When Villiers Steyn’s dad bought this bakkie in 1999, it already had 172 000 km on the clock. Earlier this year, the odometer hit 248 699 km, but “Groenes” (The Green One) is still going strong.

Tell us about your King Cab.
My dad bought the bakkie for R20 000 in 1999, after he saw it at an informal car sale. It was in fantastic condition and kitted out like a house, complete with a radio, mattress, curtains and reading light in the canopy.

I learnt to drive it in the Central Kalahari. And in my matric year it became my first vehicle.

Initially we used it for holidays, refuse removal and going to school. And no, not for what you think – I got rid of that mattress and the curtains very early on.

The first modifications were done while I was doing an internship for Nature Conservation in the Kgalagadi in 2003. A cattle-grid frame replaced the canopy, and we fitted a bull bar.

In 2004 I started working on a leopard research project in Botswana’s northern Tuli Reserve. The bakkie went along, but not before a major facelift.

Any other modifications?
A white bakkie in a game reserve is taboo – the colour upsets the elephants, of which there are hordes in Tuli.

So I had the bakkie resprayed in British racing green, fitted Old Man Emu shock absorbers, and attached a frame of my own design on the back, along with a bench.

I installed a VHF radio and CD player in the front, and stuck two fairly large research decals on the doors.

Later on, the rocks forced me to replace the fat rubber tyres with “Marie biscuit” treads.

How much did the work cost?

Bull bar: R1 850
Self-designed frame: R5 500
Spray-job: R5 000
VHF radio: R3 500
CD player: R1 000
Old Man Emus: R3 500
New tyres: R6 000

TOTAL: R26 350

Why is it perfect for research?
When my dad bought it, it already had an extra fuel tank. The 150 litres of fuel is a great help when you work in such remote areas.

Two bucket seats instead of a single bench make impromptu naps easier. All my research equipment can fit behind the seats when I find myself in the veld at night.

The sunroof can also be completely removed, enabling me to stand up in the cab when I scan for leopards with the receiver and antenna.

Its best attributes?
In my line of work, definitely the space – the huge load bed at the back and the ample space in front (especially the space behind the seats).

What do you enjoy about it?
The bucket seats and the space.

What don’t you like?
The load bed is slightly too long, so the chassis scrapes when you drive through a donga. Power is sometimes lacking, especially in deep sand.

Where can you go with it?
Everywhere my leopards go, I have to go too – over rocks, through rivers and sometimes even into thickets. The bakkie’s 2.2-litre petrol engine allows me to go anywhere the reserve’s Land Cruisers can (well, in low range, anyway), and because it’s so old, I can take it to the edge without worrying about scratches or dents.

Any damage?
Both the rear tail lights are out from fleeing an elephant. The left front door won’t open anymore, since I missed spotting a leadwood trunk.

Twice I lost a wheel when the nuts failed. Then the steering column split in two during a spirited leopard hunt in a rocky riverbed. I had to import a new one from Japan!

Where else have you been with it?
When I worked in the Kgalagadi, the bakkie had to endure (with difficulty) the 4x4 route from Twee Rivieren to Nossob (too little power for those tough sand dunes).

My brother and I also took it to Nature’s Valley, and it’s been to the Lowveld where I got stuck in the Manyeleti conservation area. And it’s even done a few trips up to the Central Kalahari in Botswana.

The bakkie’s greatest achievement was just outside Mkuze Nature Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal. It was the rainy season, and, with my brother at the wheel, it pulled nine campers out of the mud and up a hill.

Any special precautions before a long trip?
A service is a must. My dad taught us to check the basics frequently. Stuff like the oil level, tyre pressure, lights, etc. But that’s not special, just standard checks.

What is a comfortable travelling speed?
I’ve reached 140 km/h, but the wind was pushing from behind that day. On a level road you can maintain 110 km/h, but a little patience is needed for going uphill.

Fuel consumption?
Around 7 km per litre.

How does such an old bakkie last so long?
It’s very important to service it often. Show it respect and don’t drive like a cowboy. When you go off-road, drive slowly and carefully. My dad also taught me to wash a vehicle often – it gives you a sense of pride.

Maintenance costs?
It’s been pretty costly because of all the hard work it’s done. Two services in 2005 came to R4 900 and in 2006 it was R11 000 to fix everything that was causing trouble.

What problems have you experienced?
This bakkie spends it workdays in the veld, so the problems have mostly been associated with rough terrain: flat tyres, worn rubbers, and so on. But purely technical problems – not often.

What should I look out for when buying one?
The biggest pitfall with these bakkies is that previous owners tend to have driven them like cowboys. Fortunately the signs are fairly obvious on a second-hand bakkie, so I’d focus on general neatness.

How much will one cost?
I reckon a good one will set you back around R30 000.

Who should buy one?
The King Cab is ideal for someone who wants to do field research, or someone who starts up a small business and has to cart around a lot of stuff.

I wouldn’t easily recommend it to someone who enjoys speed, or who is used to the power of a Land Cruiser.