Toyota’s original 3.0-liter diesel has been replaced by a single V12 engine and two turbos.
The 1GZFE was used only in the second-generation Toyota Century luxury sedan that was sold to highly-ranking Japanese citizens. Although it is less well-known than the 2JZ series Toyota engines, the only V12 of the company actually lived for half the time. The previous-gen Century, a full-size luxury sedan, was sold for 20 years.
One of the 5.0-liter engines arrived in South Africa at some point. The clever folks at Fatboy Fab Works were able to fit it into the engine bay of a completely different vehicle. This is a humble Hilux with a 3.0-liter diesel engine that was originally installed when it came off the assembly line in 2012.
Double Apex brought the Hilux to our attention. The redesigned Hilux now features the Century’s V12 and a pair Garrett GT35 turbochargers. It used to produce 276 horsepower (206 Kilowatts) in its original form back in the days of the magnificent sedan. But, it now produces a huge 540 hp (402kW) on the Dyno. The torque is also significantly higher, going from 355 lb-ft (481 Newton-meters), to a mountain-moving 715 Lb-ft (970Nm).
It is interesting to note that the Century’s four-speed transmission can handle more than twice the V12’s torque. The Hilux retains the sedan’s automatic while using a custom propelshaft. The brakes remain as they are for now, but will soon have the ability to handle the twin-turbo powerhouse.
The super truck was built to be ready for the Simola Hillclimb, which took place earlier in the month. Fatboy Fab Works was able to purchase the twin-turbo Hilux. It successfully climbed the hill but had to fix some electrical and gearbox issues. If anyone is brave enough, the truck is up for grabs.
It’s not the first Toyota to purchase the 1GZFE after the Century. There have been many Supra Mk4s equipped with the 5.0 conversion. We’ve written about some of them as you can see from the linked links. It’s worth noting that the Hilux can also be powered by larger engines. An AMG conversion made headlines last year, thanks to its naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter engine (M156), which was sourced from an older C63.