[sandcruiser]

Two Tundras are pretty likely to make it just fine. If you were going for longer than about a year, you might want to look at older vehicles (easier to fix/find parts)

You might also seriously consider two diesel 80-series trucks. You can get them in Panama for pretty good prices, then either ship them up to the USA or drive them up in about a week of *hard* driving.

Even if you don't go diesel... I'd rather use two 80series cruisers than two Tundras. More durable. Less breakable. Better comfort. And wayyyyyyyyyy easier to source parts in Central America (Tundras aren't a popular option in Costa Rica at least-- you can get a hilux for 4 people or a landcruiser pickup for real work). With the 80, you could also find two good quality vehicles w/ lockers. Then real expedition mods have been tried and proven by dozens of people on this list alone.

You would have slightly more cargo space in the Tundras. But with two vehicles for 5 people, you shouldn't be too cramped on cargo.

Final thought: Skip the Wolfhounds!! Based on the comments by that breeder, you haven't got the dogs yet and are rather getting them for this trip. A wolfhound is going to weigh in at 130lbs or so and measure nearly a meter at the withers. That's a bad choice in a vehicle for long periods. And just imagine A) how frikkin hot they are going to be (Central America, for the most part, does not resemble Ireland in temperature) and B) how *amazingly* bad they are going to smell after they roll in the mud to cool off.

I know, you are worried about security. Fair enough. But, and this will be backed up by every single central american Mudder: People in Central America have a very large measure of respect for the damage that a small dog can do. Said otherwise: folks down here are afraid of dogs. If someone is going to disturb you/your camp with a 30-50lb dog present, they are going to do the same to a 130lb dog.... the sick and sad truth is that they'll throw a pound of hamburger meat with some poison in it and the size of the dog isn't going to make much difference.

I've got a mutt that weighs in at 23kg (about 50lbs) measures less than 2 feet at the withers, and will scare the living crap out of anyone who wanders into my camp/car when they shouldn't be there. She eats 1/3 as much as a wolfhound, and can curl up neatly into the front footwell of the cruiser even if someone is sitting in the passenger seat (not for hours at a time). In a pinch, I can carry here under one arm (for a little while) if she is hurt or if there are a bunch of army ants (been there, done that).

Short-hair dogs can wear a blanket if it gets really cold. They dry quickly and don't shed everywhere. Most importantly-- they are easy to clean up after the mud.

Get a pit bull mix. They are compact and notoriously protective.

Another GREAT option would be an Australian shepherd, but they are really high-energy and might not do so great for 8 hours at a stretch in the car. But they are smart, attentive and protective.

Or heck, for that matter, get a small-sized lab (I think the "english" ones are smaller than the "american"). Sweet dogs, but plenty willing to protect their pack.

The point is- you don't need a HUGE beast, unless you plan to use them as your last-ditch recovery technique for getting the trucks out of the mud, in which case.... bring ponies.