Meet the mean green monster machine

Published Nov 17, 2011

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The creator of this monster bakkie promised me two things as I took delivery of it for a road test a few weeks ago. One, it would attract more attention than any other car I’ve ever driven. And two, it would go places in two-wheel drive that most off-roaders need four-wheel drive for.

First things first. I’ve driven some real head-turners in my time but I think this giant green Navara might have caused some spinal injuries to the public who may have thought Earth’s zombie apocalypse was upon them.

Project Navara is the result of a joint venture between Leisure Wheels Magazine and offroad tuning specialist LA Sport, who have affectionately dubbed this vehicular Frankenstein “The Datsun”. It started life as a standard 2.5dCi Navara that was involved in a minor bumper bashing, and the two crews joined forces to have said bumper replaced with an aftermarket bullbar-type unit. And then they just got completely carried away.

Over the next six months the body was raised by 60mm, the suspension was modified with TJM components to accommodate huge wheels and tyres, the fenders were flared (by hand, with steel - not fibreglass) to epic proportions and the whole package was sprayed matte olive green.

The beast’s engine is still standard but it’s been chipped by Steve’s Auto Clinic to up power from 128kW and 403Nm to 143kW and 500Nm, and a free-flow exhaust was fitted to get it all breathing lekker.

Other additions, which aren’t conducive to monster trucking but cool anyway, include leather upholstery from AK Leather, a hard tonneau cover from Bucco Canopies, a full-colour touchscreen radio/satnav from Planet Electronics and “Angel Eye” headlights from Autostyle, among many, many other things.

The modifications, as you see here, total R236 000 on top of the Navara’s original value.

So it’s obviously a very large vehicle, and I was wary of its size as I first took off down the street. For the first few kilometres I was watching mirrors, peering out of the side windows to make sure I was within lines, and generally on the lookout for any living dead I could put out of their misery. In case the lack of scale in the photo here isn’t doing these huge 38-inch Mickey Thompson tyres justice, imagine a man of average height standing beside it. The tyre’s top would rise to his belt-buckle.

But, the more time I spent with The Datsun, the more I realised it’s no wider than the delivery vans that negotiate our streets without problem all the time. It honestly drives like a normal Navara barring some tyre roar.

Leaving shopping car parks was a problem though, because of all the cellphone-camera wielding onlookers prohibiting my departure. They’d crowd around with outstretched arms, virtually climbing over one another for a closer look. Bloody Zombies... myth No.1 confirmed.

For Myth No.2 I set off for our off-road test facility near Pretoria for some rough and tough four-wheeling, and just as I suspected, engagement of four-wheel drive was almost pointless. The Navara clambered up and over everything our course could throw at it, yawning with each rotation of a Mickey Thompson. On one axle-twister a rear wheel broke traction, but a press of the diff-lock button had us going again.

To take it up a notch I attempted some of the metre and a half-deep trenches across their breadth and not lengthways, but again The Datsun took it in stride. Obviously its Achilles heel would be narrow trails with tight turns between tree trunks, but give it some open space and it’s pretty much unstoppable. Myth two proven.

Contact LA Sport via the website www.lasport.co.za or call Louis van Niekerk on (012) 751-0877 if you’re interested in a custom monster conversion which can be done to any bakkie or SUV. - Star Motoring

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