The best overland vehicles are constantly morphing with consumer interests and regulatory pressures, but there has never been a better time to choose your next adventure machine. With the growing popularity of overlanding, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have doubled down on suitable models, and in the case of Ineos, an entirely new car company has…
Chasing the Mexican 1000 with the Chevy Colorado AEV Bison
This review of the 2023 Project Truck, a 2022 AEV Bison, comes from a very specific point of view. I built it and outfitted it with simplicity in mind. It needed to be able to drive most technical 4WD trails and cruise at highway speeds for long durations—comfortably. Notably, it would serve as a chase…
2025 INEOS Grenadier Quartermaster :: Overland Test and Project Part 1
After 25,000 kilometers, we rolled up to the Gulf of Aden. Yemen was just over the horizon, and the region was as close to all-out war as it had been in a generation. I had driven from Cape Town to Djibouti, crossing the continent of Africa and testing the limits of the Grenadier wagon in…
Stage 1: Project Jeep Wrangler 4Xe for Overland Fun
Each year, we identify one significant international project vehicle and one more modest undertaking. For 2023, it was the Grenadier for crossing Africa and a new Jeep Wrangler 4xe overland project for North America. For this new project, we wanted to try a list of new products and approaches that had not crossed our keyboards….
Join Expedition Portal to Support Acalanes High School Body Shop’s Baja Adventure
Over the previous few decades, the traditional shop class has all but disappeared from American middle schools and high schools. Subjected to a wide range of diverse pressures, vocational education [career and technical education (CTE) as it is more correctly known] has slowly been whittled down to a stub of what it once was. Budget…
INEOS Grenadier Build for Crossing Africa: Detailed Walkaround Video
In May 2023, we took delivery of a stock INEOS Grenadier Fieldmaster in the UK. We conducted off-road tests and break-in miles before putting it on the boat for Durban, South Africa. By late June, we had the Grenadier in Johannesburg and began lightly modifying the vehicle and provisioning for our trip up Africa. Contrary…
2008 Toyota Tundra TRD Off-Road Overland Build :: Overland Explorer Vehicles Alpine Camper Upgrades
The Overland Explorer Vehicles Alpine camper comes well-equipped for comfortable off-grid camping, but for our purposes, not entirely ready for full-time life on the road with the flatbed model. Sure, there are factory options available that would provide a turnkey camper, but we chose to order ours as simple (and lightweight) as possible with no…
GMC AT4 Sierra 1500 Duramax Overland Build
Editor’s Note: This GMC AT4 Sierra article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2023 Issue. For our first full-size project vehicle, we selected a half-ton GMC with their AT4 (all-terrain 4WD) package. The base Sierra is known for its quality of assembly, overall driver comfort, and 60,000-mile, bumper-to-bumper warranty. In recent years, GM has…
Video of the Week :: Restoration of a Land Rover Defender 90
A few precious videos on YouTube have inspired millions with a simple premise – an impressive project performed in a desirable setting, silent except for the impact of various tools (such wonderful ASMR!). In a digital world where creators clamber for attention by showing too much skin or having bombastic personalities, it is refreshing to…
2008 Toyota Tundra TRD Off-Road Overland Build :: Armor from C4 Fabrication and TRD
When used as a daily driver, we never felt the need to add an aftermarket bumper to our 2008 Toyota Tundra. We used it on long, flat gravel roads for the last four years to get us to local campsites or hiking trailheads. The truck does have a set of CBI full-length steel skid plates…
Can I Get a Lift? :: Baseline Mods for the Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester has long been a respected platform, sold worldwide as the ultimate inclement weather wagon, complete with good ground clearance and notable interior storage volume. The Subaru brand harkens back to the Fuji corporation and their first vehicle, the Fuji Rabbit, a motor-scooter constructed from spare WWII aircraft parts. Their first automobile was…
2008 Toyota Tundra TRD Off-Road Overland Build :: Rear Suspension, Gears, and ARB Air Locker
Toyota never intended the Tundra to be fully laden at all times. The stock suspension, gear ratio, and Auto LSD were designed to keep the average consumer happy—someone who normally keeps the bed empty other than an occasional trip to Home Depot or IKEA. The next stage of this build will have us installing a…
Video : GMC Sierra AT4 ExPo Build :: Project Wrap Up
For this wrap-up video, we review our time with the Sierra 1500 AT4 Duramax diesel truck, including our modifications. We added an Eibach suspension, Timbren SES jounces, Hellwig overloads, AEV Crestone wheels, and Kenda 35×10.5″ tires. Additional modifications includes Tuffy storage boxes, Garmin GPS, and a Scout Kenai camper.
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: Super Pacific Switchback X1 Truck Camper
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: Super Pacific Switchback X1 Truck Camper Of all the additions I have added to my Ram 2500 overland build, the Super Pacific Switchback X1 truck camper has been the most significant in terms of size and infrastructure. It provides a variety of solutions for vehicle-based travel, all in one neat,…
Feature Vehicle: Randy Wimenta’s 1989 Toyota Corolla “AWDROLA”
We all have two distinct choices in life–do nothing or do something. Many are content to binge-watch TV shows and doom scroll until their retina melt, while others get busy learning, designing, building, and creating. Randy Wimenta, the Marketing Activation Manager at KC Hilites, is a hands-on, gearhead kind of guy; he chose to get…
2008 Toyota Tundra TRD Off-Road Overland Build :: 46-Gallon Transfer Flow Fuel Tank Install
How many times have you passed a gas station wondering if you should turn back and top off the tank? Are you constantly curious about how much gas is actually remaining when the low fuel light illuminates? Have you looked at those gasoline-filled 2-liter Coke bottles in Mexico and pondered what the percentage of cola…
2008 Toyota Tundra TRD Off-Road Overland Build :: OME BP-51 Suspension Installation
Suspension is the foundation of any overland vehicle build. Its purpose is to manage the additional payload of tents, campers, armor, and other accessories. Although factory springs and shocks will likely provide a more comfortable ride and last longer than aftermarket components on a stock truck, they were not designed to manage the weight of…
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: AEV Dualsport XP Suspension, Salta HD Wheels, General Grabber A/Tx Tires
Two important questions that I’ve asked myself throughout my Ram 2500 overland truck build are Will this upgrade add utility, and Will this upgrade enhance capability? Utilizing this decision-making framework is generally straightforward, but when it came to making changes to the suspension, I felt some uncertainty. I was interested in creating more wheel well…
2008 Toyota Tundra TRD Off-Road Staff Project Vehicle Introduction
Editor’s note: To learn more about preparing the first, second, and third generation Tundra for overland travel, please enjoy the Overland Journal Podcast Episode 94: Principles of Overlanding :: The Toyota Tundra for Overlanding. I just spent the last six weeks and 3,000 kilometers exploring the Baja California Peninsula with Ashley (my wonderful wife and…
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: SPod Bantam X and Touchscreen Controller Installation
When I started researching how to install aftermarket lighting in my Ram 2500, I was very quickly overwhelmed with information. I was also discouraged to learn that making a small mistake could present a myriad of problems for the many computerized systems found in my vehicle. As someone with DIY ambitions who wants to understand…