Meet Joe Black – Our Rolling Film Crew

He’s not the newest. Not the fastest. But Joe Black is the heartbeat behind the lens—our camera car, trail scout, and mechanical lifeline. Built on a 1991 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ80 platform with the slow-but-reliable 3FE inline-six and a 4-speed automatic transmission, Joe Black doesn’t rush. He roams.

Joe Black will cover every inch of our 50,000-mile expedition, documenting the journey of our other two rigs—Cruise and President Polk—while forging his own path through some of the most rugged and remote regions of the Americas. As the only rig taking the Baja + Central America Route, Joe Black is more than a support vehicle. He’s our content machine, our problem-solver, and our expedition anchor.

The Baja Shakedown – Joe Black’s Solo Mission

While Cruise and President Polk do their own journeys, Joe Black begins his pilgrimage south through the legendary Baja Peninsula. From Tecate to La Paz, he’ll follow a route carved by generations of overlanders and racers—dusty trails, coastal tracks, and cacti for miles.

This segment tests everything: suspension, drivetrain, gear organization, and heat endurance. We’ll use this stretch as a content lab, filming from the dunes, tracking from cliff edges, and camping under star-blanketed skies with a rooftop view. Joe Black will carry our drones, gimbals, batteries, tripods, and backup storage—everything we need to tell the story visually.

Through the Heart of Central America

From the tip of Baja, Joe Black will ferry over to mainland Mexico and push south through Chiapas, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. This part of the journey will be the most diverse, culturally rich, and mechanically demanding.

Why Joe Black? Because this rig was built to endure. Its simplicity is its strength. In humid jungles and mountain passes, the 3FE’s mechanical fuel injection won’t fail. The full-time 4WD and solid front axle give him traction where others slide.

From colonial towns to crater lakes, Joe Black will be right there, filming border crossings, recovering stuck rigs, and providing moral (and mechanical) support. He’s a presence at every moment, but never the focus—until he needs to be.

The Ultimate Spares & Support Kit

Joe Black’s most important job? Support. He’s the rolling garage and parts depot for the entire team. If something breaks on Cruise or President Polk, Joe Black has the solution in the drawers.

Here’s what he’s carrying:

Mechanical Spares

• Belts, hoses, radiator caps, fan clutch

• Spare fuel pump (both mechanical and inline electric)

• Transmission cooler lines

• U-joints, wheel bearings, hub gaskets

• Full engine gasket kit + RTV

• Brake pads and rotors

• Fluids: engine oil, ATF, gear oil, coolant

Electrical & Tools

• Fuses, relays, wire, terminals, multimeter

• Alternator + starter

• Complete tool roll + torque wrench

• Tap & die set, wire brush, grinder

• JB Weld, epoxy, metal strapping

Recovery Equipment

• ARB air compressor with backup handheld unit

• Kinetic rope, snatch block, tree strap

• Traction boards x4

• Hi-Lift jack w/ base

• Welded rear tire carrier with second full-size spare

Filmmaking & Tech

• Drone case with charging station

• Stabilizers, GoPros, mirrorless camera kit

• Redundant SSD backups and satellite uplink for cloud storage

• Inverter + dedicated 12V lithium battery bank

Joe Black doesn’t just get the shot—he keeps the mission alive.

Joe Black’s Build – Old School with Purpose

Drivetrain

• 3FE 4.0L Inline-6, overbuilt and freshly maintained

• 4-speed automatic with factory transfer case and diff locks

Suspension

• Heavy-duty Old Man Emu leaf springs and Nitrocharger shocks

• Reinforced steering components and poly bushings

Interior Setup

• Cargo drawer system for film gear and tools

• Custom roof rack + awning + side-access storage

• Rear slide-out workbench with lighting and power

Electrical & Comms

• Redarc DC-DC charger + 200W solar

• Starlink Mini + Garmin InReach

• Midland GMRS for team comms

Joe Black isn’t flashy. He’s consistent. And he’s always ready to lend a hand—or a tow strap.

The Storyteller’s Perspective

Joe Black is the only rig designed to watch, not lead. He gives us a perspective we’d otherwise miss—how Cruise handles a river crossing, how President Polk climbs a glacier pass, how the team reacts after a 15-hour drive through rain and fog.

He’s always behind the lens, but never far from the action. And every mile he travels adds another layer to the story we’re here to tell.

Reflection from the Southern Roads

Central America isn’t easy. Roads vanish. Borders bleed together. Rain turns mountain paths into rivers. But Joe Black handles it all with calm and character.

Through it all, he carries the soul of the journey—quiet, steady, and always rolling. Where others flash and fade, Joe Black keeps the frame steady and the mission moving.

And when we finally reunite with Cruise and President Polk in South America, we’ll know exactly who held it all together.

More film. More stories. More miles to go.

#JoeBlackExpedition