Italian overlanders Valeria Pixner and Lukas Unterholzner were near Moab, Utah, traveling in a rental van when they decided a four-wheel-drive vehicle was essential for their next trip. Amid a 10-month tour of Patagonia, Australia, New Zealand, and the US, it was near Canyonlands that the couple spotted “cool overlanders” exploring canyons and driving along gravel roads that were out of bounds for their two-wheel-drive van.
Back home in northeastern Italy, Valeria and Lukas were working at a mountain resort, accessed only via a tough gravel road, when they began the search for a four-wheel-drive vehicle. European 4×4 vans were too rare and expensive, so they landed on a 1990 Toyota LN105 Hilux.
With just over 200,000 kilometers on the odometer and nearly no rust, the Hilux came with a healthy frame and a good-working, 2-liter, 83-horsepower diesel engine. “That old car is easy to fix,” Lukas says. “[There aren’t] a lot of electronics inside and the parts are cheaper than a new car because you can find second-hand or used spares.” The LN105 was the last model to sport a solid front axle—a pro in Lukas’s books. “It’s better for offroad. Stronger than a new Hilux, I think.”
Valeria and Lukas added a rooftop tent and took the Hilux, nicknamed “Moose,” on a two-month test run in Morocco. Running into non-stop snow and rain for two weeks, Valeria says the trip was tough. “It was not fun with the rooftop tent. On the ferry back to Italy, we looked at something like an Italian eBay site and found a small camping cabin in Milan.” The camper was inexpensive, only slightly used, and fit in the Hilux bed. “We were lucky we found that cabin because it was like brand new, was really cheap, and located close to home.”
Inside, heavy Ikea furniture wasn’t optimal for using the camper off-pavement, but it gave the couple an opportunity to see what they liked and didn’t like, what worked, and how they could re-build the interior. “We went to the Balkans for our first trip [in the camper],” Valeria says. “It was really good because we knew what to change to make it better.”
Removing the hanging cabinets and wardrobe prioritized an open living space and lower center of gravity. Now, storage space is located under the sink and within a podium beneath the seating area. Lukas and Valeria also shortened the bed, allowing one person to stand at the sink or work at the table while the sleeping platform is extended.
The former interior was equipped with a gas stove and small sink, which was replaced by a Coleman petrol stove and a larger enamel sink. Valeria says the Coleman is one of her favorite parts of the build. “I like that we can cook inside but I can also take it and cook outside. We met a lot of other travelers and they sometimes have problems with filling up gas bottles, so the petrol cooker is really flexible. You can find petrol everywhere.”
An endearing feature that remains unchanged is the sink-connected foot pump, which allows hands-free washing at the basin. “It works without electronics,” Lukas mentions. “If you’re cleaning something, having both hands free for cleaning can save a lot of water.”
An endearing feature that remains unchanged is the sink-connected foot pump, which allows hands-free washing at the basin. “It works without electronics,” Lukas mentions. “If you’re cleaning something, having both hands free for cleaning can save a lot of water.”
The added weight of the camper cabin meant a suspension upgrade was required. Lukas chose a heavy-duty Ironman suspension, including leaf springs and shocks. A set of Dotz Dakar steel rims and Maxxis Bighorn MT 264 235/85R16 tires rounded out the build. Aftermarket accessories include a snorkel, limited-slip rear differential, front LED light bar, and 12-volt 12,000-pound-rated winch.
Inspired by fancy vanlife interiors, the pair rebuilt the camper interior prioritizing comfort, style, and keeping the weight as low as possible. “For me, it was always important that it look pretty, or as pretty as I can make it on my own,” Valeria says. White paint, twinkle lights, and vintage ceramic cabinet handles add to the aesthetic. The simple color palette enhances the space, while a world map on the ceiling adds character to a simple dinette and extendable sleeping area, complete with a white duvet.
Valeria and Lukas covered the floor and lower side walls with XPS building boards, due to their strength, easy handling, and moisture-resistant properties, finishing with click parquet on top. The walls of the camper are made of sandwich panels with a magnetic metal shell. The magnetic walls work wonders with a genius organization solution: magnetic clothespins hang tea towels, towels, hats, and more. To save weight, the two incorporated cupboards, the seating area frame, and pull-out drawers out of poplar plywood. Much of the furniture, including the seats and tabletop, can be folded thanks to several hinges.
The build includes an 85-liter water tank, the contents of which are filtered through a Katadyn carbon filter before using for drinking or cooking. Greywater is collected in a 25-liter plastic canister below the sink.
For fresh air without sand fleas or mosquitos, the couple installed a Dometic Micro Heki roof window and a Fiamma Turbo vent. Mosquito nets were cut to the size of the windows with small magnets sewn into the edges, allowing the nets to be easily attached. A quick trip to Ikea proved successful, as fabric roller shutters make excellent privacy screens.
Sure, the camper’s whimsical aesthetic is pretty, but the Hilux still means serious business. A Hi-Lift jack up front, three 20-liter diesel jerry cans atop a burly roof rack, and a yellow left-hand-drive caution sticker pasted to the rear camper panel add to the mini-truck’s appeal. Fully loaded with fuel, water, personal items, and a driver, the Toyota weighs an impressive 2.6 metric tons (approximately 5,732 pounds).
Apart from a set of flexible solar panels and a broken rear leaf spring, the couple says the build has worked well for them so far. After a year on the road, the thin panels were damaged due to heat. “We glued them on the roof,” Valeria mentions. “There was no ventilation underneath, and it was a real mess to pull them off again.” Learning their lesson, they replaced the flexible panel with a hard-paneled one. Valeria notes there is a panel on the roof and other is on the hood. “You can change the angle which is good for winter camping,” she says.
The leaf spring broke on their way from Georgia toward the Turkish border. Fortunately, the next town was only a couple of kilometers away, where the leaf spring was temporarily welded in a workshop. “It was clear to us that we definitely had to get a new leaf spring, or even the whole spring package, preferably on both sides,” Valeria says. “The break was a sign that after four years and 60,000 kilometers, it was time for a replacement.”
With fresh leaf springs, the Hilux continued to prove its chops through Iran, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and 130 kilometers of nearly trackless Saudi Arabian dunes in the Wahiba Sands, requiring sandboards, towing ropes, winches, and shovels. Lukas says as temperatures are rising on the Arabian Peninsula, he misses air-conditioning. “If we open the windows, it’s really loud, so it’s exhausting if you have to drive long distances,” Valeria adds. With only 83 horsepower, they’ve had trouble keeping up with fast speed limits in Saudi. But, overall, they wouldn’t change much for a future build—maybe a single cab with a bigger camper and room for a shower? In the meantime, they’ll continue north through Jordan, seeing where else this little Hilux takes them.
Specifications
1990 Toyota LN105 Hilux
Power
Two-liter diesel engine
Five-speed manual transmission
Suspension and Drive
Solid front axle with locking hubs
Open front differential
Limited-slip rear differential
Ironman heavy-duty suspension
Wheels and Tires
Dotz Dakar steel rims
Wheel spacers, 38mm
Maxxis Bighorn MT 264 235/85R16 tires
Recovery and Armor
Hi-Lift jack
Twelve-volt, 12,000-pound winch
Snorkel
Recovery tracks
Accessories
LED light bar
Air compressor
Three 20-liter diesel jerry cans
Fridge, 40-liter
Water tank, 85-liter
Water jerry cans, 40-liter
Alb water filter
Katadyn carbon filter
Coleman petrol stove
Off Grid Tec LiFePO4 battery, 1,280-watt
Two 280-watt solar panels
Garmin InReach Mini and Locus Map Pro navigation app
Truma hot water boiler, 5-liter
Dometic Micro Heki roof window
Fiamma Turbo vent
Resources
Our No Compromise Clause: We carefully screen all contributors to ensure they are independent and impartial. We never have and never will accept advertorial, and we do not allow advertising to influence our product or destination reviews.
