1994 Prado Landcruiser

Engine - 1K-TE 3.L Turbo Diesel
Transmission - R150F 5 Speed Manual
Suspension - 2.5inch Dobinson
Tyres - 285/75/16 Falken MT
Equipped for - Daily Driving & Off-roading

Ethan Gonzalez who works out of the Fit Garage in Bend, Oregon, USA gave us an insight into his imported 1994 Toyota Prado.

I've owned the truck for about a year now, it was imported from Japan. It’s been a solid truck. I ended up working on multiple Prados a week at the shop as Fit Garage mainly focuses on unique imports. So over that time I’ve been able to make my personal Prado better. Simple things really; 1KZs are pretty temperature sensitive, so I’ve gone through and deleted EGR, upped boost a bit, and freed up the exhaust with a straight 3” back. Sounds amazing and keeps EGTs below critical level, even while pushing muddies at 110km’s uphill. 

Suspension includes a 2.5 Dobinson lift with extended brake lines. Flexes pretty good. I’m in the process of building a set of Coastal Bumpers. Rear suspension is just about done, but I’ve been too lazy to start welding up the front. Other than that, it’s been amazing. Gets good mpgs, can pull off wild JDM shift knobs. What more can a guy ask for??

It’s really a do it all vehicle. I camp in it. I commute in it. Road trips galore. I wheel the crap out of it, trying to keep up with the more capable shop rigs I work with (fully locked 75s and a locked 6wd portal axled monstrosity). I’m keen to get diff lockers in the future, whenever I can figure out which lockers work well on it. Until then, you can catch me tach’d out full throttle jumping big rocks. 

Images by Brandon Haley

Words by Ethan Gonzalez