Toyzuki: Jimny converted into mini 79 Series

Yep, this thing is crackers.

Who’d have thought, in their wildest dreams, that a Suzuki Jimny, one of the smallest 4x4s on the market, could be transformed into an uber-capable, touring ready, half-sized version of a LandCruiser 79 Series ute?

Well, to find out the why and how the Toyzuki ‘39.5’ (see what they did there) came about, we need to take a step back in time.

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The second coming

Keen readers will remember the ‘Jeepny’, the Suzuki Jimny built up by Maxtrax’s then-owner Brad McCarthy and Paul Toohey in honour of Brad’s awesome restored (and still regularly driven) 1943 Willys Jeep.

That first modified Jimny was a success, but it was easy to tell that there was something more tickling the minds of the Maxtrax team; something that came to fruition in the most unlikely of circumstances in mid-2022.

It was during a drive in the Jeepny that the Maxtrax boys spotted a 79 Series coming the other way. No sooner had the big Cruiser rumbled past than the thought passed through their minds, “How good would this be?”

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The idea of a Jimny, chopped and modified to replicate the popular 79 Series touring utes that proliferate the Aussie off-road scene, was born. Now it just had to become a reality, which would seem – from the outside looking in – no easy task.

Until, that is, you realise Paul Toohey’s determination to make this happen, beginning with some cool Photoshop mock-ups he created, and then followed with more than a little help from his friends.

A passing thought becomes real

‘The phone call’ has already become a bit of an urban myth but it is one fully grounded in truth.

Michael McMillan, from Australian Expedition Vehicles (AEV) was in his office when the phone rang, upon which he answered it to hear Paul Toohey say, “Mate, I’ve got a build idea for you…”. After hearing Paul’s seemingly crazy idea, Michael’s short reply was “Absolutely not”.

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His only problem: it was already too late; as Paul said in reply to Michael’s initial refusal, “It’s on the way.” And it was. The Jimny arrived, on the back of a truck, at AEV HQ that very same day. The ‘build idea’ was under way.

Chop and change

The AEV team pulled the Jimny apart, gutting the interior as well, before starting on the first cut-job, just in front of the Zook’s rear wheel arch.

After the chop, the team had to custom manufacture a new rear window/cabin section (as well as a recreated rear gutter lip along the roof) then re-attach it. The end result, of what is a bloody big job, is a cabin that looks like it’s straight from the factory.

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Adding to that factory look is the 79 Series bonnet scoop. Again, this looks like it’s always been that way but was another big job, with the AEV team combining the original Jimny bonnet with their own custom fabricated 79 bonnet scoop to achieve the desired appearance without sacrificing functionality.

We’re sure AEV’s Michael McMillan spent more than a few hours shaking his head at Paul Toohey’s ‘build idea’ as the chopping and welding progressed, but we’re also sure he’s incredibly proud of what his team achieved to get the result – it’s awesome.

Keeping it on the level

The dream vision of the Toyzuki was an extensive one, and one grounded in practicality.

This rig not only had to look the goods, but it had to be functional and perform well in both on-road and off-road touring scenarios. With the addition of a canopy, which would mean more gear packed, which means bigger loads, the solution to assist on- and off-road ride and handling was to opt for a custom Airbag Man air-suspension setup.

This system is trick, too, featuring the company’s auto-levelling system (with heavy-duty rolling sleeve air springs) that has three pre-set height levels – ideal for maintaining a level ride when this mighty mite is fully loaded.

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The air springs are combined with custom – and seriously schmick – JMacx Offroad Solutions dampers. Keeping the whole thing rolling is a set of ROH wheels with chunky (but not overtly over-sized) Black Bear Gaunt 235/75R15 muddies.

Yeah, you will notice we’re mentioning ‘custom’ when referring to a lot of components on the Toyzuki, and this is simply due to the fact a lot of this gear is one-off and designed specifically for this mad and crazy project.

This not only shows how clever the Aussie off-road manufacturing scene is but reflects the passion of all the businesses involved in the build. Impressive stuff.

Fully loaded

If there’s one standout (and, really, there are many) of this custom mini-bruiser, it is the way the 4x4 aftermarket scene has jumped on board with numerous accessories.

The ‘standout’ qualification comes from the fact that a lot of the accessories fitted are fully custom, too, so invariably involve a lot more hands-on work to manufacture. It’s nearly a question of where you start; the bodywork from AEV is, in itself, amazing, and then you add in the work involved to fit the air suspension and those one-off JMacx dampers.

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Equally impressive is the canopy. Again, it looks like it just rolled out of the factory – the team at Concept Canopies nailed it; accounting for its compact size, they smartly went with two single doors (one either side) and a metal chequer-plate floor, allowing optimum room for other ‘goodies’.

Those other goodies include an MSA 4X4 drop fridge-slide (with Engel fridge/freezer) that also includes a fridge cage so you can still make the most of the remaining storage space. Fitted to the cabin-side of the canopy is a compact, fully featured Redarc auxiliary power system, installed by the team at Custom Off Grid Solutions.

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Speaking of space, even with these components fitted, there’s still plenty available for touring gear, too. However, if you do need more, Rhino-Rack built two – yep, you guessed it – custom size roof platforms, with a Compact Batwing awning attached to the canopy platform, with provision to fit things like Expedition 134 storage boxes (one of our favourite camp storage options) and, of course, a set of Maxtrax.

Cleverly, the canopy has a slight ‘extension’ lip at the rear, again to optimise storage up on top of the vehicle. It only looks like a little bit more, but it all counts for this mighty mite. The rear wall of the canopy includes a spare wheel/tyre on the driver’s side and a jerry-can mount on the left.

On the outer and looking in

For frontal protection, the team at AFN went to town, supplying a Jimny front bar and rock-slider, as well as – yes, yet again – fabricating side brush-bars for a comprehensive protection package for the vehicle.

Upping the protection ante underneath, Bei House underbody protection combines with rated recovery points for those just-in-case moments when off-road. Mounted to that black AFN front bar is a set of Teralume Industries LED spotties (a set is also mounted up on the roof) for night-driving illumination.

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Finishing off the exterior mods is a custom-size auxiliary fuel tank from the expert team at Brown Davis and a custom Hayman-Reese X-Bar at the rear.

The interior is relatively standard – after all, the Jimny cabin is not a bad place to spend some time – but it has still received a slight tweak, with improved sound deadening and an upgraded sound system, courtesy of EC Offroad, plus a GME UHF radio for bush comms and a Quad Lock phone mount.

Underbonnet, the Zook’s donk has received plenty of attention, with Torqit manufacturing a custom snorkel and airbox, along with a custom exhaust, to help move this pocket-sized tourer along at a more than decent clip. Oh, and then there’s the supercharger.

A winning combo

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To call this rig ‘cute’ is to do a disservice to the incredible vision, and the hours and hours of brainstorming needed to make that vision a reality - as well as the hard work from all the brands (and their employees) that has resulted in this toughest of off-road tykes.

The Toyzuki is an extremely clever and effective custom off-roader that is also the physical embodiment of that ‘dream come true’ from when Paul and Brad first saw that 79 drive past the Jeepny. Its diminutive size combined with its all-round capability and clever mods has proved the age-old adage that size does not matter.