The ultimate Aussie expedition camper

[graynomad]

Hi Felix, yes I've seen the Active campers, in fact it was after a friend stayed with their DIY Optima copy that I decided to do another build.

 

[pairospam]

For what I have seen so far, it's impossible for you to stay calm at staring what you have done; there is always something more to do, to build or to re-build.

Good luck with this new project.


Pairoa

 

[matthewp]

I love this idea and can't wait to see how it goes!

 

[graynomad]

I was going to start the build next week, but I think I'll delay until the new year so I can do some more planning. I don't really want to wait that long but if I start before Christmas I'll get caught when the country closes down for a month. Doesn't everyone know us retired people hate holidays.

Still I can start buying parts, off into town today to look for bucket seats at the wreckers.

EDIT: Oh and after me banging on about this being just for Australia, last night the missus said "we could take that it to the US couldn't we?" Yes we could, as to whether we should, well that's a different story.

 

[mrFelix]

I'm planning a build on the back of an Iveco 4x4, have done the Sketchup for it but because of the way this site works for someone like me with less than 20 posts my posts get delayed and out of sync with the thread, eg I made the post above after reading your build list yet somehow it has appeared before it ?!
So when my 20 posts are up Ill upload the image for some feedback.1/10-9.38

 

[Overland Hadley]

EDIT: Oh and after me banging on about this being just for Australia, last night the missus said "we could take that it to the US couldn't we?" Yes we could, as to whether we should, well that's a different story.

What kind of changes would/will you make if you consider taking the vehicle overseas?

Most places close down for a month at Christmas? Wow. Here in the US places close for Christmas day, but that is usually about it.

 

[PKDreamers]

Hi Rob,
We love your big camper truck great work.

Re your HZJ75 great truck to choose.
A few things wheels and tyres stick with the spilt rims and cheese cutters .
We had a HZJ75 troppy pop top camper which went most places like Cape York ,Fraser,western Qld on 7.50 x 16 tyres never had much troble and most farm / outback trucks /trailer use them so you can get them anywhere .
We had a PTO winch on the front and we carried a trifor which both where never used in anger because the LSD which was re shimmed worked a treat.
Only things that went wrong with our HZJ75 was broke then fan blade,LSD needed re shimming,I rebuil the transfer case because we put a new gearbox in it all in 300000kms we just sold it a few years ago with 410000kms

 

[graynomad]

What kind of changes would/will you make if you consider taking the vehicle overseas?

Hmmm, good point. Actually I doubt there would be any/many changes required.

The main difference weather wise is the cold, and I would just never go somewhere that was that cold. Altitude maybe for the diesel cooker (the highest point in Oz is just about 7000 feet), I've read that they don't like high altitudes.

Maybe there are other practical issues I can't think of or don't know about. Obviously right-hand drive would be a pain in most countries but that's far from a deal breaker.

Anything I haven't mentioned?

Most places close down for a month at Christmas?

Well the sort of places you need to do a build, like trade outlets. Many places just close for Xmas and boxing day, but a huge number (for example manufacturing businesses) close for the week or so after Xmas and new year, some even for a month around the break, so there's no point dropping a job off on the 20th of Dec because everyone is mentally already on holiday

The bottom line is that you can't really expect a business to be open until mid Jan really.

 

[graynomad]

We had a PTO winch

I wasn't aware they were available on the 75s, interesting.

Yes I'm happy with skinny tyres on split rims, I know how to fix them in the bush.

I'm probably going over the top with lockers and winches, especially for a non-hard core rig. Still we are always going solo and I like to be self-sufficient.

Our Cruiser has 231kk on the clock, it looks ok and should be still in pretty good nick but you never know of course.

 

[PKDreamers]

Thomas 8000lb I am sure you still can get them.
There is one on ebay but no pto unit.

 

[zeroland]

Thanks for sharing your ideas. Looking forward to seeing the end result.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

 

[graynomad]

Yes Felix something odd has been happening with the post order. I put it down to a simple cross posting but maybe there is some moderating of people for the first few posts.

Lucky you with an Iveco 4x4, I don't know much about them but they certainly look the business.

I plan to make my Sketchup file available, trouble is it's about 60Mb in size so a bit of an upload. Anyway I'm very interested to see what you are doing.

 

[mrFelix]

Plan is to permanently attach it to Iveco here's my first draft plan.

 

[graynomad]

After an hour or so sitting in just about every old wreck in the yard I spotted an 80s Nissan Pulsar like this (they had a lot of different names in different countries I think, on Oz they were also badged as a Holden Astra for instance)



We used to own one of these cars and always liked the seats. In fact I've used them in several previous vehicles including Wothehallizat.

As soon as we sat in them we knew there would be two more Pulsar seats in our future. They have to pull them out for us so we'll go back to town in a few days to get them. They are a little ratty but OK, and for $40 each I'm not complaining.

 

[mog]

Also Innovan in Aussie-land uses the same style tilt-up top.
http://www.innovan.com.au/product_feat.htm


I sure like the slideout kitchen set-up they have.