There’s simply one thing a few Land Rover Defender. They aren’t plush. Not significantly comfy to drive. They rattle. Wind noise is absurd. They’re a very irritating mixture of bare-bones and finicky. However, they’re a singular sort of fantastic. A Defender will crawl over absolutely anything and look unbelievable doing it. Whereas the extra refined Vary Rovers are infamous for breaking down within the city world, Land Rover Defenders have a plucky stoic high quality to them—should you’re driving someplace distant, the place you actually, actually don’t wish to be stranded, you wanna be in a Defender.
But Julie and Steve of Venturesome Overland actually needed a Land Cruiser. Although they’re technically based mostly in Missoula, Montana, they’ve been residing in Botswana for a while, exploring the African panorama. Julie is a photographer, author, and librarian, and Steve is a wrench-turning journey junkie. Each are overlanding veterans.
They have been searching for a Land Cruiser as an overlanding rig, however then up popped this Defender on the market in Ethiopia, provided on the finish of one other journey staff’s African journey. Julie and Steve determined to fly throughout the African continent to purchase it and drive it again all the way down to their residence in Botswana. Should you’re a Defender appreciator, put together to really feel a gnawing itch of envy.
12 months, Make, Mannequin?
1992 Land Rover Defender 110
Does the automobile have a reputation?
Her identify is Toto, christened with out irony in honor of the band, (Famed for his or her track “Africa”) but in addition for the true hero of the Wizard of Oz. Nonetheless, she has had a couple of different names in her previous lives as an African journey automobile, together with Harvey and Henrietta.
Years owned?
We’ve had her for under 4 months!
How did you get it?
The Overland Purchase and Promote Fb web page, a part of the Overland Sphere on-line household, is a superb useful resource for world vacationers searching for a automobile. The classifieds are normally populated with rigs of all types in South America, Europe, and the US, however sooner or later I came upon the advert for Henrietta (as she was identified on the time). Two Individuals have been wrapping up their African journey from Cape City to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, they usually have been seeking to promote the Defender in Addis earlier than flying residence. I gave the advert a “thumbs-up” and an hour later out of the blue Julie texted me – “did you see that Defender on Fb?!” Three nervous weeks later, after a purchaser forward of us bowed out, we have been the homeowners, sight unseen, of a UK-registered Land Rover Defender, positioned hundreds of kilometers away, in a rustic we had by no means been to.
Was Toto already kitted-out for African overlanding?
Toto had already completed a lap and a half of Africa and Europe after we purchased her, so we benefited from an important modifications performed by the earlier homeowners. These embrace the baseline mods that make overloading a lot extra comfy and enjoyable: custom-built storage, a 55L tank for recent water with an electrical pump and full filtration, 80W of solar energy linked to a twin battery system, a Snomaster 42L 12V fridge, LED inside lights, and a roof-top tent. Apart from a comfortable set of fantastic ExMoor Trim entrance seats, Toto is mainly inventory! However that’s sure to alter.
Will you be doing the work on the truck your self?
Yep. Up to now, we’ve solely needed to do fundamental upkeep, including some sound deadening, and upgrading the headlights—the opposite modifications have been performed by the earlier homeowners.
What’s Toto’s journey historical past?
Toto began life as a bare-bones industrial automobile within the UK. Two Brits purchased her, threw a tent on the roof, and headed for Cape City. After altering arms in South Africa, she motored again to Ethiopia, the place we picked her as much as return to Botswana, which is the place we at present stay. With our personal arms on the steering wheel, Toto’s visited 11 international locations in Africa to date, together with Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zambia, amongst others, and he or she’ll see not less than two extra earlier than we bundle her up in a container and ship her again residence to the US. Together with her European escapades, she’s been to nicely over 20 international locations.
Craziest/most complex offroad repairs?
Working counter to the same old Land Rover narrative, we’ve by no means had a single main situation with Toto! Essentially the most sophisticated restore I’ve performed within the subject was to alter out a damaged decrease shock absorber bushing at a campsite in Zambia. With luck, issues will keep that manner.
Particular mods/security measures for worldwide journey?
Essentially the most helpful safety characteristic her persona. Whereas she does draw lots of consideration (everyone loves a Land Rover), she doesn’t current as a very fancy overland rig, bursting with useful and costly gear. She is fairly tough across the edges, and he or she appears and feels like an sincere, hard-working truck, not essentially a goal for theft or different mischief. In fact, we’ve got a few hiding locations the place we will maintain money and useful paperwork, however frequent sense, good communication, and self-awareness are the most effective methods to remain safe whenever you’re touring in worldwide contexts.
Have been you lifeless set on getting a Land Rover for African travels?
At first, we had our hearts set on a 1980’s-era Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Sequence that had additionally seen lots of actually official African journey over time. Expedition Portal really ran a characteristic article on it. It had an Australian-made pop-top camper and loads of character, however we have been overwhelmed to the punch on that automobile by the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum in Salt Lake Metropolis. Nonetheless, we are actually absolutely down the rabbit gap that’s the Land Rover cult. We predict Toto will likely be our eternally journey automobile, and we will’t think about planning our future journeys with out her.
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