Most of you must have heard the saying ultimate off-roading machines are built and not bought. What comes out of a factory though is the best of all the worlds put together. Hence, you would be see off-roaders and the overlanders spend months and years together to get that combination right. So, ladies & gentlemen, welcome to the world of the ultimate 4×4’s.
How to choose a platform for the ultimate 4wd?
For starters, it’s extremely important to choose a base platform that is widely popular, spares availability and that’s got a good service network. Choose a 4wd station wagon or a double cab pickup truck depending on your requirement. Do remember to pick a vehicle that has a low ratio in the transfer box. World over, primarily Landover old Defender & the Toyota LC 70/FJ are the ones that classify as hardcore off-road tourers.
Land Rover Defender110
Landcruiser FJ45 Troopy
Abroad, Landover Defender & the Toyota LC 70/FJ are the ones that classify as hardcore off-road tourers
What does it take to classify as an ultimate 4wd tourer?
If one aspires of touring and minor exploration, then an average Toyota Fortuner 4wd or a Scorpio 4wd would do. They are reliable and will never let you down. But then there are people who tour as well as do hardcore off-roading, then the regular off the shelf offering is not good enough. You need a rig that can take it all and still take you to the far ends of the earth. So, what do you do when one doesn’t have an access to old Defender, LC70/80 in a country like India?
My weapon of choice would be the Mahindra Bolero Camper 4wd. Why? The base package has got the solid axle leaf spring set up that is strong and easily fixable. Since it’s a long wheel base, this can be converted to a SPOA (Spring over Axle) set up, would still be quite stable enough and address the ramp over angle clearance issues. Since the clearance would improve, one could dump the anaemic Di engine and go for a 2.6L NEF (New engine family) or the powerful 2.2L mhawk to give it wings on the highway. To make the build more authentic, mate this engine with NGT530R transfer case along with BorgWarner manual transfer case from the Thar CRDe. Throw in a diff-lock at the rear and it becomes a formidable weapon on hardcore trails. This is the ultimate engine & gearbox combo that works and the parts are available all over the country and hence touring & off-roading in high country wouldn’t be a problem. Longer wheelbase and a relatively large load tray ensure enough space to carry essentials, camping gear, rooftop tent, water supply, additional fuel, spare tyres etc.
Who could make it?
The above build is not possible by an average Joe. The engine-gearbox needs a scientific marriage and SPOA takes lot of experience and knowledge. You wouldn’t want a failure in the middle of nowhere, would you? Though there are plenty of cheap mods around, there isn’t a guarantee on the job and safety isn’t guaranteed either. So where should one go?
Thankfully for people who seek peace of mind, the CLCompany provides genuine builds on classic 4wd platforms that suits ones specific requirements. They back it up with a warranty and service support as well. While it is easy to pick up a Isuzu D-max and build a camper on it, its people with a bit of taste for the old world charm opt for vehicles like the Bolero 4wd for the sake of its simplicity and son of the soil feeling while still delivering on the core promise, off-road capability. After all, ultimate 4wd’s are built & not bought.