Fifty years ago, living on the road seemed plausible only for hippies and senior citizens. Or at least it certainly felt like an unattainable reality to the Four Wheeler staff and many of our readers. Modify a 4x4 to be a full-service home? Disappear yet be self-sufficient? Get away from it all while still being at the center of everything? What would you even call this bent reality?
Five decades ago, Gary and Monika Wescott—with their series of extreme Turtle Expedition vehicles— were pretty much the original Overlanding influencers, having the worldly adventures we all wanted to have, all from the vehicles they built just for that purpose.
The Wescott's traveled the backroads and main roads of multiple continents experienced people and cultures in a way few travelers ever had before them and thrived on an open-ended camping/exploration trip that made many of us question how our own wanderlust could ever truly be satisfied simply from random weekend getaways. Plus, they got to road test upgrades for custom 4x4s on every possible terrain and in all weathers throughout North America, South America, Asia, and Europe. They even managed to make massacres to their 4x4 mobile homes, such as blown-out rubber and exploding axles in the middle of nowhere, enviable experiences.
The following pages revisit the Turtles as well as their specs—or act as an introduction if you’re new to the Wescott's and their rides. You can also head over to fourwheeler.com and search “Turtle Expedition” or visit turtleexpedition.com for even more details and read more of their stories from the road.
SOURCE
The Turtle Expedition, Unlimited turtleexpedition.com
TURTLE I
GENERAL
Base vehicle: ’67 Land Rover Series IIA, 109-in wheelbase
POWERTRAIN
Engine: 4.1L I-6 Chevy
Horsepower: 155 hp @ 4,200 rpm (estimate, stock GM engine specs)
Torque: 235 lb-ft @ 1,600 rpm (estimate, stock GM engine specs)
Electrical: Lucas Electronics w/GNP deep-cycle sealed battery
Fuel system: Carbureted
Exhaust: Hooker headers, glasspack muffler
Cooling: Heavy-duty crossflow w/remote fan
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission: 4-spd Land Rover
Transfer case: 2-spd Land Rover/16-spd w/Fairy overdrive
Locking hubs: Selectro
Axle ratio: 4.70:1
Front axle: Land Rover solid-axle w/open differential
Rear-axle: Land Rover solid-axle w/open differential
Brakes: Land Rover
Steering: Stock manual steering
SUSPENSION
Front: Burbank Spring leaf springs, Rough Country shocks Rear: Burbank Spring leaf springs, Rough Country shocks
TIRES/WHEELS
Tires: Sears mud and snow
Wheels: 16-in Land Rover
WEIGHT/CAPACITY
Curb weight (lb): 9,000 (approx.)
Fuel Capacity (gal): 30
MISCELLANEOUS
Armor: Custom, heavy-duty grille guard by Gary Wescott; 8,000-lb Warn winch; custom center/overhead consoles
Cool stuff: Land Rover seats w/custom upholstery, American sedan seatbelts, custom-built camper
TURTLE II
GENERAL
Base vehicle: ’79 GMC K3500 4x4
POWERTRAIN
Engine: 7.5L big-block Chevy by Louie Unser
Horsepower: 243 hp @ 3,000 rpm
Torque: 400 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm
Electrical: 135-amp alternator w/GNP deep-cycle, sealed battery
Fuel system: Custom and fuel pump relocation
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Vehicle A.D.D
Jack and Darcie Peeler have had a lot of different toys
Bronco Options, a New Four-speed, an Alternative to the Divorced 'case, and More From 1966
As Four Wheeler magazine is celebrating its 60th anniversary throughout 2022, our nostalgia levels remain high and we dove into the archives. With no particular rhyme or reason, we flipped open the October 1966 edition of the magazine, landing on these highlights from Ford, Chevy, and Dodge.
Where's my T-case linkage?
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My wife called it “the invisible car.” We bought it in 2002 after the third or fourth unsuccessful attempt at getting Ford to honor warranty work on her ’00 Focus ZTS. We finally gave up and traded it in on a super-low-mileage ’99 Toyota Camry.
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FROM BELARUS WITH LOVE
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US ELECTRIC VEHICLE TAX CREDITS ENDING FOR NEW TOYOTA BUYERS
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GM, HONDA PLAN TO CO-DEVELOP AFFORDABLE ELECTRIC VEHICLES
General Motors and Honda are planning to co-develop some affordable electric vehicles that will use GM’s next-generation Ultium battery technology.
CHIP SHORTAGE FORCES GM TO PAUSE PRODUCTION AT INDIANA PLANT
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