MY WHEELS
An Amarok ready for the bush
There is a man in Rustenburg who has a very neat Amarok in his garage. “My friends and my mom sometimes call me Gerhardt Visser,” he introduces himself. Gerhardt has done most of the modifications on his bakkie himself and it is clear there isn’t much he is afraid to have a crack at in his garage. “I grew up in a small place in the wild North West called Swartruggens. There you didn’t have much to work with, so sometimes you were forced to use your hands for the job. I left the little town for a few years to become a dental technician, after which I returned and eventually dropped anchor in Rustenburg.” We had a look at how Gerhardt kitted out his Amarok for overlanding and bush camping.
Where do you like to travel to?
Why would you want to drive up high into Africa or go overseas when you haven’t even seen our beautiful South Africa? I am still trying to explore our country. I have, however, been to northern Mozambique and Namibia, but that’s only because my parents live there. My favourite destinations are unplanned stopovers. I’d like to do my next long trip up to the Zambezi. I also really want to go to the Bull Run, it is something my brother and I have been keen to do the last couple of years but have just never found the time for.
What can you now do in your vehicle that wasn’t possible before?
In the first place, my previous vehicle didn’t have back doors! Now my one-year-old daughter can travel with us in style. The previous vehicle was a 2006 Ford Ranger 2.5 TD Supercab Montana. Secondly, I can now sleep in the roof-top tent, which my previous bakkie also did not have.
Why did you choose an Amarok?
Because it can’t get stuck (just joking!). I’ve driven VWs my whole life and am very familiar with the mechanics. So if it comes down to the vehicle having problems on tour I will know where to go look for the fault. Comfort, comfort and once again comfort, because the Amarok is just in another class (Hmm, Gerhardt. There are quite a few guys in pubs who might haul you over the coals if they heard you say that! – Jaco). Also for fuel consumption, because I now get an average 9l/100km where it was 12l/100km with the previous vehicle.
Why not rather travel with an off-road trailer?
Because trailers can’t go where I want to. And also because wherever you go, you find
people by the side of the road who have problems with their trailer. When I tour with other people, I don’t want to hold them up.
When did you buy the vehicle?
I bought it in 2013 for R310 000 when it was still stock standard. It now has 135 000 faultless kilometres on the clock.
Any modifications to the engine?
Two years ago I put a RaceChip in. I can’t really tell yet if it has made any difference to the fuel consumption or power. But otherwise the engine is just standard.
How long did it take to do all the modifications?
It actually started the day when I picked it up from VW. It goes without saying that you immediately have a head full of ideas when you take a stallion like that out of the stables. Firstly, I started looking for the right suspension and decided on the MAD Cross Country, because it doesn’t impair the ride comfort and make it feel as hard as a Hilux. And it also lifts the bakkie with 35 mm so I was able to fit larger tyres. You also don’t have to change the shocks. I put 32-inch tyres on for even more ground clearance. The rims were spray painted with a rubberised coating for protection. And I have a set of Hella Rally 3003 lights, because LED light bars can’t illuminate as far. You also can’t really judge distance as well with the LED light bars. After that, the DIY work began. First I built a canopy with a combination of steel and aluminium. After that I added a Howling Moon Senior roof-top tent and a Frontrunner Featherlite Awning on the canopy. Rock sliders were quite essential so I built them out of 50 mm steel piping. I built a spare-wheel mount on the back so you don’t have to struggle to get to the spare in sand or mud. I also built a 1.9-ton winch (WARN 9600 lb) into the front bumper. On top of the cabin are two 100 watt solar panels that power two deep-cycle batteries in the load bin. They provide the bakkie with 230 V power via an inverter to power accessories like a fridge. The two extra batteries can also be used as a welding machine in an emergency because it can deliver 220 DC amps. In my recovery kit I have a small angle grinder and drill that draw power from the 2 kW inverter. I also have a 70 litre water tank in the back.
What is your fuel consumption on the open road?
If it is fully loaded, the average consumption is about 9.8l/100km at a speed of 110km/h, since I’m not in a rush when I’m on holiday!
What do people say about your bakkie?
It gets a fair bit of attention, especially from drivers of other brands that form part of the ‘bakkie wars’. I think a vehicle like this gives anyone who sees it a sense of freedom. I try and show people that you don’t have to spend a fortune to be able to have a great holiday. For me it’s not about the image thing at all, so I’m not out to have the most expensive toys on the playground.