About Phil’s Build
Phil’s requirements were simple, he wanted a touring vehicle capable of tackling remote destinations such as the Canning Stock Route, Cape York, and Central Outback Australia, all while remaining comfortable on the black top between those destinations. After a number of emails combined with a few phone calls, we were able to offer Phil a package perfectly suited to his requirements using the dual cab 79 series as the platform. Once the package was decided, we ordered all of the gear, got the car on order and started the build process!
Due to Phil’s requirement of having a camper on the back we started with the Jmacx 4495 super chassis system which allowed the additional tray space thanks to a 300mm chassis extension and the load carrying ability due to the 4495kg GVM upgrade. This also allowed us to safely install all the required & requested accessories that Phil wanted without putting the vehicle overweight. The suspension set up included the usual features of the 4495 system, including King shock absorbers, Airbag Man air bags, rear track correction with a 2850kg rear axle capacity, integrated tow bar & winch cradle. Due to Phil’s preferences and the requirement for a higher towing capacity we opted to install the Wholesale Automatics transmission conversion. This removes the 5 speed manual gearbox and replaces it with a 6 speed automatic transmission usually found in the 200 series Landcruiser. A major benefit of the automatic & 4495 system combined is the increase in towing capacity and GCM. Phil’s Landcruiser can legally carry 4495kg, while towing 4500kg, resulting in a GCM of 8995kg. The conversion also includes a heavy duty transmission cooler, as well as a torque converter lock up.
To ensure this weight is all safely planted on the ground, we opted for a set of Method 312’s wrapped with the Mickey Thompson ATZ P3 tyres. This whole super chassis package was done with 3 inches of lift an 35 inch tyres which is completely legal and approved nationwide under SSM. Front and rear long range tanks from Brown Davis were fitted for a total fuel capacity of 270L and other external mods included the roof rack and mirrors.
One of the fantastic things about building this vehicle for Phil was the colour scheme, we wanted something that looked good without being too out there! Opting for the Merlot Red vehicle made the choice easy to stick with a Merlot tray, we chose to go Pewter with the bar work to match the factory flares and finished off the colour combo by going bronze with the Method Race Wheels. It sure does turn heads and stand out from the crowd without looking ridiculous.
Through careful planning, a leather trim scheme was selected for the Recaro seats to perfectly match the Merlot Red exterior & grey interior. To ensure everything flowed nicely from front to rear, the rear seat was also removed and retrimmed to match the front seats. While the seat was out, heating was installed to make sure any passengers were comfortable, especially on those cold High Country trips! A full Alpine sound system was installed including R series front & rear speakers, with a 10” subwoofer to pick up the bottom end. Full sound deadening was installed including thermal lining to ensure the cabin is quiet & the optimum temperature is maintained. For extra storage, we have the Department of the Interior centre console which houses the auto shifter, Department of the Interior rear side consoles for passenger storage, and a Cruiser Consoles roof console to house the GME TX4500 UHF.
For protection, we have the full ARB bar work including large tube Deluxe bar with Summit side rails & steps. On the bar we have the Ultra Vision 140 Maxx driving lights which offer excellent light output and a 4000K colour temperature to reduce fatigue while travelling at night. For recovery, we have a Warn ZEON 12k winch with a Factor 55 Ultra Hook to ensure a safe & reliable set up. Also included is the ARB radiator protection plate and the ARB 8T rated recovery point providing a load rated point to hook up to.
Under the bonnet we had a dual battery system set up to run outlets inside the vehicle, as well as offer a jump start feature should the main battery run flat. Engine protection is covered by a Direction Plus Pre Line fuel filter & a Provent 200 catch can. A Safari ARMAX snorkel & Torqit 3.5” exhaust handles the performance side of things combined with the Safari ARMAX performance ECU.
Finally, Jacksons Carry Me Camper fitted up their alloy tray with under tray tool boxes, rear draw, water tank and removable side gates. Soon this tray will be home to the Jacksons Carry Me Camper Hardlid.
With such a big build like this there is probably plenty we have missed but this is the general run down. Thank you to Phil for choosing the Jacksons group to create your dream, it was truly our pleasure and we absolutely loved the end result!