Isuzu Warrior

Tight budget? No problem. With a lower-cost vehicle and some carefully chosen kit, one can build a perfect travel-worthy vehicle

- Angus Boswell

Tough times demand innovative ideas, and when it came to building a budget-beater overlander, Front Runner sales head Jaco Nel decided to buy a lower-spec Isuzu D-Teq 250 double cab and bolt on kit to just over the value of buying a stock KB 300 flagship. Clever move.

“This was a practical, sensible choice,” says Jaco. “The KB250 does not register any problems on the internet forums, the cost of ownership would be lower due to a smaller fuel bill and lower insurance premiums, and the cash difference between the 250 and the 300 could be used to purchase essential items to make a decent travel vehicle.”

Certainly the 250 D-Teq is no slouch; on paper its 100kW/320Nm loses out to the 300’s 130kW/380Nm, but in practice it’s a tractable engine with plenty of oomph for the long hills, good towing ability and no great thirst for diesel. It is simple and offers good cab comfort, even if it loses out on some convenience items, including leather pews.

The actual cash difference on the list price at the time was R88 000 (R462 000 versus R550 000). This presented the proverbial tight budget for someone wanting to build a credible overlanding rig, forcing some hard choices. One more criteria was that Jaco wanted to use the vehicle to commute, to take his dogs out for their daily walks, and still be able to quickly load up for travel breakaways.

ESSENTIALS

1. Long-range fuel tank

To avoid the need for Jerry cans of fuel and the range anxiety that can come with long-distance driving, in went a Front Runner 54-litre long-range tank. At 10 litres/100km this adds 550km or so to the useful range. It works on a gravity feed system and fills from the single standard nozzle, does not affect the vehicle’s centre of gravity as it is fitted below the chassis, and is safer and cleaner than using the Jerries.

2. RSI Canopy