Safari Cab "Overland Camper" Trailer Build

[Jim K in PA]

Will you build me this one if I ever come up with the money to hire you? This would save me having to cut the Jeep over the rear axle and extending it two feet longer.

Jeff, I think it entirely cruel and heinous of you to post a drawing like that all exposed and everything. In compensation, I think at the very least you must build the above camper top for every LJ owner here on the Portal. :sombrero:

Happy New Year, Jeff.

 

[jscherb]

Jeff, I think it entirely cruel and heinous of you to post a drawing like that all exposed and everything. In compensation, I think at the very least you must build the above camper top for every LJ owner here on the Portal. :sombrero:

Happy New Year, Jeff.

Well I'm sort of working towards that goal...

I designed and built the Safari Cab hardtop, then I licensed it to Gr8Tops, and they're working on making it available for sale, so everyone will be able to have one of those...

and when I finished designing and building the Exogate large spare carrier/tailgate reinforcement, Gr8Tops picked that up and now that's on the market, so everyone can have one of those...

and I recently finished designing and building the fiberglass trailer tub kit, and I licensed that to another company (they haven't announced yet), so when that hits the market, everyone can have one of those...

and now there's interest by two companies in the Safari Overland Camper top to go on the tub kits...

and who knows, maybe my next project will get licensed by someone too...

Happy New Year!

 

[The Swiss]

Jeff, time you get a 4 door Wrangler and start building cool stuff for the JKU

 

[jscherb]

Jeff, time you get a 4 door Wrangler and start building cool stuff for the JKU

Michael,
Someone made the same comment in another thread recently, here's how I responded:

I've done a design for a JKU Safari Cab, it's got all the same features as the TJ/LJ Safari Cab - it's modular, the hard sides can be swapped for roll-up side curtains; it can support roof-top tents and other heavy loads on top; it's got a raised roof for more headroom (and it's also got small "Alpine windows" along the upper sides); it also has a swinging rear barn door. The lines are slightly more angular than the current Safari Cab to better integrate with the more angular lines of the JK. I haven't posted any concept drawings of it as if yet. Not sure when/if I'll build one, I don't have a JKU here to work with.

At the moment I don't have any plans to add a JKU to my stable, so unless a company approaches me and asks me to build them a JKU Safari Cab, and loans me a JKU to do the work with, I don't know when/if I'll build one.

Jeff

 

[The Swiss]

Michael,
Someone made the same comment in another thread recently, here's how I responded:

I've done a design for a JKU Safari Cab, it's got all the same features as the TJ/LJ Safari Cab - it's modular, the hard sides can be swapped for roll-up side curtains; it can support roof-top tents and other heavy loads on top; it's got a raised roof for more headroom (and it's also got small "Alpine windows" along the upper sides); it also has a swinging rear barn door. The lines are slightly more angular than the current Safari Cab to better integrate with the more angular lines of the JK. I haven't posted any concept drawings of it as if yet. Not sure when/if I'll build one, I don't have a JKU here to work with.

At the moment I don't have any plans to add a JKU to my stable, so unless a company approaches me and asks me to build them a JKU Safari Cab, and loans me a JKU to do the work with, I don't know when/if I'll build one.

Jeff

:drool::drool::drool::drool::drool::drool: After this post, if you would be located here in the Southeast, I guess you would find this morning a couple JKUs parked in your driveway. :cow: Hope somebody in your neck of the woods hears you. Would live to see the concept drawings. Alpine windows? Sounds "Defenderesk"

 

[jscherb]

:drool::drool::drool::drool::drool::drool: After this post, if you would be located here in the Southeast, I guess you would find this morning a couple JKUs parked in your driveway. :cow: Hope somebody in your neck of the woods hears you. Would live to see the concept drawings. Alpine windows? Sounds "Defenderesk"

Actually I've had several offers for loaner JKU's from people, so, I probably could round up a loaner or two. I'd probably need one for a month at the start of the project to build the mold masters, and then a couple of months later after the molds and parts were made I'd need one again for about a month to do the fitting and finishing of the fiberglass parts.

But I've got another big fiberglass project I plan to start as soon as I finish up the work on the trailer project, one that interests me much more right now than the JKU Safari Cab does. Most likely the JKU Safari will wait until either I get a JKU of my own or a company that's interested in marketing a JKU Safari Cab turns up.

About my design for the JKU Safari, I wouldn't say it really looks like a Defender, the lines are more angular and much more in tune with the JK's styling, so it looks "all JK", not like a Defender roof grafted onto a JK, although because it has Alpine windows I'm sure some people are going to be reminded of a Defender anyway. One design variation I've done has center-opening ambulance doors in the back, so some people might say that option reminds them of an FJ40 .

I don't plan to post the concept drawings until such time as I decide to proceed with the project, this is a design I don't want to give away. I'd be happy to show anyone the design concept drawings in person, it would be good to get feedback on a few of the design options (ambulance doors vs. barn door, for example), but I don't want to let the drawings loose into the digital wild just yet.

 

[RareSS]

Personally, the 'single barn door' is my style. You already have limited visibility looking back through the rear view mirror. With the 'ambulance' doors, add a post in the middle and you have started concealing what little of a rear view you already have. JMPO

 

[jscherb]

Back on the Safari Overland Camper topic...

I've been working on a new version of the Safari Overland Camper design. The key change in this version is the kitchen - in this design it slides out the side. This allows for much better space utilization inside. I've added a canopy over the kitchen side of the camper, and a roof-top tent to increase the sleeping capacity to 4. This is still very much a work in progress, so please let me know what you think.

I'm also working on a version that's about 15" longer than this one, I'll finish up that drawing after I hear your feedback on this one.

 

[Zeep]

Jscherb, did you ever receive your RTT for fitting, and testing?

 

[jscherb]

Jscherb, did you ever receive your RTT for fitting, and testing?

Not yet. I am told it was shipped just before Christmas and that the trucking company would call me to schedule a delivery date/time. I haven't received that call yet. Maybe it's taking a long time due to the holidays.

 

[postalWagon]

I like the design.
Would it, also, be possible to make one a "pop up" style or would that be a buyer build?
by the way, your designs are great!! I would buy any of them.
Cheers,

 

[jscherb]

I like the design.
Would it, also, be possible to make one a "pop up" style or would that be a buyer build?
by the way, your designs are great!! I would buy any of them.
Cheers,

I haven't done any design work on that, but I have talked with one company about the idea. It isn't the company that's bringing the tub kits to market. It could be a possibility though, if this other company works out an arrangement with the tub company, perhaps it could come to be.

 

[AmericaOverland]

Thanks, Jeff! I contacted Gr8tops to get more information on availability.

 

[Xrunner]

I really like the looks of the Safari Overland Camper, especially running it without the RTT when there are only two people.

What would the approximate height over (headroom in bed) and under (storage) be?

 

[jscherb]

I really like the looks of the Safari Overland Camper, especially running it without the RTT when there are only two people.

What would the approximate height over (headroom in bed) and under (storage) be?

Here are the approximate interior dimensions, the headroom vs. storage room depends on how high you make the bed platform. Being based on a Jeep tub, it's pretty compact, although the Safari Cab roof does provide about 3 1/2" more headroom than the Jeep factory hardtop.