The month we have been dreaming about and planning for years has now arrived. As explained in the first article, we decided on the Prado 150 series as the vehicle to take us safely and comfortably on this mammoth journey from Durban to Dubai.
To get our iron horse Africa ready would require some major modifications. The following is a detailed account of how we prepared and re-built “Magellan” into the home and machine required for such an adventure.
Fuel: Magellan has a 4.0Lt petrol engine, and whilst this suits Dubai living, it’s not the most ideal for Africa. Unfortunately petrol is not always readily available in Africa, and when it is, the quality is questionable. To resolve this problem, we looked at increasing the capacity which would allow us to extend the distance covered per tank. Next, we fitted an auxiliary tank of 125Lt which was beautifully handcrafted by Long Range Automotive Australia. The service and quality were brilliant. From there, we installed a secondary fuel filtration system made by Racor, with all fitment completed in South Africa by Craig Day of Midlands Safari Centre. Once again, we had absolutely brilliant service, and it helped that Craig is an expert in his field.
Suspension and Tyres: Combining previous off road experience with ample research, it became clear that there was only one tyre choice for this trip; BF Goodrich All Terrain. We increased the tyre size by one from the factory fitted tyre. The latest BFG AT “265/75/R17“ KO2 is a brilliant tyre, operating quietly on the road. We also opted to take 2 spares for safety reasons, including the times when Amanda may misjudge the road! This came with its own complication as to where we would carry the second spare. Thanks to the masterminds at ICON 4×4 Dubai, this problem was easily resolved.
The suspension was probably one of the most critical items of the set-up for our vehicle. This system would need to carry all the weight of the car and new accessories over thousands of kilometers of Africa’s toughest terrain—so we opted for the best. TJM Australia kindly provided the suspension and the shocks. Stay tuned as we will certainly report back on the comfort of the suspension.
Front and Rear Bumpers: The rear bumper was never on my list to replace; however, with the introduction of the dual rear wheels came the custom made rear bumper from Icon 4×4 Dubai. Completing the project within two weeks, their service and workmanship were flawless.
The front bumper was supplied by the renowned TJM Australia. Their reputation for quality and strength did not disappoint. The bumper is absolutely incredible and looks like we could challenge whatever Africa has to throw at us. Within the front bumper, we have installed a Warn 10000 Tabor winch and LED spot lights, all supplied and installed by Safari Centre South Africa. Unfortunately, the pictures don’t do this masterpiece justice!
Storage and Space: The diversity of landscape and climate, as well as Amanda’s inevitable trinket collection, presented a storage issue. With the right planning we have managed to utilise every last centimetre of space Magellan has. We first removed both sets of rear seats, turning the vehicle from a 7 seater to 2—sorry friends and family, you’ll be strapped to the roof when visiting! We then approached Front Runner South Africa, who provided a dual pull out drawer system for the rear of the vehicle. This system would allow us to fit 12 black ammo boxes to store our belongings for life on the road. In front of the drawer system we made a flat wooden deck in which we’ve installed the auxiliary batteries (2 x 140AHR Discover). These batteries will run the 2 x 40Lt fridge and freezers supplied by Snowmaster. These units look incredible and will allow us to keep all our food and drinks cold and fresh.
Tents and Awnings: This choice was a no-brainer as Chris’s father is the founder of the Howling Moon camping range. With his guidance, we’ve opted for the Howling Moon 1.4 Stargazer roof top tent and a Howling Moon 270 degree awning. We simply could not ask for better accommodation. All the above has been mounted on the Front Runner slimline rack system.
Water and Showers: We have installed 2x55Lt water tanks in front of the roof top tent. This will serve as shower and washing water. Directly behind the seats we have installed a 45Lt water tank, purely for
drinking water.
There are many more modifications and gadgets that have been installed to make Magellan Africa ready; however, to keep the article shorter than a novel, we’ve only outlined the process. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to send us an email at dead2travel@gmail.com.
Words + Photos By: Chris and Amanda Fraser
