My name is Luis Falconi, and I am an automotive adventurer. I was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, and ever since I was a little kid, I’ve been passionate about the outdoors, dirt bikes, and off-road cars. I have fond memories of being ten years old and sitting behind the wheel of our old and beloved Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser while my dad taught me how to drive.
The ‘Yota Life
Toyotas have been the number one choice in my family since my great-grandfather, so I have always been around them my entire life. I love working on them, whether doing upgrades or fixing them up just for fun. I studied mechatronics in school, which helped me realize my passion for all things automotive and I took extra automotive classes to ensure I had a career encompassing both. This has helped me over the years as I design products for practical use on vehicles.
However, my first off-road vehicle was a Land Rover Discovery. It was a standard build with suspension, tires, a bumper with a winch and lights. I took it everywhere, but as you can imagine, it broke down every trip. I loved the Discovery because of its 4.0L V8 engine, but when I became too frustrated with all the repairs and maintenance, I decided to sell it and go back to my Toyota roots and get the FJ Cruiser.
So, my first actual build was the FJ Cruiser, which was my dream car. Since the first day I got it, I knew it would replace the FJ40 on my favorites list. Everything on this rig is top-of-the-line. The Stage 8 Icon suspension has been among my best investments. I’ve taken it to many places, and it’s been able to handle all the terrain I’ve put in its path. I’ve added headers, exhaust, and an intake system to improve performance, lighting, and a lot of accessories, including the rack. The rack is one of my favorite mods because of all the different attachments I can use depending on my needs for specific trips. I mainly use this rig for long overland excursions since it’s so smooth and comfortable to take off-road, not to mention its reliability.
The Mighty 80 Rises
The Land Cruiser is simply one of the most popular 4x4s in the world, renowned for its capabilities and durability. My friend Justin was talking about Australian rigs when I first got the Land Cruiser and called it “The Mighty 80,” which sounded perfect—compared to the FJ, building the 80 Series Land Cruiser proved more challenging. Although the one I found was in decent shape, the engine required some work, and I had to upgrade numerous parts, including installing custom headers. The suspension was a little tricky because the 6” lift height changed the geometry so adjusting everything to make it safe and drive like stock was challenging. Nevertheless, the high-steer knuckles and panhard relocation were essential and significantly enhanced the handling. I also wanted taller tires and after some highway driving and doing some math (in addition to lots of gas money), I decided to swap out gears for the performance on and off-road.
Family Adventures
Six years ago, my brother, cousin, and I traveled off-road to Lake Tahoe. My brother brought his Jeep JK with 35” tires, while I drove my FJ with 33” tires equipped with a winch. Since this was the first time we had been to the area, we decided to tackle the infamous Rubicon Trail starting around 6 pm. The trail turned out to be incredibly challenging, and we ended up camping at 5 am because we couldn’t make it to the river due to its complexity and technical difficulty.
The next day, we started early and finally made it to the river, but unfortunately, we had to turn back immediately as we needed more time. The carnage on the trail wasn’t minor as my FJ’s skid plates were scratched and gashed, and I had to replace the rear bumper. My brother’s Jeep’s sway bar got bent, and just as we were almost home, the clutch gave out. Despite our challenges, we had an unforgettable adventure on our off-road trip to Lake Tahoe.
Hiking and camping have always been a big passion of mine. I love taking my family to remote locations and exploring the beauty of nature together. Over time, I have also developed a keen interest in photography, which has become one of my favorite hobbies. Capturing special moments with loved ones in some of the most picturesque locations across the country is breathtaking.
One of my most memorable trips was a two-week overland adventure with my family. We drove from California to visit Nevada, Utah, and Arizona and explored stunning destinations like Alstrom Point, Sand Hollow, and Death Valley. However, my all-time favorite place in Southern California is Anza Borrego, which offers diverse terrain, multiple trails, and endless exploration opportunities. We’re fortunate to have so many beautiful locations near us to explore!
Safety First
When building vehicles, my top priority is safety. This is especially important since I often travel with my family to remote locations that not everyone can access. I prefer to work on my cars and keep them in optimal condition to ensure they’re safe. While I’m happy with my current rigs, I might consider changing their color for a fresh look in the future.
To ensure safety while traveling, I take several precautions. First, I always plan my routes ahead of time and carry a Garmin In-reach device with an unlimited subscription. Additionally, I ensure I have enough fuel for the entire journey once we’re away from civilization and let my family and friends know my destination and expected trip duration. I also bring essential items such as my Goal Zero, plenty of food/water, and a first aid kit. These items provide peace of mind for me and my loved ones.
I prefer to travel in groups because unexpected situations can arise anytime. Having others with me can make a difference in dealing with emergencies.
Find Your Passion, And You Will Find Your Purpose
I have always dreamed of designing my products and equipping my car with everything necessary for outdoor activities based on my family’s needs. As someone passionate about camping and off-roading, creating memories with loved ones while enjoying these activities is incredibly fulfilling. For this reason, I have focused on improving the products we use the most on off-road trips.
At Overland Kings (OVK), we aim to bring families and friends together, create stress-free memories, promote going out and enjoying nature, and foster a community of people who share our passion. Since our inception in 2018, we have grown significantly thanks to our loyal customers and friends who have been an integral part of our business’s growth. We have strived to provide the best for our community through hard work, dedication, and passion.
We always look for new and improved products that prioritize quality and practicality to meet our client’s needs. As long as our customers have further needs, we will continue to innovate and improve our products.
Our best-selling products are our weather-resistant tents, which offer ample comfort and space. Featuring a memory foam mattress and insect nets, these tents have internal and external compartments for electronic devices and shoes and an integrated LED light for illumination.
In addition to our tents, we offer other products that are popular with our demographic, such as the Ayllu Tents for families of four, the OVK Rocking Chair for safe and comfortable seating, and the OVK Twin Air Compressor with dual fans and an onboard switch.
At OVK, we are dedicated to enhancing our current products and creating new overlanding gear that is practical, durable, and consistently high quality. We are currently developing a drawer system and fridge sliders, but are also striving to bring new products to market that enhance the experience. Our ultimate goal is to inspire people to explore and connect with nature, creating unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime. We firmly believe that by pursuing our passion and maintaining our commitment to excellence, we can empower people to live a more fulfilling life, one adventure at a time.
Tech Specs:
1994 Toyota Land Cruiser
Wheels/Tires:
- 17×9 KMC Tank Beadlock wheels
- 39×13.50R17LT BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 tires
Suspension:
- King Shocks 2.5 with Reservoir for 6” lift
- RuffStuff Hellfire High Steer knuckles
- Slee 6” front control arms
- Delta rear panhard lift bracket
Accessories:
- OVK Twin compressor
- OVK E-Awning
- OVK Ayllu Gen 2
- Warn 9.5 XP winch
Exterior/Armor
- Prinsu rack
- ARB front and rear bumpers
- Restless sliders and brush guards
Lighting
- Baja Designs LP9 rock lights
- Rigid Industries Adapt 40” lights
Interior/Accessories
- Corbeau seats
- Garmin Tread
- Garmin Power Switch
- Garmin front and rear cameras
- Rockford Fosgate audio system
Performance
- Manta headers
- WitsEnd Powers steering cooler
- Toyota 105 Sector Shaft upgrade
- ARB front and rear lockers
- Nitro Gear 5.29 gears
- Nitro Gear chromoly axles
- Nitro Gear transfer case gears
- Safari snorkel
- Snorkel Upgrade Sy-Klone pre cleaner
- Optima batteries
2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser
Wheels/Tires
- 17×9 Black Rhino Hard Alloys Legion wheels
- LT315/70R17 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 tires
Exterior/Armor:
- ARB bumper
- ARB sliders
- Warrior rack
- RCI skid plates
- Expedition One rear bumper
- Beyond Wraps hood stamp, and side decals
Lighting
- Rigid Industries Adapt LED bar and Radiance Pods
- Baja Designs LP9 and S2 lights
Suspension
- Icon Vehicle Dynamics Stage 8 suspension with S2 Secondary shock system
Performance
- ARB front locker
- Pedal Commander
- AFE Power exhaust
- JBA headers
- Safari snorkel
- Nitro Gears 4.88
- Nitro Gears rear chromoly axles
- Snorkel Upgrade Sy-Klone
Accessories/Electronics
- OVK twin compressor
- OVK 270 awning
- OVK Chaska RTT
- OVK drawer system
- Warn XP winch
- sPod Bantam X control system
- Alpine audio system
Sources
Overland Kings
@overland_kings
