Two years ago I set out on a 6 month roadtrip of my birthplace, New Zealand. This meant at the age of 20 I had to build my first expedition camper. As it was going to be my home full time for 6 months, I needed something that had a comfortable bed and enough room that I could stay inside if the weather was bad, but not so big that it bankrupted me at the fuel pump. I looked at a 1st & a 2nd Gen Toyota Surf (4runner), a Mitsubishi L300 and an L400 before I stumbled across 1992 Toyota Hiace 4x4. It was local and cheap with only 170000kms. $4000 and two weeks later it was mine.
The van was a 2.8 Diesel Manual with selectable 4x4 Hi/Lo ratio. It was also a fairly highly specd model with red velvet interior, separate front/rear A/C & heater, factory curtains and plastic or vinyl trims over all interior steel unlike the stripped out delivery vans.
As for modifications, I fitted 31x10.5R15 tyres and Toyota Surf rims and wound the front torsion bars up two inches. Then my father and I fitted a double bed in the back, along with a gas cooker, 240v inverter & dual batteries.
Although it was an absolute slug in the hills it was unbelievable in every other way. It went anywhere I pointed it, up banks, through rivers, down beaches etc.
The van was a 2.8 Diesel Manual with selectable 4x4 Hi/Lo ratio. It was also a fairly highly specd model with red velvet interior, separate front/rear A/C & heater, factory curtains and plastic or vinyl trims over all interior steel unlike the stripped out delivery vans.
As for modifications, I fitted 31x10.5R15 tyres and Toyota Surf rims and wound the front torsion bars up two inches. Then my father and I fitted a double bed in the back, along with a gas cooker, 240v inverter & dual batteries.
Although it was an absolute slug in the hills it was unbelievable in every other way. It went anywhere I pointed it, up banks, through rivers, down beaches etc.
