Shane Neal has created his ideal 4WD garage-full of off-road capability. He’s been off-roading for years, bought his first truck when he was 18.
“I have been 4WDing for years with multiple different ones from Pajero to Isuzu mu and Land Cruiser.”
His current garage-load kicks things off with a 2020 Ford Ranger bought new and built for overlanding and some pretty tough tracks.
“I bought the Ranger new in 2020, stock standard. I got it so I could have some room to take the kids out on adventures and set it up with enough space for everything but also still use it for work,” he says.
Over the last couple years he has added a four-inch Superior Engineering lift with coil-over shock absorbers. The truck also has a stainless snorkel and airbox, have upgraded the front bumper to a bullbar with a Novawinch, a rear battery and dc/dc charger for the camping setup, a full internal roll cage in the canopy to support the extra tent on the roof and most recently a set of 35inch Maxxis Razr tyres, a full King Brown exhaust and 30 percent power upgrade from Hybrid4x4.
“I have done all the work myself at my shop Platinum Automotive and Automotive Ambitions 4x4NZ. I don’t think there’s too much more to be done to it as I’m pretty happy where it’s at.”
Shane says he has had the truck out on a few tracks like Waipakahi and Takino and also took it threw the 42 Traverse.
The Jimny is a 2001 model and Shane says it was “pretty stock” when he bought it apart from all-terrain tyres and a plastic snorkel.
That was never going to last.
“The build was inspired by my son Hudson who is five. He found pics of 4WDs online and would show me and then one day I thought ‘let’s do it’ so started his dream build.”
Since then, the Jimny has been lifted, the plastic snorkel has been replaced with a robust stainless version, and full underbody protection has been fitted.
It has an ARB air compressor and remote tank for the front and rear lockers and also the air spool for the winch.
The interior has been left “pretty stock” apart from some Bride sports seats.
It’s a tough wee truck. Shane has changed out the engine for a 1.6 litre until with higher capacity injectors and a modified cam, and reckons he’d like to add a supercharger as well.
The Jimny rolls on 15X8 beadlock rims and 33-inch Land Dragon tyres.
Finally, that trailer. Built, not bought: Shane says the trailer is all new, built this year for use as part of offroad base camp set-ups.
It has a full working kitchen and cooker, has a fridge and freezer from 4WD Supply Co, also has an internal gas supply setup for cooking and water heating.
For accommodation and protection from weather (good and bad), the trailer has an RMR hard shell tent and a Lucas creek 180 awning.
The trailer also runs a 200ah solar setup and full onboard water supply. There’s a fully submersible air pump and tank set-up that runs the Air Ride set-up for self-levelling at the camp site.
Shane says the trailer rolls on 32-inch mud tyres and is an “off-grid weapon.”
