RiveraNotario shot these in Havana, Cuba, and posted them at the Cohort, titled “Toyota Land Cruiser”. Well, it kind of sort of does look like one at a very quick, but there’s lots of differences from a genuine LC.
And then there’s the front end…
Here’s what the real thing looks like. Lots of differences, starting with the overall body length. There was a lwb LC, but it was much longer than the copy above.
The there’s the front. Game’s up. And that Jeep front end is far from authentic either. Is it from the Philippines? China?
There’s also this one he posted, and he added a question mark after “Toyota Land Cruiser”. Even less so.
! .
I like it .
-Nate
Reminds me of the old story of the Jeep executive, visiting China, who couldn’t understand how he was seeing so many Jeeps at a time when they hadn’t started selling in China. He hadn’t realised how many Chinese companies were making Jeep copies !
Very interesting, but since it’s Cuba it could be anything, possibly home-made. The front looks like a narrow Jeep TJ. The body aft of the cowl looks Land Cruiser-ish, but not quite. For example, I think both the FJ40 Toyota as pictured, and the FJ45 (long wheelbase version of that body style) had 50-50 rear doors, not the 60/40 split on the silver Cuban example. The wheels on the silver one look like newer Toyota (Hilux?) as do the hubs, at least in front.
It may look kind of like a TJ front end, but there’s significant differences too. The TJ hood is lower. This looks more like a hybrid of the CJ and TJ, in terms of its proportions.
Yes, I should have been more clear that it is only TJ-like, but not any Jeep, older or newer, that I recognize. And every picture that I’ve seen of a Bandeirante shows different side detailing and a single side-hinged rear door. I am convinced it’s a home-grown Cubano concoction. And it’s very nice c
Body = Toyota Bandeirante do Brasil.
Grille = something Wrangler methinks, but afaik the 68′ Bandeirante had a Jeep grille.
The grille is a copy of a current Wrangler not a 68 CJ. One for Dennis Collins to confirm then!.
Some serious weirdness going on here:
https://www.theparking-cars.co.uk/used-cars/toyota-bandeirante-white.html
It seems weird, but isn’t.
These were indeed Toyotas powered by american small block engines.
Reason was the ban for imported cars during the 70s, 80s in Brasil.
Thus Bandeirante was a “leftover factory” from Toyota. They could make the bodies, but had no imported japanese engines. So they took what they could get. And to be honest: U.S.small blocks are very reliable and a good choice for body-on-frame cars.
Here comes weirdness:
Please google “Dacon 828”. That was weird. Dacon could make some body parts for the Porsche 928, but had neither frame nor engine, when Porsche left Dacon (Brasil) during the ban. Outcome was the Dacon 828.
Today considered the holy grail of small cars.
Johnny Cash made this ” one piece at a time” over several years as he worked in several different car plants.
Wonder if it is a 4-Runner underneath.
👍
The extended wheelbase Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, introduced in 2004, appears to be a significant inspiration.
Could it be an old Mahindra? They do Jeepish things…
Troop carrier rear doors jeepish front Hilux rims I kinda like it one of my workmates has a 70s land Cruiser he is restoring steel replacement panels are unobtanium so if someone is producing them somewhere he’d want to know where, his has the 3.4 diesel 4 banger engine.
Considering how popular the vintage LC is these days the lack of aftermarket replacement panels is surprising.