S111 hardtop , part time NZ dirtbag in a SWB Land Rover

[jacksquare]

Finally feel like my build is overland enough to fit in here so I'll stop lurking and start a thread.
this is not going to be like most other threads on here, it will not include amazing expensive kit or the best quality parts id love to but ist also fun doing this as cheap as possible. So if you're not happy seeing Britpart boxes and blank aliexpress packaging look away now.

The story of this series 3 hardtop starts almost a year ago when I dragged it from under a pine tree and thrashed on it for the 2 weeks mid year uni break before leaving it to sit for another 4 months till could get I running and on the road over my summer break. I'm at university in New Zealand studying environmental management so logically I should drive around a 40-year-old 2.25NA petrol 4x4 yeh I thought so too.
Here is a collection of photos to show what he (names Hugh) has been through since I have had him.

then we did a bit of exploring, Can you sleep in the back of a swb series landrover? yea but you'll want a waterproof swag if you're any taller than 3 foot

It's a land rover that was just forced to drive on the tarmac for the first time in its life what did you expect

kitchen facilities

and laundry

 

[DiscoDavis]

I love it! Just so long as you don't use any britpart bearings, pumps, or seals... everything else is fair game.

 

[jacksquare]

I love it! Just so long as you don't use any britpart bearings, pumps, or seals... everything else is fair game.

Cheers have stayed away from the first two but there may be a select few britpart seals on it can always revisit if need be

 

[Factoid]

Are you kidding?!

You are doing it right my friend! Making a utilitarian vehicle your utensil. At this point in my life, I have to balance my vehicle desires with the wife's level of tolerance. I caught her looking sideways at the new front disks on Montoya that had started to achieve some patina. Her comment, "why are they rusting already?"

I shall live vicariously through your build and enjoyment of Hugh. Well done!

 

[cameron_a]

great thread! you part of any of the nz landy facebook pages?

 

[jacksquare]

So last weekend I decided that I needed a better all weather sleeping solution
A little scrounging around and I acquired just enough offcuts of plywood
and around $30 of wood and screws later I chucked this together.
I originally made this so it all just wedges in place so it easy to take out and still use the side seats to carry mates around, however, I'm going to screw the back part down to the bulkhead support so it will stay in place when driving without the frount part in place and I'll just unscrew it when needed.

 

[jacksquare]

great thread! you part of any of the nz landy facebook pages?

yep sure am think I'm in about 4 of them or something

 

[kiwivit]

Have you been in Chch at all? Think I might have seen you driving round. Looks like you're based out of Dunedin from the pic of Long Beach and the highway before Shag Point.

 

[DiscoDavis]

Nice bed thing!

 

[bdp1978]

Awesome!!! These are my favorite kind of threads on Expo!

 

[jacksquare]

Have you been in Chch at all? Think I might have seen you driving round. Looks like you're based out of Dunedin from the pic of Long Beach and the highway before Shag Point.

yea was driving around Christchurch for a day straight after I got it re-vined and came through again on my way down to uni, yea grew up in Kaikoura but studying down in Dunedin at the moment.

cheers guys

 

[jacksquare]

A few ideas have been bouncing around in my head,
Here in NZ, we have a lot of free camping spots that are regulated to only allow self-contained certified vehicles to stay in these spots.
I was entertaining the idea of getting my truck certified (side note I can't find anybody to do the certification)
it involves basically;
a sink and grey water storage at least 12L
potable water storage at least 12L
a toilet that can me used at any time even with the bed made up
So I wanted to see if I can actually just make all this happen within an 88" Hardtop Land Rover
So far I have managed to sort two well mostly the sink still needs a shutoff valve between the tank and sink and to be restrained, yes it is made from a mixing bowl and a breadboard.
also worked out a way to mount my water container in a usable way.
Am now tossing up whether this is worth pursuing as it is going to cost at least $150 to meet the specifications (portable toilet and ball valve for sink)
and it will also mean the truck will be cramped when full of kit, also nobody will actually certify it at the moment due to the motorhome association changing their rules.
what are your guy's thoughts?
here are a few photos of my botched together sink and a pano from the track into Green Lake in Fiordland where I spent some of my weekend to make this less mundane.

 

[jacksquare]

been playing with a few things between my exams.
converted all the dash lights to LED
Finally got my USB ports working properly was a ground problem
wired in a secondary fuse box and relay bank to support heated seats as well as future lighting plans
ended up making a drop in a box under the centre seat over the T-case to house the electrics somewhere dry
have 8 gauge directly from the battery to the fuse box going through a 50 amp breaker and 15 amp wire everywhere else everything is routed through relays and individually fused probably well overkill but I don't want anything catching fire
hooked up the heated seats also they are carbon fibre heat pads I put under the canvas when I remade the seats and have small switches in the front of the seat box and have to say for a truck with no heating they are great this far south as it is going into winter.

need to sort the massacred dash out

 

[cameron_a]

loving the heated seat mod!

 

[jacksquare]

think I am going to be too over the next week or so on the west coast with no other heating