Land Rover ideas for Jeeps

[mog]

Came across this photo in one of the magazines, hadn't seen a canopy/awning/whatever like it before:

I used a Kelty Backroads (note-the Kelty Sidesroads has fewer features and is cheaper) Easy to set up and very small packed up. Nice mounted to the side or rear, depending on the sun and weather.
Handy to have a rack to attach it to, but if you have a smooth roof you can use these

 

[jscherb]

A few weeks ago I posted about a Disco with built-in storage and a drawer fridge. I said that I thought drawer fridges were worth considering for expedition builds with built-in storage: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/land-rover-ideas-for-jeeps.218029/post-3073863

I got one of Morris 4x4's regular marketing emails today and Dometic fridges were one of the things featured in the email. I noticed that they are now offering drawer fridges. I knew drawer fridges were generally less expensive than top load fridges, but in this email a 30-qt drawer fridge is 2/3 of the price of a 28-qt. top load.

I do think drawer fridges worth considering. If I hadn't gotten the two top-load fridges I have for nothing (Dometic gave them to me for shows and Trail Kitchen design use), I think I might have gone with a drawer fridge.

 

[jscherb]

I came across this product from Stray Systems, an Australian company that does a few accessories for Land Rovers and some other vehicles. They have a very small product line, focused on 4wd vehicles, fishing and hunting. This is part of how they describe themselves:

We have a small, bordering intimate, sample studio in Darwin, Northern Territory where we design, sample, test and iterate. We have enough capacity to do small batch runs, proud of our Australian manufacturing heritage.

One of the products currently on their web site they call a "Dash Pouch". Apparently it's a bag with Velcro on one side that they intent you to stick to your dash, assuming you have a matching Velcro dash pad (which they don't sell). A few photos from the site, these (in a Land Cruiser):

Since they don't sell the Velcro dash cover, I don't know where they expect you to get one but maybe it's a common thing down under, I don't know.

I suppose storage on the dash that stays put might be useful, but I don't know if I'd like my dash covered with Velcro. What do you guys think?

Their web site: https://www.straysystems.com/shop/dash-pouch-a5/

 

[Paddler Ed]

That's a standard (nothing special) dash mat; we have them in both the 80 series and the Commodore ute (Pontiac G8 equivalent I think). They tend to be something that would work as the loop side of the hook and loop fastener

Reading the description it states "Ideal for use with a dash mat, the hook backed pouch stays secure across rough terrain."

They're common for protecting the dashboard from cracking in the UV, and are easy to get hold of at most parts shops.

Online, I can order a whole range of colours for the 70 series I have that needs one:

Dashmats | HAIGH Australia PTY LTD

Hope that helps,

Ed

 

[jscherb]

That's a standard (nothing special) dash mat; we have them in both the 80 series and the Commodore ute (Pontiac G8 equivalent I think). They tend to be something that would work as the loop side of the hook and loop fastener

Reading the description it states "Ideal for use with a dash mat, the hook backed pouch stays secure across rough terrain."

They're common for protecting the dashboard from cracking in the UV, and are easy to get hold of at most parts shops.

Online, I can order a whole range of colours for the 70 series I have that needs one:

Dashmats | HAIGH Australia PTY LTD

Hope that helps,

Ed

Ed,
Thanks for the info and the link. I visited the site and searched for a mat for a JK Wrangler and got this:

The image is for a RHD Wrangler, the flap at the left goes over the airbag area. U.S. readers will have to imagine the image flipped. OK, I'll do it for you...

I couldn't find any info on the site about how they attach - I'm guessing self-adhesive, perhaps with Velcro?

I definitely wouldn't want something so big on my dash, but I don't have any problem with the sun damaging my dash here in upstate NY. But maybe a smaller panel just for the purpose of keeping things from sliding off the dash might be useful.

They'll also customize (sorry, customise) them, I wonder if the mall crawler crowd that installs the color-coordinated door handles and tow hooks would like this:

I've got some large Velcro-compatible loop fabric left over here from when I sewed a custom tire cover for my son's JK 2d - his called his idea the "Patriot Spare Cover" and it had loop fabic for the starfield and MOLLE webbing for the stripes. I had to buy a minimum of a yard and only used a small piece of it for that project so maybe I'll experiment with the rest of the fabric and see if I can come up with a useful dash gear panel for the JK or maybe the TJ.

 

[Paddler Ed]

Combination of sticky hook and loops and gravity; in the Commmodore it's sticky tabs (that have lost most of their sticky) and in the 80 it's gravity and the shape of the dash that hold it in place so it doesn't move (plus any junk on there - wife's glasses case for example).

 

[jscherb]

More about the dash pad idea - as I said I've got a lot of velcro-compatible loop fabric, almost 2 yards (it's called "Boat Blanket": https://www.sailrite.com/Boat-Blanket-Fabric-Black-72):

If I don't come up with a good use for this fabric on the dash I should try to come up with other useful ideas for it.

I did some thinking about what's possible on the JK dash; velcro pads could be mounted as shown in this image:

The pad on the passenger side would have to be attached so that it wouldn't prevent deployment of the air bag so probably would only be able to be secured to the dash at the back of the pad to flip up on airbag deployment, the same way the flap on the Aussie dash pad works.

Not sure if pads like those in the illustration above would truly be useful, I'll have to think about that more and see if I can come up with things that would useful when stuck to the pads. Also the JK dash doesn't really provide any good attachment points other than something adhesive/self-stick and I don't know if that's a good idea either.

More thinking necessary. Your thoughts most welcome.

 

[pith helmet]

I like the idea, but it would get very dirty in any of my vehicles. Guess it's easy enough to remove and vacuum or beat out like a rug.

 

[Zeep]

I knew that this was going to come about! I can't wait to see one for the LJ.
As far as getting dirty, one made of a gray material, would cover up a lot of visible dirt.

 

[jscherb]

I knew that this was going to come about! I can't wait to see one for the LJ.
As far as getting dirty, one made of a gray material, would cover up a lot of visible dirt.

The fabric comes in black, tan and gray. I did the headliners in both the LJ and JKU Safari Cabs in this fabric in gray so I've got a bunch of that on hand too. This is the JKU headliner:

My LJ even has the gray center bezel and instrument panel surround so if I did dash pads for that Jeep in gray they'd look right at home.

I don't think I'll do anything further with this idea until I figure out how these panels could be useful - as in, what would you stick on them? If some ideas come up for things that would be useful when stuck there, that will be a reason to proceed.

 

[Zeep]

My buddy used to have a '05, with that grey center bezel, as well.

 

[jscherb]

In a TJ/LJ velcro dash panels could go something like this:

But the question remains - what would you stick there?

 

[JDaPP]

In a TJ/LJ velcro dash panels could go something like this:

But the question remains - what would you stick there?

I have small bags with Velcro backing meant for first aid kits that I use to put kids snacks in. I stick them to the head rest but on the dash would make life way easier when trying to drive

 

[jscherb]

I have business in the Wilmington, Delaware area today so I had several hours driving time in the JKU this morning to look at the dash. I came up with a way to mount dash pads like the ones in the concept image below with no hardware, no adhesive and an install time that should be measured in seconds. I'll probably make some prototypes for the JKU tomorrow to prove the idea.

Not sure if the same idea will work in the TJ/LJ, I'll have to check that when I get home.

 

[jscherb]

This morning I made a set of velcro dash panels based on the design I came up with on the drive yesterday and it works exactly as I had hoped. They install securely in seconds with no fasteners or adhesive.

I didn't have any pouches with velcro on the back so for a quick test I stuck some self-adhesive velcro to the back of a few pouches.

These could also be made with MOLLE, the basic design would be the same.

I checked the TJ/LJ and panels like these could be made for those Jeeps that would also install with no fasteners or adhesive. Because the dash is totally different from the JK, the attachment design would be different but I've worked out a design that will work just fine with the TJ/LJ dash.

I still don't know if these would actually be useful, still looking for the great idea of what to put there .