Why the Hilux, and what’s the inspiration behind it?
“My love for Hiluxs began after driving dad’s 1984 2WD Hilux many years ago when I first got my license. They are such a fun and simple Ute to drive, and the 80s box shape style Toyotas are my favourite. The 4WD versions were something I always wanted, they are like the 2WD version but on steroids.
The dream was to find a mint original yellow one like the one Barry Crump drove in the famous TV advert, but after years of searching, I knew that was going to be impossible. I ended up finding a white flat deck Hilux in original condition, which I purchased from a Waikato homekill business. The plan was to tidy it up and daily drive it, but when the COVID-19 lockdown hit, I started pulling things apart and didn’t stop. A little tidy-up job became a full nut-and-bolt restoration.”
How long has the restoration process taken, and what was the hardest part?
“The hardest part was fixing up the wellside, and I have spent 500 hours doing rust repairs and panel work on it. The whole resto has taken 4 years and around 2000 hours.”
