Last week, I went to Icon 4×4 to drive with founder, Jonathan Ward. If you don’t know about Jonathan, you can read my Dude or Dbag on him here. Or you can look at these FJs:
That’s right, he’s the guy that took your uncle’s most badass beater and made it into a super-cool modern off-road machine. Or how about this one?
Yup. If you live in Venice, Hollywood, Brooklyn or Berkeley, you know wassup. The Ford Bronco went from being a junkyard curiosity to the official vehicle of Hipsters everywhere. For that, you have to thank this guy:
Oh and he was instrumental in the design of the modern FJ Cruiser. The new Bronco that we’re all dying for? Yup, he’s on that team. Before you go scratching his eyes out, consider this: He and his wife Jamie (speaking of Badass Women of Automotive) started their shop TLC 20 years ago– which eventually became the country’s leading Land Cruiser service center. From there, Jonathan and Jamie saw where the market was headed– these old vehicles weren’t just cool, they were collectable. ICON 4×4 was born. These people work hard and are super passionate about what they do and love discovering new stuff–which, for someone like me (and hopefully you) makes them a joy to be around. Love him or hate him (I know you’re out there), you gotta respect the hell out of someone that turns his passion and taste into a thriving business. I had a ball shooting the sh*t with Jonathan during our drive. Check it out: