Best Mods under $50...

[jherre1]

Dumb question but where did you plug it into under the dash?? Could you get a longer wire and run it to the rear of the vehicle and have a 12v there also?

Thanks

There is a 12V outlet under the dash on the passenger side. Closer to the door. Take a look.

And I guess yes. Why not. But I would go with the suggestion posted above if you're looking for a more permanent solution.

Be careful with the positive and negative side.

 

[mep1811]

I had a spare MOLLE pouch was able to weave it onto the armrest. handy storage.

 

[woytovich]

I had a spare MOLLE pouch was able to weave it onto the armrest. handy storage.

Do you hit it with your knee getting in and out?

 

[mep1811]

I just put it on today and did not notice that. One could always use a smaller bag.

 

[niffa]

Beer holder in tailgate

 

[Output Shaft]

This "mod" costs nothing and I think is one of the best "upgrades" to the cruiser...

Ever wish you could sleep in the passenger's seat when you have all your gear stacked in the cargo area behind the rear back seat?

Ever wish you could just roll over into the passengers side "bed" and fall asleep after driving 12 hrs. when finally pulling into a camp spot late at night?

Well you comfortably can if you are under 6 ft. tall.

1. Remove the rear seat from the car and leave it at home when you go camping.
   
2. Cut off the dash/glovebox lower support with a hacksaw or Sawzall. Yes, you read that correctly.
3. Remove the glove box door and cardboard glove box
4. File any sharp edges smooth. Bend any sharp things out of the way.... your feet will be going in there.
   
5. Remove the passenger vent tube and block it off with a rag to make room for your feet.

5. Modify the passenger's seat recliner latch so the seat can recline all the way back into a flat position, but don't mess it up so it can't lock into a proper seating position.
6. Place stuff under the passenger's seat so the back stays level
7. Stack stuff in the passenger's foot well to create a level platform from the seat for your feet to rest on. A pelican 1550 case and a big towel or two works perfectly.
8. Place a REI Camp Bed 3.5 Self-Inflating Sleeping Pad over your new bed with some towels folded under it to fill in the low spots.​

& have a nice comfortable night's sleep.

Tents are fun in some places, but in many situations, when there is only you, this is much better when you are fully loaded up and packing a lot of gear.
Not recommended in mosquito or noseeum territory.
Highly recommended in rainy, snowy, stormy and especially WINDY camping locations or sketchy locations.

Who really uses the glove box for anything important anyway? What a waste of space!

 

[Rollinns]

I just posted this, and I think it also fits here:

In dash USB, for less than $20, and in a factory location.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/in-dash-usb-on-the-cheap-in-a-factory-location.840667/

 

[Rollinns]

Not exactly a vehicle mod, but I always carry tie-down straps with me. I keep them in a tool bag so I can squish them behind the rear cargo panels. The tan rubber bands (the ones the mail system uses) I used to hold them in nice bundles always seemed to fall apart. I hated them unrolling and wasting time untangling them when I needed them. I never cared for actually wearing the "Livestrong" type silicone wristbands (ebay calls them silicone bracelets), but the wider 1 inch wide ones are great for keeping your tie downs from becoming a tangled mess.

I picked up a lot of 10 or 12 of these for about $10. I don't really care what they look like, I guess I just didn't want any from a boy-band or rapper the day I ordered them.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?&_nkw=wide+silicone+bracelet+lot

 

[Butt Ugly Chuck]

In dash USB, for less than $20, and in a factory location.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/in-dash-usb-on-the-cheap-in-a-factory-location.840667/

Nice tip! ....and impeccable taste in avatar
Butt

 

[Cruising Canuck]

I don't like elastics. I organize all the extension cords and rope with this

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B004AFEYU8/ref=pd_aw_sims_3?pi=SL500_SS115&simLd=1

it's a roll of velcro. You can cut it to length. Great stuff

I'm currently assembling an OH S**T box, for any roadside emergency. Be it an electrical gremlin or a burst hose or a car in the ditch.
It's a fun mental exercise, thinking of tools you need before you need them.

 

[Shebamacalla]

@outputshaft do you have a photo of that mod finalized?

 

[lcwizard]

This "mod" costs nothing and I think is one of the best "upgrades" to the cruiser...

Ever wish you could sleep in the passenger's seat when you have all your gear stacked in the cargo area behind the rear back seat?

Ever wish you could just roll over into the passengers side "bed" and fall asleep after driving 12 hrs. when finally pulling into a camp spot late at night?

Well you comfortably can if you are under 6 ft. tall.

1. Remove the rear seat from the car and leave it at home when you go camping.
   
2. Cut off the dash/glovebox lower support with a hacksaw or Sawzall. Yes, you read that correctly.
3. Remove the glove box door and cardboard glove box
4. File any sharp edges smooth. Bend any sharp things out of the way.... your feet will be going in there.
   
5. Remove the passenger vent tube and block it off with a rag to make room for your feet.

View attachment 1019504

5. Modify the passenger's seat recliner latch so the seat can recline all the way back into a flat position, but don't mess it up so it can't lock into a proper seating position.
6. Place stuff under the passenger's seat so the back stays level
7. Stack stuff in the passenger's foot well to create a level platform from the seat for your feet to rest on. A pelican 1550 case and a big towel or two works perfectly.
8. Place a REI Camp Bed 3.5 Self-Inflating Sleeping Pad over your new bed with some towels folded under it to fill in the low spots.​

& have a nice comfortable night's sleep.

Tents are fun in some places, but in many situations, when there is only you, this is much better when you are fully loaded up and packing a lot of gear.
Not recommended in mosquito or noseeum territory.
Highly recommended in rainy, snowy, stormy and especially WINDY camping locations or sketchy locations.

Who really uses the glove box for anything important anyway? What a waste of space!

Have you been drinkin' again? ....What'd the doctor tell you?

 

[Output Shaft]

@outputshaft do you have a photo of that mod finalized?

Here's a couple pics of the "upgraded" glove box. You'll have to use your imagination for the pelican case foot rest and reclined flat passenger seat with camp pad... as my car is now in "City Mode", not "Camping Mode"..... Passenger's seat at the moment is actually a passenger's seat.

It's amazing how much wasted space is taken up by that crappy glove box that holds almost nothing.

Now with the glove box gone, there is enough vertical room to store a jerry can or two of water up front... upright... Would rather have all that weight sitting on the passenger's floor than dangling off the back of a rear bumper... that's for sure.

The decision was not difficult: Crappy do-nothing glove box or a comfortable bed for the passenger's seat. I wish I had the courage to cut that sucker out 25 years ago.
I kept the piece of metal crosspiece I cut out, so if a psychosis overcomes me in the future and I want a glove box back...for my gloves...., it could be tack welded back in place.

>>>

There came a time when I finally came to the conclusion that I would alter the vehicle to MY liking, not based on some 100 yr old outdated convention of how a car interior should be....

which brings me to the wasted space on the most prime real estate in the car; the front dash with that ridiculous do-nothing DIN pocket and worthless ash tray...... Such wasted prime space!

 

[Cruising Canuck]

I was thinking of putting gauges in the wasted dinn space

 

[Output Shaft]

Yes yes yes yes yes. Do it and post pics. Yes yes yes yes yes

 

[woytovich]

Ou moved your AC electronic box too I see...

 

[Output Shaft]

into the trash.
AC compressor was converted to air compressor for fast tire fills and ARB locker source. No more AC. Never used it. Said seeya to the condenser too. (Another mod)

 

[FishNinJay]

into the trash.
AC compressor was converted to air compressor for fast tire fills and ARB locker source. No more AC. Never used it. Said seeya to the condenser too. (Another mod)

Did you actually do this? How exactly do you remove the AC components, and keep the compressor and convert it.
Do you still push the AC button to activate the air compressor for your tires? I assume you need some quick connect
fittings, and then keep the hoses. Would love to see pictures and a build thread on this. I'm really liking all that extra
foot room you have!

 

[Hank6760]

Brackets will switch for sure. I did it too. You will have the seatback adjust on the right side instead of the left unless someone has some ideas on switching that too.

Undo the rings under the seat that hold the cover and switch covers, then the cup holder can stay. I did that on my 60 with the passenger seat from a parts car.

 

[Output Shaft]

How exactly do you remove the AC components, and keep the compressor and convert it.

I mentioned the Toyota AC conversion here a while back.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/dealer-installed-york-ac-compressor.450164/#post-9267600

The Toyota AC compressor has one wire coming out of it. When that wire is connected to +12V, the compressor starts running. If it is sucking Freon, it compresses Freon. If it sucks air, it compresses air. The issue is oiling it. See link above for some details. I use regular 30 wt. compressor oil in the oiler. Just think of the AC compressor as any air compressor, except this one needs to be lubricated or it will burn up. I converted the AC compressor over to an air compressor many yrs ago and have used it a lot. Still runs like a champ.