If the title of this article makes any sense to you, you’re already 90 percent of the way to understanding Icon owner Jonathan Ward’s train of thought. According to a 14-minute video Ward recently uploaded to YouTube, Icon 4×4 will start to offer a more traditional resto-mod FJ called the Old School. Utilizing more traditional colors, body panels, bumpers, and seating, Ward is taking the original FJ design and giving it the Icon treatment.
Don’t fear, though: Ward plans to keep the Old School FJ mechanically modern, but offer a cosmetic design heavily focused on the original FJs. That means the new design will not preclude customers from Brembo brakes, Dynatrac Dana 60/44 axles, and all the other mechanical goodies you usually see on an Icon vehicle. Ward is keeping the original bumper design—but as he likes to do, the bumpers will be powder-coated for durability. Other items designed to closely resemble the original parts will be the spare tire carrier, hood latches, wheels, hubcaps, decals, seats, dash and much more. Although the dash will look a lot like the original, the dials will be the same ones you see in the “New School” FJ made by Icon.
If you look closely in the video below, the seats and rugs are more true to design than we have seen in past builds, though certain leather choices and colors aren’t perfect matches to the original. At first glance, the interior of the Old School FJ is supposed to look like the original, but upon further inspection you will still see modern goodies like auto-dimming rearview mirror, navigation, bluetooth, backup camera, heated seats and more.
Possibly the biggest addition to the Old School FJ is the Cummins 2.8-liter turbocharged diesel engine. Allegedly pumping out 161 horsepower and 276 lb-ft of torque, the little Cummins provides enough power to get going, but don’t expect to lay down rubber on your way to the beach. That said, a small diesel engine sounds perfect for the FJ in our minds, especially if we don’t want to worry about filling the tank every day.