Diesel 105 and (2) Hi-Lux TDs take on the Rubicon

[Scott Brady]

While working my way through the Rubicon in these cool JK's, we ran into a "military" group trying to bring a diesel 105 and two diesel hi-lux trucks through the trail.

I really liked the 105!

Here is a short report with a bunch of pictures and a few videos:

 

[flyingwil]

How did the KK's do?

Neat find out on the trail... did you take the time to show them how to do it right?

 

[Pskhaat]

Aye, there's me dream truck! :drool:

 

[Brian894x4]

Probably the same guys or units that were running the Tacomas in Afghanistan (for a while anyway). I assume they switched to Hiluxes and Land Cruisers, since the Tacos didn't fare too well long term. Worked great for the short term though.

The Tacos were purchased from Kentucky and shipped out of Fort Campbell. That's sort of close to North Carolina.

I would be sure to black out any faces in the photos if there are any visible as a courtesy just in case they are military guys on pre-deployment "training" mission.

Neat pics! I'm sure they turned more heads than they probably expected (or wanted) from any Toyota guys that knew what they were looking at.

 

[waldrtw]

Yes, I see some NC plates on one of them. I will have to keep my eyes open around here to see if I can spot them in NC. Maybe from Fort Bragg??

Tim

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

:drool: Solid axle 100 series!!! :drool:

Soon, my friend, soon!

 

[ckkone]

That's not fair

 

[Scott Brady]

I would be sure to black out any faces in the photos if there are any visible as a courtesy just in case they are military guys on pre-deployment "training" mission.

I did ask permission to take the photos, and I did not include any clear face shots (or take any for that matter, as it was the trucks I was interested in).

I will let you guys know more on the KK in a few days, once the media "ok" date comes.

 

[Mlachica]

105 = :bowdown:

 

[Scoot Jockey]

Those are pretty darn sweet! I was wondering though, since they have regular state license plates, if the military somehow got those DOT and EPA approved. To do so Toyota may have submitted a document saying that these trucks meet the same regulations as their US counterparts. If this were true any of us could purchase a new 105 or Hilux from Toyota of Gibraltar, ENS, somewhere in Australia, the middle east, or direct from Japan, have it shipped here, and they would be just as safe and emissions compliant as those vehicles shown above. Hmnn...

Alright, I am truly dreaming, but wouldn't it be nice.

I love the federal government!:wavey:

 

[adventureduo]

That 105 is perfect.

 

[Martinjmpr]

I've been wanting to put together a photo slide show I'd call "The Toyotas of War." I've deployed to 4 war zones and Toyotas were well represented in all of them. In the last two (Afghanistan and Kuwait) I had a digital camera so I took lots of pictures.

I hadn't heard about problems with the Tacomas in Afghanistan - I saw more than a few there back in 2003. However, most of the trucks were Hiluxes, and often with RHD (from Australia or Japan, I presume.) I wonder if the main reason to go with Hiluxes has more to do with the fact that you can get them with a diesel engine. Since HMMWVS and every other tactical vehicle in the Army runs on diesel, having diesel vehicles makes for much easier logistics.

Over in Kuwait, where getting fuel wasn't an issue, all of our non-tactical vehicles ran on gasoline.

 

[kcowyo]

Rad Scott. Freakin' rad.... :bowdown:


Man, those 235/85's are skinny. Someone feed them a sandwich.

 

[Hltoppr]

I'm fully drooling on the keyboard.....:arabia:

-H-

 

[DaveInDenver]

Never realized that Toyota put the big toothed Tacoma-style grill on the Hilux. Kind of looks cool, much better IMHO than it did on the later '02-'05 Tacoma. That looks like a fifth gen Hilux ('89-'97), so is that some sort of custom hood and grill work I wonder. A nit to pick, Scott says "Hi-Lux Turbo Diesel 4-Door. Only downside was the early 90's era IFS" and to which I might add that it (with at most a rear locker if was factory) was doing the Rubicon behind a double locked HZJ105 fer goodness sakes, how much of a downside is that! Cool pics, thanks for sharing.