Modifying for the sake of it? Remembering Malcolm Douglas

I seem to recall it being a Sunday night family ritual. I was about 10 years old and lying on the plush pile carpet in front of the TV.

The curved glass screen of the CRT unit projected a lanky bloke in a hat and khakis, running frantically from his vehicle towards a Frilled-Neck Lizard somewhere in outback Australia. The next shot was him explaining something about the critter sitting angrily still in his hands, although all I remember is the uncanny similarity between his beard and the reptiles’ frills.

Malcom Douglas was a legend of Australia television and the accidental pioneer of four-wheel drive entertainment. I say accidental because whilst his work wasn’t focussed on the vehicle itself, it sure was a critical tool. The original croc-hunter and outback explorer who later turned conservationist; his love for Australian flora and fauna is unmatched in my eyes.

What stood out to me as a young car-person was the vehicles he'd use on these adventures. Weather-beaten and unwashed, they were always covered in red dust and riding on skinny steel wheels and rubber. At the time I wondered why he didn’t have wider tyres, because surely that would help him navigate the terrain he’d be traversing, with the bonus of improving aesthetics. Many years later I came to learn that contact patch and resulting traction is not about width, but rather, tyre pressure.

Contact patch - Graphic by Robert Pepper - https://l2sfbc.com/

Reflecting now, I come to realise that these were in fact mostly stock vehicles. I do recall seeing a PTC winch once or twice, but there was no lift, no aftermarket wheels or rubber, no colour-matched traction boards and certainly no $25,000 electrical systems with satellite connectivity. I don’t think the cars even had window tint!

There weren't many places he wouldn't go either. Proving the point that a prudent combination of driver experience, knowledge and common sense is all that’s really needed to get out and explore this beautiful country.

These days, the 4WD aftermarket is a multi-billion-dollar industry that employs thousands of people whilst servicing an insatiable need to modify and accessorise to make vehicles more “fit for purpose”. It’s unsurprising, because modifying and personalising is like butter to Vegemite when it comes to car people. But are we doing it just for the sake of it?

In my mind four-wheel drivers are just car-people, but their chosen chariot goes to places a road-going car cannot. As car-people, we are not unlike the more mundane remainder of society when it comes to a desire to fit in and feel a sense of belonging. I suspect that for many, particularly new entrants, some of these accessories and modifications are a way to do just that.

 I don’t consider myself to be an expert off-road, but I’ve had the pleasure of associating with some of greats over the years. It’s from those associations that I learnt the best thing one can do is to get out there and learn about their vehicle before throwing the farm at it. For new entrants to the scene, a good way to do that is to join a 4WD club, where you get all the positive social aspects and a responsible way to learn the craft.

The landscape and the beautiful locations we all want to get too haven’t changed, but the cars have, and markedly so. The level of capability in new four-wheel drives is phenomenal; both in terms of mechanical makeup, and in the software that makes it work. It’s a point-and-shoot scenario that I evidenced at a recent launch for the Ford Everest Tremor, where even attendees that hadn’t ever driven off road before were granted the confidence to take on some relatively challenging terrain.  

So, where lift and rubber were a necessity on some models 20 years ago, the advanced traction control systems of today can get you an amazing amount further down the trail. The flip side is that modifying can affect the efficacy of these systems, but I don’t propose to go into that here.

Four-wheel drive media has a part in this, with sponsorships in exchange for exposure to an adoring public. It's marketing for the manufacturer and revenue for the media business. The result is entertainment for the masses, no bad thing clearly.

A liberal splash of consumerism and easily accessible credit only compounds the “because I can” mentality.

Nowadays there's complete custom builds available on credit from the dealer, electric blankets for your tent, 120 variations of camp chair to choose from and Starlink to make sure you can still watch the footy.

All this convenience only to wash it on the driveway every week, because you’re too busy working to make the repayments. Unfortunately, these are traits that are played out across society though, not just in the four-wheel drive scene.

So, what’s the point of this story?? Well, there’s a few.

I think it’s wonderful that the four-wheel drive scene is a catalyst for some of the last bastions of Australian manufacturing, providing both employment options and keeping wealth in the country.

By the same token, the scene also provides a space for those who have a combined love for the Aussie bush and the vehicles that take them there. The social connection fostered and the serenity of being at a campsite is an important mental health outlet for many.  

Either way it’s about enjoying the outdoors. I’d hate to see anyone feel like they can’t do it without $150,000 worth of kit – because it’s simply not the case.

What do you think?