Top-end Toyota N80 Hilux SR5

Going a lap of the map has crossed the minds of many 4x4 owners, or struck a spark for newcomers to own their first off-road rig – but where do you start once the decision has been made to do it?

Base camp for Joe Delich is the West Pilbara town of Karratha, home of the Ngarluma and Yindjibarndi people, and surrounded by some of the most breathtaking vistas and fishing in the country. Camping with mates during time-off from work is the default for a large majority, so after cutting his teeth on a Subaru WRX, then a Land Rover Discovery Series 2, Joe decided it was time to build his ultimate touring rig.

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“Hiluxes are excellent value for money and they come with all the creature comforts internally. Parts are easily accessible in regional Australia too,” Joe explained.

It had to be an SR5, fully spec’d from the factory and then loaded with the tools deemed necessary to be comfortable and, most importantly, reliable, because there’s always room for improvement. With the mantra of ‘the poor man pays twice’ keeping upgrades well-researched, Joe modified his rig to be fit for purpose.

Stepped-up spec

With the exception of an ARB breather kit keeping water out of the driveline, and a ProVent catch can, Joe has kept reliability in mind and held back on any immediate mods to the 1GD-FTV engine, with an exhaust and tune slated for the future.

Running out of fuel in the outback can be hazardous, so a Long Ranger 182-litre fuel tank was swapped in, with a Diesel Care secondary filter further guarding against engine-killing contamination.

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On the inside, a pair of Black Duck 4Elements seat covers keep mud off the seats, while Bedrock floor liners keep it contained down below. Having no need for a rear window or rear seat gave Joe the space for some extra cabin storage. The clever Offroad Affiliate rear window holder overlays the rear glass, with an Engel 40-litre Eclipse fridge/freezer strapped to a false floor.

Not being able to make contact with mates in a convoy can be frustrating, but when out in the middle of nowhere it’s downright dangerous – so for comms, a GME XRS 370 is positioned front and centre, using a GME pass-through connector through the dash.

Panel preservation

Fending off suicidal wildlife is the Deluxe bullbar from ARB, with matching scrub bars and rock sliders extending the protection down each flank. Joe duly loaded the ’bar with Stedi Type-X spotties, plus a Domin8r X winch should the track ahead get dicey.

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An OCAM bonnet protector guards against stone chips, with the same company’s weather shields keeping rain from entering the window tops. Mounted securely to the roof is the ARB Base Rack, complete with wind deflector, MaxTrax mounts and gas bottle holder from the same outfit.

Moving on up

Soon after securing the 2016 Graphite N80, Joe set about getting the chassis up to the task of supporting the canopy soon heading its way. Starting with the rolling stock, there’s a full complement of six 17x8-inch PDW Outback steel rims sporting a P10mm offset.

With the extra circumference of the new tyres filling the guards, Joe added an extra two inches of lift all ’round

After waiting eight months for some BFG KM3s to arrive, Joseph pulled the pin and switched to Yokohama Geolandar G003 muddies in a 265/70R17 sizing, but if a set of BFG KO2s came up Joe would be all over them, citing: “Why change a winning formula?”

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With the extra circumference of the new tyres filling the guards, Joe added an extra two inches of suspension all ’round, dampened by Old Man Emu BP-51 adjustable shocks on all four corners. The rear leafs can handle an extra 600kg of constant load, keeping the sills level once loaded up.

Old Man Emu fixed upper control arms help dial out some of the unwanted camber caused by the lift, until Joe can swap them out with a set of adjustable arms.

Bringing all that extra weight back to a stop was something that wasn’t going to be left to the standard anchors, so a pair of DBA T2 4x4 Survival rotors were fitted, reducing fade under heavy braking.

Everything and more

If designing a canopy stopped at just throwing a big box on the back of your 4x4, then we’d be picking them up at Bunnings. However, making one that actually looks the part while being functional, sorts the men from the boys.

Joe got in touch with Paul Paget Welding some 1600km away in West Pinjarra, to build his canopy and tray from scratch

After seeing his work, Joe got in touch with Paul Paget Welding some 1600km away in West Pinjarra, WA, to build his canopy and tray from scratch. A lot of groundwork was undertaken researching the ins and outs of different layouts and their virtues before this point, though, paramount being to keep weight down and as forward of the rear axle as possible.

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“Everything is alloy, both tray and canopy, and I wanted the ability to be able to lift the canopy off if I needed,” revealed Joe. “Paul is a one-man-band with a plethora of experience, and he’ll make you literally anything you want. He prides himself on getting a nice rolled edge on the headboard, tying it in with the Hilux (and canopy). It’s a work of art.”

After Joe dropped off the Hilux along with any canopy accessories he wanted fitted, Paul set the foundation with a bespoke tray containing the rear trundle drawer, plus 93 litres of water storage forward of it. Access for draining or filling is via a gravity-fed tap, plus a 12V pump directing pressurised water to the rear. Here, a KickAss gas water heater sits outside on the canopy’s rear wall, protected by its own sealable enclosure, also containing the shower head for easy access, whether it be for hot showers or freshwater wash-downs.

While most of the tray uses 3mm aluminium, or 2mm for the main doors, Paul upgrades this to 6mm sheet for the custom toolbox doors, giving extra rigidity against impact, and better sealing. All compression locks on both tray and canopy are hooked into the Hilux’s central locking, making security a breeze. With so much attention to detail, it’s not surprising to learn 316 grade stainless-steel nuts, bolts and washers are used throughout.

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Diving inside the canopy finds a kitchen layout better than your average caravan, providing power and accessories to make extended camping a piece of cake. Starting with a huge Bushman 130L upright fridge-freezer sharing a corner with a Redarc RedVision monitor.

Combined with the Redarc Manager30 parked on the other side of the front wall, it allows Joe to keep an eye on charge levels and current draw from the twin 100amp/h Amptron lithium batteries. Twin 200W fixed solar panels further top the batteries up when the engine’s alternator isn’t spinning. Complementing the 12V system is a Redarc 1000W 240V inverter and eight high-current USB outputs on either side of the canopy.

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A twin water-tank level indicator sits above the RedVision interface, giving Joe the ability to monitor a second tank should it be added further down the track. Next to the fridge is an extendable table, stout enough to be the kitchen bench or support the mini Weber barbecue. This extends from underneath a storage drawer loaded with cooking utensils, but most impressively a fully stocked pantry slides out from along the back wall

“The beauty is I can see everything, and it’s all within an arm’s length of reach, and not have things stored on top of each other,” said Joe.

Penthouse living

Placed out back between the second spare wheel and hot-water system is the drop-ladder used to access the Bush Company AX-27 Alpha rooftop tent. Offering a massive 2.13m x 1.28m of mattress area, along with a 1.7m of internal height, this South African offering is built for comfort.

With the set-up complete, Joe has been making the most of it, enjoying the landscapes around the Pilbara and well beyond

Taking advantage of the machined mounting slots along the side of the tent base, the Bush Company’s XT awning is solidly attached, giving a full 270 degrees of coverage once deployed.

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“It’s probably my favourite feature of the entire build,” admitted Joe. “It’s so quick and easy with no dicking around with poles, being completely free-standing. I’ve had it in torrential rain and wind and it’s been incredible.”

Joe has been so impressed by the awning he’ll be upgrading to the larger XT Max version in the near future.

With the set-up complete, Joe has been making the most of it, while also enjoying the landscapes around the Pilbara and well beyond. If you cross paths, be sure to say g’day, or follow him on Instagram @josephdelich