The Dakar Car

[TexasTJ]

Mopar Concept 2008

 

[Calin.Macrinici]

A few more thoughts...

I think the JK 4-door is just about the largest vehicle I would want to try to use. The wheelbase is just a tad long, but the belly can be made relatively smooth. The approach and departure angles are great compared to most vehicles of the same wheelbase class.
...
I want a simple utilitarian vehicle.....

An LJ with AEV's Brute frame extension; don't use their box, instead insert body panels to bridge the gap between the exiting front and the moved back rear. Top made to order from Gr8Tops based on their yet to be released Safari cab (taller, better looking, replace driver side window with a storage box that opens to the outside), barn door already available... I believe it fits the "simple utilitarian vehicle" profile better than a JK, no?

 

[Metcalf]

An LJ with AEV's Brute frame extension; don't use their box, instead insert body panels to bridge the gap between the exiting front and the moved back rear. Top made to order from Gr8Tops based on their yet to be released Safari cab (taller, better looking, replace driver side window with a storage box that opens to the outside), barn door already available... I believe it fits the "simple utilitarian vehicle" profile better than a JK, no?

Sounds good. The Brute frame extension is around 24? That would be about the same wheelbase as the T1 military version of the TJ.

 

[Calin.Macrinici]

Sounds good. The Brute frame extension is around 24? That would be about the same wheelbase as the T1 military version of the TJ.

Actually a tad more than that -- the more or less 103" of the LJ plus the 24" of the brute would bring it up to more than the wheelbase of the T1, which IIRC is more like the JK, around 116", right? The Brute extension on an LJ would be something like 10" more than that. You can customize the final length by cutting more or less of the LJs frame, but that wheelbase (around 125") seems like the right combo between maneuverability and total vehicle size. Sleeping in the back wouldn't seem like a chore anymore

 

[Metcalf]

I think the 116" of the 4-door JK is pretty long.......

 

[postalWagon]

I think that there is to much bumper on a JK

 

[drgnhrt1979]

The pumkin has to go somewhere. While I like the concept, that added 7" of clearance has to go somewhere. You might be able to effectively lower the suspension 1-2" but anything beyond that and your going to have issues. So that means that your going to have to add a lot of 'lift' to the suspension to get them to fit. The same thing basically goes for portal axles.

For me, I find that an increase in tire size has more to do about flotation and traction rather than a ground clearance increase.

I think a simple straight axle does great 99% of the time with the proper suspension. What I DON'T like about most modern axles is that lack of field serviceable components. Yes, a unit bearing generally lasts a long long time, but what if you get into a situation where you HAVE to service the wheel bearings? You can carry a spare unit-bearing sure, but I think serviceable/rebuildable/replaceable parts, that are not unit assemblies, are better.

Drop out 3rd members are great also. Its much nicer to be able to drop the 3rd member and work on gear setup on the tailgate or a table then under the vehicle.

Full floating rear axles. Its REALLY nice to combine this with the removable 3rd member. Being able to pull the axle shafts AND 3rd member in the rear without so much as a jack is a REALLY overlooked bonus if something where to go wrong with the rear axle.

How about real locking hubs.....yes please.

I will have to look it up when I am home, but what is is that makes portal axles so much better... I am still green and wet behind the ears when it come to axles and axle mods and up grades, I understand the basics, but dont understand the details behind the different ones.

 

[Metcalf]

Portal axles basically do the same thing as the Atomic axle. They raise the diff up out of the way giving more ground clearance. You get a few other good/bad things like additional gearing in the portal gear box, the ability to easily add CTIS through the lower axle/gear, etc.

 

[jeepdreamer]

Or.....

To much? heehee...

 

[Metcalf]

I think that there is to much bumper on a JK

Front? Rear? Both?

 

[haven]

How about this vehicle, a Dakar-prepared Lexus 570 / Land Cruiser 200

What's not to like in a Brute plus camper?

Or Mario Donovan's Jeep with Flip-Pac

Or this custom Toyota with Chevrolet V8

Sooner or later, Jeep has to build this vehicle

 

[Metcalf]

Basically...Take my dodge and shoot it with a shrink ray to make it about 3/4 the size......

What I want is something that isn't really a camper and isn't really a rock-crawler. Big enough to sleep inside ( hard side, no setup time or conversion, good for stealth camping ) but small enough and capable enough to do more challenging trails than you would normally do in a 'camper'.

I think the 4-door JK is about this size, but I don't like the 4-door JK.....maybe make it a 2-door long wheelbase like the J8

All the vehicles above are soft sided pop ups ( the campers ). I don't really think that is the best option after being in a 50mph wind storm in Moab last week. I think you could probably sleep inside some of those with the top down, but then your trying to fight two different concepts in the design.

Yes, I am picky.....

 

[Calin.Macrinici]

Basically...Take my dodge and shoot it with a shrink ray to make it about 3/4 the size......

What I want is something that isn't really a camper and isn't really a rock-crawler. Big enough to sleep inside ( hard side, no setup time or conversion, good for stealth camping ) but small enough and capable enough to do more challenging trails than you would normally do in a 'camper'.

I think the 4-door JK is about this size, but I don't like the 4-door JK.....maybe make it a 2-door long wheelbase like the J8

All the vehicles above are soft sided pop ups ( the campers ). I don't really think that is the best option after being in a 50mph wind storm in Moab last week. I think you could probably sleep inside some of those with the top down, but then your trying to fight two different concepts in the design.

Yes, I am picky.....

I know what you mean about the soft sides, it gives me pause on many occasions. However, the Jeep (in any incarnation, including the ActionCamper) is too small a vehicle to achieve what you want in a clean fashion (i.e. a longer trip like Dan's without going insane or harboring murderous thoughts towards your partner) without the soft sides. There is an FJ floating around that has a hard sided pop up, I believe that is one of the coolest designs I have seen for this size of vehicle. Still a bit on a cramped side (see, my Brutified LJ with an 125" wheelbase and a hard sided pop up behind the front seats like that FJ but long enough to be able to sleep in doesn't look that long after all, does it? ).
On the other hand the JK FlipPac from AT (or even the J30 pop up from Ursa Minor) with the kitchen/fridge/storage inside and the sleep up top does look good. Put the water storage behind the front seats like they did and all of a sudden you don't need the rear door anymore. How about a 3 door jeep (plus tailgate) that actually keeps one of the rear doors in place, like the minivans of the past? I.e. remove the driver side door (put the water implements there behind the driver's seat, tank, heater, pump, etc, add the slide for the fridge/stove from AT behind that so that there's no reason to gain access from that side), keep the passenger side rear door either for access to your gear or to climb up into the FlipPac? That would give you a full half of the JK's rear length for storage, accessible from the rear or side, with the ability of putting a removable shelf on top of everything to ensure good sleeping position for two.

 

[Metcalf]

I tend to agree with that BUT, I just try and think about my friends the Uptons.....they did a round the world trip in a CJ5, went through the Darian Gap, and slept INSIDE the jeep most of the time on the road. Great story if you not familiar with the expedition.....

http://www.outbackofbeyond.com/world.htm

Loren is about 6'3" tall and Patty is about 5'10" tall, they could BOTH sleep on the inside of a CJ5!

If they can do it in that small of a vehicle, I would like to think I could do it in a very SPACIOUS 4-door JK type vehicle.......

I really dig the tip up soft side campers, but I think that most of the time you have to make BIG trade offs to get one to also function with the top down. I would rather go lighter/simpler/smaller/cheaper and stay in a motel or lodge once and a while. I think to keep the misses happy on long trips I would have to do that anyways. I also don't think the soft side campers are a good solution for snow, ice, or high winds. I really want to have a functional 4-season micro camper inside the back of a 4-door JK sized vehicle that can be combined with my love for technical 'wheeling, fun in the sand, go-faster desert type 'baja' terrain, road trips, or whatever.

White elephant I know.....

 

[Clutch]

I think the 4-door JK is about this size, but I don't like the 4-door JK....

.

Because of the looks?

I would think the utility of the 4 Door would trump a 2 door long wheel base....so much easier to access gear from an extra set of doors...than from the rear, unless you put a set of windoors in the topper...

I had a 85 4Runner....drove me nuts trying to get the gear that was right behind the front seats...now have Trooper with 4 Doors....love the access, plus can haul extra people easily...