Icon is known for its FJ Toyota Land Cruiser restomods, and the Californian company has returned with another impressive model based on the iconic Toyota off-roader.
Dubbed the FJ43 Bandeirante, the vehicle is actually one of Icon’s earliest builds and is sure to be a rare sight on US roads.
As the name suggests, the FJ43 Bandeirante uses the body of the Toyota Bandeirante, the unique version of the Land Cruiser produced exclusively for the Brazilian market from 1968 to 2001. Icon founder and lead designer Jonathan Ward was able to gain access to several Bandeirante bodies after some work he did with Toyota in the early 2000s.
Iconic Toyota FJ43 Bandeirante
The FJ43 Bandeirante rides on a stretched 1965 FJ40 chassis, hence the FJ43 designation as the FJ43 was essentially a longer FJ40. It also features the dashboard of a 1983 FJ40, although modified to match the rare US-spec dashboard offered that year.
You won’t find a Toyota engine under the hood. For this project vehicle, Icon opted for a 5.7-liter V8 from General Motors. However, the engine is mated to a Toyota H-55 5-speed manual transmission along with a split-case 19-spline transfer case.
While Icon has no plans to sell the FJ43 Bandeirante, the company can build a similar vehicle with prices starting at $180,000. Icon’s website has an online configurator that potential buyers can use to find their ideal configuration for not just the FJ, but all current Icon project vehicles.
