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OK, so some stuff about the vehicle, well, because we feel we should. It doesn't particularly interest us, as long as it keeps us comfy and continues moving we'll be happy, but some of you might be curious. It is after all our home for the next seven months ...
... so, we started off by buying a 1988 Toyota Landcruiser HJ60. It's got a huge 'tractor like' engine - 4L diesel - nothing fancy (no turbo, no air con, no real ability to accelerate) but it seems solid as a rock. There aren't very many of them around in England, so getting hold of one was a bit harder than expected - except that we ended up buying the first one we saw. Great. She's called Forbie. A sort of weak play on four-by-four, twisted into a kind-of-name.
Oh, and we knew we wanted a Landcruiser because everyone everywhere says they are the business. Ok, so some people are evidently Landrover fanatics, but the Toyota brigade seemed to be more persausive. Anyway, we don't really know, so have no axe to grind on this, but we're pleased with what we have.
What have we done to it? We got a chap from near Brighton to overhaul the engine and do a full service. This seemed worth doing. Other than that, our approach has been to do as little as possible to provide us with a reliable trip. Naturally things have spiralled a bit, and we've ended up doing a fair bit:
MECHANICAL BITS
- all new suspension leafs
- new rear shocks (the standard toyota ones)
- full set of new suspension bushes
- set of six steel wheels all with new BF Goodrich All-terain tyres
- alarm
- spares (alternator, water pump, rad pipes etc)
OVERLAND STUFF
- rear shelving system and storage boxes. We've got a nice 'draw type' arrangement, and lots of handy boxes to keep things in. We hope there will be space.
- tinted windows with grills on back, and bulkhead to box off the rear seats (we've managed to keep two rear seats free for mates, guides, and general cling-ons. They even get to sit next to the mini-bar. I mean fridge.
- safe fitted. A proper one with a cryptic looking key, securely bolted in. If it takes even half the time to get it out as it did to fit, we're onto a winner.
- fridge fitted - a slightly budget Camping-Gaz one, so we'll see whether it does anything outside a british autumn. Runs of gas and electric.
- electric outputs including inverter so Gina can run her hair dryer. This is definitely a joke. My razor will be plugged in. Also a converter arrangement to switch the immensely annoying 24v electrics (which are EVERYWHERE) down to a more convenient 12v.
- recovery gear - hi-lift jack, air-jack (great to play with), sand ladders, shovel etc
- roof tent (fold out type - plenty of space for two)