series 2, 88 camper

[MrLeadfoot]

I,m going fit out my 88 as a 'carawagon' type camper, has anyone done this?
I want, sindle bed, storage, cooker ect,
ideas, photos please.
going to Morocco 2012.

 

[czenkov]

Somewhere I saw one of these (Carawagon or Doormobile) for sale. I think it was a conversion that was done by one of the company's that performed these - rare - but it was done. Here ya go! TeriAnn Wakeman has a lot of great info besides this on her site so check the rest out too. Sooooooo I hope this takes care of any legalese.

© 1997, 2001 TeriAnn Wakeman. All rights reserved.
On the link scroll down to the bottom.
http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/Carawagons.htm#safari

 

[Alaska Mike]

Might want to instead consider a X-Panda Cab type conversion in an 88. Either that or a standard roof top tent (see Overland Journal back issues for great reviews). Other than that, the rest of TeriAnn's website should provide much inspiration.

 

[Wander]

I saw this Serle Safari conversion listed at a place in Tennessee that might provide some inspiration.

http://tntlr.com/vehicle1/index.htm

 

[crusader]

I saw this Serle Safari conversion listed at a place in Tennessee that might provide some inspiration.

http://tntlr.com/vehicle1/index.htm

Hmm...I wonder if there is more to this arrangement than meets the eye. I figure you'd have to be no taller than 4' to make the sleeping arrangement work, and even then, you'd probably have to sleep diagonally. Perhaps a dwarf or pigmy-owned expedition rover?

 

[Wander]

I was wonding the same thing. I don't have the dimensions of the back of an 88 on hand but it does seem that you would have to have something over the front to make this work- or maybe you keep the back door open and hang your feet out!

 

[Alaska Mike]

If you look closely, you can see that the front of the tub has at least been removed and replaced with a pole running from side to side. I imagine you'd fold down the front seats, remove the pole, and sleep front to back. Just a guess. I'd also imagine that you'd have to be about 5'5" tall to make this workable, and have a high tolerance for uneven sleeping surfaces.

The big advantage is that all of your weight is down low, so you aren't much worse off than stock configuration on sidehills.

The problem I see with this sort of sleeping arrangement is that you have to unload all of the cargo out of the back every night, instead of just popping the top and crawling in (like a Dormobile, X-Panda Cab, or RTT).

I'm playing around with building mounts for a shortened military stretcher. It would run from the dash to the rear of the tub on one side, providing sleeping space for one. I was also looking at fabbing up my own version of the X-Panda Cab. However, I may just get a good RTT and be done with it.

Then again, I'm a long way from that stage of my project.

 

[Wander]

When you get it done, I'll be watching to steal ideas (hopefully).

 

[Antichrist]

I knew a guy in Vermont back in the 70's who did it somewhat. Not a full on Dormy conversion, but he did arrange a deck that sat on brackets on top of the tub. The part over the driving area folded back. He was living out of it while he was building a house up on a mountain.
Didn't take any pictures though, sorry.

 

[TeriAnn]

Hmm...I wonder if there is more to this arrangement than meets the eye. I figure you'd have to be no taller than 4' to make the sleeping arrangement work, and even then, you'd probably have to sleep diagonally. Perhaps a dwarf or pigmy-owned expedition rover?

The backs of the front seats fold forward to make a full length bed. You remove the cross brace for sleeping.

One solution I have seen a few times from people why did not want to add a lifting top is using a cot or old style stretcher as a single bed in a pre-SIII 88.

You fit inverted 'U' brackets to one end of the cot/stretcher that are shaped to fit over the top of the instrument panel shelf without damaging it. The other end of the cot/stretcher gets a removable pair of long legs.

You fold the passenger seat back down and set the stretcher/cot up on the passenger side with one end anchored on the instrument panel top shelf and the other end supported at the back by the legs. You can add furniture on the drivers side if you wish.

The Achilles heel of a lifting top is the lack of insulation in the canvas area. This makes for a night morning interior that is about the same temperature as outside or a heater that is on almost all the time. A well insulated interior has an advantage in sub freezing camping.

 

[MrLeadfoot]

thanks I think the way to go is the 88 carawagon, we had one on e-bay this year, but I have my 88 ready so I,m going to mod that

 

[MrLeadfoot]

this was the e-bay posting

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LANDROVER-CAR...s_SM?hash=item2c50acb8a7&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

[luangwablondes]

I toured East and Southern Africa in a '77 series III swb. RTT that folded out over the bonnet. Spent hundreds of nites in it. There is link to a picture(#4 posting) of it on this page.

 

[MrLeadfoot]

I toured East and Southern Africa in a '77 series III swb. RTT that folded out over the bonnet. Spent hundreds of nites in it. There is link to a picture(#4 posting) of it on this page.

thanks, good car that one, do you still have it?
do you have a site showing your trips/photos.

 

[luangwablondes]

Its parked in South Africa. I never got around to a website for my travels. Wouldn't know where to start anyway.