Was there ever a vehicle you’ve owned that made you think, “how much better would this be with a V8?” We can’t even count how many vehicles would be better with an LS engine, but there’s a grip of them.

The owner of this 1997 FZJ80 Land Cruiser must have thought the same thing, because as soon as he found it, he sent it over to TLC Customs in Chatsworth, California for a full frame-off restoration; not an original restoration, though. This FZJ80 was built for daily driving and received a lot of modern technological updates, as well as performance upgrades, that the original Land Cruiser didn’t come with from the factory. Such modifications include an 6.0-liter LS2 engine and a 4L65E automatic transmission, upgraded suspension, satin black metallic paint, LED headlights and auxiliary lights, and a fresh leather interior.

The leather interior was our least favorite part about the truck, mainly because of the simulated alligator hide, but hey, everybody has their own taste. We like everything else about it, though! For a little bit of nostalgia, TLC gave the FZJ80 the front-end look of an earlier FJ62 Land Cruiser, complete with LED headlights and turn signals. More changes include amenities that you would find in a current Land Cruiser, such as navigation, bluetooth connectivity, and heated seats.

We really like how this Land Cruiser turned out and hope that the owner gets plenty of use out of it, on and off the road. He better, especially with that 400 horsepower LS2 under the hood!

Here’s a video of Jonathan Ward test driving his company’s creation.