4X4 CAMPERVANS

An Australian manufacturer and tradesman – and also a grey nomad – is demonstrating that fun and comfortable family life on the road doesn’t have to be expensive.

With the release of the pop-top-roof ‘Beach’ variant and the availability of after-market campervan furniture for the Transporter there’s renewed interest in the Crafter’s smaller sibling.

The Jacana Envy fit-out is available on medium-wheelbase and long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, with four-wheel-drive available as an option.

The Jacana Seeker fit-out is available on medium-wheelbase and long-wheelbase VW Crafter vans, with 4Motion four-wheel-drive available as a low-cost option.

Trakka’s mobile office conversion on the VW Crafter 4Motion isn’t your normal campervan, because it’s designed to sleep only one person. However, we reckon Trakka’s inventive designers could widen the bed or add an upper bunk.

We didn’t think the VW Caddy light commercial van would be a candidate for a camper conversion, but the VW factory thought otherwise. The end result is a surprisingly useful little travel machine.

This Horizon Motorhomes’ Waratah 4×4 is the personal rig of Horizon’s founder, Clayton Kearney, It’s the second Waratah 4×4 Clayton has had custom-built for personal adventures and he doesn’t spare any expense.

This Melbourne-based company has specialised in converting mainly Toyota vehicles from 2WD to 4WD for many years. All conversions are engineered and tested to gain Australian Government Federal IPA or secondary manufacturing approval.

This pop-top conversion on the ubiquitous LandCruiser Troop Carrier was the brainchild of Stefano Bonetti, who upgraded it for 2021.

Many tradies and handy-folk have built their own campervans and motorhomes. Here’s a guide to the process, so you can see if such a project is right for you.

The Trakkadu All-Terrain model has an automated transmission that we reckon many buyers will want. We checked out two of them, on- and off-road.

Bus4x4 – best known for its 2WD to 4WD conversions for mining company transport – has introduced a high-ground clearance version of the HiAce range that’s also fitted with a two-speed transfer case and full-time 4WD.

4×4 Motorhomes Australia is part of the Bus 4×4 Group, the Brisbane based secondary manufacturer of 4WD Toyota Coasters and 4WD Toyota Commuters, in addition to coach building on Iveco 4WD models.

One of Trakka’s earliest camping conversions was done on the LandCruiser Troop Carrier, more than 30 years ago. The last development of the Bushman pop-top was a new design.

Trakka has expanded its Jabiru range with the introduction of two upgraded 2020 variants that are based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4×4.

Many outback travellers are looking for a go-anywhere campervan. Is Trakka’s Trakkadu the solution, Allan Whiting asks.