When Derek came to us wanting to build his dream 79 series LandCruiser, we said, “Sure, no worries at all, what does your dream 79 look like?” He honestly wasn’t too sure. So, with our “Vehicle Project Management/turn-key solutions team” we helped him through the process from start to finish with this stylish build.
79 Series LandCruiser Build Brief
To start with we wanted to understand what this cruiser needed to do. Ultimately it was a vehicle to fuel Dereks’ passion for travel and adventure. He tows a decent-sized van and needed to be able to comfortably pull that or drop the van and be totally self-sufficient with the vehicle alone. He was also adamant that he wanted a vehicle that would be able to take him anywhere he wanted to go, regardless of the terrain.
79 Series Tray & Canopy
To make the most of the space within the 79 series an important component of the build was the tray and canopy by Bullant Engineering. Using a purpose-built tray over the factory one allowed for a stronger construction as well as substantial additional storage with an 85L water tank and 1000mm draw, not to mention the side toolboxes.
The Canopy on the other hand was designed to fit an 85L upright Bushman’s fridge, a 12v oven a complete pantry as well as storage boxes. The canopy also housed an electric control system that is connected to a Topo Long Range battery system fitted behind the rear seats.
With all this power and storage, Derek can stay off-grid and away from his caravan for extended periods of time.
79 Series Underbody Work
With the brief including the fact that Derek would be towing, we needed to upgrade the suspension system. Dobinson provides a great option for the 79 Series, it is a comfortable ride but still with the strength needed for heavy loads. To compensate for when the vehicle was towing an airbag man helper kit was also installed with a remote head for interior monitoring.
Suspension is all well and good, but without decent wheels and tyres, it is all in vain. Working with the Maxxis Razr and ROH wheels we were able to create a combo that looked great on the vehicle but also made sure to keep the 79 well connected to the ground.
79 Series LandCruiser Interior
There is a lot that you can do or add to the interior of a 79 Series LandCruiser and Derek has chosen to add a fair bit of it to keep the interior well organised as well as plenty of information at his fingertips.
The Department of Interior supplied both a floor and roof console that offers plenty of storage as well as plenty of the all-important switch banks and cup holders for which the 79 Series lacks both.
Interior electronics are also a big one for ensuring you are alerted to a problem before it arises. The ScanGauge 2 allows Derek to keep track of plenty of metrics in the vehicle such as temperatures, pressures and fuel usage. On top of that, there is the Redarc Brake controller and a Kenwood head unit with a reverse camera attached. Last but not least a Uniden UHF and Clearview electric mirrors ensure plenty of vehicle awareness.
79 Series Bar Work
This was one of the most exciting parts of the project for us. Using the Onka 4×4 bar work gives the 79 Series a look that is still very unique in Australia. The bull bar is also very well set up with LED lights, winching points and an ARD-compliant forward 50mm hitch, perfect for those that may want to maneuver their trailer in tight spaces (or launch a boat from the beach 😉 )
To add to the uniqueness we also painted the bar, sidestep and ute tray in our textured ute liner which really compliments the stock graphite paint all around.
79 Series Roof Top Tent
When it comes to rooftop tents, we are very picky and as you probably know, we only work with the best! So Derek outfitted his 79 Series with a comfortable The Bush Company AX27. With a 70mm mattress, internal power & lighting double lined canvas and heavy-duty alloy construction, it really is the go-anywhere tent. Combine that with the 180-degree XTMax and you have shelter and sleeping sorted!
All in all this 79 Series has been given the full treatment. We had a great time working with Derek and clearly, Derek loved working with us from his glowing review.
