Mark W
Yep, it's true. I just don't care that much.
The goal and intended usages of this rig will be a bit different than most. Not extremely different, but slightly so. The rig in the end will probably be fairly routine regardless of the motivations for the end result.
What I am starting with is a totally stock 1995 FZJ80. No lockers right now, but I have a pair of axles set aside for it and complete factory wiring harness for the conversion. What I will be looking to achieve is a dedicated road tripper. Note I did not call it an "Overlander" or an "Expedition rig". I absolutely hate those terms. We will not need passports nor will we need to learn a second language or exchange our currency. It is a frickin' road trip, that's all.
We will be moving the rig down to the '48 after it is done to use it for 6-8 weeks a year in the spring. It will be staged at varying places each year when we head back north in prep for the following years trip.
We plan to explore the country, with emphasis on hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing, camping and generally exploring the lesser traveled roads and the back country. We will also be spending time in small towns and rural America and of course there will be a few trips to a few cities as specific destinations. We anticipate camping for the most part but with stops in hotels where ever we happen to be every 4-5 days when we are moving from place to place, occasionally staying for day or so rather than just overnight to take advantage of office suites and get some remote online work done.
Lots of highway mile obviously, but because of our preferred recreational pursuits and interests I am sure we will be taking the '80 everywhere that does not require a dedicated "offroad" rig. In other words, we will not be challenging the Hammers but we will be visiting the trails of Moab and the like. Ranch and BLM roads out west along with the fire roads of the eastern mountains, wide open interstate highways of the west and the city streets of the eastern megapolises.
As you can see, the tasking will be largely exactly what the rig was designed for. At least so far as North American uses go. The only real difference is that we will be in the rig for an extended time every year and not near any real "home base". We anticipate that this will be an ongoing outing covering 5-10 years.
Now, with all of that out of the way, the reason for this thread is to see what sort of input may surface in terms of the sort of modifications (few I expect) or work to be done to the rig people might suggest. The kind of stuff that folks have decided that they can not live without for this sort of use and the stuff that they found was just a waste.
If you know me, even if just from Mud, then you know that I already have my own thoughts on the subject. Pretty comprehensive and considered thoughts. For now I am gonna leave those alone and see what might come up that I have not thought of, or what suggestions that run against my first impressions might show up to make me rethink things.
Other than a locked '95 FZJ* the only things (I think) that I consider set in stone... or at least anchored in hard dirt... are an an ARB on the front, some sort of rear bumper to move the tire out from underneath to make room for an aux fuel tank, and some sort of aux lighting (unlike my neck of the woods, it still gets dark at night down there, even in the spring and summer).
Anyone care to play? What do you think a road tripper like this simply has to have? what do you think is simply silly to spend money on?
Mark...
What I am starting with is a totally stock 1995 FZJ80. No lockers right now, but I have a pair of axles set aside for it and complete factory wiring harness for the conversion. What I will be looking to achieve is a dedicated road tripper. Note I did not call it an "Overlander" or an "Expedition rig". I absolutely hate those terms. We will not need passports nor will we need to learn a second language or exchange our currency. It is a frickin' road trip, that's all.
We will be moving the rig down to the '48 after it is done to use it for 6-8 weeks a year in the spring. It will be staged at varying places each year when we head back north in prep for the following years trip.
We plan to explore the country, with emphasis on hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing, camping and generally exploring the lesser traveled roads and the back country. We will also be spending time in small towns and rural America and of course there will be a few trips to a few cities as specific destinations. We anticipate camping for the most part but with stops in hotels where ever we happen to be every 4-5 days when we are moving from place to place, occasionally staying for day or so rather than just overnight to take advantage of office suites and get some remote online work done.
Lots of highway mile obviously, but because of our preferred recreational pursuits and interests I am sure we will be taking the '80 everywhere that does not require a dedicated "offroad" rig. In other words, we will not be challenging the Hammers but we will be visiting the trails of Moab and the like. Ranch and BLM roads out west along with the fire roads of the eastern mountains, wide open interstate highways of the west and the city streets of the eastern megapolises.
As you can see, the tasking will be largely exactly what the rig was designed for. At least so far as North American uses go. The only real difference is that we will be in the rig for an extended time every year and not near any real "home base". We anticipate that this will be an ongoing outing covering 5-10 years.
Now, with all of that out of the way, the reason for this thread is to see what sort of input may surface in terms of the sort of modifications (few I expect) or work to be done to the rig people might suggest. The kind of stuff that folks have decided that they can not live without for this sort of use and the stuff that they found was just a waste.
If you know me, even if just from Mud, then you know that I already have my own thoughts on the subject. Pretty comprehensive and considered thoughts. For now I am gonna leave those alone and see what might come up that I have not thought of, or what suggestions that run against my first impressions might show up to make me rethink things.
Other than a locked '95 FZJ* the only things (I think) that I consider set in stone... or at least anchored in hard dirt... are an an ARB on the front, some sort of rear bumper to move the tire out from underneath to make room for an aux fuel tank, and some sort of aux lighting (unlike my neck of the woods, it still gets dark at night down there, even in the spring and summer).
Anyone care to play? What do you think a road tripper like this simply has to have? what do you think is simply silly to spend money on?
Mark...