core of the endeavor lies the engine decision: a Lexus 1UZ-FE V8, supposed to give out 256 horsepower. Dissimilar to the NASCAR V8-powered Land Cruiser that Toyota showcased at SEMA, the creator has kept the motor in its native form to guarantee dependability, something the 1UZ is esteemed for.
The transmission is changed to a more modern 80-Series Land Cruiser automatic unit, and to retain the elegance of the build, chassis modifications are minimized, zeroing in on maintaining the leaf sprung set up with tailor-made dampers to maximize the ride quality and an existing brake upgrade.
In order to preserve the iconic FJ styling, this build involves corrections and improvements in the front and back. The aim is achieving a harmonious equilibrium between traditional beauty and efficiency of the upgrade. To hold on to the ‘pressed tin charm’, modifications have been made to both the engine bay, where a reworked radiator and custom-inlet oppositely fit a modern throttle body system, and various unique features like tumbled copper side plates and anodized bronze door knobs and mirrors.
The interior of the vehicle has been given an aesthetic facelift, including a revamped dashboard and constructively-designed center console to fit a Vintage Air air conditioning system. The back area has been improved with remodeled seating, light fixtures, plus an incorporated foldable picnic table. Additionally, a PCB with an LED controller in the gear shift has been included; this strategic placement allows switches and controls to be brightly illuminated.
From bumper updates to updated innards and reinforced lower body, the project presents as a union of classic allure and contemporary terrain-traversing potential. It’s a meticulously-crafted restomod build worthy of appreciation, fit for its second commission as an islander, far from being a relic to be passed up over an opportunity to traverse.
