2015 UZJ89 – “Bakkie” built by Slee Off-Road

Bakkie is Afrikaans for pickup truck, but the Land Cruiser ute is often referred to as “plaas bakkie”, or farm truck. This UZJ89 however, is not your average cruiser. The name comes from a combination of Toyota designations including UZJ – for the 2UZ-FE 4.7L v8 Toyota motor under the hood, the 8 for the 80 series frame it is mounted to, and traditionally X9 was the designation for pickup trucks. It’s completely made up, but we felt it fitting.

Technical Specs

The truck was built on a 1996 FZJ80 Land Cruiser frame. It was stripped down and sand blasted, and then cut right in front of the rear suspension mounts. To gain the extra length for the bed, the frame was then stretched 13” with fabricated C channel and completely boxed.  The original 80 series mounts were then modified and adapted to accept the new body and bed.

Once the body was placed the drivetrain was positioned. It was decided to use a 2002 UZJ100 – 100 Series Drivetrain. The 2UZFE 4.7L engine was rebuilt and paired to a low mileage A343 transmission. The HF2A transfer case was also converted to part time and rebuilt.

All mechanical systems like the radiator, oil coolers, ac system, steering, and related parts were done using OE Toyota equipment.

The vehicle was wired using new Toyota OE harnesses for the current generation 70 series and married to the US Spec 2UZFE motor. This made all the vehicle systems operational and the the truck completely OBDII compliant, as well as retaining emissions components for the drivetrain.

The exhaust was done as a complete new Mandrell bent stainless steel system with catalytic converters. All the joints are tig welded for strength, and stainless steel clamps were used where additional reinforcement was needed.

The worn suspension was refurbished with all new links and bushings, and a beautiful set of Slee Off-Road remote reservoir 2.5” shocks were mated to the OME 80 Series coil springs.

The axles were rebuilt with all new Toyota parts and re-geared to 4.56 ratio to match the 255-85R16 tire size. For extra braking power, cross drilled and slotted rotors were installed with all new Toyota calipers. Aisin free wheel hubs were also installed on the front axle.

All brake plumbing was upgraded with new Toyota hard lines matched with Slee Stainless Steel lines. Custom plumbing had to be done from the axles to the 80 Series master cylinder and brake booster.

All the suspension components were powder coated for rust prevention and the old fasteners were refinished with cadmium plating, or replaced with new Toyota OE hardware.

Extended range was desired, so an 80 series Long Range 45 gallon auxiliary tank was converted to be the main fuel source. Baffles were welded into the tank and the original 80 series fuel pump had to be grafted in. New fuel lines were run, using hard lines wherever possible. When the entire assembly was completed the frame was then powder coated.

The body is a 2010 spec Land Cruiser 79 series body, and was purchased as sheet metal with glass but no interior parts. Upon arrival, the necessary modifications were performed on the front fenders to allow for the coil spring and shock towers to clear. Once all body modifications were done, the underside and inside of the cab were sprayed with three layers of Lizzard skid thermal and sound barrier coatings. The inner fenders and cab undersides were then painted and assembled on the truck.

To finish off the interior a complete non-airbag, new generation, 79 series Land Cruiser dash was purchased from Toyota including an all new steering column. An 80 series center console was also installed with a custom made module to accommodate the 100 series shifter and transfer case lever. Dynamat and Dynapad were placed in the necessary locations for sound and temperature reductions on long trips. The result is a quiet and comfortable ride even at highway speeds. Finally, the finished product was repainted with a base and clear coat paint to match the original body color and give it a factory new finish.

The truck is registered in Colorado as a 2015 ASVE (Assembled vehicle) and is fully inspected and emissions compliant. The owner, Christo Slee, says the truck was built to be a “new” vehicle to showcase their shop’s capabilities. Genuine Toyota parts were used as much as possible, and very few non OE components had to be installed. To find out more about Slee Off-Road or their products, see their website here.