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The Outback Benchmark

Some try to keep up with a 79. This one sets the pace. Our chassis-mounted aluminium canopy turns Toyota’s icon into a beast of a tourer that’s calm on corrugations and slick to live with day after day.

Why we built it this way

Life with a 79 is all about range, reliability and rhythm: drive, set up, pack down, repeat. We kept the structure light for payload and manners, sealed the storage for red dirt reality, and laid out the living so camp is minutes, not a mission.

Stand-out features

The canopy mounts straight to the chassis for strength without dead weight and locks up clean with remote central locking. Daily living is sorted with a slide-out, drop-down kitchen that includes an induction cooktop, a 130 L upright fridge, and an 80 L water tank plumbed for easy access. Power is over-specced on purpose: a custom 550 Ah lithium bank feeds through a REDARC 3000 W inverter, topped up by an Alvolta 160 W black-frame solar panel so you’ve always got quiet 240 V on tap. For the big country and the boat days, there’s an outboard motor slide built into the storage, and when tracks get mean, a WARN VR EVO 12,000 lb winch handles recoveries without the drama. It all lands in a tidy, dust-tight package that looks factory — only smarter.

The result

A 79 that drives lighter, works cleaner and feels effortless at camp. Less faff, more horizon — from cape runs to desert lines.

Ready to build yours?

Tell us how you travel — towing, kids, dogs, tinny, the lot — and we’ll map a 79 spec that fits your life and your load.