Looking to turn a Defender into a Dormobile!
- Thread starter 66Landy
- Start date
Alaska Mike
ExPo Moderator/Eye Candy
I love the concept of the X-Panda Series 88 conversions listed on TerriAnn's page, even though I think aquiring/restoring or replicating one would be more expensive than buying an currently manufactured RTT. It's a cleaner install, but I wonder about the weight and how stable the whole assembly is.
Until then, I guess I'll have to look at other solutions.
Until then, I guess I'll have to look at other solutions.
kd_walmsley
Observer
Mike,
Here is another pic for ideas. The work was done by Rover Hybrids.
Here is another pic for ideas. The work was done by Rover Hybrids.
Alaska Mike
ExPo Moderator/Eye Candy
I'm a ways off from doing any conversion of my own (have to get a functional Rover first), but it's always nice to have a direction to work towards.
The X-Panda's seemed like an interesting concept, although I would have put the "hinge" at the front so that the highest point would have been in the cargo section (standing room for cooking and stuff) and the structure would have been less likely to take flight on the road if it wasn't properly secured.
Either way, it would take a good amount of structure to pull off securely, and I'm not sure how much weight I want up there on a permanent basis.
The Carawagon Safari also looks interesting, but I'm not sure how much I want to hack up the body to do it. It's fun to look at all of the different solutions to the same need, and then pick and choose what suits your needs.
The X-Panda's seemed like an interesting concept, although I would have put the "hinge" at the front so that the highest point would have been in the cargo section (standing room for cooking and stuff) and the structure would have been less likely to take flight on the road if it wasn't properly secured.
Either way, it would take a good amount of structure to pull off securely, and I'm not sure how much weight I want up there on a permanent basis.
The Carawagon Safari also looks interesting, but I'm not sure how much I want to hack up the body to do it. It's fun to look at all of the different solutions to the same need, and then pick and choose what suits your needs.
Chucaro
Adventurer
My only worry at this stage is in the case of a roll over. If I cut the roof I will fit a roll cage/cargo barrier behind the 2 front seats and perhaps another roll cage at the rear of the vehicle.
Having seen the damage caused by roll overs in Defenders I will not feel at easy without a roll cage.
The good point about this set ups is the luck of a roof rack and the temptation of overloading it.
Having previous experience in building a motorhome from the ground up I am not concerned about cooking facilities inside. We prefer cooking outside in an annexe/awning at the back or on the side if the Defender is a 4 door model.
I started considering the Dormobile to be able to sleep inside the vehicle. Some times I am still going back to the option of a 130 dual cab model and using the space of the rear seats for cargo and sleep at the back, therefore there is not need to convert the body of the vehicle.
Cheers
Having seen the damage caused by roll overs in Defenders I will not feel at easy without a roll cage.
The good point about this set ups is the luck of a roof rack and the temptation of overloading it.
Having previous experience in building a motorhome from the ground up I am not concerned about cooking facilities inside. We prefer cooking outside in an annexe/awning at the back or on the side if the Defender is a 4 door model.
I started considering the Dormobile to be able to sleep inside the vehicle. Some times I am still going back to the option of a 130 dual cab model and using the space of the rear seats for cargo and sleep at the back, therefore there is not need to convert the body of the vehicle.
Cheers
Alaska Mike
ExPo Moderator/Eye Candy
My thought is that if you've gone to all that trouble, what's an aluminum ladder gonna set you back? Besides, I don't want to walk on my fenders and hood if I can avoid it.
I wonder how much they retailed for back in the day and how they were shipped. Seems like something that wouldn't cost all that much and would be able to be broken down into manageable sizes.
I wonder how much they retailed for back in the day and how they were shipped. Seems like something that wouldn't cost all that much and would be able to be broken down into manageable sizes.
TeriAnn
Explorer
Alaska Mike said:
Why not? a pair of wing tread plates and the wing tops can hold an adult. I'm up and down on mine on trips since that is how I get to my roof rack. I haven't broken the wing, bonnet or myself yet. I have added anti slip tread material to the top of my bumper & top of winch cover where I step though. Its too easy to slip on wet smooth metal.
