The Toyota Land Cruiser 200 is tough as teak. And now someone has taken that quite literally, by carving one from timber.
A fantastically talented Vietnamese carpenter has produced some stunning YouTube video footage, showcasing his Land Cruiser 200 woodcarving and construction methods.
You might think of wooden cars as a more durable children's toy than metal, but there is nothing childlike about this Land Cruiser 200.
It showcases an incredible awareness of detail and thoughtful construction techniques.
Five-into-one
This Land Cruiser 200 isn't carved from a simple block of wood. Instead, it is assembled from many constituent parts – which makes it so impressive. Simply carving a three-box SUV silhouette from a single piece of wood, and chipping away some shut lines, would be way too easy.
Five flat sections of plank were used to make this Land Cruiser. Small jig blocks and a hand clamp were crucial tools to keep parts of the construction in place, while a jigsaw helped to do most of the bulk shape cutting, with some power tools assisting with finishes. Most of the intricate work, though, was done by hand.
The floorplan is carved from a single section, and then Land Cruiser bodywork is screwed into place, recreating some to the actual Cruiser 200's body-on-frame construction.
Wooden Toyota Land Cruiser. Image: YouTube / Woodworking Art
Split tailgate? Yes
Attention to detail is magnificent. The latest Land Cruiser 200 upgrade introduced a double power-dome bonnet, which has been delicately carved from wood, and the tailgate section is even more amazing.
True to the real Land Cruiser 200’s, this wood version features a working horizontally split two-piece tailgate, which can open and close. All four doors are also functional.
The grille is an authentic representation of the real Land Cruiser, too, and the front bumper even has those tiny forward-facing sensors, which mush have been desperately challenging to fabricate.
Wooden Toyota Land Cruiser. Image: YouTube / Woodworking Art
Accurate detail
An interesting aspect of the woodcarving Land Cruiser is its spare wheel position, which is under the rear load section and carved with splendid details. All four tyres also feature accurate tyre tread patterns, with appropriate sipes, which were painstakingly carved into being.
Some of the timber Land Cruiser’s details show a very steady and skillful hand include its door handles, windshield wipers, and roof racks. Can you imagine carving those true-to-scale, without breaking them or turning out some asymmetric pieces of wood?
The only missing bits are an engine and functioning suspension. Although Land Cruiser traditionalist will probably be heartened by the fact that this Cruiser features solid axles front and rear, like all classic large Toyota SUVs, once did. If you have the tools and some wood in the garage, now is definitely the time to try and make your own wooden Land Cruiser.