Explorer I
I have been a fan boy of Australian style Utes for a while and have always wanted to build one. So I bought this Tundra almost a year ago from a friend who used it as a work truck. I told him that if he ever wanted to sell it to let me know. A little over a month after that discussion mother nature intervened on my behalf and pushed a tree over onto the bed, just missing the cab. The insurance agent took one look at it and totaled it. My friend knowing I wanted the rig bought it back from the insurance company and I bought it from him. I got it for next to nothing. I stored it until I found an appropriate bed to to build what was in my head. I found a used aluminum flatbed in Paintsville, KY and headed out with my son and a trailer to grab it up. I found wheels that were being discounted and snatched them up. I knew I wanted 35's but the price was prohibitive so searched the internet and finally came across the Ironman tires. The reviews were mixed but I'm a bit of a gambler so I pulled the trigger. Suspension was a no brainer...it had to be Australian. I have Old Man Emu on my FJ and Dobinson on the 3rd Gen Taco and have been impressed by both. It finally came down to the which was available at the time and Dobinson won out. They didn't have the UCA in stock so I went with the Freedom Offroad, which I have on the FJ and have been quite satisfied with. I threw it all together over a long weekend with a few friends lending a hand. The under tray boxes are going on this week and a new bumper with winch should be on soon as well. I won a set of rock sliders at an event so those will be getting welded on soon. We are also looking for a camper for the back as well…
The name throws people off but let me explain. Umingmak is the Inuktitut word for the musk ox, which translates to "The Bearded One", the great wondering beast of the tundra. The plan for our Tundra is to wander Canada and Alaska next summer. Because it's as big as an ox the name only seemed fitting. To call it by it's Inuktitut name also seemed fitting because our family hold the aboriginal peoples of the Americans in the highest regards.
The name throws people off but let me explain. Umingmak is the Inuktitut word for the musk ox, which translates to "The Bearded One", the great wondering beast of the tundra. The plan for our Tundra is to wander Canada and Alaska next summer. Because it's as big as an ox the name only seemed fitting. To call it by it's Inuktitut name also seemed fitting because our family hold the aboriginal peoples of the Americans in the highest regards.
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