Three Exotic Toyota Builds from Australia’s Patriot Campers Give Show Attendees a Glimpse into Aussie Off-Roading and Overlanding Fun

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 1, 2022) – When Justin Montesalvo – director of Patriot Campers, based in the gorgeous Gold Coast, Queensland, area of Australia – visited the SEMA Show, he came away inspired by the scale of the builds he saw at North America’s premier automotive aftermarket exhibition.

Montesalvo, who posts entertaining “Patriot Games” videos on his YouTube channel and Patriotgames.tv website featuring his team’s builds, clearly has a wealth of creativity and building skills. Yet everyone can benefit from seeing in person the off-road and overlanding creativity of colleagues around the globe.

With his newfound inspiration, Montesalvo set about creating three outrageous Patriot Campers machines: The FJ49, the LC79 Supertourer – affectionately dubbed the “Black Truck” – and the LC79 6×6 Megatourer.

“The Patriot Campers rigs are absolutely stunning and have quite the presence,” said Lisa Materazzo, group vice president – Toyota Division Marketing. “The creativity and workmanship are a testament to Justin Montesalvo and his team’s abilities. And let’s not forget his sons, Ashton and Christian, who cut their upgrading teeth on their own build, the FJ49.”

All builds are on display in Toyota’s 2022 SEMA Show exhibit (Central Hall, Booth No. 22200) at the Las Vegas Convention Center, a new and expanded space befitting of Toyota’s growing commitment to on- and off-road performance, excitement and adventure.

The FJ49: First Vehicle Dreams Do Come True

Twin brothers Christian and Ashton Montesalvo worked at Patriot Campers during school holidays since their pre-teen years, learning under their father’s tutelage and alongside expert mentors. Last year, the twins began searching for their first cars, and Ashton purchased a 1977 FJ45 Land Cruiser. Soon after, he, Christian, and dad started conceptualizing an FJ45 with modern technologies and components.

With dad and the Patriot Campers mentors’ guidance, coupled with years of Ashton’s hard-earned work savings as his budget, the brothers got to work, looking forward to testing their amassed skills. Obtaining a donor Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Series former mining vehicle, they swapped the engine, transmission, air conditioning, differentials and springs, leveraging this platform’s proven performance and reliability.

They then added a custom coil spring suspension up front, a JMACX heavy duty differential upgrade for the 79 series Land Cruiser leaf spring suspension and a stainless-steel exhaust system. Next came exterior additions like custom flares, bars and a tow bar; Warn® winch; LED driving lights and two light bars; an exo-cage engineered and fabricated by Patriot Campers; and a custom vehicle management system from Redarc Electronics®. To match the FJ49’s patina-inspired scheme, inside the brothers kept the retro look, only adding new upholstery, an overhead console and a Nardi® steering wheel.

The result is a rig that is dependable, comfortable and off-road capable, with pure retro appeal and charisma, proving dreams do come true.

The LC79 Supertourer: This Rig and a Patriot Campers X3 Trailer Extend Any Outback Journey

When Justin Montesalvo and his team dreamed up and built the LC79 Supertourer – affectionately named the “Black Truck” – the goal was a rig that was both aggressively good looking and fully capable of off-the-grid journeys. They started with a Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series GLX and extended the frame 11.8 inches to accommodate the Patriot Campers-designed Supertourer body.

Engine, suspension, wheel and tire upgrades, an air snorkel, an LED light package and light bar and front and rear winches help ensure trail versatility. A full suite of overlanding enhancements such as ample storage, a kitchenette, slide-out refrigerator, pop-up tent and platform, mini canopy, air compressor, water tank and navigation and communications systems round out the package.

In order to go farther, stay longer and extend the fun, the team hitched on a Patriots Campers X3 Trailer. Built to be tough, the X3 Trailer comes with an all-weather cabin with diesel tent heating and hot water as standard features. Ample interior and exterior storage, a PCOR® awning, a large outside kitchen, a slide-out 75-liter dual zone refrigerator freezer, 130 liters of water capacity from twin water tanks pumping hot water to the kitchen sink, a 1500-watt inverter, two 150-amp hour AGM Battery® gel batteries and a semi-integrated 80-watt solar panel provide all the comforts for the long haul.

The LC79 6×6 Megatourer: Extra Axle, Extra Wheels, All the Gear = Big Fun

Following the fanfare and praise of the Patriot Campers LC79 Supertourer, Montesalvo took his off-road and overlanding creativity to the next level. He began conceptualizing the possibilities and the challenges, leveraging the partner relationships that brought the Supertourer to life. With absolute confidence in his and his team’s expert capabilities, Montesalvo dreamed of a six-wheel off-pavement rig for overlanding journeys.

The result is the Megatourer. With a tough, purpose-built and aggressive look, Megatourer is real-world capable. It is the next generation of Supertourer styling with reworked rear toolboxes, angled sheet metal front and rear guards and on top of the Land Cruisers’ dual cab is an integrated Pioneer platform from Rhino for additional storage.

The team collaborated with JMACX Offroad Solutions to modify a Land Cruiser 79 Series chassis to accept an extra axle and wheels. The Custom 6×6 set up uses an Airbag Man adjustable custom air ride system with one-off TJM® shocks with adjustable height and damping, providing 8 inches of total lift. There are WP Pro Brakes with 14.2-inch discs and six-piston calipers behind ROH 18-inch wheels with Mickey Thompson® 37-inch mud tires.

Patriot Campers worked with GSL to rework the 4.2-liter inline 6-cylinder diesel engine, adding an upgraded turbocharger and lobster-back welded intake and turbocharger ducting. An air snorkel kit aids with the inevitable water-crossings.

Other accessories include X-Ray Vision dual row LED lightbars, a hoop-less slimline body-colored bull bar, twin angle-mounted spare tire carriers, front and rear TJM winches, two 240-liter Brown Davis replacement fuel tanks with auxiliary fuel distribution switch and pre-fuel filter kit, twin air-outlets to manage tire pressures, a 70L water tank and a lockable mini canopy with a 60-liter refrigerator.

A Nappa leather and suede-trim interior with an 8-inch Alpine screen and custom instrument consoles provide comfort and functionality. And behind the rear seat is a Redarc Electronics management system that powers two lithium and two AGM batteries, twin compressors, twin air tanks, solar panels and a full lighting system from X-Ray Vision.

With its full suite of trail versatility and its overlanding and base camp features, the Megatourer has everything needed for off-road adventure and exploration.

Toyota is displaying a variety of special concept vehicles showcasing off- and on-road performance and adventure as well as an array of production cars, trucks and SUVs in its exhibit at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Nov. 1-4, 2022.

Vehicles described are special project prototype vehicles, modified with parts and/or accessories not available from Toyota may void the vehicle’s warranty, may negatively impact vehicle performance and safety, and may not be street legal.

Rheinmetall is proud to acknowledge the Australian Army’s declaration of the Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) Initial Operational Capability (IOC).

Announced on Saturday 15 October, by The Honourable Richard Marles, Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Boxer IOC declaration reflects the vehicle’s success in meeting the Australian Army’s stated operational needs; paving the way for the Boxer to be deployed on operations.

Speaking of the Boxer CRV IOC declaration, Mr Gary Stewart, Managing Director Rheinmetall Defence Australia explained the importance in providing a protected capability to the Australian Army’s soldiers.

“The Boxer CRV is the most advanced combat reconnaissance vehicle now in service with the Australian Defence Force. It offers increased protection, lethality and digitisation, and is a game-changer to safely operate in hostile environments and on peace keeping missions.”

“The Boxer’s journey to IOC has included extensive testing and live exercises with the Australian Army. I am proud of the global Rheinmetall team who have worked in partnership with Defence to deliver this important capability milestone. Following this IOC declaration, Rheinmetall continues our work in supporting the path to Final Operational Capability,” said Mr Stewart.

Rheinmetall is the largest supplier of military vehicles to the Australian Defence Force, with over 2,900 Rheinmetall trucks already in service with the Australian Army. Rheinmetall is delivering a total of 211 Boxer CRVs and a further 490 trucks from the company’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE), based at Redbank, South East Queensland.

“At Rheinmetall, we believe that what we do, matters to those who serve. This is a shared purpose between our staff, now over 730 here in Australia, and the over 30 Australian companies that directly contributed to the manufacture, delivery and support of the initial Boxer CRV capability.”

“As the company continues to design, manufacture and deliver the remaining 186 Boxer CRVs, Rheinmetall’s commitment to Australian Industry Capability will provide enduring jobs, skills and opportunity in Australia for many years to come” said Mr Stewart.

• Indigo Drive enables personnel to be removed from highly dangerous scenarios

• Existing vehicles to become driverless quickly and cost-effectively

• One system from a single supplier to provide everything needed to autonomise an entire fleet

Bradford on Avon, UK, 20th September 2022. Leading vehicle automation provider, ABD Solutions, has launched Indigo Drive, a software eco-system that enables any defence vehicle to be quickly and cost-effectively automated.

Indigo Drive can significantly improve the safety of personnel by removing the requirement for drivers in dangerous situations, such as IED route clearance and logistics supply. Research shows that 52% of casualties in combat zones can be attributed to logistics and personnel delivering core supplies and that nearly 50% of US soldiers killed in operation between 2010 and 2020 were caused by IEDs.

“Our solution is unique in that it is vehicle-agnostic and retrofittable, this enables any existing land vehicle to be automated,” said Matthew Price, Managing Director of ABD Solutions. “This allows more personnel to be removed from dangerous situations, significantly increasing safety. On top of this, instead of driving, personnel can focus on much more valuable operational activities, allowing soldiers to be soldiers.”

Secure and certified, as a comprehensive system, Indigo Drive contains everything needed to create driverless fleets. From a user-friendly software interface for route-planning to the technology needed to create movement (such as drive-by-wire and driving robots), to communication (Radio, V2X, GPS/GNSS), obstacle detection (LiDAR, camera, radar) and vehicle health and diagnostics (OBD2, telemetry, sensors), what’s included can be tailored around the specific vehicles and environments.

The modular architecture allows for easy integration with systems already in use, such as fleet management software, meaning creating driverless fleets can be faster and smoother than ever before.

As well as increasing safety, automation reduces emissions and fuel consumption, which has a direct impact on the number of supply operations required. It also provides tactical advantages, such as running in the dark without the use of lights.

Price adds, “We work with our customers to provide tailored solutions for their environment by assessing the level and type of automation required enabling fleet transformation without investment in new vehicles, maximising the return on existing high-value assets.”

The hardware used to provide automation requires only minor modifications to the vehicle and is semi-permanent, allowing it to be moved from one vehicle to another should requirements change or if the vehicle needs maintenance. The equipment is non-intrusive to allow a driver to take control while it is fitted, significantly increasing the vehicle’s operational flexibility.

In a defence environment where tasks are often repetitive, the entire fleet can be synchronised to maximise productivity and efficiency. Task planning software ensures that all the vehicles take the most efficient route, reducing fuel consumption and the time to complete the operation. Vehicles that have the ability to detect obstructions can communicate them to the fleet management system to prevent others from encountering the same issue. Once the obstruction has been flagged the vehicle management system can generate an alternative route or a human can remote into the vehicle to immediately assess the situation.

A critical indirect benefit of vehicle autonomy is the digitisation of information from the vehicle. It creates new data streams that are invaluable to fleet operators. The vehicle’s speed, location, fuel level, diagnostic status, distance to target etc can all be relayed via the vehicle management toolset. Data analytics can automatically process this information to assist with operational decisions, fleet maintenance scheduling and logistics planning.

ABD Solutions used Indigo Drive to create the world’s first automated Wolfhound Tactical Support Vehicle (TSV). It was created in collaboration with NP Aerospace, an engineering authority for the UK MOD protected mobility fleet. The vehicle was demonstrated earlier this year at a defence technology innovation day held at the HORIBA-MIRA proving ground in the UK.

With sales and technical support offices across three continents, ABD Solutions is a global operation. It is a member of the AB Dynamics Group and benefits from its knowledge of developing and supplying thousands of driving robots to the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers, proving grounds and regulatory authorities. The Group has decades of experience in vehicle autonomy and simulation.

“The AB Dynamics Group has been automating vehicles in one way or another for development and test purposes for decades,” continues Price. “Now, through ABD Solutions and the development of Indigo Drive, the defence industry can take advantage of this expertise to automate their existing fleets today.”

ABD Solutions will be showcasing Indigo Drive at DVD2022, one of Europe’s leading defence exhibitions, at UTAC Millbrook, UK, on September 21st – 22nd (Stand C3-413).

www.abdsolutions.com