110 Expedition/camper

[MOB993]

Hi folks I'm New here so go easy with me. I bought an 89 Land rover 110 and soon will be converting it initially into a basic camper to get using it and then im gonna upgrade from there. It needs some tidying up but is just the project I was looking for.

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[inmicio]

Here in Italy a guy wrote some interesting notes about is 110 hardtop: here is the link, I hope it will give you some ideas (maybe some google translation needed )
http://www.ilmiodefender.altervista.org/index2.html


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[wuntenn]

Good luck! My van is a 1989 110 Hard Top too. You've got loads of scope with that - enjoy!

 

[TeriAnn]

There is no information as to what country you are in. Have you considered buying a Dormobile lifting roof for your 100? It would give you just under 8 feet of head space and a place to mount up to two top bunks. A 110 two door is a good place too start building an expedition style rig.

 

[MOB993]

I'm in Ireland. Not interested in dormobile or the German units available. I'm considering this

Habitat1: http://youtu.be/6TTT1GoAcOY

But using the roof to flip and when closed it will look standard. That or else this

Land Rover Defender Pop Top Camper Style Conversi…: http://youtu.be/y4fIhtx1KME

Either or.. I will see.

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[wuntenn]

For use in Ireland Option 1 might be a bit exposed. They only describe it as 'water-resistent' not waterproof.

And Option 2? Well loads of people point to that video but I have NEVER seen the finished roof anywhere online. It may be floating about but I've not seen it in loads of research.

It has several 'issues' that put me off in deciding what I'd do to my own 110. The first is that it's barely long enough to sleep in the raised section - by the time you fit seals and canvas, struts etc you'll definitely have less than 72" - if you're only 5' 4'' or so that might be ok, but it wasn't for me.

Then the height - you can only go as high again as the height of the sides unless you devise some form of telescoping nesting support system - yes you can stand in twice the side-height but you'll struggle to get onto the sleeping platform if it's in the raised section. And third, the bar across the back door is something you will forever curse as you whack your head and/or shoulders on it EVERY time you get in or out. Don't underestimate the restriction to entry caused by that apparently simple bar across - you're losing a substantial proportion of your entry area.

Add in the four canvas sides and where they go, the seal required across the roof where the front joins the back, and the other complications raised by preventing water ingress and it becomes less practical for our climate. Ok for desert use though!

I discounted all these options and went for the hinged-at-front lifting roof - which gives good standing room (lengthwise) from the back door to the point where the roof-over-cab slopes down (6' linear), plenty of room to climb up onto the raised sleeping platform and still be able to easily sit upright, with a full 7' of sleeping length, is easier to seal at sides, and easier to mechanically lift via struts using the fixed pivot at front in the form of the hinge.

 

[the wasp]

Look in France,near Lyon,you have RRConcept
http://www.rrconcept.com/V2/toit-relevable-defender.html
2 vidéos inside

 

[MOB993]

Yes option 1 is basically a tent which to me defeats the purpose of the build in one sense but provides great space. Great in a warm climate but useless here at home in wet and miserable Ireland. Option 2 if it had rigid sides it would be better. I have only been able to skim through your thread but your idea of the add in sides is probably the solution.
I have actually contacted rugged guide to see the more of that actual roof but heard nothing.
Someone here recently bought a 110 with this type of pop up roof and I have asked for more pics.
The main thing for me with doing a lift up roof is for it to look standard when packed away. I don't want it to look different. That's why these two options appeal to me.

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[wuntenn]

For your purposes this is what you need (still fabric sides though:

 

[TeriAnn]

Land Rover Defender Pop Top Camper Style Conversi…: http://youtu.be/y4fIhtx1KME

Years back I saw a 109 with this type of roof. It saw duty as a mobile dentist office in Latin America and had a dentist chair in the middle back area. The builder had placed a hydraulic ram at each of the four corners. It was raised by a hand pump that pumped fluid into the rams from a reservoir. When it was lifted a latch locked at each corner.

The manual lift version in the video looks like it would take 2 people to raise.

 

[MOB993]

Thanks wuntenn for the vid. I think I seen it before. And teriann I think you could be right about the weight. Maybe some gas struts could help. Literally just after having a brain wave. I will try show my idea.

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[MOB993]

Here is something I just whipped up..ok I lie I seen it and had it saved on the laptop for future reference but I didn't like the idea of lifting the entire roof because i didnt want the fabric sides/front in the driving compartment above my head especially when wet etc. But if i went with this idea and allowed the fabric sides to be removable it would solve that problem. A simple zip in piece around the entire perimeter and this would allow more room and retain the standard look..
There would have to be a small section of fabric fixed to the vehicles perimeter (one on the top and one on the bottom) which would contain one half of the zip or maybe use two zips to overlap the joint.
To lift I would probably need some sort of mechanical aid, gas strut or hydraulic.
With the above idea i could use the space above the front seats as sleeping and it would free up space in the back, height wise.

 

[MOB993]

Here is what I imagine I could do to seal the 110 with roof up and down. I think that this would be fairly waterproof when the roof is lifted and should be near 100% when the roof is lowered. I think that if the fabric sides were removable and could be zipped in or out then I can leave the fabric sides at home when not needed and install before or during a trip, could also not put them in at all if the weather is that good (highly unlikely!)

My idea was to place a thin flat rubber seal around the perimeter of both the roof and the sides/front/rear and this was to be held in place with a thin strip of aluminium bolted to the sides/roof. The flat rubber seal would protrude into the vehicle and provide the means to attach a short strip of the fabric(the same as the fabric used on the sides of the pop top) and this strip of fabric would have two zippers one above the other so as to have a seal (of sorts) in the fabric sides.

A light frame would have to be attached to the inside of the roof and this would be mounted onto 4 telescopic uprights that can be secured in both the elevated and lowered position. A simple tube inside a tube would suffice for the uprights.

To aid lifting the roof gas struts could be added, using hydraulics or motors is too expensive and fiddly.

To secure the roof when lowered i will use a catch similar to the second image (copied from wuntenn's thread), this along with securing the vertical post should keep the roof good and secure.

To deal with the issue of the raised section of roof over the rear door I can add a door in the fabric sides and this will allow a full length doorway into the 110. This would save ducking while getting in and out.

So folks please critique my idea and let me know what will/won't work etc.. I'm putting it out there to hear from those more knowledgeable than myself..



http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=195291&d=1383831873

 

[wuntenn]

Can't see why it wont work if you're careful.

You'll still need something to brace the back door top though as when it's lifted there's nothing in the gap at the top so you'd have to fabricate something to fill that. Sides and rear are likely ok, but my main concern would be the bit above the windscreen - that curve and its proximity to the glass is going to be a real pain to fasten stuff to, and ensure is sealed. But it might be fine if you're clever! That was the section of van I was most anxious to avoid fiddling with!

I really like the folding rubber gasket lying flat when down and pulled upright and folded when engaged with the zip. Bear in mind your drawing is not strictly accurate - the gutter is offset from the lower section, sticking out from the side of the vehicle ie not aligned one above the other.

Whilst you have your van in its 'raw' state you might find whacking the roof off and sitting contemplating it is useful.

PS - other caveat is that the thickness of fastenings can add considerable complexity, so your alloy strips in the joint might require to have threaded rod welded to the back of them so nothing protrudes above the alloy bar surface (if you know what I mean?)

 

[MOB993]

I will draw something up show what I plan to do at the back door.
Regarding the front at the windscreen. The strip of metal and the rubber seal should simply follow the edge. The seal and metal is basically inserted in between the roof and sides.
I was gona show counter sunk bolts in the diagram but didn't want to clutter it. If counter sunk it would be much easier than welding threaded bar.
I forgot that the roof gutter sticks out but that shouldn't matter I think. Will be taking the roof off to get it painted shortly anyways.

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