The wheels

Since the idea was created in our minds, we've debated over what car is the best for the trip. Don had his heart set on a Land Rover. Heather has always been a Toyota fan.

We settled for, and have since fallen in love with a 2.4 diesel Toyota Hilux Surf. We affectionately refer to him as Zulu, as he is big, black and lives on our stoep!

There are many standard features on the surf that makes it an ideal vehicle for this sort of expedition, it comes fitted with a dual battery system (easy to fit a splitter system), the rear window retracts and the tail gate drops down (a handy table or access to the roof rack, our Zulu has a sun roof, which will be handy for game viewing or accessing the roof rack. The load area is sizeable due to the passenger seats been foldable, we are able to pack 5 x 64 litre and 3 x 35 litre boxes as well as a 45 litre freezer and 3 x 20 litre water containers. All this and place to pack 1 x camping table, 2 x camping chairs, 1 x high lift jack, 1 x tool box, 1 x two plate gas cooker and a cast iron cooking pot. I think this gives any landie or cruiser a run for its money. The added bonus is the fuel consumption, I have used it to commute to work and in London traffic it gives me an average of 450 km on a 60 liters, 7,5 km/liter about 20 miles to the gallon, no the motor way at an average speed of 70 mph the consumption drops to 570 km 9,5 km/liter or 27 mpg. I’m looking forward to seen how it hold up on the African roads but then again it is a Toyota, love it or hate it you have to honest with yourself and respect it.  

We bought him pretty standard except for the 1" lifted suspension, 33" tyres and side exit exhaust. Don has worked hard and has already made a lot of modifications, but there is still a lot to do.

Modifications done to date:

• fitted new belts
• new sound system with iPod docking(nice to drown out the bumping and rattling on the African roads)
• fitted snorkel ( reduces fuel consumption, necessary for river traverse and looks cool)
• 3 coil radiator (surfs are notorious for overheating, this will sort it out) 
• fixed aerial mechanism
• replaced back window mechanism
• Fitted Bull Bar
• Roof rack ( light weight, mounted to the roof, keeps the centre of gravity down)
• 4 x 100w Spot lights fitted
• Spare wheel fitted under and behind vehicle
• New steel 15" rims fitted ( I was sad to change the rims out the Zulu looked good with the old alloys but for the knocks of the African roads the steel rims are better suited)
• New Cooper ST 265x70 all terrain tyres fitted ( these will not annoy the Bulgarian police as much a the mud tyres, the AT tyre with handle better on black ice expected in Turkey)
• Fitted back board for packing boxes onto ( give good packing area underneath for essential items)
• Tow hitch fitted with ball and pin attachment( good recovery point for towing land rovers)
• Fitted a eezi-awn 1.4m x 2.4m roof top tent.
• fit tow-bar/Jacking point

Modifications still to do:

• Battery splitter with red-top and blue-top batteries
• fit Old man Emu shocks  
• inverter plus power points
• packing drawers

• Zulu's spares & accessories
  • brake pads
  • duct tape
  • foil tape
  • funnels
  • hacksaw
  • lock cable
  • nuts and bolts
  • radiator weld
  • repair putty
  • rope
  • straps
  • screwdriver bits
  • sockets
  • shovel
  • spotlight lamps
  • string
  • various belts
  • WD-40
  • jerry can spout
  • siphon
  • Water pump