Land Rover ideas for Jeeps

[jscherb]

Another idea for Gladiator people who might want to sleep in their truck bed:

Just one problem, the Gladiator bed is so short; I guess you'd have to sleep with the tailgate down for extra length. Or maybe just the kids could sleep there.

Wouldn' t be difficult to build a frame for a canopy like this and sew the canopy and mosquito net for a Gladiator.

 

[Jurfie]

The top left photo above shows a repurposed fuel filler bezel with air and water connections. It's also visible in the first photo in this post.

The drawers/power outlets could be done in a Gladiator; and what about repurposing a fuel filler bezel the same way on a Wrangler? I took a quick photo of my dirty JKU and did a little photo editing - driver's side on the left, edited passenger side on the right... I didn't put any connections in the edited bezel, I'll leave those to your imagination:

Wouldn't be hard to mod a fuel filler bezel like this and for protection an aftermarket fuel filler door could be added. Would be an OEM-looking way to add outside connections to a Wrangler.

I like this idea for adding an air compressor chuck and pressure gauge, similar to the cowl mounted version from the Wayout concept. Could even add one of those OEM or aftermarket fuel filler doors to keep everything hidden away and clean.

 

[Mules]

Here's a jeep set up like Land Rover Conversions. Most of the ideas are coming from European Land Rover pop tops.

 

[jscherb]

Looks like an interesting work-in-progress. It appears that they cut the factory half cab back wall off, moved it to the rear of the pickup bed, and joined the two halves with panels.

As for the structure on top, it's not clear exactly what the end result of that will be, but it looks like if could have been constructed with TrailTop parts. I've done several projects with TrailTop parts...

This camper top and pop-up lid are framed with TrailTop parts and the panels are 1/4" plywood:

The work-in-progress photo of this Jeep-tub teardtop shows the use of TrailTop framing. Panels of 1/4" plywood were later installed:

A sampling of TrailTop framing parts:

 

[Mules]

Looks like an interesting work-in-progress. It appears that they cut the factory half cab back wall off, moved it to the rear of the pickup bed, and joined the two halves with panels.

As for the structure on top, it's not clear exactly what the end result of that will be, but it looks like if could have been constructed with TrailTop parts. I've done several projects with TrailTop parts...

This camper top and pop-up lid are framed with TrailTop parts and the panels are 1/4" plywood:

The work-in-progress photo of this Jeep-tub teardtop shows the use of TrailTop framing. Panels of 1/4" plywood were later installed:

A sampling of TrailTop framing parts:

Trail Top would have saved me a lot of work making the parts myself. Where were you when I needed you My approach was a bit more eclectic. Check out my build thread.

Gladiator Pop-Up Pass Through Camper Build

expeditionportal.com

 

[Mules]

Here's the end result I'm going for. It's a pop top where you can sleep upstairs or down.

 

[jscherb]

In the January 2022 issue of Land Rover Owner this item is in the "Stuff: Latest Products for your Land Rover" section:

These are manufactured in China (no surprise) and a number of retailers offer them. In the U.S., Auxbeam is one such retailer. Auxbeam often sends me things to test and review, and a while back I did a review of their 8-gang switch panel: https://www.expeditionportal.com/fo...ch-accessory-power-panel.206225/#post-2640852

And more recently they sent me a 6-gang version: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...factory-hardtops.127687/page-322#post-2942757

They're not very expensive and work pretty well.

 

[jscherb]

I'm on Auxbeam's email list and coincidentally they just sent an email about a new version switch panel with Bluetooth control:

More info here: https://auxbeam.com/products/qp008526

They say they're sending me one of these new ones for testing. When it arrives I'll test it and post a review. Might be a while because these are so new they haven't arrived in the U.S. yet, they'll be sending it to me from China.

 

[jscherb]

Back in October I did a few posts about cargo nets from Rock n Road (https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/land-rover-ideas-for-jeeps.218029/page-66#post-2968689), ones for roof racks, bonnets (hood in U.S. English) and other locations on Land Rovers. In the January 2022 issue of Land Rover Owner, editor John Pearson writes about a bespoke ("custom" in U.S. English) net he had Rock n Road make for him; it's an overhead luggage net.

He's got "lock 'n' load fixing" (as he calls it) already mounted inside the roof of his Defender, so he had the custom net made with those attachments:

In use, he says "it's really useful for stashing lightweight items like jackets, waterproofs and bedding".

The postings I did in October inspired me to DIY a similar net (https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...fit-this-custom-lj.46300/page-62#post-2973659), but I used ratchet straps instead of the "fixings" he used.

Like his, mine has mesh so smaller items can be stored up there:

Unlike his, I was able to store heavier items like my half door uppers up there because the ratchet straps can really put a good amount of tension on the webbing.

According to John, the Rock n Road nets start at 225 GBP ($300), but if you can do some simple sewing you can make one like mine for just over $20.

DIY instructions for the net I made are at the link above.

 

[jscherb]

From the November issue of Land Rover Owner:

I'd like to see that operation in action.

 

[pith helmet]

Land sail. That would be fun to drive across Kansas.

 

[akpostal]

That'll Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when the Chinooks kick up.

 

[jscherb]

The cover story of the January issue of Land Rover Monthly is this Defender 90:

I'd like to do a soft top like that for a JK/JKU. There is a similar soft top for the LJ (https://www.americanconvoy.com/) and Greg's done an outstanding job on it, but unfortunately it's not very available (the web site say they're expected to be available again in late 2022). But nothing like it for the TJ, JK/JKU or JL/JLU.

Another interesting thing about this Land Rover is the woodwork.

Airline track for securing loads:

A drawer under the wooden floor:

The irregularly shaped Wrangler inner fenders would complicate a tub interior like that but it would be possible to do something similar with some creative woodworking. Or at the very least a really nice floor panel with airline tracks like the photo above - making plywood floor panels for Wranglers and painting them black is pretty common, how about someone doing a really nicely woodworked and finished floor panel like the one in this Land Rover?

Wood interiors for Land Rovers might be becoming a trend, here's one I saw at SEMA this year: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/land-rover-ideas-for-jeeps.218029/page-66#post-2971525

I use wood a lot to make Jeep body parts, but only for mold masters for making molds and then making the parts in fiberglass. I've never done wooden parts to actually use in a Jeep.

One more idea from the article - real leather wraps for things like the grab bar:

That actually was a Jeep idea - the Laredo package of the CJ-7/CJ-8 had a leather wrapped grab bar. They're highly sought after these days and there are also multiple places that will re-wrap an old one in new leather for you. When I built a new dash for my CJ-8 years ago I replaced the chrome grab bar with an original leather one:

I think it would be nice to have custom leather wraps for TJ and JKU grab bars and other interior parts. Maybe they do exist, I haven't looked very hard. Maybe I'll make some.

 

[pith helmet]

I love that soft top and the square cage of the Defender.

 

[givemethewillys]

The cover story of the January issue of Land Rover Monthly is this Defender 90:

I'd like to do a soft top like that for a JK/JKU. There is a similar soft top for the LJ (https://www.americanconvoy.com/) and Greg's done an outstanding job on it, but unfortunately it's not very available (the web site say they're expected to be available again in late 2022). But nothing like it for the TJ, JK/JKU or JL/JLU.

Another interesting thing about this Land Rover is the woodwork.

Airline track for securing loads:

A drawer under the wooden floor:

The irregularly shaped Wrangler inner fenders would complicate a tub interior like that but it would be possible to do something similar with some creative woodworking. Or at the very least a really nice floor panel with airline tracks like the photo above - making plywood floor panels for Wranglers and painting them black is pretty common, how about someone doing a really nicely woodworked and finished floor panel like the one in this Land Rover?

Wood interiors for Land Rovers might be becoming a trend, here's one I saw at SEMA this year: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/land-rover-ideas-for-jeeps.218029/page-66#post-2971525

I use wood a lot to make Jeep body parts, but only for mold masters for making molds and then making the parts in fiberglass. I've never done wooden parts to actually use in a Jeep.

One more idea from the article - real leather wraps for things like the grab bar:

That actually was a Jeep idea - the Laredo package of the CJ-7/CJ-8 had a leather wrapped grab bar. They're highly sought after these days and there are also multiple places that will re-wrap an old one in new leather for you. When I built a new dash for my CJ-8 years ago I replaced the chrome grab bar with an original leather one:

I think it would be nice to have custom leather wraps for TJ and JKU grab bars and other interior parts. Maybe they do exist, I haven't looked very hard. Maybe I'll make some.

This gives me some great ideas for my Willys rebuild! Woodworking is a hobby of mine, so would love to incorporate a modular setup like the back of that defender into my camping lload out!

Also, I now need a leather wrapped grab bar....