The Unexpected Overlander

Taking an overweight, undergeared, underpowered 2WD contractor van down the Pan-American Highway.

THE BACKGROUND

When most people choose a vehicle for international overland travel, an old contractor van rarely makes the shortlist. More often, you’ll see eyes land on a Land Cruiser, Land Rover, Jeep, Mercedes, or Nissan—something purpose-built, something with 4WD. By the time we made our decision, we weren’t new to overlanding. We had experience, miles behind us, and a solid understanding of what works. And still…we chose the underdog. Actually, it wasn’t even the underdog—it wasn’t on the list at all. We chose a 2006 Chevrolet Express 2500, 2WD, with a 4.8L V8.