SR5 Hilux taken to the limit

Excessive. It’s an interesting concept. In a land with thousands of different styles of 4x4s between the two coasts – dream builds that range from $5K Sierras with swags thrown in the back, to $200,000 Rams with carbon-composite canopies – every individual’s idea of excessive is going to be different.

The one thing we can all agree on, though, is it’s pushing the boundaries of the way things can and should be done. A bit bigger tyres, a bit more power, a bit more time painstakingly managing cables to make a dual-battery install. Excessive.

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The 2014 SR5 Toyota Hilux you’re looking at now is one man’s idea of excessive. A concept pushed to the nth degree with painstaking attention to detail; making a vehicle his own personal work of art, where every cable clip is something to be proud of.

Jeremy Landt is the proud owner of this rig, and after buying it brand-new back in 2014, it’s not hard to see where the 'XSESIV' plates came from.

STOCK TO HOT

While the outside of the Hilux is impressive, under the bonnet is where things really get out of hand. Off the factory floor the 1KD turbo-diesel four-cylinder would have put out around 75kW and a little over 400Nm through a five-speed manual. Jeremy’s set-up now pushes out a monster 184kW and 656Nm thanks to an extensive list of modifications.

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Sucking air in through the TJM snorkel, a Psico airbox and high-flow filter keep the F55 turbo fed. It then pushes through a hard-pipe kit and Psico front-mount intercooler. From here, an ECU=Shop Monster Max engine control unit and throttle control team up with +30 injectors before the spent gasses are fired backwards out a three-inch mandrel-bent exhaust.

The manual gearbox was swapped out for a factory-looking auto conversion due to strength concerns, and that’s tightened up further with an MV Autos HD torque convertor and HD valve body with a stand-alone YRS transmission control unit. PWR Coolers help keep the trans temps under control and Pajero Sport paddle shifters have been installed to help Jeremy bang through the gears.

SPRINGS ’N’ THINGS

On the suspension front, Jeremy has perfectly straddled the fine line between weekend warrior and hardcore tourer. Up front, Fox Shocks two-inch lifted struts give a boost in ride quality and altitude. To save the CV joints from grenading themselves under assault from 656Nm, Jeremy has fitted a Phat Bars diff drop to get the CVs back on a safer angle. They’re paired up with CalOffroad tube upper control arms, and PSR high-clearance CV boots let the suspension extend to full droop without anything rubbing.

Moving up the back, the stock springs have been replaced with 600kg constant-load-carrying leaf springs from EFS, while an airbag load helper allows Jeremy to dial the ride height in perfectly and level the rear suspension at camp. While the welder was out, a hybrid 80 Series/Hilux rear axle was pieced together, and a PSR chassis brace kit installed for maximum strength. A pair of matching Fox Shocks in the rear smooth out the bumps.

Shoehorned in to the wheel arches are 35-inch Maxxis RAZR Mud Terrains wrapped around 16x8 0-offset Fuel Boost alloy wheels – a 50mm body-lift kit giving the necessary clearance. DBA upgraded brakes help reign in the big mud tyres, with drilled and slotted rotors up front and upgraded drums in the rear.

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Back on the outside and the Hilux has had an extensive overhaul with no expense spared. The tip of the spear is the iconic Muzz Bar up front. It’s colour-coded to the OEM Toyota silver with a blacked-out radiator hoop. Taking pride of place up top are a pair of laser beams disguised as driving lights, with a pair of Baja Designs LP9s front and centre.

Hiding beneath it, tucked inside the bar, is a matching Baja Designs S8 20-inch light bar ensuring Jeremy has ample light no matter how dark the tracks get. Poking out from the polished alloy fairlead is a synthetic winch line wrapped around 12,000lb of Runva pulling power.

Moving along the flanks, Jeremy has extensively up-armoured the Hilux. High-clearance bash plates from Phat Bars cover the Toyota’s soft bits, while Southern Cross Fabworks rock sliders sit high and tight to the body to not only make entry and exit easier but also guard vulnerable sill panels.

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Up top, a flat rack from Rhino-Rack provides additional storage as well as housing many permanent accessories. A 40-inch Baja Designs S8 light bar occupies the front spot, while MaxTrax, a high-lift jack, shovel and Stedi camp lights fill out the rest of the rack.

PSICO BABBLE

Moving to the rear and the stock tub has been binned, in its place now lives a Psico canopy that’s every bit as modified as the Hilux it’s bolted to. On the nearside, the custom carpeted drawer system not only houses the pots and pans, but a full slide-out kitchen set-up from Dometic.

The trick unit houses a three-burner gas cooker no different than you’d find in a camper or caravan – there’s also a kitchen sink in there ensuring you’re never wanting for cooking gear. Moving back past the stereo set-up and there’s a Travel Buddy oven resting above a 12V coffee machine complete with milk frother.

Moving around to the far side and there’s bulk storage with the dog box, and an ARB Elements fridge on a Clearview drop slide. Back on the outside and shelter is provided under a 30 Second 270-degree wraparound awning, while camping duties are handled by a hard-shell Bush Company rooftop tent.

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Eagle-eyed readers will spot the custom box mounted next to the spare tyre on the rear. It’s where the Joolca hot-water system lives, bringing all the comforts of home to wherever the Hilux is parked up for the night. It’s fed by an 80L stainless-steel water tank.

Keeping the whole system running late into the night is an extensive 12V set-up, so neat it looks factory fitted. The brain of the system is a Simarine vehicle monitoring system Jeremy has set up to give him info on everything from fridge temperatures and water tank levels to how much of an angle the Hilux was on when coming in to camp. The grunt of the system is a 200amp/h lithium battery from Hard Korr, kept charged by twin Projecta chargers.

The 25amp DC to DC charger keeps it topped up when the Hilux is moving, while a seven-stage 240V charger keeps it topped up at home. When the Hilux is parked up at camp a Victron solar regulator feeds juice in to the battery bank from the twin 120W solar panels mounted up on the roof. Jeremy has wired multiple 12V outlets throughout the canopy and tent, and 240V outlets fed by a PROJECTA 2000W invertor.

IN EXCESS

On the inside, Jeremy has taken that same excessive mentality to ensure he’s got everything he could possibly want all within arm’s reach. Taking pride of place is the factory-looking centre console where the manual gear shifter used to be. Strapped to the side are the various aftermarket control units, as well as a gear indicator.

Directly above it is a roof console from Department of the Interior. It houses the airbag and compressor controls, as well as an easy-to-read gauge so Jeremy knows exactly what’s going on up the back. There’s a full suite of Redarc gauges too, monitoring exhaust gas temps, trans temps, boost levels and oil pressure.

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Up on the dash, a trick rear-view screen replaces the rear-view mirror with a second switchable camera pointing at the tow ball. A huge aftermarket stereo also got the nod, with a combination of Focal and Rockford Fosgate gear all being fed tunes from the PVS head unit.

Seeing the attentional to detail and constant pushing for that next-level gear, it should come as no surprise to see that XSESIV license plate turn in to a business doing plug-and-play 12V systems for 4x4s. If Jeremy’s personal rig is anything to go by, it’ll be a name you’ll hear more of over the coming years.