2014 - Toyota Hilux (Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead)

 

The Toyota Hilux used in Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2014) is one of the most iconic and heavily modified vehicles in Australian zombie cinema. It serves as the primary post-apocalyptic transport for the main characters, especially Barry, the film’s protagonist.

 Vehicle Overview:

• Base model: 1984 Toyota Hilux — rugged, simple, and a favorite for real-world off-road modding.

• Fuel system: In the Wyrmwood universe, traditional fuel becomes useless due to a mysterious event. The Hilux is modified to run on zombie blood/gas emissions, captured and funneled into the vehicle via a bizarre and creative breathing apparatus.

• Exterior mods:

  • Reinforced front bullbar and grill.

  • Makeshift armor plating on doors and sides.

  • Roof rack with tools and gear.

  • DIY flamethrower systems and gas tanks.

  • Spiked additions and chains for protection and flair.

• Interior: Stripped down and utilitarian, likely modified for quick maintenance and zombie defense, including makeshift control panels for managing the undead-powered fuel system.

Real-Life Build:

• The Hilux was custom-built for the film, with Mad Max-style influences, made on a very low budget.

• The production was highly DIY; the filmmakers reportedly filmed over several years on weekends using whatever vehicles, props, and scrap metal they could get their hands on.

• The zombie-powered engine concept was achieved with creative practical effects and tubing rigged to “undead fuel tanks” containing captive zombies.

Style Inspiration:

• A clear homage to George Miller’s Mad Max films — particularly The Road Warrior — blending Aussie bush mechanics with grungy post-apocalyptic aesthetics.

• It’s not sleek or militarized, but rough, cobbled-together, and clearly the product of desperate survivors with limited resources and lots of ingenuity.