Diesel Power 7/04

Toyota Land Cruiser specialist (TLC) Has Taken Its Restoration business a step further and stared offering its own line of FJ40 Land Cruiser-based vehicles called the Icon. Recently, one of the Icons received an optional 2.8L International diesel engine that combines great fuel economy and torque wrapped in a classic package. Since the FJ40 was never available with a diesel engine in the US, the Ion gives Land Cruiser lovers the diesel they never had. Called the Biocon for its ability to run ability to run on B100 biodiesel, we decided to take a closer look at what makes this clean Cruiser tick.
A differentiation must be make between a restored vehicle and one that is basically built from the ground up. The only actual stock part on the TLC Icon is a ’60-’78 frames, and even that is reinforced, modified, and then powdercoated. Suspension mounts are also revised to stretch the wheelbase, improving weight distribution. Every other part on the vehicle is custom built, including the entire body, suspension, powertrain, electrical system, and interior. In addition to the frame modifications, the floorpan of the vehicle is changed to make more usable space. The vehicles are assembled by a six-man team one at a time at TLC in Van Nuys, California. While TLC also restores older vehicles, the Biocon uses virtually all new parts to practically make a brand-new vehicle.
The resulting product is a mixture of old and new, with most of the “old’ being appearance and the “new” being technology. As the costs of original FJ40s rose and restoration costs increased, TLC saw an opportunity to give people the original feel for of the Land Cruiser, with the technology and livability of a new vehicle. When it came time to offer a diesel Icon, careful consideration was taken in selecting the engine. Initially, the idea was to use a Toyota diesel, but that idea was nixed due to a lack of available parts in the U.S. in case of breakage. Eventually, the international 2.8L was chosen because of its compact dimension (it fit), parts availability, and the fact that variations of the same engine had already proved to be effective in other automotive applications with Ford and Land Rover. The engine itself makes 135 hp at 3,800 rpm and 276 lb-ft at 1,400 rpm. Power is sent back through a five-speed New Process NV4500 transmission rated up to 460 lb-ft of torque, with Low gear being a 5.61:1 ratio. Combined with the shift-on-the-fly Atlas II transfer case with 3.8:1 gearing, the overall crawl ratio is 87:1. From there, custom driveshafts send the power to a 4.09:1 geared Dynatrac Dana 6- and Dana 44 axles with locking ARB differentials front and rear. Brakes are four-wheel vented and slotted power-assisted discs, based on GM designs. Rounding out the package are vintage 15-inc Toyota wheels and 33X10.50R15 BFGoodrich Mud Terrain KO tires.
The resulting product of all this effort is one that truly embodies the feel of the original FJ40, while offering improved seating, braking power, fuel economy, and a more comfortable ride. With the 2.8L diesel installed, it’s said to get 25-30 mpg and runs at an easy 2,200 rpm at 70kmph. Not only is it biodiesel capable but TLC has been running B100 fuel since day one in this vehicle. The fuel system was actually designed with bio fuel in mind to put an Earth-friendly twist on four-wheeling. The end product of all this effort is very impressive: with the 2.8L diesel swap in the vehicle, is has almost everything you could ask for: fuel efficiency, off-road capability, a classic look, and a modern performance and driveablity. Getting your own custom, handbuilt Biocon doesn’t come cheap though. The diesel model has a starting price (which is basically fully loaded) of $92,500, which will reserve if for only the most hard-core enthusiasts.