Overland Hadley
on a journey
Before today I did not like those steps, but then I had an idea and changed my mind. Where did you get them from?
And any info on the rear step?
EarthRoamer XV-JP "Northwest Edition"
- Thread starter WhereTheHellIsJames?
- Start date
Before today I did not like those steps, but then I had an idea and changed my mind. Where did you get them from?
And any info on the rear step?
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
You are correct, sir, and Paul, king of the drawer slides, gets full credit for that one. I share your sense that having the bed tucked into the nose cone is what's taken it from a decent to an optimal layout.
Or this puppy will drive over to see you.
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mhiscox
Expedition Leader
I'll get you that information; I'm sure that I can retrieve the source.
At first, I wasn't crazy about the steps either, but they are perfect at making the trip to the roof safe and secure and I wouldn't want to be trying to do roof rack stuff standing on anything less. So now I've become very pleased with them as a "form follows function" item.
suntinez
Explorer
... with Paul at the controls, final completion of the vehicle is, relatively speaking, just around the corner.
So great to see such a talented hand involved in this! It's looking great Mike and I'm sure the results will be spectacular
PaulJensen
Custom Builder
Five...
(above) Time to open the garage door and make the world a better place…
(above) First on my list today, to create access to the free space under the bench over the wheel-well…
(above) Bench-top ready for cutting…
(above) Yeah, like that…
(above) That brown panel, that is the pattern for a cushion that will have a rigid panel on one side and soft foam/fabric on the other…The size will be close to 30 x 37 and fit within the bed pull out when not needed as a seat back…
(above) In place, in front of the window…I need to fine tune this a bit before I’m 100% committed to it…It is one option, and options are good…
(above) The other idea is to have a back panel fit over here…You can stretch out and get views through the side and rear windows…Again, the panel would be rigid / soft, and store in the nose cone…This option seems better for relaxing, and the slope of the ceiling feels balanced with the seating position…I like the extended sight lines and a better use of natural light…Plus you can reach down, pull out the fridge and grab a refreshment, then another, and another…
(above) As part of the mock-up /clarifying the scope of work, I un-hitched the Inverter and mounted it to the rear panel under the seat…
(above) It fits…Barely…
(above) My method of keeping things understandable…Label and clearly photograph…
(above) The Fuse Box will fit here…Barely…
(above) Plenty of depth, but the height was tight…
(above) “That’s the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh uh-huh…”
(above) Finally I drilled out a hole for the Battery Monitor…
(above) By moving these here, then relocating the Blue and Grey Water Monitors to near the sink/roll-bar, then finding a better location for the Heater Control Knob, it completely opens up the space behind the sink for drawers and pull-outs…It is pretty amazing how much stuff fits in here…Neil Armstrong would be right at home in here, and probably be a bit more than jealous…
(above) The final challenge today is to relocate the finger size cables over to the new location…First I cut out the fiberglass floor for better access, Lord knows I need it…
(above) I’m so glad that this space was available otherwise these cables would have to routed under the vehicle and there is virtually no easy or even semi-easy way to do it…Underneath is as crammed with bolt-on stuff and cables the to re-route my wires I would have to unbolt some serious equipment…
(above) Even doing it this way was pretty hard to get those big-ol’ wires to feed through…At the end of the day (and week) I feel really good about the design and how I’ll accomplish the build…It was a very good first week…
I hope you are enjoying looking over my shoulder and I really like the comments and suggestions that have come my way…Keep ‘em coming…!!!…
More next week…
(above) Time to open the garage door and make the world a better place…
(above) First on my list today, to create access to the free space under the bench over the wheel-well…
(above) Bench-top ready for cutting…
(above) Yeah, like that…
(above) That brown panel, that is the pattern for a cushion that will have a rigid panel on one side and soft foam/fabric on the other…The size will be close to 30 x 37 and fit within the bed pull out when not needed as a seat back…
(above) In place, in front of the window…I need to fine tune this a bit before I’m 100% committed to it…It is one option, and options are good…
(above) The other idea is to have a back panel fit over here…You can stretch out and get views through the side and rear windows…Again, the panel would be rigid / soft, and store in the nose cone…This option seems better for relaxing, and the slope of the ceiling feels balanced with the seating position…I like the extended sight lines and a better use of natural light…Plus you can reach down, pull out the fridge and grab a refreshment, then another, and another…
(above) As part of the mock-up /clarifying the scope of work, I un-hitched the Inverter and mounted it to the rear panel under the seat…
(above) It fits…Barely…
(above) My method of keeping things understandable…Label and clearly photograph…
(above) The Fuse Box will fit here…Barely…
(above) Plenty of depth, but the height was tight…
(above) “That’s the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh uh-huh…”
(above) Finally I drilled out a hole for the Battery Monitor…
(above) By moving these here, then relocating the Blue and Grey Water Monitors to near the sink/roll-bar, then finding a better location for the Heater Control Knob, it completely opens up the space behind the sink for drawers and pull-outs…It is pretty amazing how much stuff fits in here…Neil Armstrong would be right at home in here, and probably be a bit more than jealous…
(above) The final challenge today is to relocate the finger size cables over to the new location…First I cut out the fiberglass floor for better access, Lord knows I need it…
(above) I’m so glad that this space was available otherwise these cables would have to routed under the vehicle and there is virtually no easy or even semi-easy way to do it…Underneath is as crammed with bolt-on stuff and cables the to re-route my wires I would have to unbolt some serious equipment…
(above) Even doing it this way was pretty hard to get those big-ol’ wires to feed through…At the end of the day (and week) I feel really good about the design and how I’ll accomplish the build…It was a very good first week…
I hope you are enjoying looking over my shoulder and I really like the comments and suggestions that have come my way…Keep ‘em coming…!!!…
More next week…
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
Head to here and take your pick. Obviously, the bigger the footpad, the easier it is to get your foot onto without looking.
http://www.worktruck-outfitters.com/hardware-for-work-trucks-folding-steps-c-21_653.html
That one is easy. It's a Bestop Retractable Tailgate Step, and the good news is that they're easy to come by for about $180. And more good news it that different models just bolt onto the frame of Ford, Chevy/GM, Dodge and Toyota Tundra pickups. The bad news if you have a Jeep, or Tacoma, or Rover, or Lamborghini LM002, or any other not-a-full-size pickup, you'll have some fab work to do getting it placed right and firmly attached. The designs are different across pickups and you may be able to tell from pictures on the web which would make the better starting point; the XV-JP's is a Dodge, IIRC.
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
Thanks for taking a look, Linda. I'm glad you like how it's coming along.So great to see such a talented hand involved in this! It's looking great Mike and I'm sure the results will be spectacular
Overland Hadley
on a journey
Perfect. Thanks for the link.
1leglance
2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
Amazing design ideas Mike and amazing build talent Paul...thanks to both of you for taking us along for the ride.
I really like the side seating setup and I know with my Sportsmobile windows where wonderful things and with the rain you guys have it must be doubly important to have natural light when stuck inside.
Honestly this is one of the few build threads where I find myself going back and studying pics to see how things were done as the ideas are so clean and well setup that I will have to copy a thing or 2
I really like the side seating setup and I know with my Sportsmobile windows where wonderful things and with the rain you guys have it must be doubly important to have natural light when stuck inside.
Honestly this is one of the few build threads where I find myself going back and studying pics to see how things were done as the ideas are so clean and well setup that I will have to copy a thing or 2
Ford Prefect
Expedition Leader
Mike this is great stuff! Thanks for sharing.
I have to ask... If I am not mistaken, I believe you said this rig would only ever sleep one person, so, why not pop out the passenger seat and put the fridge in there? Gives you a nice place where you can grab a coke while driving, and it is not too out of the way when parked. Am I missing something here?
Anyhow, such a wonderful idea with the Drawer Mr. Paul, and the added supports as well seems wise. It really gives the camp space a nice openness that would otherwise be lost or require a hammock setup.
Very cool stuff!
I have to ask... If I am not mistaken, I believe you said this rig would only ever sleep one person, so, why not pop out the passenger seat and put the fridge in there? Gives you a nice place where you can grab a coke while driving, and it is not too out of the way when parked. Am I missing something here?
Anyhow, such a wonderful idea with the Drawer Mr. Paul, and the added supports as well seems wise. It really gives the camp space a nice openness that would otherwise be lost or require a hammock setup.
Very cool stuff!
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
I thought about that a long time, Brian, but in the end I decided that I'd probably regret losing the front seat permanently. I do expect that there'll only be one person sleeping in it, though this plan gives me room to also sleep a child or a large dog (neither of which I have
). But I think there'll be a number of times that I might want to accommodate a passenger, maybe for a day trip or because I want to give a fellow camper a ride into town, or something similar. So I decided that though it would rarely be used, it'd be best to keep the passenger seat available.Before Paul figured out the nose cone bed, I was, as I think you know, considering that the best solution would be some sort of seat that folded down and tumbled forward, like the second row seats in my Hundred. That would have been key in making the lower bench long enough to sleep on. But that's not necessary now.
Ford Prefect
Expedition Leader
Any time you feel the need, you may borrow my small child, either one of them...
Also if you need someone to drive it down to the Expo for you this year, just let me know...
Thanks a lot for your thoughts Mike, it is always great to hear the reasonings that go into various details on vehicles.
Regards,
Also if you need someone to drive it down to the Expo for you this year, just let me know...
Thanks a lot for your thoughts Mike, it is always great to hear the reasonings that go into various details on vehicles.
Regards,
Overland Hadley
on a journey
I feel oddly excited for the work week to have begun, it means we get day six updates.
(Although I notice day five was posted on Saturday, so we might be waiting till tomorrow for the next work day.)
(Although I notice day five was posted on Saturday, so we might be waiting till tomorrow for the next work day.)
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
I feel oddly excited for the work week to have begun, it means we get day six updates.
I'm excited, too. But Paul seems to have a fine life beyond working on my Jeep all the time, so I, too, am expecting we have to wait until tomorrow.
I'll be driving up on Wednesday to work with Paul on whatever design issues remain. Should be a fun day.
Ford Prefect
Expedition Leader
Mike I think you need to update your avatar. Have a photo of the top up, with the new graphics, etc... perhaps?