Project Boomslang - 2004 GXL V6

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

I thought it is about time I document the evolution of Boomslang as well.
After I seriously damaged my RAV4 V6 in October 2009 at Stockton Beach, in preparation for our end of the year trip to South Australia, we realised that the RAV4 is not going to cut the mustard and we needed to upgrade. By the end of October 2009 we took delivery of our green 2004 GXL V6 with 99,000km on the clock. The green colour reminded my wife of a treesnake from our native South Africa called a boomslang and the car was named before it left the dealer. There was no time to waste and work started immediately to get things right for our mid December 2009 departure date, less than month away.

Modifications - last updated February 2012
ARB deluxe Bull bar - colour coded with fog lights
OME suspension (90000/884 and 60005/896)
6 x Cooper ST 265/70/17/121Q
AMTS spare wheel spacer and MSA Wheelie bin on the spare
Safari Snorkel with Unifilter snorkel precleaner
Front and Rear ARB Air lockers (my favourite)
All in one in-dash radio/DVD/GPS/reverse camera with Oziexplorer and igo8 (similar to DigOptions but directly from China)
Extra Garmin Nuvi 500 GPS with topo maps
UHF Radio GME TX3340 with RFI CD900 antenna
DIY drawers and fridge slide
ARB 47 liter fridge
Spotties - Night Stalker
Piranha hot shower with shower head mounting on roof rack
ARB on board compressor (under front passenger seat)
Dual batteries in engine bay with CTEK 250S isolator charger and voltmeter plus Baintech 6 way fuse block
3rd battery and and 2kW inverter with GSL DC-DC isolator charger and voltmeter
40 liter water tank in the foot area of 2 row seats with preasure switch pump and tap in the rear
Wind Cheetah Roof rack with Quick fist mounts and long handed shovel
Roof top tent and Awning
Piranha quad breathers
Custom steel rock sliders
TJM underbody bash plate
Rear door fold down table and extra lights
HiLux windscreen washers
Maxtrax
Cabin air filter, not standard on GXL models
9500lb winch with plasa rope - Runva
Colour coded Kaymar rear bar
CouplerTec rust protection

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

Re: Project Boomslang

This is what the car looked like when we got it.

It was stock standard with Souvereign bull bar and the 3 x sportz bars on the roof. It had 2 x Night stalker spotties on the front bar and weathershield on the front windows.
Purchase price was $32k with the RAV4 as a trade in for the same price.
I paid $240 for State Roads (http://www.stateroads.com.au) to do a vehicle inspection report and apart from a very small chip on the windscreen, the car was in excellent condition. I can recomend these guys, they are a lot more thorough than the NRMA which I used in the past.

[Madkore Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Madkore]

Re: Project Boomslang

Given your signature block, I have a feeling there may be a few more pictures to come.

Good stuff Boomslang!

Nice to see a greenie on here - makes a good change from all those boring white ones! :mrgreen:

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

Re: Project Boomslang - Cooper ST

The first change was for the old Scorpion ATR tyres to make way for some Cooper ST rubber with LT spec. 265/70/17/121Q
I got these at Tempe tyres for $320 each and also picked up a 6th alloy rim for $150. I'm still looking out for a good condition spare Cooper tyre.

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

Re: Project Boomslang - Suspension

Next stop was Mannell Motors for a suspension upgrade.

Shocks
Front / Rear
90000 / 60005

Springs
Front / Rear
OME884 / OME896

Before Fitment (Coopers already on)
Front 740mm and 745mm
Rear 780mm and 780mm

After Fitment
Front 825mm and 825mm
Rear 855mm and 850mm

After 500km
Front 820mm and 820mm
Rear 850mm and 850mm

Here you can see the difference between the standard Prado and Boomslang with the OME / Cooper ST combination

Note the gap above the tyre

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

Re: Project Boomslang - Snorkel

Next came the Safari Snorkel, also fitted by Mannell Motors

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

Re: Project Boomslang - Recovery points

Mannell Motors also fitted the Outback Ideas 4x4 Accesories rated recovery points.

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

Re: Project Boomslang - UHF

Next was my first DIY effort. I bought the GMETX3340 and Axis CH6-BK combo on Ebay.

I found a good spot for the main unit in front of the gear lever. Power was easily picked up from the 12V outlet nearby. I made a little Z bracket to mount the supplied radio bracket. The small size of the TX3340 is definately a benefit.


The antenna was easily mounted on the Bul Bar and the coax cable was routed through a hole in the Bulbar to make it neater. I copied this idea from other Pradopointers. Split tubing was fit to the rest of cable going into the engine bay.

The cable was routed trough the firewall

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

Re: Project Boomslang - UHF - microphone

For the Microphone, I made a bracket, compliments to other Pradopoint members.

I gave it some black paint

Wrapped it around the plastic trimming

And put it all back together again

Fitted the GME plastic bit

For the other end of the Microphone, I mounted the connector on the underside of the ashtray.

And with everything back together again, and the microphone removed, it looks clean and good enough for Monday to Friday driving.

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

Re: Project Boomslang - DIY Drawers

Drawres were always going to be essential for our 3 week trip in order to stay organised.
This is an incomplete project but it is at a functional stage. The carpet and the glue were bought but not yet used.
My aim was to make something that would give us easy access to the frequently used items.
I designed specific areas for our chairs, table, my toolkit, the fridge and 2 plastic tub drawers. I went for the plastic drawers because I was out of time with all the things that had to be done before our trip.
I bought the fridge slide drawers on ebay.

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

Re: Project Boomslang - Sandflag

For the sandflag I used a fishing rod, with some colourful material at the top. I used a U bracket and a small piece of angle bracket that I bolted to the bul bar. The fishing rod is fixed to the bracket by cable ties. When I am on a trip, the angle bracket stays on the bul bar, and I can remove and refit the fishintg rod when I have to.

[samo Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close samo]

Re: Project Boomslang

looks great boomslang, good work with the installs, nice and tidy. cheers samo

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

Re: Project Boomslang - Indash GPS / DVD

I bought this unit on ebay before I knew about Dig-options and I knew I was more informed because I could do with better service, but in the end we eventually got everything sorted out.
First the GPS would not work, but after the antenna was replaced, it was OK.
Secondly, the reverse camera did not work. When we returned from our trip, I had to take the unit out and sent it back to China. When I got it back after about 4 weeks, everything workrd at last. I want to put OzzieExplorer on but I'm afraid I'll get stuck with lack of support.

So it was out with the old, and by now I was very good in removing the trimmings

And in with the new

[Schaffer Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schaffer]

Re: Project Boomslang

Looking good there Boomslang. Love what you have done with the microphone holder

What GPS software do you have on the headunit? Does this run from an SD card or is this loaded onto flash memory in the unit?

[Boomslang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boomslang]

Re: Project Boomslang - MSA Wheelie Bin

This was easy.
Renee thought that she must have this for the trip so she bought it and I said nothing. After a few days on the road I was surprised how functional it is. It was just so easy to manage the rubbish, especially at times where we in the bush for days without a suitable dump area. To help it stay in shape, I place an empty beer carton in it, which make it also easy to take the rubbish out.