KDJ 120 : raid preparation

19 janvier 2009

3 min.

Raid preparation on a KDJ 120

Cliquer ici pour la version française

Everyone at 4×4 Autos Loisirs found in the south of France, at Roquebrune sur Argens has caught the off-road and 4X4 virus.

If you ask for the mother, in the 4×4 Autos Loisirs family and you will meet Clody with 20 years of off-roading, a fan of raid and copilot, then ask for the son, Franck, who is the upcoming generation, who practices the tubular twisting like no one else and makes handmade high quality bumpers, and is 200% involved in the garage workshop.

So when a customer comes with his brand new TOYOTA KDJ 120 for modifications, he knows that his machine is in good hands and he will end up with a desert vessel!

The KDJ 120 has quite a style don’t you think?

You can notice at first sight, it is a massive bumper, wrapped around the nose of the car, painted in the same color as the rest of the 4×4. It is, I think, a great achievement in the hand craft creation and not only does it look good, but quality is there too. The bumper is virtually unbreakable, due to the use of large wide tubes. All fastenings have been replaced to find support on the chassis. It took almost 5 weeks to achieve the front and back bumpers, mainly to keep a similarity to the original ones.

Happy to have successfully protected the front, Franck did the rear bumper which incorporates the original lights and a tow bar .

The sides are equipped with rock sliders with Hi-lift jacking points.

The sump, the additional tank LRA of 140 l with its fuel pump the gear and transfer box all get armed guards (Paris 4×4 et 4×4 Autos Loisirs)

All original suspensions have been changed for Proflex remote reservoir shock absorbers, springs are reinforced.

The final touches are 4 mud flaps, gravel can be treacherous.

The public enemy, in the desert, is dust, this is why 4×4 Autos Loisirs have fixed a Safari snorkel with cyclonic Donaldson filter. Gasoil can be of poor quality, therefore a pre-filter / a Raccor 500 FG decanter can always be of help.

Bivouac layout and sleeping accommodation

After a long day of driving and sightseeing, the driver will be pleased, as well as his back, to have a comfortable lie down in a Maggiolina Safari roof tent fitted on Rhino Rack roof racks.

But before enjoying a good sleep, the travellers can prepare themselves a feast by using a James Baroud awning. On this picture you will notice beneath the roof racks the emplacement of sand tracks and the ladder to get to the tent.

The boot area has been modified to receive wooden crates and much storage space.

The above storage can receive plastic boxes, to keep belongings dry.

One can find different sockets, one for the shower and 12V plugs.

All can be kept closed by solid latches.

In one of the draws there are two gas flame burners for preparing meals.

The sink with a folding tap is near the gas bottle and a little kitchen utensils chest.

The gas bottle and a second battery are to be found in a little trunk, located behind the passenger seat.

The rear middle seat has been changed for a 90 L water tank.

A CB as well as 12V plugs are fixed at the front end of a wooden box, with it, a little lamp, very useful for the copilot to read his Moroccan road book.