The Midland 4WD centre 200 Series has been set up to be the best touring solution we believe to be available. We have taken a 200 series LandCruiser and worked with Bullant Engineering to do a chop and put a canopy on the rear.
Due to the size of the 200 series you actually get a massive amount of useable space in a canopy without needing to do a chassis extension or have an excessive overhang in the rear. We were able to comfortably fit everything we needed inside a 1350mm (long) x 2050mm (wide) canopy. We also set the 200 up with a GVM upgrade and full suspension upgrade to ensure that it will run smoothly over all the rough roads it will see.
The Brief
The brief for this vehicle was for it to be a reliable tourer but also something that is still practical around town, this took chassis extension out of the equation early on to make sure it could still go around corners without feeling like a truck. While the vehicle had to be practical it also had to show off all of the best that Midland 4WD Centre has on offer with both products and solutions.
The Vehicle
You can find a full rundown in the Accessories section.
As the 200 series LandCruiser was being built to be a reliable tourer it couldn’t be over the top in terms of bar work and accessories. We used a no-hoop bar from TJM and fitted it with a winch while the lighting was looked after by Lazer Lamp’s light bars. Running down the side we used the Clearview retractable sidesteps to make it a little easier to get in and out of the vehicle. Then the obvious Bullant Engineering tray and canopy to make the most of the space behind the rear door.
Under the vehicle, the 200 Series Chopped is rocking a Bullant Engineering 4T GVM upgrade kit as well as Roadsafe Upper Control Arms, Dif Drop and Sway bar extension. Airbags were also added to the rear to offer some extra stability when towing and some levelling capabilities if a rooftop tent is added down the track.
For added performance out of the 200, we added a snorkel, a PDC airbox and a PWR intercooler. Not to mention a prefilter and Provent Catch Can help with longevity. A Stocklock torque convertor lockup kit was also added to help the gearbox deal with the added load of the canopy and accessories.
Communication is also incredibly important for a touring vehicle, using a Uniden 9080 UHF and a Celfi Go range extender there will be easy close-range communication and the best possible long-range options as well. While not installed in the vehicle the mighty 200 never leaves for a long remote trip without either a sat phone or an emergency locator of some description.
The Canopy
The canopy is where a lot of the magic happens with this 200 Series LandCruiser build. We chose to do a canopy as it is an easy way to make the most of the space that you have on the chassis of the vehicle. Large side access, as well as more under-tray space, means that there are plenty of creative ways to set this up.
The 200 was deliberately built with a short canopy, not only because it ensures minimal rear overhang, but also because it means the vehicle is still useable around town. The canopy is just 1350mm long and 2050mm wide, giving you a similar area to the common 1600mm long dual cab canopy.
Inside the canopy is an array of electronics and touring equipment that is designed to make life on the road much simpler. The primary 12v system is a combination of Revolution Power Solutions batteries and Victron Battery Management equipment. We found that this combination gives us a great deal of customizability particularly when adding in inverters and solar. The Victron system also allows us to remotely access and monitor the batteries if the vehicle is in storage or parked up for a while.
All of this is powering a Bushman upright fridge, water pumps, lights and a travel buddy. Not to mention it also powers the 1600W inverter that allows us to run coffee machines, induction cooktops and charge anything we need off 240V.
To finish off the canopy the 200 runs a Clearview kitchen and drop slide for easy access to the kitchen and cooking gear.
What do you think of the build? There is plenty of gear that we could have added and plenty that we could have perhaps left off but at the end of the day, we had the goal of creating a vehicle that worked for how we travel.
