Orange County mechanical engineer and photographer Matt Girgis built his 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 — nicknamed RAD_Z71 for Roam, Adventure, Discover — into a fully-loaded overland rig. From KC lighting and DV8 armor to a rooftop tent and Baja Kit prerunner suspension, see how this Colorado tackles trails from Big Bear to the Eastern Sierra while fueling Matt’s passion for landscape photography.
The Toyota Tundra finally reached Australian showrooms in late 2024 following an extensive local evaluation program, I have been given the opportunity to put the recently launched top of the range Platinum model through its paces. Needless to say, I was a little excited when picking up the vehicle, having already seen a handful on South Australian roads, it looks every bit the American big rig. A full-sized pick-up truck has been a long time coming to our shores.
Our rig is my daily driver, but she has been built for a specific purpose and this purpose is transitioning to a full-time overland lifestyle. Just us, our dog (Gunner), our 4Runner, and our Patriot Camper X1H trailer. When I began thinking about what modifications I wanted to do, the list seemed extremely daunting, to say the least. I decided to let our trips tell me what we needed, not just what I wanted.
The build was designed to go off grid and disconnect from the everyday hustle of life. I love to BBQ, so adding the Traeger Grill was a must and is my absolute favorite mod on it. The cantilever mount for the Traeger Tailgater Grill is fully custom and built to fit the Leitner Active Rack System. We worked with Christopher Moos from Moos Craft to create the cantilever mount.
