Custom 4x4s
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Tune into 4X4 Australia and you might think our intrepid travel contributors have the best job in the world.
After all, they get to travel all over Australia and the world, to places most of us can only dream about, and they call it work!
Truth be told it’s not all stunning views and campfires under starlit skies; capturing these amazing images and informative stories can be hard work. Rolling out of the swag several hours before dawn, and travelling through the dark to get that magical sunrise photo, only to find that Mother Nature didn’t get the memo, can be pretty tough.
Then there are the long days on the road getting from one location to the next, battling with poor or closed roads, sorting mechanical problems, forking out for expensive fuel and supplies in remote places, and sometimes going for days without a shower or seeing another person.
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Not to mention having to deal with pesky editors always wanting words and photos delivered yesterday, and wondering why you didn’t get that stunning sunrise photo at that special place that’s renowned for it.
But ask any one of them and they’ll tell you that it’s a pretty good life. All those miles on the road, and the locations and the tracks they lead to, mean that these guys and girls need dependable and well-sorted 4x4 vehicles to ensure they can get to where they need to be and back again, without any problems or fuss.
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They need a vehicle they can live out of for extended periods, that has the ability to power and recharge specific equipment like lights, cameras and drones without killing their batteries, and one that has the communications gear needed to keep in touch with the world they left behind.
We asked some of our key travel photographers and writers from around the world to tell us a bit about what they drive to get the job done, and why they chose it.
These are 4x4 vehicles built by people who have been doing this work for decades, travelling thousands of outback kilometres, and they know how to set up a vehicle for remote travel. It makes for interesting reading and gives us something to consider when equipping our own 4x4s.
JUMP AHEAD
- Mick Ellem's 79 Series
- Ron Moon's GU Patrol
- Matt Williams' GU Patrol
- Ellen Dewar's FJ Cruiser
- Glenn Marshall's Prado 120
- Kevin Smith's 80 Series
- Brad Miskiewicz's HiLux
- Chris Collard's Tacoma
- Dan Grec's Gladiator
Michael Ellem: 2018 Toyota LandCruiser GXL 79
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At Offroad Images, we photograph and film 4x4s for a living and have been shooting for 4X4 Australia on and off for more than 20 years. In order to achieve the best results, we built The Mighty 79 camera vehicle.
It’s purpose-built specifically to safely carry cameras, lighting equipment and drones to remote areas. It provides us the capability to achieve big results in the middle of nowhere with speed and efficiency.
To be organised, we say “everything has a place and there is a place for everything.” It’s amazing what a difference an organised workspace makes to a photoshoot which will usually always be in an unusual workplace.
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This purpose-built LandCruiser 79 Series is built on Marks 4WD portal axles, providing a great platform with more ground clearance but also a wider stance. It has reduction hubs that provide gearing to suit the 35- or 37-inch BFG KM3 tyres we run on ROH Vapour wheels.
To iron out the bumps on the tracks and keep the cameras safe, we run ARB OME BP-51 shock absorbers, which are adjustable to suit the terrain we are driving on at the time. These are the best shocks I have ever run.
For protection from the wildlife we may encounter we have an ARB Deluxe bull bar. We also run ARB Intensity lighting on the bar and up at the roof line. For vehicle recoveries, we have a Warn Zeon 1200lb winch up front, and a Marks 4WD high clearance rear bar on the back.
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We have designed the 79 so it has two distinct halves, with camera equipment on the driver’s side and catering equipment for the crew on the passenger’s side.
With the rear seat removed, and camera storage behind the driver’s seat, combined with the drawers in the Trig Point service body, we are extremely well set-up to allow for quick access and organisation of cameras, lighting and drones out of the drivers side.
We also have plenty of power on board thanks to a Redarc system with a 3000 watt inverter and 240 Amps of Revolution lithium batteries helping to keep everything charged… and to run the coffee machine. Yep, the coffee machine gets a workout all around Australia.
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On the passenger’s side, we have a single Recaro in the back for a crew member, and in the service body we have Trig Point’s new pantry and an ARB Classic 60L fridge on an MSA motorised drop slide.
Thanks to a Boss 270° free-standing awning we can get our crew and other people out of the elements quickly in any environment. The LandCruiser 79 and all the equipment on it has really proven itself over the last five and half years, and it’s now approaching 290,000km of extremely reliable service to our business.
Ron Moon: 2001 Nissan GU Patrol
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The ol’ 4.2-litre GU Patrol, owned since new, is now 23 years old but surprisingly, some might say, it has only clocked up 460,000km. But what a 460k!
It was cut and stretched in its first year by Creative Conversions and while that has never caused an issue or any discontent, we have fitted a number of different trays and canopies over the years, all changes made to suit my varying travel requirements. It’s currently running an All4Fabrication alloy tray and canopy.
Of course, there have been a heap of mods and accessories in that time as well, some of the not-so-obvious being a Marks Adaptor super low range transfer box, ARB Air Locker diffs, OME springs and Koni shocks, and a Natrad full-copper radiator to help keep the engine cool, which is often an issue with the venerable TD42 diesel.
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Most of those aforementioned kilometres have been covered wearing Cooper tyres, although at present the Patrol is shod with Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T tyres.
All in all, it is a very capable vehicle and while it’s not as refined as the current crop of 4x4 vehicles on the market, it has a lot less electronic so-called aids. The long list of broken down vehicles it has towed or recovered from seemingly impossible situations is testimony to its strength and off-road capability.
Over the years it has travelled all the great four-wheel drive routes in Australia at least once, with the Canning Stock Route and Simpson Desert being negotiated a couple of times, while Cape York and the Victorian High Country have been travelled more times than I care to remember.
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As well, Central Australia, the Kimberley, the Gulf Country, western NSW and the Flinders Ranges have all been on the agenda more than once, as have the wilder parts of Tassie.
The route along the edge of the Great Australian Bight is arguably the best and longest coastal beach run in Australia and it certainly throws up a number of challenges, all of which the Patrol has easily overcome. In fact, there are not too many places in Australia it hasn’t been to.
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From 2007 to 2012, we took the Patrol around the world, clocking up 160,000km on a circumnavigation of the planet through 70 countries as disparate as Alaska, the Sudan, South Africa, Libya, Mongolia, Paraguay, Canada and Mexico.
The battle-worn rig is having it a bit easier these days as I bring a new V8 Troopy onto the scene, which I hope will take us to just as many exciting destinations and generate as many pleasant memories of places visited and camped at.
But I’ll never get rid of the Patrol… a couple more years and I’ll be able to put it on historic registration, but its travelling days won’t cease.
Matt Williams: 1999 Nissan GU Patrol ST
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One of my best mates calls me a professional camper. While there may be an element of truth to that description, camping isn’t all I do, but it is a big part of my work.
In reality, I’m an automotive photographer, mainly off-road automotive, and a large part of my work takes me to remote places, working for some of the biggest names in our industry. So, to do what I do, I need a capable and reliable vehicle to operate out of and live out of… for extended periods.
Funnily enough, though, I struggled a lot when it came time to write this article and find photos of my ute. When out on work trips, I’m so busy taking pics of all the other vehicles I forget about getting a few of my own!
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Back in my previous life, I worked in sales at ARB, and it is here where I developed a love for our big brown land.
While working at ARB, in August of 2005, I purchased my 1999 Nissan Patrol ST TD42 ute for weekend trips and extended touring. On the test drive, I ticked over 50,000km on the odometer. Now, it’s got well over 300,000km on the clock.
I threw an ARB catalogue at it and saw what stuck. ARB bar work protects the front and sides from animal strikes and panel damage on tight tracks. A Warn 9000lb winch is fitted in the bar, as well as a pair of Hard Korr LED spotties, which upgraded a pair of old IPF units.
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Underneath, I’m running OME suspension, and over the years, as my usage for the vehicle has changed, as has the capacity of the rear springs. I now run constant 400kg coils and a Superior Engineering Coil Tower Brace Kit.
Front and rear diffs have been fitted with ARB Air Lockers, while the under-bonnet compressor pumps my BFG Muddies up after their many off-road adventures.
Recently, I joined the 21st century and installed a 120Ah lithium battery to look after my extensive battery charging requirements while on the road. The battery is charged via a REDARC BCDC unit and supplies 240v through a 600W inverter.
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In 2017, I started shooting for 4X4 Australia, and using my ute became more work trip-centric.
To work efficiently, I decided to fit a custom-designed canopy instead of working out of space cases bolted to the tray.
Camp King Industries delivered precisely what I wanted: custom-made drawers for my camera gear, a full-width pull-out pantry/kitchen drawer, and a fridge compartment take up the passenger’s side; a pair of drawers house my recovery gear, spares and tools on the driver’s side; while a big open area holds my swag and other oversized items.
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I’ve been lucky to travel a fair chunk of this country thanks to being able to press a little button, and my trusty Patrol has taken me to Cape York, the Simpson Desert and the Flinders Ranges, to name just a few.
However, in October last year, I visited the Victorian High Country for the first time, and five days in the region was not enough. I need to get back there and explore some more.
Ellen Dewar: 2016 Toyota FJ Cruiser
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Being an automotive photographer of 26 years, I’ve seen a car or two – capturing images of vehicles driven back and forth by my journo colleagues, snapping them in motion and in all conditions; it’s been an adventure.
I have owned many cars myself and historically I was the hot hatch gal. Call it a midlife crisis or a crazy turn of events, but I found myself selling my VW Polo GTi and jumping into one of the last of the Toyota FJ cruisers; I call it my Tonka truck.
I picked it up for a great price in mint condition, with only 5000km on it, and since then it’s just clocked up 100,000km. I’m not the hardcore 4x4 type, more the camping, touring, attempting the easier off-road tracks type, but I do love to travel, throwing a swag and my cameras in to experience the great Aussie landscape.
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My greatest trip in the FJ was a Thelma and Louise style road trip from Melbourne, Vic through the NSW outback, up to the Birdsville Races, and returning via the Gammon and Flinders Ranges with my fellow photographer mate Jenny.
The FJ has the OEM rack and rock sliders, and initially I had a set of BFGoodrich All-Terrains that were recently changed over for a set of Cooper AT3 LT tyres, which are definitely quieter on the blacktop. Leading up to the outback trip I had a Drifta drawer kit and fridge slide installed, and a Drifta 270° Batwing awning.
I considered a slight suspension lift and adding some recovery points, and new front bumper, but indecision means I haven’t got around to it. Being a small frame at 5ft 2in, I reckon climbing in and out with a big lift would be comical.
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The FJ still runs well, but it’s overdue for a suspension upgrade. Since production of this model ceased the resale value has held up well.
The FJ has been my reliable steed to many a music festival, and for simple weekend trips away. Until the next adventure, the FJ, whilst not so economical, is great for loading copious amounts of camera gear and it makes an excellent shooting platform. Where to next? I’d like to venture west to Karijini NP in WA someday but until then I’ll just keep cruisin’ on.
Glenn Marshall: 2006 Toyota Prado 120 Series
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Many suggest that a Prado is for soccer mums and shopping centre carparks, but I’ve turned mine into the ultimate touring weapon that looks out of place in any carpark. I’ve been shooting and writing for 4x4 Australia since 2019.
Constructed in 2006, this is the last of the 1KZ-TE engine Prados and it has now covered more than 450,000km without a problem, however I have had the inlet manifold cleaned out and replaced the injectors and glow plugs within the last three years.
At the front, she wears an ARB Sahara Bar with GME UHF antenna, Lightforce Venom LED spotties and an Ironman 4x4 12,000lb winch with synthetic rope and Factor 55 Ultra Hook.
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At the rear the MCC Rear Bar can carry two spare wheels or a spare and double jerry can holder, and incorporates a Lightforce ROK20 camp light.
Two valves have been fitted to the rear bar to control the Polyair Ultimate airbags that sit inside the 300-500kg Kings rear coil springs. The ARB air tank also sits behind the rear bar with the outlet fitted to the bar, while the ARB double compressor is under the bonnet.
On the roof is a Quick Pitch rooftop tent, a 270° awning and an ensuite tent with four Lightforce Striker LEDs at the front for better night vision. The shovel is secured with Yakima holders and the four TRED Pros are for levelling and self-recoveries. Four Lightforce ROK10 LED camp lights are mounted to the RTT which has internal 12V power and a Sirocco fan.
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An RVSS aluminium drawer system with a top shelf and cargo barrier occupies the rear of the Prado, with an ORS fridge slide and a 44L MyCoolman fridge.
A hidden 12v water pump is plumbed to the 40L BOAB water tank that sits in the rear footwell and there’s a tap on the front of the drawers.
A Projecta PM300-BT system controls 12v power and accessories and includes a 25A DC-DC charger and 300W pure-sine inverter from Projecta. My 100Ah Amptron lithium battery is housed in an MSA battery box. The rear seats have been removed and replaced with a false floor for improved storage options.
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The driver’s seat is a Recaro Expert M that provides a much more comfortable driving position.
Navigation is via a Hema HX2, while a Uniden DashView 50R records everything. Navigator Gear seat buddies keep things tidy behind the front seats and the Dashboard Buddy and Visor Buddy provide additional storage.
Underneath the exhaust has been upgraded to a 3-inch Torqit Performance system, and the suspension consists of Ironman 4x4 Foam Cell Pros and Tough Dog Upper Control Arms. The lower control arms have also been replaced, as has the clutch (forced) and the rear diff (forced).
Kevin Smith: 1991 Toyota LandCruiser 80 Series
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It must be around 15 years now that I have been shooting for 4x4 Australia magazine, seeking out some of the most amazing destinations that our country has to offer.
My loyal ride is a 1991 Toyota LandCruiser 80 series, and I have owned it for around 20 years. I just love the old-school retro trucks with their looks, simplicity and parts availability… no matter where I go.
Clocking just over 620,000km with its 1HD-T engine, I’ve had a great run from the old girl, and hopefully it will see a few more miles before it retires. The 80 is comfy doing the touring tracks and across deserts. I’ve just come back from nearly a year travelling extensively in WA, hitting a lot of the iconic tracks, both remote ones and tourist trails.
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Point the old girl down a hard-slog track and it certainly will give anything a crack, like the Creb, up and down the mountainous great dividing range, and so on.
With my extensive travelling and the vehicle’s simplicity, the build for its touring and offroad life has been kept simple for many years. Upgrades include the turbo and exhaust, dual-battery setup, modified front bar with a 9000lb winch, lightbar, and a simple drawer system in the back with fridge. There’s UHF and phone comms, and I always run decent A/T tyres and good quality suspension.
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Since my return from WA, however, the 80 has gone through some bigger changes and scored a complete freshen-up.
It’s copped a full respray, sound deadening, new suspension, twin drawer fridges, a new electronic management system, a new 270° awning and shower tent, a tailgate storage setup, gullwing rear windows, pressurised 50-litre water tank with tap to supply water for the coffee pod machine (we all need one of these, right?), and a huge 3000W inverter.
My passion for the outdoors has led me all over Australia to some unique destinations and every corner of our land. So the question is, have I got a favourite place? Well, I love the remoteness, isolation and raw beauty across the Top End, the Cape and into the Kimberley, but then I love the challenging 4x4 tracks of the eastern seaboard, and then there’s the beauty of Tassie, WA and the bottom of SA. I really can’t name a one-time favourite place; I see the good in all the places I venture to.
Brad Miskiewicz: 2006 Toyota HiLux N70
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It’s no surprise to find out that one of the most popular choices for an everyday 4x4 is the humble HiLux.
The extra tech piled into the more recent N80 iteration has been impressive, but when it comes to something that can be worked on in your own driveway with relatively simple tools, the N70 is definitely the way to go.
After buying it in 2019, I carried out the usual upgrades like bigger wheels and tyres, better suspension, bar work and comms gear. Having been on multiple photoshoots all over Western Australia, and seeing plenty of modified 4X4s, puts me in the unique position of seeing what works and what doesn’t.
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But that doesn’t mean mistakes haven’t been made with my HiLux, like selling the full aluminium canopy just before prices went bonkers.
Hopefully it’ll run one again someday, but for the time being the tub with its Marketplace fibreglass topper and self-made drawers is doing the job.
This much-messed-with HiLux has been treated like it was made of Lego with parts being changed out constantly. In fact, selling the old parts has made the exchanges easier to achieve. Starting out as a no-frills manual 2006 Workmate, it’s now pretty much a 2014 Facelifted SR with a five-speed automatic conversion, and 2014-model electronics, interior, dash, safety systems and diffs.
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The latest modification is a front brake upgrade to 120 Prado rotors and calipers as featured in the February 2024 issue of 4X4 Australia.
The 1KD-FTV has close to 280,000km on it so far, with ancillaries like injectors, an AC compressor and an alternator thrown at it, but next up is a tune to make the most of the Lux Fab 4-inch exhaust and PDF intercooler, with a tweak or two to the auto while we’re at it.
While heading south is always welcome for the beaches and the forests, the best trip in recent memory in the HiLux was to the beaches of Broome in WA’s far northwest, before coming back through the spectacular Karijini. Cyclone Ilsa had just come through the area with some creeks becoming raging torrents, but the roads were quiet and the temperature pleasant in the high 20s.
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After mornings spent swimming gorges and exploring, we’d lower the tailgate and cook up a feed under the shade of the paperbarks – beaches and gorges, what a blast.
While the HiLux is a fantastic 4x4 that is super capable with everything that’s been thrown at it, there’s a project in the shed nearing completion that satisfies my affliction for imperfect 1980s 4x4s: a 1985 Land Rover County 110 that now rocks a choppy 6.0L LS V8 complete with 6L80E six-speed auto, all monitored through a customised Powertune Digital Display Dash.
The County also has airbag suspension with height and pressure monitoring, and 35-inch beadlocks custom machined for the perfect offset. If you’re a Landy fan you can follow along on Instagram @_only_lands_ [↗️].
Chris Collard: 2002 Toyota Tacoma TRD
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The motivation that drives us to buy a new 4x4 can come in many forms. For me, at least in the case of my Tacoma, it struck while I was replacing the head gasket on my beloved ’82 HiLux amidst a Baja dust storm.
My buddies, both driving Tacomas, looked so comfortable in their newfangled trucks. But move to the IFS/EFI air-conditioned dark side? A blown U-joint and broken leaf spring later, I considered blasphemy as I limped my old friend back to the US border.
In 2004 I purchased this ’02 Tacoma TRD with 27,000km on the ticker. It would be my primary backcountry rig, and because I often travel solo, all modifications would require a 100 percent reliability factor. I started with an All-Pro rear bumper, ARB bull bar fitted with a Warn winch and IPF Lights (now ARB AR21s).
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It has had various tyres and suspensions, but my ‘keeper’ setup is Icon Vehicle Dynamics’ CDC coil-overs, custom Deaver rear springs, and BFGoodrich KO2s on Mickey Thompson wheels.
It came with a Leer canopy, but I occasionally run my canvas Bestop SuperTop. I’ve slept in ground tents all my life, but have spent more than a year living in rooftop chalets. I have two, an AutoHome hard shell and Tepui fold-out; each fills a different need.
While many pump up their mill’s horsepower, I didn’t want to compromise Toyota’s unmatched reliability, and the drivetrain is bone stock – save a Safari Snorkel air intake.
Instead, I selected accessories for their utility: a Premier Power Welder, ARB compressor, dual Odyssey Extreme batteries, and 2000W inverter start the list. Recovery gear is a mix of ARB, Factor55, Bubba Rope, MaxTrax, and of course a Hi-Lift jack.
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An ARB Fridge sits behind the driver’s seat and out the back is a home-built 80s-style carpet kit. My previous publisher called it “white trash”, but it’s been extremely durable and provides incredible storage.
You’ve seen my now-old Baja Taco in Mexico’s Sonora Desert, on America’s emigrant trails, and 4x4 Australia Editor Matt Raudonikis helped me pilot it down the Baja peninsula chasing the NORRA Mexican 1000. If you asked what I love about it… everything! I trust it.
The odometer now reads 500,000, and I’d take no issue in heading back to Baja or South America tomorrow. As for my old HiLux (643,000km), it awaits spring thaw and summer runs on the Rubicon, Fordyce and Dusy-Ershim trails.
Dan Grec: 2021 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon
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A Jeep is not everyone’s first choice to explore and document the wild and remote corners of Australia, which is exactly why I chose it.
I’ve never been one to follow the crowd, and after quitting my engineering job to explore Africa and the Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Argentina, there’s no reason to start now.
I started with a fully loaded 2021 Gladiator Rubicon, which comes from the factory with front and rear lockers, electronic sway bar disconnect, 4.1 axle ratios and a very low 4.0:1 low range, giving a stupidly low crawl ratio of 77.2:1.
With the addition of 33-inch all-terrain Yokohama Geolandar tyres and a 50mm lift from AEV, the oversize Jeep is a flex and crawling weapon, easily walking up everything the Old Tele Track could throw in it’s way without lifting a single tyre.
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To enjoy long stretches out in the Simpson, Cape York and remote WA, a large kitchen drawer, fridge and storage drawers were added to the bed, all powered by solar and a Lithium battery from Renogy Solar.
A 55L drinking water tank with pump and filter added some luxury in the form of roadside showers, and a Long Ranger fuel tank added sorely needed range. An extremely tough stamped boron steel front bar and skid plate from AEV protect the radiator from chance meetings with skippy, and a pair of LED driving lights from Lightforce help me spot him as early as possible.
Up top a Rhino-Rack platform lets me bring surfboards, mount the solar panel and it provides a nice high mounting point for the sand flag.
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Part of the backseat was replaced with a lockable storage box fully wired up to keep all my camera gear and drone safe and continuously charged.
The Gladiator has taken me all over Australia to everywhere I dreamed of exploring, and I can easily say the most out there adventure was 1600km on the Canning Stock Route without once seeing another vehicle or person on the track. The scorching sun and a tropical thunderstorm tested both man and machine, and I’m happy to say we came through to the other side unscathed.
After 57,250km around Australia, and 18 months shooting for 4X4 Australia, the Gladiator has proved flawless and continues to put a smile on my face.
Want to stay updated on the Gladiator? You can follow along on YouTube and Instagram @TheRoadChoseMe [↗️].
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