My 2020/2021 Covid Project Hilux Surf
 

Hello All

As 2020/2021 have been a bust for travel, during the winter of 2020 I started the recommissioning of a Hilux that I have owned for almost 10 years, that has sat waiting for time and purpose.

With time to daydream and plan, I had decided that I wanted to visit and see North Africa, it was sufficiently exotic and slightly unattainable so that it gave me purpose to work on a plan to Visit Morocco with my own vehicle one day.

I installed the motor gearbox from a wrecked hilux I had,overhauled all the brakes and suspension systems and had the vehicle inspected (MOT'd?)and legalized to return to the road.

https://i.postimg.cc/3wvRsgWp/2020-1...-28-34-360.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/zv0XC7Pm/2021-0...-09-23-514.jpg

Since it was completed this early summer, the vehicle has been in daily use and has travelled 14,000 Kms and should be fit for purposed to send over for use on the African continent when we can do so safely.

I am now looking towards the day I can get to Morocco and RIM for a proper long term explore of this area of the world I knew very little about prior to covid

Nothing like a nice long car overhaul project which ends with a successful trip!

I have a 1996 3rd Gen Hilux Surf set up as an overland vehicle. For me the aim was to cross Russia in the depths of winter. Probably not all that exotic for you in Canada, but it was an amazing adventure for me. I chose the car especially for having a petrol engine and manual transmission, a very rare combination. When I bought it, the car was about ready to be scrapped but after a major overhaul, including a full engine rebuild, it made a very tough trip with absolutely no issues. I made a trip thread on the HUBB here

I reckon it's a fine car for all but the roughest roads (I have two solid axle 4x4s which I would prefer for really rough destinations). I'm about to return to the car for the first time in almost two years and have given myself two weeks to get it back in shape and head off for a road trip in the Middle East.

Good luck with your build / trip.

EO

not sure how to insert any pictures here, photobucket and flickr dont seem to work any longer to be able to do this


Ok, never mind I used another image hosting platform and got that to work.

paulo

I love these 4 runner/surf 's, they are a little but smaller than my 60 Series, quite a bit narrower making it easier to get into places,the parts are available almost anywhere in the world (mechanical and suspension in any case sharing a bunch with the same series Hilux IFS), but by removing the lower rear seat cushion and dropping the back seats down you can easily sleep inside ! great budget over lander and very capable when minimally modified.

On this one I kept the 4.88 gear ratio of the Automatic version (which this one was ,now a 5 speed) to allow easier use of the taller tires (235/85/16), I installed a locker in both front and rear diff's, and slightly uprated rear springs, super simple and easy to maintain.

The motor is a 2.8L non turbo diesel (same as the Hilux) , one wire only and will run with no batteries or alternator (you can apply 9 volts from a lantern to work the fuel cutoff switch :helpsmilie:)

It will shortly get put under a blanket of snow for the winter months, waiting patiently for spring when I will re attempt to ship it to Europe for use in Morocco in 2022!

Paulo

Hilux!
 

This Hilux looks awesome and should be able to take on any journey you've dreamed of. No wonder these Toyotas are met with so much love and passion!

Just a question about no battery - could you elaborate more about this how is it able to run with a wire without a battery or alternator? So... how do you turn the car on? I'm no expert in this subject and this surprises me!

Hello,

As this is a simple compression diesel, the only power required is to open the fuel cut off solenoid on the fuel pump,and you can honestly do that with a simple 9 volt battery.

If you were to push start the vehicle,and have a simple 9 volt battery connected to the fuel cut solenoid, it would remain running until the battery died.

As most cars will have some sort of remaining power in the batteries even if they cant start them, there is always more than enough to hold open the fuel cut solenoid ,as long as you can get them push started.This particular Surf came with 2 12V batteries from Factory so its doubtful I will have issues, but you never know.

This was my reason for installing this motor package,zero sex appeal, but full simplicity.

Paulo