Lexus LX470 Rear Cabin Conversion...

mhiscox

Expedition Leader
I added to the functionality of my conversion--at least I hope I did--by adding the Kelty Carport that had been sitting around for a while awaiting the perfect use.

There are reviews of the Carport all over the internets, including at least one by an ExPo member:

http://www.lastgreatroadtrip.com/of.../road-adventure-shelter-kelty-carport-review/

and a very detailed one here:

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/rev...t Deluxe Shelter/Test Report by Pamela Wyant/,

which means I'm off the hook for writing one myself. :eek:

For present purposes, suffice to say it's a big thing, with many long poles and a good chance that, as my sainted Mother would say, "you're gonna poke your eye out." But it's all quality stuff and well -engineered. Once you get acquainted with the "need-'em-once, probably-not-again" directions, it's still about 15 minutes of work by one person. A second person would make life easier, probably cut the time by 40%, and is likely essesntial for getting it in place if there's much of a wind.

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It'll work on the side or rear of most any vehicle with any racks or crossbars to attach it to. It'll likely be happiest, though, if attached reasonably close to the relevent edge, especially on a tall truck. It'll vary by vehicle, but you could end up with an angle where opening the doors or hatch could foul the canopy.

I put it on the back of the Lexus, mostly because the nifty tailgate makes the perfect eat/cook/Angry Birds/write Great American Novel surface. I'm sure it would also work on the side, and probably be more aesthetic . . . my hatchtop spoiler ruins the lines.

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It's trivial to stick the two leftover poles in the back end and raise it should you want to see the world and just have shade rather than privacy and shade. You'd need to guy off the poles in much over a dead calm, but they give you the lines for that. (Along with enough stakes to keep the thing reasonably planted, though you'll need to add the guylines and tie them off in a serious wind. Or just drop it to the ground and put a big rock on it.)

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FWIW, the reviews make it clear that you can put the poles at the end normally held up by the roof rack and have a freestanding shelter. This is fairly cool, since once you've built the thing, it wouldn't take a minute to take it off and move it.

A retractable awning would be a quicker way to get a little shade, but this thing is huge and gives a nice feeling of privacy. Not ideal if you're just parking and going to sleep, but it's a nice piece of kit if you need shade and/or privacy off the back of your truck. I expect to take it along on many trips and will be glad I have it.

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Flagster

Expedition Leader
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(above) Mike wanted a durable finished deck...I found an interlocking composite floor tile that met that need and fit the aesthetic of the Lexus...On the rest of the surfaces that got covered I used carpet...

Where did you source the foor tile...I really like it...Nice work!
Thanks
Matt
 

mtnbike28

Expedition Leader
Mike,
Thanks for sharing another great build. Like others I have a question - what do you use for a sleeping pad? I have a great 3 inch foam pad, but the storage is tough (it's too big) TIA
 

mhiscox

Expedition Leader
Mike,
Thanks for sharing another great build. Like others I have a question - what do you use for a sleeping pad? I have a great 3 inch foam pad, but the storage is tough (it's too big) TIA
I use the appropriately named Exped MegaMat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g7YuFtAvME

the cushiest, most comfortable sleeping pad ever invented, in my humble opinion. It doesn't roll up very small, and you wouldn't be backpacking with it, but it does beat a regular foam pad for storage. And it's self-inflating, so about 90% of the inflation just happens; I usually end up putting in ten or so breaths of air. Deflating is also semi automatic, after which kneeling on it as you roll it produces a pretty good result. All this is shown in the video.

I've got plenty of room for it in my truck, and it is remarkably comfortable. Shame about the $220 price, though you can soften the blow by considering it as a guest bed for the house. ;)
 
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robert

Expedition Leader
Very cool. On a side note, if you decide your sink, or the other metal pans, are too metallic sounding you can spray the undersides with rubberized undercoating to deaden the noise. This is what's on the bottom of regular sinks; when I did tile work for a bit, the guy I worked for put extra coating on most sinks that the customer bought so it'd be quieter (made them happier). Just spray it outside and give it a couple of days to offgas. Truck bed liner works too, but not quite as well although it dries harder. You can also slap some sound deadener mat on it if you don't want to spray it.
 

mhiscox

Expedition Leader
Very cool. On a side note, if you decide your sink, or the other metal pans, are too metallic sounding you can spray the undersides with rubberized undercoating to deaden the noise. This is what's on the bottom of regular sinks; when I did tile work for a bit, the guy I worked for put extra coating on most sinks that the customer bought so it'd be quieter (made them happier). Just spray it outside and give it a couple of days to offgas. Truck bed liner works too, but not quite as well although it dries harder. You can also slap some sound deadener mat on it if you don't want to spray it.

Thanks, Robert; I appreciate the recommendation.

I've not had much of an issue, and I'm going to bet it's because all the edges of the metal pans/sink rest on the carpet that Paul laid down first. I think that's keeping the noise down over what it would be with a harder "countertop." (There's also the fact that the sink is so shallow that you don't much crank up the water flow, lest it go everywhere.)
 
Thanks Mike and Paul for sharing this! I have added Pauls web site to my favorites. His work is very creative, practicle, simple and artsy. I hope to create a new sleep platform/kitchen for the rear of my Tacoma this Fall and will use Pauls design ideas for inspiration.

Mike
 

mhiscox

Expedition Leader
More Fine Tuning of the LX Stealth Camper . . .

Entrepreneurism abhors a vacuum, so there's an Australian firm called Shevron that makes a product called Window Sox. A Window Sox is sort of a mesh envelope--three sides closed, one open--that cuts a lot of the light, would keep out all insects and would permit some airflow. They make versions that fit over the second row windows of a variety of vehicles, one of which, happily, is the Hundred Series Toyota. It takes no time to slip them over the window frame and then you can easily have the second row windows down for ventilation with no bugs and a little more privacy.

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They have elastic all the way around the bottom and fit pretty tight, so I don't plan on using the supplied Velcro hooks strips that you can mount to the truck and use to attached the loop strip on each of two little "straps" attached to the bottom edge of each Sox.


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Note the difference between the light getting in the second row and the third row window to the right.


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The mesh is pretty tight. I don't know that it'll flow air all that well, but the tradeoff is that it'll help darkness and privacy and it looks to be no-see-um proof (especially given that there are two layers).

Of course, they do nothing to block off the windshield, sunroof, front windows, hinged third row windows or tailgate hatch, so they're nothing like a comprehensive solution. As I would guess is true for most every buyer, I got them to have a good quick way to have some windows open without having a big open holes in the truck. It looks like they'll work well for that.

The U.S. information is at windowsox.net. There's probably no need to post up that it'd be pretty simple to make these yourself, since that's kind of obvious. But you would have to corral some black mesh, some black elastic tape and someone with enough talent to cut and sew everything to your specifications. If you have no more talent at sewing than I do, the $55/pair (including reasonably quick shipping from Oz) was plausible.
 

nahtnoj

New member
I'd be fascinated to see a wiring schematic or a parts list for the electronics. Want to put a similar set-up into a conversion van.
 

RMP&O

Expedition Leader
I like your build. I did one similar but in a smaller space, back of a short bed Tacoma. And mine was nowhere near as well built as yours. I may steal some of your ideas for my next overland platform, inside an FJ62!

Cheers
 

mhiscox

Expedition Leader
I may steal some of your ideas for my next overland platform, inside an FJ62!
"Good artists copy; great artists steal," as Picasso said. Have at any of the ideas. Everything's working as expected, and the setup might prove just as useful in an FJ62. Newer vehicle or older, it's pretty cool that no one know you're driving around a comfy camper unit.
 

grimbo

Explorer
great build, awesome quality as usual and everything has its place and use with no extra "stuff"

I'm amazed those window sox are such a novelty, they are such a great idea, every second vehicle it seems have them down here. My GU patrol has them on the 2nd doors and I also have them on the rear barn doors. A standard one fits on the large door and on the small door I just use a safety pin to cinch it in to fit. Have also grabbed a couple of older ones and trimmed them to size and attached via velcro to the back windows.
 

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