Featured 100: Bongani

[Jean Visser]

Nice write up Morne!

Go easy on our diesels there!

 

[Andre]

Cool setup mate

What shockies do you run? Is it the yellow stuff, same as your springs

 

[KCCruiser]

Bongani,
Wonderful to hear your write up mate! Interesting to hear about a petrol LC in Africa. Would love to visit and have dreams of overlanding, but have always heard about the petrol/diesel debate. I wish we had the 4.2L diesel here in the States. Is petrol availabilty a problem in Africa? Just curious and thanks in advance for the info. Love the mighty 1FZ-FE!

Cheers,

Josh

 

[Bongani]

Cool Cool Andre Shocks are OME, matched to the OME springs.

Petrol in Africa? In Southern Africa petrol is fairly available in either leaded or unleaded format. On my recent trip to namibia some of the pumps ran dry on diesel, yet petrol was still available. It is quite ironic and not normally the case. I have been told that in Northern Africa diesel is more readily avialable but I am not sure as I have not experienced it myself.

Josh, the new V8 diesel of Toyota would be a better dream than normally aspired 4.2l

 

[Dusty]

wonderfull read and pics

overtaking on the hwy is just fun with a turbod 1fzfe

 

[tmarx]

Bongani,
Wonderful to hear your write up mate! Interesting to hear about a petrol LC in Africa. Would love to visit and have dreams of overlanding, but have always heard about the petrol/diesel debate. I wish we had the 4.2L diesel here in the States. Is petrol availabilty a problem in Africa? Just curious and thanks in advance for the info. Love the mighty 1FZ-FE!

Cheers,

Josh

Josh, I was with Bongani on that awesome trip to Namibia and the Kalahari.In Namibia not unlike ZA any fuel is usually not a problem but outside those two countries and further North things change quickly.In Dec 06 we did an overlanding trip from CT to Pomene in Mozambique and on our return from Pomene there was no petrol for about the first 300 kms south and nothing at all to the north.Luckily we were all in diesels. The question IMHO, is not just whether it is available but also regarding the quality of the fuel that is available.In this regard the 1HZ can literally almost run on the worst stuff out there and beleive me in some places the locals add some strange stuff to fuel in order to bolster volume. Dirty/poor quality fuel is a big problem also. The 1HZ might be a donk but add a Turbo and IC and you have the best of both worlds although you will never be able to match the EFI for KW. NM is however a different story, but lets not turn Morne's l;ovely thread into a dieselvs petrol debate

 

[ckkone]

Your rigs Rocks!

Who makes that "Dustbin Bag on SpareWheel cover"? I've been looking for something like that over here and can't find one.

 

[KCCruiser]

Bongani and Tmarx,

Thanks for all the insight, love to hear about your overlanding experiences. An Africa overland trip is something I've been dreaming about for a long time. Love my 80 petrol here in the states but I know I'd have to have a diesel if I were to travel the continent over there. Even in Central America petrol is available but sometimes the quality is suspicious. Good to know the old 4.2 will run on anything. Has anyone seen, driven the new V8 common rail diesel? I'm sure it's nice being Toyota, but would be hard to get parts in the middle of nowhere.

Keep all those Africa pics/rigs/experiences coming!

Thanks again,

Josh

 

[Snook]

Camera mount on bulbar

Some kind of a permanent camera screw?

Cool videos!

Cheers,

 

[Bongani]

Who makes that "Dustbin Bag on SpareWheel cover"? I've been looking for something like that over here and can't find one.

You can get it in ZA from a company named Jackal-Berry.
www.jackalberrycanvas.co.za

It might be cheaper to copy the concept and it it locally made if you don't stay in ZA.

 

[Bongani]

Camera mount on bulbar
Some kind of a permanent camera screw?

Well spotted. I have three camera mounts on the vehicle. If the terrain allows I mount a camera on the bullbar that records permanently.

The other camera are mounted on the A pillar inside the vehicle and on the roofrack via a suction mount.

 

[1loudLX]

HOLY WOW! Awesome interior setup. Ive been thinking about getting a set of drawers for EMS medical equipment.

 

[tmarx]

.........Has anyone seen, driven the new V8 common rail diesel? I'm sure it's nice being Toyota, but would be hard to get parts in the middle of nowhere.

Josh, the latest word here is that we would only get the V8 diesel in the 200 but not in the 76 which has already been released with the same 1HZ only. I seriously doubt whether any 200 owner would ever risk running that V8 on diesel bought outside the major centres of ZA or Namibia. I think Toyota's refusal to put that motor in the 76 is significant.

 

[KCCruiser]

Right, that does seem to say something about the reliability of the old 4.2L straight six. Have you seen or driven the new 76? Would it be a good vehicle for overland? (as good as a 105?). I will be in Mali in January but would love to make it down your way sometime. Go ZA.

 

[Bongani]

The 4.2l straight 6 engine is tough as bullets and one hardly every hear about problems with these engines. The handle dirty diesel extremely well and certainly is Africa tough.

There is a few 76 series vehicles in LCCSA. (www.landcruiserclub.co.za)

Here is a review written by Riaan Vlok, a LCCSA member

I thought it handy for all the would be 76 owners out there to post my observations after the first 11 000 km's with my 76 (or affectionately known as the "Vloktrok")

I was really wide eyed when I bought the vehicle, partly because I was tired of being the only active J33p in the CruiserClub and partly because it was a lifelong dream that came true to own a Cruiser. I have recounted to various members my first encounter with a Cruiser so I will not repeat myself here. I think most 76 owners have one thing in common and that is that they have been there and done that with many other 4x4's and have come to realize that the 4x4 lifestyle is not about bells, whistles, AHC, shocks that change color or the rate of flow from your compressor, but about the outdoors. The thing about the 76 is that it is so easy to drive and so uncomplicated that suddenly the 4x4 lifestyle is less about the car and more about the outdoors. Every time I get in the vehicle it strikes me that the most important reason I started enjoying 4x4's 10 or so years ago was for the outdoors, not the size of my tires or the maximum articulation angle that I can achieve with my axles, but the outdoors. I often think the Vloktrok is like a office chair, it’s there, you would hardly notice it unless someone points it out to you. When you buy a 76 don't expect an awesome off-roader or a supremely comfortable drive or exceptional fuel consumption or lighting acceleration or for that matter any one thing that will convince you to buy it. Expect to be surprised by all the above and try and remember why we love these machines, it takes us places and brings us back from the places we enjoy going.

I drive my vehicle to work and back every day – approx 70km and have done approx 1000km gravel and off-road with it. I drive 80% of the time in 2wd with it and make sure to do at least 100km per month in 4x4 to keep the mechanics oiled. When driving at highway speeds the vehicle feels light to maneuver, but it aint no pocket rocket. I comfortably Cruise uneventfully at 130km/h on the freeway and the maximum speed I have pushed the vehicle to was 160km/h. I don’t like driving any vehicle at that speed so it is purely of academic interest that it does that speed comfortably. My average cruising speed is about 120km/h and I use the Bluetooth hands free kit without a fuss at that speed. The Radio is super cool, I have a memory stick permanently in the fascia and a MP3 CD in the CD player more than adequate listening pleasure. Total cost of ownership (excluding purchase price) for the last 11737 km (Delivery mileage was 1531km) was R11 140.41 or R0.95 per kilometer this includes 1358.05 liters of fuel a 5000km and a 10 000 km service. The 5000km service was R522.12 and 10 000km was 1439.38. My average fuel consumption over this period was 11.65 l/100km or 8.62km / l. My total time spent with the vehicle is now 138days and I am still as happy as a pig in mud.

The biggest disappointment up until now has been the quality and availability of the genuine Toyota accessories. Toyota does threaten you to void your warrantee if you fit non genuine parts, but the stuff they provide is shocking to say the least. Some of the examples being my seat covers are coming loose at the seams, the nudge bar rattles no matter what you do to try and fix it (this will be removed shortly) the cup holders are only good enough for 500ml cool drink bottles and cans (You will have to buy a new stainless steel mug travel mug with a smaller bottom part if you want to have coffee on the go) and the freaking cans rattle in the cup holder this is a disaster as far as I am concerned that I fixed using some sponge… Then there is the issue of availability…my front right hub cap was lost by the dealer prior to delivery, he is still waiting for stock. I ordered a Charcoal carpet set (front and rear) after I saw how nice Andy’s one looked – In early June I have still not heard anything from any of the 3 Toy dealers I ordered from. I can go on, but I fear that will make this whole, very positive report sound negative.

So who will buy the 76 in my opinion? Well I think it is an excellent all round vehicle for dad, It’s not a moms taxi, don’t even try and go there. Probably 60 series owners looking for an upgrade will buy a 76 and then there will be some of the 105 guys that love their Cruisers, but hate their fuel consumption will convert. I don’t see the VX boys considering a 76 and I don’t see posers buying a 76, you will look better in an old 100 VX.

 

[KCCruiser]

Nice write up. I'm jealous.

 

[moooooooo]

Firstly i'd like to say thanks to whoever it was that proposed the "Featured 100" idea. I've enjoyed reading the posts on here and of course the responses.

Bongani,

awesome writeup. Great photos! And well, it's inspirational....thanks for that.

just in case you dont know (for us Aussies on here) there's also Michelle's Sacs

I'm not affiliated with that site but i see their ads (advertisements) in Aussie magazines all the time.

Once again, thanks for the write up. I really enjoyed reading and seeing what you SA guys get up to
cheers
peter

 

[jonah]

super nice job
looks like you have fun with your cruiser.

 

[Bongani]

Cool Stuff guys.

 

[markauer]

Cool write-up Bongani