By Lisa Morris | Images by Jason Spafford | Four Wheeled Nomad
After riding 80,000 miles on dual-sport bikes from Argentina to Alaska, you’d think we’d had our fill of life on the edge. However, adventure has a way of evolving in unexpected ways. Swapping two wheels for four, we craved deeper off-grid immersion in wild places.
A Rig Named Rhino
Enter our 2015 Toyota Hilux 2.5L Turbo Diesel—aka “Rhino”. Bought in 2018 for $15,000 with 72,000 miles on the clock, he’s since carried us another 100,000 miles (and counting) through the UK, Europe, and North America. But after five years and plateauing, it became time for Rhino to undergo a full transformation to meet the demands of location-independent overland travel.
A Rethink on Rig Life
Our initial setup—a rooftop tent atop a gull-wing canopy with slide-out drawers—had served us well. We wanted what we had, but as full-time overlanders, comfort, and self-reliance were no longer luxuries. They were baseline necessities. A quarter-century of global travel had taught us what we needed: something less Bear Grylls, more tiny sanctuary. We were done with wrestling tarps and midnight ladder trips. Time to build a home that worked with us, not against us when Mother Nature’s moods turned sour.
Step Forward, Alu-Cab
Enter the ModCAP Family. Why? One day it suddenly dawned: we can do better than damp gear and separate sleeping bags in sideways rain. Cue a camper that modernised Rhino from a capable 4WD into a rolling home. Think: walk-in access, proper insulation, LED lighting, and a mezzanine-style sleeping platform with ample room for two and more to spare. We could cook, work, meditate, or just breathe—without having to wait for the weather to cooperate.
With blackout covers for privacy (and the midnight sun), bug-mesh windows and a backdoor, and considered lighting throughout, the ModCAP turned life on the road from stoic endurance into something closer to overlanding finesse.
An Awning That Works
We paired our camper with the Alu-Cab Shadow Awning—a 270-degree batwing of shade and shelter. From Death Valley’s scorching sun to a howling hoolie (strong wind) in the Scottish Highlands, it’s our mobile porch, set up in 30 seconds. Just remember to stow it at night unless you fancy a midnight scramble when the wind picks up.
Smart Comfort Upgrades
A 50L onboard tank keeps us comfortably hydrated. Add an Epic Water Filter jug and we’re sipping pristine water anywhere. For showers and dishes, the Joolca HOTTAP 2 delivers hot water on tap. And when the wild offers a lake or stream? The Guzzle H2O takes care of the filtering. It’s all become rather civilised.
Cold nights are taken care of by a Dickinson Marine gas fireplace and a budget-friendly diesel heater. They keep the ModCAP deliciously toasty, banishing condensation and giving damp gear a fighting chance. Remote-controlled comfort in the wee hours isn’t just for boojey hotel rooms.
Interior Overhaul
Thanks to Goose Gear cabinetry and seat-delete setup, we’ve got a place for all the gubbins and gadgets. Add MOLLE panels, a roof storage box, and a medley of bags from Blue Ridge Overland Gear, and it’s goodbye to my previous She Shed Chaos in a Box. Admittedly, we gave up some floor space for a wider modular storage system but with a loft-style bed upstairs, it’s a smart trade.
Choppy, Choppy, Yummy, Yummy
We swapped daily grocery runs for a National Luna Legacy fridge. With 60 litres of refrigerated magic, our veg stays crisp and our off-grid time stretches into the double digits. Hurrah—ice for the G&T at last! A Jetboil Genesis two-burner stove connects to the same propane tank that fuels our fireplace and water heater. One tank. Three uses. Sorted.
Power That Keeps Pace
Redarc’s Expedition Ready Kit is the brain of our rig. The RedVision control panel and app track our solar, batteries, and energy use in real-time, regulating everything with Aussie precision. It’s intelligent power, the kind that doesn’t strand you mid-snowstorm in Iceland (it’s still too soon to ask). Xplor by Sunflare’s BLOX solar system delivers reliable juice even in iffy light. Four panels, 200 watts total, built to go the distance. Clean, renewable energy keeps us connected while unplugged without compromise.
Trail-ready Capability
Rhino’s about ready for anything, with a Rhino front bumper, ICON Vehicle Dynamics alloys and suspension, and BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2s. We’ve added a winch, MAXTRAX boards, and a Safe Jack Recovery Kit to ensure that we’re more often the rescuers than the rescued. Stay Ready Outdoors rounds out our arsenal: radios, recovery lines, and chef knives—a useful ensemble that sooner or later leads to a ‘ta-da’ moment when we’re miles from anywhere.
What Now?
We’re currently weaving through the American West, aiming north for the Arctic Ocean via the Dempster Highway. South America and Africa lie beyond. Rhino is the rolling embodiment of our journey—from minimalist bike-packing to self-sufficient overlanding. Gratefully, the rig now strikes a balance where every modification reflects years of field-tested necessity. That is durability with built-in comfort, deliberate simplicity with tech-savvy innovation, and adventure with home.
For the Love of It
Respectfully, we’re not here for likes. We’re here for lived felt experiences—in conscious awareness, unearthing top-shelf humans and wilderness environments—near or far, while giving back to the community with insightful stories worthy of people’s time and eyeballs. Alu-Cab remains a cornerstone of our why—solutions that weather the elements, and foremost help us flourish in them. Because, if you only get one red-hot go on this spinning mudball, you may as well make it a glorious one.
Links
YouTube Highlights
- Showreel: FOUR WHEELED NOMAD | 10 Years On The Road! | Motorcycle or 4×4: Which Was The Best?
- THE ULTIMATE TOYOTA HILUX OVERLAND BUILD | Rhino’s Best Upgrade [Part 1 of 2]
- COMPLETING THE ULTIMATE HILUX OVERLAND RIG | Our Best Truck Build Yet! [Part 2 of 2]
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