THE LITTLE RIG
WHILE Zooks have always been capable four-wheel drives, it’s plain to see they are on the small side, especially if you intend on carrying basic things like people or cargo. The JB74 Jimny is also a relatively new model, so sourcing gear can be an added challenge. For Darren Young, the owner of this highly modified example, that was almost part of the appeal to build his idea of the ultimate (Little) Rig.
Starting at the pointy end, the engine has been left alone for now, except for the addition of a custom stainless-steel snorkel from Vogue Industries. To get around the engine’s lacklustre performance, Darren is planning on installing a Turbo World turbo kit in the near future. He is also keen on fitting an 80L long-range fuel tank to double the touring range.
While the traction-control system used in these JB74S is pretty good, Darren had front and rear ARB air lockers installed for the ultimate in traction. To help navigate tough obstacles, he is in the process of installing reduction gears, which will make this microweapon near unstoppable. Those reduction gears will provide 87 per cent reduction in low range and 17 per cent in high range.
Stock suspension in the JB74 Jimny is notoriously soft, which is great in slow off-road settings but not ideal anywhere else. Darren opted for an EFS 50mm suspension lift to provide more clearance, and he says it is still very softly sprung. The complete suspension package comprises a lowered chassis brace, rear Panhard rod extension, castor correction bushes and a Tough Dog return-to-centre steering damper.
Filling out the guards is a set of Dirty Life 15x7 wheels,with a set of 30x9.5r15 Hankook Dynapro mud terrains. Now that Darren has invested in transfer reduction gears, he’s eyeing off a set of 32-inch tyres for off-road work.
As the Little Rig is a proper tourer, Darren had it wired up with a lithium battery to power any accessories. There’s also an ARB compressor stashed under the driver’s seat, which is used
for the lockers and tyre inflation. Darren selected a GME UHF radio for communications, and uses a Samsung tablet for off-road navigation and mapping. Bushtek gullwings are another neat addition.
An extensive amount of off-road armour protects the Jimny including BEI House bash plates, a rear tyre mount (with Maxtrax carrier) and a pair of Jimnybits rock sliders. A set of neoprene seat covers protect the factory cloth seats from damage.
An AFN front bar not only provides frontal protection but also a platform to mount a 9500lb Carbon winch with synthetic rope. Darren has a rather intricate lighting set-up on the Jimny too, with LED driving lights from KC HILITES, as well as two 13.5-inch Stedi light bars and a further 40-inch LED light bar on the roof.
On the roof you’ll also notice a Front Runner roof rack mounted on the factory rain gutters. To that, Darren has fitted a Darche awning and a Kickass shower tent. A Bazooka water tank is heated by the sun and provides decent water pressure.
Darren spent 15 months to get the Jimny where it is today, and he estimates the total cost of the build (including vehicle purchase) is around the $60,000 mark.