Thanks to the temporary stop of international travelling due to the global pandemic, many seek to have vacations and explorations within the country. Accommodation could still be an issue, so the travelling vehicles have also been converted to a place to stay.
While it is common to see large panel and window vans converted to have a place to sleep and carry other large camping equipment, this example of a Toyota Tacoma in the US pushes the envelope even further.
Built around a 2007 Toyota Tacoma Access Cab (or known in Thailand as Smart Cab with the suicide half-doors in the Toyota Hilux), the long-wheelbase pick-up truck has its chassis extensively upgraded for overlanding (combination of remote travel, off-roading and camping).
While maintaining the robust double-wishbone setup and rigid axle, the shock absorbers and leaf springs have been upgraded to high-performance Emu Dakar units paired with an additional air suspension system. An auxiliary fuel tank carrying some 64 litres of petrol has also been added.
Additional traction is assisted by ARB front and rear air-actuated locking differentials as well as chunky BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A tyres. No serious off-roader is complete without a new front “bumper”, so the Tacoma gets a high approach angle All-Pro steel bumper with a powerful winch tucked inside plus a pair of bright spotlights.
The rear section of the Tacoma Access Cab has been heavily modified to fit a large accessories cab. It has been tailor-made to fit a retractable awning, ARB fridge, 64-litre water tank, a propane tank for cooking, a kitchen rack with utensils plus plenty of storage space.
The seller also neatly placed an Airtop collapsible tent on top of the rear accessories cab. Being over 1.6 metres high, one requires a ladder for access.
As for the interior, it is very much untouched, even maintaining the integrated Toyota audio system with a CD player and AM/FM tuner. With journeys expecting to be off-the-grid, the seller also fitted a CB radio for communications with fellow enthusiasts. The back of the cab allows legal seating for two passengers as seatbelts are fitted.
Powering the 2007 Toyota Tacoma is a 4.0-litre V6 petrol engine with humble outputs of 239 hp and 361 Nm of torque. Thrust is sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission and easy-to-use shift-on-the-fly part-time four-wheel drive system.
The Toyota Tacoma overlander conversion was eventually sold to a bidder at USD36,500 (approx RM154k) which is a substantial sum given its 14-year-old age. However, the buyer could see an immediate exploration in the thick woods and few nights stay with his new investment.
Source: CarsAndBids.com, Carscoops.com
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