OVRland Outpost: Highlights from the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show Overland Display

In the past year, our small team has launched the OVR brand, published six printed issues that were distributed nationwide, launched a website full of fresh content, and was invited to participate and cover multiple events throughout the year.

We also partnered up with altruistic organizations such as Tread Lightly! to help push forward the message of stewardship and education about our trails and public lands. We were even on the trail helping reestablish and reclaim a “lost” route of the Mojave Desert (more on this in a future issue).

To cap off our launch year, we were invited to partner with the Los Angeles Auto Show, where we curated a nearly 25,000 square-foot overlanding-themed space on the main show floor, next to major automotive brands such as Subaru and Hyundai.

The mission of the OVRland Outpost was to spread the awareness of overlanding to mainstream consumers with the help of industry friends and partners.

The OVRland Outpost included more than 30 outfitted overlanding rigs and trailers that represented late model and vintage, internal combustion and EV, big and little, and attainable and aspirational.

It was a diverse group of rigs that truly represented everything wheel-based adventure has to offer. The area saw far in excess of 100,000 visitors during the 10 days that the show ran through the end of November, 2023, and it was the first time in over one hundred years of LA Auto Show history that an entity other than a major automotive manufacturer was invited to share the main show floor. Not bad for an upstart outfit, if we do say so ourselves.

The vehicle display area was also supported by other off-road and camping equipment companies such as Morrflate tire inflation systems, Canyon Coolers, WD-40, Mothers car care and Peak Refuel, makers of the popular collection of adventure-friendly freeze-dried food.

Thanks to all those who were able to attend OVRland Outpost; it was a great experience for us. If you weren’t fortunate enough to make it out to the show, join us on the following pages for a recap of the vehicles that were displayed.

1st Gear Off-Road Forward Control

Owner: Roy Wallace

Vehicle: 1962 Jeep Forward Control FC-170

Instagram Handle: @1stgearoffroad / @wallace_roy

Notes: This vehicle certainly turned heads and caused some confusion amongst show goers. Probably due to its retro-modern look, we were asked if this was a new Jeep that was coming out and even whether it was a concept vehicle. People were floored to learn that it was in fact a restored and modified 1962 model-year Jeep. Read more about this vehicle in a dedicated story elsewhere in this issue. 

GoPlay.Outside Toyota Land Cruiser

Owner: Mike Choi

Vehicle: 1981 Toyota Land Cruiser (HJ47)

Instagram Handle: @GoPlay.Outside

About: This ambulance-like HJ47 Land Cruiser began life as an emergency response vehicle from Australia. After it eventually landed in Mike’s hands, a dramatic transformation occurred. This tastefully outfitted overland vehicle features everything from custom woodwork in the form of a pull-out drawer kitchen, pull-out drawer sink, dual-access dresser and slatted shelving, as well as a standard full-sized memory foam bed and other creature comforts.

Garbage Dream Jeep Gladiator Rubicon

Owner: James Yim

Vehicle: 2022 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon

Instagram Handle: @garbagejeep

About: Featured on the cover of OVR’s fifth issue, this Jeep Gladiator Rubicon was specifically built with overlanding in mind. Complete with a Mits Alloy tray and canopy setup and bolstered with plenty of trail protection by MetalCloak, this Jeep is an overlander’s dream realized. Read more about it in OVR Issue 05.

Martin Reginato’s Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series

Owner: Martin Reginato

Vehicle: 1991 Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series

Instagram Handle: @dakartundra

About: Another OVR alum made it out to OVRland Outpost. Coming all the way from Utah, Martin’s Land Cruiser graced the cover of OVR’s third issue. With its iconic boxy 70 Series body and gear mounted all over, this stout truck looks like the quintessential overlander but with a twist. It is outfitted with luxury essentials such as an espresso maker, air fryer, color-changing area mood lighting, and even a Dometic cooler turned beer tap. Read more about this multi-faceted truck in OVR Issue 03.

Real Truck’s Matchbox Jeep Gladiator

Owner: Real Truck

Vehicle: 2023 Jeep Gladiator

Instagram Handle: @realtruck

About: Built by Dave Doetsch from Doetsch Off-Road in Chandler, Arizona, this unique model is a life-size replica of a 1:64-scale Matchbox die-cast truck. This one-of-a-kind overland-inspired Matchbox/RealTruck Gladiator JT will be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting Building Homes for Heroes. The six-year partnership with RealTruck provides mortgage-free homes to families of first responders and U.S. veterans. We were excited to have RealTruck at OVRland Outpost to share this special build with the LA Auto Show audience.

Sponsored By Wifey Toyota Tundra

Owner: Al Catolos

Vehicle: 2022 Toyota Tundra Limited TRD OFF-Road

Instagram Handle: @sponsoredbywifey

About: Seen in the pages of OVR issue 05, Al’s Tundra is equipped for extended range as well as extended length trips. He oftentimes takes his family out camping trips in his Four Wheel Camper Project M Topper equipped Tundra. The camper features everything from a kitchen sink, refrigerator and microwave to a projection TV and Xbox. Read more about this fully loaded truck in OVR Issue 05.

Pindrop Travel Trailers Scout

Owner: Pindrop Travel Trailers

Vehicle: Pindrop Travel Trailers Scout

Instagram Handle: @pindroptraveltrailers

About: Pindrop Travel Trailers come in several different trims, and the one on display at OVRland Outpost was the company’s flagship model, the Scout. Complete with comfortable living quarters, the trailer also contains a kitchen as well as solar-powered electrical outlets and plenty of water storage for drinking and showers. It’s easy to see why this camping trailer is a popular alternative to campers and RVs. Find out more about this trailer in our On Board Utility feature located towards the beginning of this very issue.

John Pangilinan’s Ford Transit Van

Owner: John Pangilinan

Vehicle: 2022 Ford Transit Van

Instagram Handle: @john_pangilinan

About: One of the most popular vehicles at OVRland Outpost in terms of visitors and questions, this customized 2022 Ford Transit Van was built for off-road adventures and can sustain a family of four for weeks on the trail without the need for resupply. It features an elevated bed in the interior, a pull-out kitchen with two-burner stove, and a roof-top tent for the kids to enjoy elevated views.

Toro Bravo 4x4 Silver Spear

Owner: Toro Bravo 4x4

Vehicle: Toro Bravo 4x4 2023 Silver Spear

Instagram Handle: @torobravo4x4

About: This was one of the biggest vehicles in the Outpost and one of the most luxurious. Built on a 4x4 Ford dually pickup that wears go-anywhere 40” tires, the Silver Spear was conceptualized as a work truck, RV and toy hauler all in one. Its giant hauling capacity means you can have a queen bed, a full bathroom complete with shower, and haul your ATV or up to four dirt bikes wherever you go. The Silver Spear’s modularity means that one can configure it however one needs it.

Shiftpod LMTV

Owner: Christian Webber

Vehicle: Stewart & Stevenson LMTV

Instagram Handle: @shiftpod

About: Shiftpod’s military-derived LMTV truck made its presence known at the Outpost. Shiftpod, the company known for its silver-skinned, instantly deployable shelters, uses this vehicle at off-road events such as King of the Hammers. It’s rare to see it indoors, so it was a treat for spectators to get up-close and personal with it. You don’t realize just how massive an LMTV is until you’re standing next to it.

Toyo Tires D1

Owner: Toyo Tires

Vehicle: Hunter RMV

Instagram Handle: @toyotires

About: Toyo Tires was on hand at OVRland Outpost with a display of their Open Country line of off-road-capable tires and this behemoth of a truck, the one they call the Toyo Tires D1. Based on a Hunter RMV, the D1 serves as the company’s off-road events vehicle and can often be seen at outdoor events including off-road racing and at overland gatherings.

Front Runner Mercedes-Benz Entdecker G-Wagen

Owner: Front Runner Outfitters

Vehicle: 1998 Mercedes-Benz G300D

Instagram Handle: @frontrunneroutfitters

About: This amazing vehicle may have been one of the most understated rigs on display, but it certainly is one of the most accomplished. Having traveled hundreds of thousands of miles over multiple continents, this 463 platform G-Wagen has lived the overland life to the fullest, from Rwanda to Joshua Tree. It was a treat to see this special vehicle on display.

RPM Off-Road Garage 79 Series

Owner: Steve Lam

Vehicle: Toyota Land Cruiser 79/80 Series

Instagram Handle: @rpmoffroadgarage

About: Created by the Toyota off-road specialists at RPM Off-Road Garage, this 79 Series Land Cruiser may look like a pure 79, but it’s actually a 79 Series body that’s been grafted onto an 80 Series chassis. It’s a fun build that looks even more fun to drive. We’ll be taking a closer look at this build in a future issue of OVR. Stay tuned!

Husqvarna Norden 901

Owner: Husqvarna Motorcycles

Vehicle: Husqvarna Motorcycles Norden 901

Instagram Handle: @husqvarna.motorcycles

About: Husqvarna’s Norden 901 is a popular adventure motorcycle for trips that take the rider both on and off the road. The two-wheel adventurer displayed at the Outpost featured a host of touring accessories such as Husqvarna’s side bag set and luggage bag.

Bilstein Unimog

Owner: Bilstein

Vehicle: 1974 Mercedes-Benz 416 Dolan Unimog

Instagram Handle: @bilsteinus

About: Rebuilt and restored from the ground up with custom parts including Bilstein suspension and a Warn winch set up that includes Factor 55 accessories, the Bilstein Unimog is undoubtedly a capable crawler. It was a popular truck at the show to take pictures with as well. The oversized Bilstein shocks and giant Pit Bull tires were the stars of the show.

Bilstein Ford Bronco

Owner: Bilstein

Vehicle: 2023 Ford Bronco Badlands Sasquatch

Instagram Handle: @bilsteinus

About: Used as a marketing tool to showcase Bilstein direct-replacement Bronco suspension, this clean and attainable build is used for development, testing and tuning of heavy-duty springs for overlanding on Bilstein’s line of direct-fit Bronco dampers. Outfitted with products from companies such as ARB, Alu-Cab, Baja Designs, Camburg and Warn, this Bronco enjoys trips to off-road trails and events around California, Utah, Nevada and Arizona.

Adam.Built Toyota 4Runner

Owner: Adam

Vehicle: Toyota 4Runner

Instagram Handle: @adam.built

About: If we built a Toyota 4Runner for family adventures, we would build it just like this one. With products from companies that include Baja Designs, Morrflate, Optima and Toyo, this is possibly one for the cleanest-looking and most well-rounded 4Runners out there. Proud owner Adam uses it to turn trail time into family time.

KC Hilites Jeep Wagoneer “AdvHulk”

Owner: Alan Wang

Vehicle: 1969 Jeep Wagoneer

Instagram Handle: @1bigwang / @kchilites

About: Built to honor the 50th anniversary of KC HiLites, CEO of KC, Alan Wang, commissioned this build as a nod to KC’s heritage, while showcasing the latest KC products. Unlike some marketing builds that sit idle at shows, the “AdvHulk,” as it is affectionately known, is designed to partake in some serious overland adventures and create new memories for the next 50 years.

Nissan Nismo Off-road Frontier

Owner: Nissan

Vehicle: 2023 Nissan Frontier SV

Instagram Handle: @nismopartsusa

About: Nissan’s Nismo off-road arm built this mid-level Frontier to showcase what is possible by using their genuine parts on your Nissan. Sitting on 33s thanks to Nismo high-performance front and rear suspension using Bilstein shock technology and Nismo upper control arms, we love how great this build looks and how attainable it is. Other Nismo parts include the wheels, overlanding rack, roof-top tent, roof-top storage, cat-back exhaust, light brackets and lights.

Leitner Designs Super Duty

Owner: Bernhard Leitner

Vehicle: 2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty Tremor

Instagram Handle: @leitnerdesigns

About: The first vehicle most people saw when they walked in the OVRland display was this massive Super Duty Tremor sitting on a 4.5-inch Carli suspension lift and 37-inch Falken tires. Fully outfitted with Leitner Designs’ expansive product line of cargo and adventure accessories, along with gear from Freespirit, Alu-Cab, Maxtrax and Rotopax, it was one of the most popular vehicles in the display.

Fabtech Motorsports Toyota Tundra 4x4

Owner: Fabtech Motorsports

Vehicle: 2022 Toyota Tundra 4x4

Instagram Handle: @Fabtech_Motorsports

About: Fabtech’s 2022 Toyota Tundra displayed a host of upgrades such as the company’s Dirt Logic shocks and other suspension components. Other accessories that help upgrade its trail capability included a Warn winch, Warn Epic wheels, Factor 55 winch accessories, Fab Fours bumpers, Nitto tires, Baja Designs lights and more.

Brandon Hegg’s 4Runner

Owner: Brandon Hegg

Vehicle: 2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-road

Instagram Handle: @expo_t4r

About: This sweet 4Runner was bought new in 2017 by an Air Force veteran and Toyota truck fan Brandon Hegg. The idea was to have a bugout and expedition rig that could take the family out at the drop of a hat, and it was built so that the vehicle was not the limiting factor for an impromptu adventure. We especially like the Icon Stage 7 suspension system with billet control arms and the Rays Volk Racing wheels wrapped in 35-inch Toyo rubber. The Alu-Cab kit provides shelter in all conditions.

Rad Media Bronco Raptor

Owner: Matt and Sarah Girgis

Vehicle: 2023 Ford Bronco Raptor

Instagram Handle: @radmedia.co

About: As if the Ford Bronco Raptor wasn’t extreme enough, Matt and Sarah Girgis went all-out to create this truly one-off Braptor build. With all of the things on it, including a reworked performance suspension, this rig epitomizes what we call “GOverlanding,” or the style of higher-speed overlanding that allows you to cover lots of miles so that you can get to your next camp spot to set up before the sun goes down. Speaking of the sun, Sunflare’s XPLOR solar panels ensure that once in the backcountry, this Bronco doesn’t have to ever have to rush home.

Canyon Coolers

Owner: Canyon Coolers

Vehicle: 2023 Ford Bronco Wildtrak

Instagram Handle: @canyoncoolers

About: Canyon Coolers came out the OVRland Outpost with a full contingent of their famed coolers and rough-and-tumble tumblers. But that wasn’t all that they brought along for the show. They also drove their 2023 Ford Bronco Wildtrak to display. The modified Bronco featured plenty of upgrades that make it well-suited for vehicle-based adventures.

Optima Batteries Rivian RT1 with Optima Power Station

Owner: Optima Batteries

Vehicle: 2022 Rivian R1T and custom Turtleback Trailer

Instagram Handle: @optimabatteries

About: First unveiled at the ’22 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Optima’s head-turning Rivian R1T overland build is about as forward-looking as anything in the space. Of course, it’s decked out with every camping and adventure mod you would expect, such as an iKamper roof-top tent, Darche awning and a Baja Designs lighting package, but the real star of the show is the custom Turtleback trailer that houses a 110kW lithium power station built in collaboration with Volta. In addition to the full kitchen, a deployable Merlin solar array is mounted to the top of the trailer to capture the sun’s rays, and the trailer can export power with 110-volt, 220-volt AC, and 12-volt DC outlets and it can recharge its tow vehicle from zero to 80 percent at Level 2 speeds. With this innovative setup, range anxiety in the backcountry is no longer a thing.

Rivian’s Rebelle Rally Race & Support RT1s

Owner: Rivian

Vehicle: 2023 Rivian RT1

Instagram Handle: @rivianofficial

About: This pair of Rivian RT1s was the winning team at 2023’s Rebelle Rally—a feat that no other EV has accomplished. The winning team, Limestone Legends, consists of driver Lilly Macaruso and navigator Alex Anderson, both employees of Rivian. They competed in the gray-colored R1T and were supported by the blue-colored RT1.

Grand Wagoneer Overland Concept

Owner: Jeep

Vehicle: 2023 Grand Wagoneer

Instagram Handle: @wagoneer

Notes: The Grand Wagoneer Overland Concept was introduced by the design team at Jeep for the 57th Easter Safari in Moab, Utah, to explore what a capable and luxurious overland vehicle could look like. It’s one of those builds that has dozens of minor changes, such as a unique front fascia that hides a Warn winch, expanded wheel wells with a one-off set of flares to cover the upsized 35-inch tires, and dozens of other tweaks and mods. The signature modification is the carbon fiber RedTail Overland climate-controlled SkyLoft roof-top tent, which can be deployed in just seconds.

Rory Connell’s Ford F-250

Owner: Rory Connell

Vehicle: 2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty Tremor

Instagram Handle: @rory_connell

About: Rory’s 2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty Tremor is powered by a 7.3-liter V8 and features a Ford Performance cat-back exhaust with black chrome tips by Borla. This go-anywhere pickup’s suspension is provided by Icon Vehicle Dynamics and its host of electronics are wirelessly controlled by Trigger. On it, you’ll also find off-road ready accessories by Warn, Factor 55, Leitner Designs, Taruca and more.

Peak Suspension GMC Canyon

Owner: Peak Suspension

Vehicle: 2023 GMC Canyon AT4X

Instagram Handle: @peaksuspension

About: One of the more exciting platforms out right now is that of the new Colorado/Canyon, and Peak Suspension brought the company’s freshly minted Canyon AT4X build to the OVR party. Featuring a laundry list of Peak Suspension components that allow for 35-inch Falken tires on 17-inch AEV Crestone DualSport wheels, and retention of the factory Multimatic DSSV dampers, Peak chose smart upgrades that would improve off-road durability and livability. From Prinsu rack products and a Roam Adventure Company roof-top tent and awning, this is a late-model rig we’d love to “borrow” the keys to.

Hellwig Double Duty Ford F-150

Owner: Hellwig Products

Vehicle: Ford F-150

Instagram Handle: @hellwig_products

About: Here is a truck that was designed to work hard and play hard. Dubbing it the “Double Duty,” Hellwig Products created this F-150 to show off the company’s sway bars and Silent Ride Helper Springs. Equipped with Ford’s Pro Power onboard generator it can power the job site or the campsite, and it features a Stage 4 Icon suspension system, 35-inch Falken tires on Icon alloy wheels, and an AT Overland Equipment truck topper to secure tools and toys alike, while being sturdy enough to carry loads on the pop-up roof.

Tread Lightly! Ford Bronco

Owner: Tread Lightly!

Vehicle: 2022 Ford Bronco Wildtrak

Instagram Handle: @treadlightly

About: Tread Lightly! needed a vehicle that would turn heads and draw attention to their mission of responsible recreation and stewardship at events across the country. For this task they worked with Ford to outfit this ’22 Ford Bronco Wildtrak with the help of Hellwig, Foutz Motorsports, Maximus 3 and TYRI lighting. With the LA Auto Show being just one of its many stops throughout the year, keep your eyes open for this vehicle at a land-use happening near you.

American Adventure Lab Jeep Wrangler 392

Owner: American Adventure Lab

Vehicle: 2024 Jeep Wrangler 392 and Adventure Trailer Kit

Instagram Handle: @americanadventurelab

About: One of the most popular vehicles at show, and constantly surrounded by a crowd, was the American Adventure Lab Jeep Wrangler 392. This Jeep was built a showcase to the many and varied American-made AAL product offerings, such as the highline fender chop kit and replacement lights that allows this Jeep to run 37-inch Nittos at stock height. Part of the draw was AAL’s do-it-yourself Adventure Trailer Kit with a Jeep Gladiator bed (and two KTM motorcycles) mounted to it to match the tow rig and also show off the Gladiator product line.

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This article originally appeared in OVR Issue 07. For more informative articles like this, consider subscribing to OVR Magazine in print or digital versions here. You can also find the print edition of OVR at your local newsstand by using our Magazine Finder.