Built to a budget but made for a purpose…Brenton’s 2014 Mitsubishi Challenger may not look the part but is as capable as any.
Like many of us, Brenton got his first taste of four-wheel driving via his dad, going away in the back of his Toyota LandCruiser and after that an early-model Nissan Patrol. This was back in the day when a shovel and a high-lift jack were your best friends. And it’s that back-to-basics approach which guides his hand in all aspects of his own travels and the build of his Mitsubishi Challenger.
But Brenton didn’t go straight for a fourby. His first adventures once he’d left the family home were via a Mitsubishi Lancer loaded to the gunwales. Fitted with roof racks on top, a baby cot in the back, and a boot full of tents along with anything else they could manage to fit in it the Lancer took them all over the place. Over time, as the kids grew, a larger vehicle was needed. Brenton undertook considerable research, eventually landing on a 2014 Mitsubishi Challenger, thanks to its affordable price and capability off-road. It came standard with a factory towbar and window tint.
But, Brenton wasn’t just after a four-wheel drive. He needed something that could tow his Mars Vanguard camper. While Brenton openly admits the Challenger has been built on a tight budget, he’s not skimped in key areas, and runs BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tyres to make sure he’s got good grip for off-roading but doesn’t ruin the on-road ride and handling. In the rear, he has a single drawer which sits next to a 38-litre Engel fridge on a slide. Also situated in the rear of the Challenger is a second battery run through a Redarc dual-battery system, and a solar blanket for keeping the battery topped up while they’re parked up at a camping spot. An iDrive has been installed to improve throttle response. A roof basket has been fitted and a PVC pipe mounted to it which holds all of the tent poles. Brenton’s keen to fit his Challenger with a bullbar, snorkel, and a long-range fuel tank.
Brenton and his family try and escape the rat race as often as they can, and their favourite escape is Teewah Beach, north of Noosa; however, Moreton Island holds a soft spot for him and Brenton and the family are keen to get back their soon; Brenton learned to drive a manual on the soft sand of Fraser Island, so that’s another on the get-back-to-soon list.
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