UPDATE
We have done it again, another change of vehicle to complement our new Masterpiece Optimum Caravan. Yes, we have sold the Landcruiser 200 series and bought a new Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD. We have been aware for a while that our total GCM of the Cruiser and Caravan was on the legal limits, when we bought the new van we had a company come out and weigh them both fully loaded as we would be on a trip. The rig was 75kg under weight but over the rear axle weight oh the Toyota LandCruiser, also the weight was without my wife and myself in the car. Having spent so much on the car having all the accessories fitted it was a wake up call to look at changing vehicles.
Initially I was looking at late model pre owned Chev Silverado 2500, GMC Denali 2500 or the Ford F250 / 350 but the prices were up there with the new price, some owners were asking even more than buying new. To me it made more sense to buy new with factory warranty and luck should have it our local GMSV dealer had a white Silverado in stock so no waiting for delivery.
It was all very painless and simple, agree to a change over price with our vehicle as part of the deal. We also wanted the Chev to be licensed as a light truck to gain a greater payload, nearly double the 750kg they are listed as a passenger car. That also meant I had to get a light truck licence which meant doing the paperwork, an eye test and a driving assessment. Fortunately I passed it all and legally I was set to drive the new Truck .. 😀 I can call it a truck because that’s what the registration papers state.
Having now towed our caravan 13000klms the only issue I have is with the standard shocks, these will be changed to some Bilstein shocks which get great reports and fix the pitching and bouncing when towing or not on the horrible outback bitumen roads in QLD and NSW. Having hit a large Kangaroo and an Emu on this trip a ECB twin Post Bull bar and some decent driving lights will also be added and a type of suspension hitch, brand undecided at this stage.
2022 Optimum Traded and now own a 2024 Masterpiece Optimum Off Road Caravan
We loved our Bushtracker but after 15 years of owning it we wanted to make some changes, the factory declined as they were busy building and insurance work which I found a bit strange as they advertise retro fit outs. Anyway it required us to look around or keep what we had. The Masterpiece was one van I liked due to the new features with the framing and composite floor. The electronics being Victron and Lithium and solar also helped make our decision. Well to update on all that I can say we owned the van for 2 years and 22000klms and then I saw the new 2024 model …. What a huge improvement, there was nothing wrong with what we had but the new model is a huge jump in the technology, chassis and suspension, everything about it just screamed BETTER ! So a deal was done and we traded our 22 model Optimum in for a brand new built for us 2024 model. Here we were able to put our own personal touch to the van, we chose the front door 20’6” model Optimum which though 2 inches shorter because it has a door in front of the wheels the internal layout gave us a larger ensuite, we made a few changes opting for a single sink with no drain board, no built in induction cooktop again because we wanted as much bench space as possible, and by having the latest Gas Swift Oven we get the drop down lid to give us even more bench space. We use a portable induction cooker so still have the best of both. No more Dometic Dust system, the new model is a lot sleeker and operates on 12v which when turned on pressurises the interior keeping dust out of the vents that are legally required with a van using gas.
The chassis and suspension is awesome, the van floats along on truck sized airbags utilizing a Terraglide Suspension and an extremely strong truss chassis. The latest laws require lithium Batteries to be in a sealed and vented box, for us this was another huge tick in making our decision to buy the latest model as the Arizon designed Victron Electronics is a work of art. We have 600w of Lithium and 1210w of Solar, all that with a 3000w inverter makes using the coffee machine, microwave, toaster and air conditioner a huge luxury .. of course not all at the same time but no issues using the kitchen appliances together.
Having just completed a 13000klm trip with the van we can honestly say we are absolutely in love with it. The only issue we have had is a leaky John Guest fitting that has a very slow drip, this will get attended to by the Masterpiece service agent.
The Airbag Suspension controls
The awesome Arizon built Victron Electronics locker
Secure, dust free vented and air cooled
Almost ready for its pick up
So everything I wrote below is now obsolete, but I’ll leave it for now for anyone interested in the build of the Cruiser & Bushtracker.
Our previous vehicle, 2015 VX Toyota Landcruiser 200 series
We changed vehicles in 2015, we now tow with a Landcruiser VX 200 series, i am going to miss my rugged basic Ute for its simplicity but the 200 will suit our aging bodies requiring more comfort, i have my doubts that it will be as good as the Ute has been but plenty of friends have them and love them, time will tell i guess.
For towing my preference is for the turbo diesel model, i like the low down grunt these engines have for towing and off road work but you have to be aware that services are more frequent than petrol vehicles, usually the price is dearer when new but you can recoup the difference at resale, the fuel cost itself is generally dearer though in reality it should be a lot cheaper as it is less refined, supply and demand governs the sale price the consumer can handle they tell.
Our latest tow vehicle is a 200 series VX Landcruiser we bought new in 2015. Like all my vehicles it did not stay standard for long, at 400klms old it had a suspension change and GVM upgrade to 3800kg, ARB Sahara bar and Smittybilt 10,000lb winch fitted, a set of Outback Accessories storage drawers fitted, Lightforce HID driving lights, Lightforce 42” LED light bar fitted to the Pioneer roof rack and another 12” Lightforce LED light at the rear. It’s had the factory dual batteries changed to an Optima starter and a SSB GVM taking care of the accessories, the charging system used is a Redarc 1225 DCBC, there is also a 170w solar panel on the roof rack which keeps the auxiliary battery charged when the sun is shining. A Safari Armax snorkel ensures clean air enters the air box and I use a oiled Unifilter snorkel sock in dusty conditions. A BRT breather looks after the diffs and transmission. A HPD catch can collects any oil and fumes and stops it clogging up the inlet manifold. A Stocklock torque converter lock up kit fitted which improves the overall driving of the automatic gearbox.
The engine has had a ECU remap with a significant improvement in power and torque and the brakes have been upgraded to DBA T3 and QFM 4WD pads. A Genie Legendex stainless steel exhaust, and a Frontier 180lt auxiliary fuel tank, the car now has 280lt capacity. Removing the spare wheel meant I needed a rear wheel carrier, I had a look at the 3 major brands and choose the Outback Accessories brand, it’s proven to be strong and well built and easy to use. Wheels I changed to the later model Sahara rims which I think are a nice looking rim and strong, I had them powder coated in a graphite colour just to be different to the common black that seems to be trendy at present, I’ve also have another factory set I can change over if I ever feel the need. Tyres are one size larger 285x65x18 and BFG KO2, these have proven to be very suitable handling all the different road and track conditions we’ve travelled with zero punctures. A set of Clear view towing mirrors have been fitted. A Darche awning and a set of Max Trax are on the roof rack, A Safety Dave TPMS monitors Tyre pressures, a Scan Gauge, UHF, Redarc Towpro, and my latest addition is an Alpine stereo deck which has the Apple CarPlay and Hema Mapping system built in. I have probably missed a lot more that’s been done but I do think I’ve just about stopped. More info and photos can be seen here 200 build and here Build 200
The van is built for fully self contained isolated travel, with 4 x 82lt water tanks 3 of which are non potable and one potable, a 90lt grey tank plumbed in, 5 x solar panels with a total of 590w and 4 x 120A/hr Fullriver AGM batteries, 40amp solar regulator, 50a/hr Battery charger. Everything is 12v, lights are LED, 230lt compressor fridge / freezer, 22” LCD TV with a Pioneer cd/dvd player, internal & external speakers. The en-suite is hand laid fibreglass it combines the Thetford toilet as well as the shower and is quite spacious with flikmaster taps & fittings. Twin flojet pumps the water, a Webasto diesel heater warms the van and a Dometic A/C keeps the van cool on those hot days, but you do need 240v and for that we have a Honda 2ui generator. We had an Oyster Satellite dish fitted and although we’ve had a few hassles with it early on, it’s been checked over and a couple of problems fixed and it’s worked fine since.
These vans are built to a high standard with the framing being boxed 3mm aircraft grade aluminum that is welded & riveted together giving incredible strength & flexibility. All the things such as wiring, water pumps, hoses that are hidden away are all very neat and well laid out
Our van is a tandem axle with 4000kg rated Simplicity Suspension which is a true load sharing suspension, this van simply walks over obstacles. Everything about the van is strong, the interior cabinetry is dove tail joined, the exterior chequer plate is 2.5mm thick and not just for show but a proper body Armour including a water proof door to enable water crossings up to a depth of 1.2mt.
They are not a light weight van but considering the build strength and components they are not as heavy as some other brands, ours came in at 2620kg tare. I have made some custom changes to the van, removing the heavy power jockey wheel and welding in a plate & bracket for the Trail-A-Mate hydraulic jack / jockey wheel, also fitted a 5 ton rated Hitch EZY coupling, these are great and makes hitching the van a breeze.
I changed the welded on access steps to a removable type as they are prone to being damaged when taken off road as they hang down slightly lower than the chassis rails, now it's a simple 2min job to take them off or replace them.
We made one decision we regretted and that was opting for the Coolabah awning, after three months we came to the honest realization that it was a pain in the butt so we had it removed and a roll out style fitted, which is far easier to use and maintain. We have also had an alloy storage box added to the drawbar and in there we keep the generator, our converted 9kg gas bottle into a fire pit.
The engine has had a ECU remap with a significant improvement in power and torque and the brakes have been upgraded to DBA T3 and QFM 4WD pads. A Genie Legendex stainless steel exhaust, and a Frontier 180lt auxiliary fuel tank, the car now has 280lt capacity. Removing the spare wheel meant I needed a rear wheel carrier, I had a look at the 3 major brands and choose the Outback Accessories brand, it’s proven to be strong and well built and easy to use. Wheels I changed to the later model Sahara rims which I think are a nice looking rim and strong, I had them powder coated in a graphite colour just to be different to the common black that seems to be trendy at present, I’ve also have another factory set I can change over if I ever feel the need. Tyres are one size larger 285x65x18 and BFG KO2, these have proven to be very suitable handling all the different road and track conditions we’ve travelled with zero punctures. A set of Clear view towing mirrors have been fitted. A Darche awning and a set of Max Trax are on the roof rack, A Safety Dave TPMS monitors Tyre pressures, a Scan Gauge, UHF, Redarc Towpro, and my latest addition is an Alpine stereo deck which has the Apple CarPlay and Hema Mapping system built in. I have probably missed a lot more that’s been done but I do think I’ve just about stopped. More info and photos can be seen here 200 build and here Build 200
The van is built for fully self contained isolated travel, with 4 x 82lt water tanks 3 of which are non potable and one potable, a 90lt grey tank plumbed in, 5 x solar panels with a total of 590w and 4 x 120A/hr Fullriver AGM batteries, 40amp solar regulator, 50a/hr Battery charger. Everything is 12v, lights are LED, 230lt compressor fridge / freezer, 22” LCD TV with a Pioneer cd/dvd player, internal & external speakers. The en-suite is hand laid fibreglass it combines the Thetford toilet as well as the shower and is quite spacious with flikmaster taps & fittings. Twin flojet pumps the water, a Webasto diesel heater warms the van and a Dometic A/C keeps the van cool on those hot days, but you do need 240v and for that we have a Honda 2ui generator. We had an Oyster Satellite dish fitted and although we’ve had a few hassles with it early on, it’s been checked over and a couple of problems fixed and it’s worked fine since.
These vans are built to a high standard with the framing being boxed 3mm aircraft grade aluminum that is welded & riveted together giving incredible strength & flexibility. All the things such as wiring, water pumps, hoses that are hidden away are all very neat and well laid out
They are not a light weight van but considering the build strength and components they are not as heavy as some other brands, ours came in at 2620kg tare. I have made some custom changes to the van, removing the heavy power jockey wheel and welding in a plate & bracket for the Trail-A-Mate hydraulic jack / jockey wheel, also fitted a 5 ton rated Hitch EZY coupling, these are great and makes hitching the van a breeze.
I changed the welded on access steps to a removable type as they are prone to being damaged when taken off road as they hang down slightly lower than the chassis rails, now it's a simple 2min job to take them off or replace them.
We made one decision we regretted and that was opting for the Coolabah awning, after three months we came to the honest realization that it was a pain in the butt so we had it removed and a roll out style fitted, which is far easier to use and maintain. We have also had an alloy storage box added to the drawbar and in there we keep the generator, our converted 9kg gas bottle into a fire pit.
A very neat way of fitting the water change over taps
A Yacht style bed, not everyone’s favourite but internally it made the 19’ layout the size of a 22’ van
Large lounge
Combined shower and toilet,
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