When a wrecked 1996 Land Cruiser 80 Series met a 2009 Land Cruiser 79 Series cab sourced from a museum, RPM Off-Road Garage had 30 days and a SEMA deadline to turn two Toyotas into one extraordinary truck.
A Different Kind of Hybrid: RPM Off-Road Garage’s 70 Series Land Cruiser Pickup
When it comes to custom Land Cruiser projects, few are as unconventional as Steve Lam’s 70 Series pickup. Built by RPM Off-Road Garage in Monrovia, California, it is a “hybrid”—just not the kind you are probably thinking of.
The truck started life as a 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series that had been rolled at Pismo Beach. Although the body was damaged beyond repair, the frame, engine, transmission and axles remained intact.
To bring the vehicle back to life, the team sourced a cab and bed from a 2009 Land Cruiser 79 Series purchased from the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum in Salt Lake City, Utah.
As the proprietor of RPM Off-Road Garage, Lam had the resources and experience necessary to meld the two vehicles together.
The result combines the underpinnings of an 80 Series with the body of a 79 Series pickup, creating a functional Toyota Land Cruiser custom build unlike anything offered in the United States.
Making the project even more impressive, Lam and his crew completed the entire SEMA build in only 30 days.
Although RPM Off-Road Garage works on nearly any make or model of off-road vehicle, the shop has earned a strong reputation as a Land Cruiser specialist. In fact, RPM is also the go-to shop for OVR’s own Project Land Cruiser 100 Series.
Merging an 80 Series Frame With a 79 Series Body
According to Lam, the greatest challenge was adapting the 79 Series cab and bed to the 80 Series frame. The RPM team had to lengthen the Land Cruiser’s frame by 18 inches to achieve the proper wheelbase and position the pickup body correctly.
Once the frame modifications were complete, Coachcraft Auto Body in Monrovia stepped in to help install the body and prepare it for paint.
The conversion required custom body mounts, firewall modifications and extensive fabrication before the cab could sit properly on the modified chassis.
Completing that work involved repeated test fits, precise welding and careful reinforcement. The challenge was not simply making the two platforms fit together, but creating a finished vehicle capable of handling the stresses of off-road driving and rock crawling.
Beneath the newer body, the truck retains the donor 80 Series’ 1FZ-FE 4.5-liter inline-six. The proven Toyota engine is paired with an A442F automatic transmission, preserving much of the original drivetrain’s factory reliability.
RPM re-geared the differentials to 4.88:1 and installed Eaton Performance E-lockers at both ends. The combination helps compensate for the truck’s larger tires while providing selectable traction when conditions become difficult.
Suspension, Steering and Drivetrain Upgrades
A truck of this size and capability needed suspension and steering components to match. The Land Cruiser rides on a six-inch Ironman 4x4 Foam Cell Pro suspension lift with upgraded springs and shocks, an adjustable track bar and radius-arm drop brackets.
Ironman 4x4 components are also used at the rear, creating a balanced suspension system suited to the truck’s combination of trail use, rock crawling and overland travel.
Beyond the additional clearance, the lift makes room for the oversized tire package and helps the body clear obstacles in technical terrain.
RPM reinforced the steering with Hellfire heavy-duty knuckles and a high-steer setup. A 105 Series sector-shaft upgrade was also added to the steering gearbox.
Together, these modifications improve steering durability and help the system cope with the leverage and additional stress generated by the truck’s 37-inch tires.
Those tires are 37x13.50R17 Toyo Open Country M/Ts mounted on bronze HDR FD26 forged wheels measuring 17x9 inches with a -38 offset.
The wide stance and aggressive tread complement the scale of the build while providing the traction needed for loose climbs, mud and rocky trails.
A Dissent Off-Road front bumper protects the nose and houses a Warn Zeon winch for vehicle recovery.
Its design also provides secure mounting points for auxiliary lighting and recovery equipment without looking out of place against the angular 79 Series body.
Outfitted for Overland Travel
Front Runner cab and bed racks add storage space and mounting points for the truck’s overland equipment.
The camping setup consists primarily of Ironman 4x4 components, including a Nomad rooftop tent, 270-degree awning, shower room and water tank with an electric pump.
Together, the components give the truck a self-contained base camp without compromising the usefulness of its pickup bed.
Ironman 4x4 LockSafe drawers provide organized, secure storage, while a Pro Eagle jack offers another recovery option when traveling away from pavement.
The result is more than a collection of accessories fitted for a show appearance. Each piece contributes to a truck intended to support remote travel, trail runs and multi-day trips.
KC HiLites and Switch Pros Lighting
A Switch Pros SP9100 controller manages an extensive collection of auxiliary lights. A 45-inch KC HiLiTES Gravity light bar sits above the cab, while KC FLEX ERA 4 and FLEX ERA 3 lights are mounted to the front bumper.
At the rear, FLEX ERA 1 lights serve as chase lights, while KC C-Series C2 pods provide lighting along the sides of the truck.
The combination covers forward visibility, trail spotting, rearward identification and campsite illumination from a single centralized control system.
Adapting the 80 Series Interior
One of the more involved parts of the conversion was adapting the 80 Series dashboard to fit inside the 79 Series cab. Rather than replacing the entire interior with 70 Series components, RPM trimmed the original dashboard to fit the narrower space.
Once the shape and alignment were correct, the dashboard was reupholstered in a non-reflective black Alcantara-like material.
The conversion required careful cutting and adjustment to align the dashboard with the steering column, controls and surrounding interior panels.
Scheel-mann Vario F seats replace the factory seating and provide additional support for long drives and uneven trails. One Stone door-mounted armrests add convenient cup holders and a more comfortable resting position for each occupant.
A Pelican 8QT personal cooler fits neatly between the seats, keeping drinks and snacks close at hand.
Although the truck is largely complete, Lam plans to continue refining the interior with additional components and air conditioning—an upgrade that should make Southern California trail runs considerably more comfortable.
Built for the Rubicon and Beyond
Although the Land Cruiser pickup was originally assembled for SEMA, Lam never intended it to remain a display vehicle. It has already been driven throughout Southern California, and he plans to use it for off-roading, rock crawling and recreational travel.
One of the truck’s future destinations is the Rubicon Trail, where Lam hopes to join friends for an annual rock-crawling trip.
The trail should provide an appropriate test of the stretched and reinforced frame, 4.88 gears, selectable lockers, steering upgrades and 37-inch Toyo tires.
Lam is also considering auxiliary fuel storage, an onboard air compressor and further suspension refinements. Those upgrades would expand the truck’s range and versatility while preparing it for longer overland trips and more demanding terrain.
Like many ambitious Land Cruiser builds, this one is unlikely ever to be completely finished. Its underlying design gives RPM Off-Road Garage plenty of room to refine the truck as Lam’s needs and travel plans evolve.
Two Land Cruisers, One Remarkable Truck
Steve Lam’s Land Cruiser demonstrates what can happen when the strongest elements of two Toyota platforms are thoughtfully combined.
The 80 Series contributed its durable chassis and proven drivetrain, while the 79 Series supplied the purposeful pickup body that gives the finished vehicle its distinctive appearance.
Completing such an extensive conversion in only 30 days speaks to the fabrication skill and determination of the RPM Off-Road Garage team.
More importantly, the result is not simply a SEMA showpiece. It is a usable Land Cruiser pickup built for overlanding, rock crawling and exploring remote trails.
With the right expertise—and two very different Land Cruisers—even an unconventional vision can become a functional off-road vehicle.
To see more builds from RPM Off-Road Garage, follow @rpmoffroadgarage on Instagram.
| RPM Off-Road Garage 70 Series Land Cruiser Pickup | |
|---|---|
| Base Vehicles | 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series and 2009 Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Series |
| Engine | Toyota 1FZ-FE 4.5-liter inline-six |
| Driveline | Toyota A442F automatic transmission, Eaton Performance E-lockers front and rear, 4.88:1 gears, Driveshaft Pro front and rear driveshafts |
| Suspension | Six-inch Ironman 4x4 Foam Cell Pro suspension system |
| Steering | Hellfire heavy-duty knuckles and high-steer setup, 105 Series sector-shaft upgrade |
| Wheels & Tires | HDR FD26 forged wheels, bronze, 17x9 inches with -38 offset; Toyo Open Country M/T tires, 37x13.50R17 |
| Armor & Racks | Dissent Off-Road front bumper, Front Runner cab and bed racks |
| Lighting | 45-inch KC HiLiTES Gravity roof-mounted light bar, KC FLEX ERA 4 and FLEX ERA 3 bumper lights, KC FLEX ERA 1 rear chase lights, KC C-Series C2 side-lighting pods |
| Recovery | WARN Zeon winch, Pro Eagle jack |
| Storage | Ironman 4x4 LockSafe drawers |
| Electronics | Switch Pros SP9100 controller |
| Interior | Scheel-mann Vario F seats, One Stone armrests, Pelican 8QT personal cooler |
| Camping Equipment | Ironman 4x4 Nomad rooftop tent, 270-degree awning, shower room and water tank with electric pump |
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This article originally appeared in OVR Issue 14. For more informative articles like this, consider subscribing to OVR Magazine in print or digital versions here. You can also find the print edition of OVR at your local newsstand by using our Magazine Finder.
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