LAP OF HI LUXURY

BUILT FOR RELIABILITY AND TOURING COMFORT, THIS TOP-END HILUX GETS THE JOB DONE WITH A MINIMUM OF FUSS

- BRAD MISKIEWICZ

DOING a lap of the map has crossed the minds of many 4x4 owners, or struck a spark for newcomers to own their first off-road rig – but where do you start once the decision has been made to do it?

Base camp for Joe Delich is the West Pilbara town of Karratha, home of the Ngarluma and Yindjibarndi people, and surrounded by some of the most breathtaking vistas and fishing in the country. Camping with mates during time off from work is the default for a large majority, so after cutting his teeth on a Subaru WRX, then a Land Rover Discovery Series 2, Joe decided it was time to build his ultimate touring rig.

“Hiluxes are excellent value for money and they come with all the creature comforts internally. Parts are easily accessible in regional Australia too,” Joe explained.

It had to be an SR5, fully spec’d from the factory and then loaded with the tools deemed necessary to be comfortable and, most importantly, reliable, because there’s always room for improvement. With the mantra of ‘the poor man pays twice’ keeping upgrades well-researched, Joe modified his rig to be fit for purpose.

STEPPED-UP SPEC 

With the exception of an ARB breather kit keeping water out of the driveline, and a ProVent catch can, Joe has kept reliability in mind and held back on any immediate mods to the 1GD-FTV engine, with an exhaust and tune slated for the future. Running out of fuel in the outback can be hazardous, so a Long Ranger 182-litre fuel tank was swapped in, with a Diesel Care secondary filter further guarding against engine-killing contamination.