Member - Markthemilko (WA)

Bought an ex Thrifty Toyota 2007 V8 ute VDJ 79 series in Sep 09. Took it to Northam for Steelstuff to build us a 'camperback' with wing doors and a rear ledge for 2 spares. I fitted it out with basically on the lhs a kitchen: slide-out Engel 60lt fridge, & fixed 40lt freezer (powered by a second battery), a slide-out benchtop with 2 rows of 3 drawers above for food & cooking gear. Primus stove travels on the bench but can be parked on a slide-out rack from under the spare wheels. On a ceiling rack above the fridge we store tent accessories- fly screen, end door, floor saver & fly sheet We put the Oz tent RV2 alongside the kitchen so the awning goes over the open wing door giving us shelter 'in the kitchen'! On the rhs I fitted another 90lt ex Toyota ute sub tank on the floor up front and boxed it in. Added another deck 23cm (9in) above the floor, and store 4 plastic crates (40cm (16in) x 65cm (24in)) underneath -1 for firewood, 1 for food 1 for turfer winch, and 1 for spares (tyre repair kit, serpentine belt, fuel filter etc.) On top of the deck we store more food, bbq plate (home-made, in a plywood case, a couple of folda solar mats, 20lts of emergency water and other stuff too. The tent is stored on the edge of the deck. In one ceiling rack we store a blind taup, spinifex bonnet cover, 10m tow strap in safety bag, and on another below it 2 bags with our bedding. and alongside it a bigger one our mattress folded in half. Our spare start-battery also sits on the floor in its' own box.

We use a half roof rack for a chainsaw + fuel in a 10lt jerry can, & 2 bags for clothes

sits on 3 bars, and the kayak sits on the other half.

Underneath we have an 80lt stainless steel (drinking water) and an 80lt plastic tanks. In 2 underfloor tool boxes we store lhs: 2 jacks & plate, wheel changing gear, jump leads & compressor; rhs: tow chain & strap, tree protector, 3 rated shackles & fuel gloves - I hate diesel on my hands! I made a bracket to hold a 10kg gas bottle behind the rear right mudguard.

Replaced the rear suspension with a 3 leaf Parabolic set. Insulated cab floor under passenger feet (above the exhaust pipe!) and added felt across the floor under the mat. Fitted two s/h bucket seats (ex BA Falcon ute), and a partitioned storage box in between which holds a small tool kit, tyre gauge, deflators, PLB, and a multimeter. Atop of that sits our dog Tank on a foam seat - with his own seat belt! I fitted a decent interior light above the standard one so we can easily read maps at night! Made a stout radiator grill in case we ever had to 'bush-bash'. We had an E-Harrop rear diff locker fitted, and have upgraded the rear brakes (larger rotors & calipers) and the hand brake is now a mechanical caliper on a rotor fitted to the tail-shaft behind the transfer gearbox.

We live in Perth and have travelled (Nov 09 )to Karinjini Nat Park and Mt Augustus, Monkey Mia.

In May '10 we travelled the CSR with 3 other 4WDs to Wolfe Creek Crater, then south to William Creek to see Lake Eyre - by plane, & drove to the shore! South to Gawler Ranges & home. (about 8,000ks in 6 weeks)

In Aug '11 we drove to the Gold Coast via the Great Central road, Oodnatta Track, & Innamincka. stayed 2 weeks there (Sue was 10-pin bowling in the Nationals!) North to Hervey Bay & saw whales. Great beach north of Yeppoon, west to Longreach, Winton, Diamentina Nat Park, Bedourie, Birdsville, Annandale ruins, Cooper Pedy. Took 6 days to cross the Great Victorian Desert on the Anne Beadell. Great trip 14,000ks in 8 weeks!

In Aug '12 we had to abort our Cape York trip as our dog was run over at Tjukyirla. He is now very much alive and well!

In September '13 on our own we travelled the Hann Track and then onto the Sandy Blight, Gary Jnct, and Gary, & Gunbarrel Hwys/rds, Carnegie Stn and then home. A distance of 5,000kms. Another great trip.