ExploringNH
Explorer
I wanted a better profile for final finishing. The first one was done by hand and although it is good enough, I wanted perfect. Onto the CNC we go. This also opens up the possibility of an aluminum top instead of fiberglass.
ExploringNH's 2000 Ford Excursion build
- Thread starter ExploringNH
- Start date
Oh? This is starting to get good.
. Have you decided if you will open up the entire area under the cover or just a portion? If you do go Aluminum, are you thinking of putting another rack up there?
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ExploringNH
Explorer
Oh? This is starting to get good.. Have you decided if you will open up the entire area under the cover or just a portion? If you do go Aluminum, are you thinking of putting another rack up there?
The opening will be 7' x 4', almost exactly. The fiberglass top/cover is 8' x 54".
I have been thinking about the rack. I do need a place to mount my lightbar and ideally I would want to keep my awning. Both of these require some sort of mount. I thought of a rail running around the outside edge of the whole truck to protect the top and provide mounting solutions but there isn't much room to work with as I wanted the opening to be as large as possible without sacrificing any structural integrity. I could easily reinforce the pop-top enough to handle some Thule or Yakima bars but then you would have the added weight of trying to lift whatever is on the roof. Right now the struts are engineered for an easy assisted lift. If you add more weight, you need to physically lift that weight whenever you pop the top. I'm still figuring out what I will do, but it is possible to mount the awning and light bar using existing options on the market. They may not be my perfect choice, but they work well. The last thing to deal with is leaving the pop-top vulnerable when off road. For this I will reinforce the vulnerable edges to handle the load it will see, which won't add any real weight penalty.
ExploringNH
Explorer
Petrolburner
Explorer
Nice work.
ExploringNH
Explorer
I've been too busy getting rid of all this snow that I haven't really touched the truck. I am behind in other stuff because I keep having to clear snow! I did get a chance to get out into the woods last week and gave the V10 a workout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuUq7nYoWa8
Thanks. I am sure we will meet up here at some point.
Thanks!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuUq7nYoWa8
Thanks. I am sure we will meet up here at some point.
Thanks!
Randomly happened on this thread and have combed it a bit. Cool project. You mention being concerned with lost head room a few times and I see you are using a home mattress. I think you could get away with a much thinner setup. For example I use an area rug, overlain with a very lightweight thin (~0.5") inflatable backpacking mattresses (his and hers) then a 1.5" memory foam mattress topper. Very comfortable and under 3" thick. Added bonus, in the southwest anyway, is single handedly rolling it all up move it outside on nice nights with private campsites.
Anyway, just an idea as that mattress seems huge, and likely adds a lot of weight.
Anyway, just an idea as that mattress seems huge, and likely adds a lot of weight.
ExploringNH
Explorer
I haven't had much of a chance to do anything to the truck recently. I hit up Winter Romp last weekend for some fun. Besides that, I've been clearing snow for weeks.
I've used a bunch of combinations. My 4Runner had a futon mattress in it that worked but it was very heavy and not all that comfortable. My RTT on the Defender had the factory 3" foam mattress that was pretty miserable. I added a self-inflating sleeping pad underneath it which helped out substantially but it still wasn't great. A day or two at a time was fine but a week of sleeping in it wasn't the best. I used some pads and a 3" foam mattress topper in my D2 which was about the same as the RTT. This mattress is a 6" memory foam and is SUPER comfortable. It weighs 35lbs. I LOVE it. It is about as comfortable as sleeping at home. I know it would be an easy way to gain back a few inches of space but I can't give up the comfort.
I've used a bunch of combinations. My 4Runner had a futon mattress in it that worked but it was very heavy and not all that comfortable. My RTT on the Defender had the factory 3" foam mattress that was pretty miserable. I added a self-inflating sleeping pad underneath it which helped out substantially but it still wasn't great. A day or two at a time was fine but a week of sleeping in it wasn't the best. I used some pads and a 3" foam mattress topper in my D2 which was about the same as the RTT. This mattress is a 6" memory foam and is SUPER comfortable. It weighs 35lbs. I LOVE it. It is about as comfortable as sleeping at home. I know it would be an easy way to gain back a few inches of space but I can't give up the comfort.
DividingCreek
Explorer
I was on that trail Saturday night when you went up the bypass and recovered Mike's stuck 110 with the frozen winch. We were about 100 yards apart on the trail coming out but the three feet of snow and zero degree temps kept me from walking back and saying hello. Hats off to you for taking a full size back in there. I left my crew cab f250 parked @ Bruce's house.
ExploringNH
Explorer
So those were your tail lights I was looking at down the trail. :sombrero: It would have been nice to say hello, but I was in the same position with the snow. I had already walked too much, haha. I should have brought snowshoes.
That side trail was...interesting. We ended up going up that side trail with the ice wall or whatever it is called. The 110 was stuck in the hole so we couldn't get through. There was an unbroken side trail that dropped off down, around, and back up the other side of the hole so we put the Excursion through that way and came up around him to winch him up. After that we spent quite a while winching him through the top section. The 110 did well but it was simply too small for those big ruts up top. There is some video of it here, from the 110 guys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhMuyklBIr8
I feel bad that I didn't lend more of a hand to the 110 guys getting through that last section of trail. For the majority of it, they ran cable and I sat in my truck and pushed the buttons and ate snacks. I was tired and hungry!
DividingCreek
Explorer
Same here except we were drinking a bottle of Laphroaig that was chilled to sub 5 degree's in the back of a 90. After 11 hours on that trail my feet were freezing. I'll say this for the ford super duty's, the heater works way better than any land rover I have owned.
AA1PR
Disabled Explorer
Hopefully & I spotted our rig in this months issue of outdoorX4 issue #7
that trip looked like a blast
Hawaiian Diesel
New member
Wow! Just ran across this thread. Awesome build!
I have a couple of questions. What type of tubing, and size did you use to fab the roof rack? I like the low profile setup.A lot of beach and fishing camping here. Sleeping in the Ex would be a plus, but where to put the bulky items is an issue. I have a Yakima rocket box that I would mount on the rack for smaller "stuff'.
We had 6 inches of snow last week on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. We've loaded the F350 in the morning with snow on a past trip and actually built a snow man on the Beach that afternoon!
I have a couple of questions. What type of tubing, and size did you use to fab the roof rack? I like the low profile setup.A lot of beach and fishing camping here. Sleeping in the Ex would be a plus, but where to put the bulky items is an issue. I have a Yakima rocket box that I would mount on the rack for smaller "stuff'.
We had 6 inches of snow last week on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. We've loaded the F350 in the morning with snow on a past trip and actually built a snow man on the Beach that afternoon!