Traditionally, people bought Jeeps as off-road playthings but wouldn’t trust them for long-distance expedition work. he arrival of the fi ve door Wrangler Unlimited changed all that, however – and Mat urro s tidil modifi ed example demonstrated how well you can turn one into sorted adventure truck that’s also very much at home on the school run.
The Jeep Wrangler is more than capable off-road straight out of the factory. However, of all the options out there, Jeep’s hero vehicle is one of the most popular 4x4s to modify. With the extensive accessory aftermarket, especially from across the Atlantic, owners are spoilt for choice when it comes to making their Jeep their own.
What’s rarer is to see a Wrangler adapted for overland use, a form of off-roading for which Jeeps have traditionally been overlooked. However, that was the vision of Mat Burrows when he got hold of his Wrangler JK Unlimited a little over a year ago.
When Mat purchased the JK, it came to him almost completely standard. All that had been added was a 2” lift kit and an aftermarket roof rack. So for a serial modder like him it was the perfect find.
Having grown up in the countryside, Mat got a taste of mud at a young age, rounding up cattle in farmers fields in a trusty Land over Defender. Not necessarily off-roading as you and I would know it, but it was all he needed. From that point on, Mat has owned a breadth of 4 4s including multiple Land overs and Suzukis a Nissan Terrano, a Daihatsu Sportrak and a Vauxhall Frontera before he came to own this, his first jeep.
Like most petrolheads at has been misled by the allure of power in the past – most notably, an ill-fated project involving an innocent Suzuki SJ and the engine from a Toyota Celica. Add a steep hill into the mix and lessons were there to be learned; mid-climb, a propshaft snapped and gravity took over, leaving Mat feeling very thankful for the vehicle’s roll hoop.
Given all this history, it’s no surprise that under Mat’s stewardship the Wrangler has had a fair amount of work done.
Bu hikaye 4x4 dergisinin December 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye 4x4 dergisinin December 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Land Rover Confirms Prices For New Defender 90 As Order Book Opens
On sale now from £40,290 • Commercial models coming this year from £35,000 plus VAT
STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE
There’s nothing very middle-of-the-road about Dave Yates’ Mitsubishi L200. But with modified double-cabs tending to divide themselves into big-money builds and bargain-bucket weld-ups, with not a lot in between, the company that helped him build it hopes to become the go-to supplier for people wanting to plough a new furrow down the centre ground
Land Rover restorer Arkonik to expand with reintroduction into UK market – and project to develop fully electric Defender
Somerset-based Land Rover restoration specialist Arkonik has announced its return to the UK market.
FORD RANGER RAPTOR
Ultimate version of Ford’s market-leading double-cab has more power and highly specialised suspension but isn’t classed as a commercial vehicle.
DEMOGRAPHICS
With more and more modified Ford Rangers and Jeep Wranglers appearing at the top end of the off-road scene, you might be forgiven for thinking no-one is doing it with Land Rover Defenders any more. But while 90s and 110s have indeed been redefined by their galloping values, they’re still right at the heart of the UK off-road scene – as very ably demonstrated by this slick new demo truck from Terrafirma, and of course its cool Union Jack artwork
Dangel conversion turns Vauxhall Combo into unique 4x4 van
Vauxhall has introduced a new version of its Combo Cargo van – with a 4x4 conversion by specialist engineering supplier Dangel.
BMW X3 M COMPETITION
Latest addition to the X3 range takes BMW’s latest 3.0-litre engine and uses it to create one of the most thrilling SUVs you can buy.
A Lifetime's Achievement
After a life spent in the Land Rover business, David Bowyer thought he’d put his expertise to use and finally get round to doing a project he’d always promised himself. It’s been well worth the wait…
Life Begins At 44
If you see one of Arctic Trucks’ builds on a British road, odds-on it’s an Isuzu D-Max on 35” tyres. But the Icelandic company built its reputation on far bigger things – of which this mighty Toyota Hilux AT44 is a spectacular example
Mercedes-Benz EQC
All-electric soft-roader is based on the new GLC – and makes as compelling a case as we’ve yet to hear for making the switch away from traditional fuels
