MrMoMo
That's not rust, it's Canadian patina...
Right, so - here we go I guess!!
Over the past few months in the cold dark winter here in Canada, after giving up Satelite TV for its rediculous cost - we have been relying on the Internet as a source of "TV" shows to watch in the evening. Recently, a friend and fellow mudder @Tapage sent me a link to the Expedition Overland series, and we (my wife and I) got completely hooked.
It's always been on my list to "rig up" one day, and set out for a long adventure exploring everywhere - from the Outer Banks, to New Mexico (where I drove my 80 home from) and Californa - and honestly ending up (and staying permanently) in Panama. Expedition Overland pushed that urge even more, but more importantly sparked the same desire in my wife.
We have always enjoyed camping, in the summer just before we got married we drove from eastern Ontario to Vancouver island, traveling west through the northern US, up into Alberta from Montanna, and then on the return trip through the Canadian prairies. We did all this in my Jetta TDI with a tent - and we were out and back in 2 weeks - way too fast, but I had to show her what's "out there" as she had never been west.... At all!
After camping like that for a while, we were a family of 3, and after borrowing a tiny "Bonair" camper for one trip, we moved into the world of pop-up tent trailers. Ahh the comfort and space!!! Recently we decided that we wanted more - and moved up to a 30' 5th wheel that we rarely use - as it just doesn't go the places we want to go.
So, it's now time to downsize again, and with the knowledge we have started gaining, and the places we know we want to go - it's time to gear up - on a budget.
The goal here is to spend less on equipping ourselves than what we end up selling our 5th wheel for - so it's not really a fixed budget - but more of a goal to spend as wisely as possible, and end up with gear that's going to get us out there and exploring all the tight spaces we stopped being able to get into. I hope to be set up for under $5K Canadian, but the only reason to have a plan is to deviate from it right?
Step 1. What vehicle to use. Now of course if we could chose anything, it would probably be a 75 or 79 - but our 5th wheel is definitely not worth that much!! So the choices come down to which vehicles we already have.
My winter DD - '93 FZJ80
My wife's winter DD - '85 BJ70
My #1 project - '77 F/BJ40
My #2 project - '78 FJ45
The hauler - '02 F350
To narrow it down...
The 80 gets horrible fuel mileage
The f-350 while nice, has many other tasks during summer that would require that it was unloaded and re-loaded all the time.
Project 1 and project 2.... Well - they are still projects!
So the plan for now is to start with the BJ70, and eventually move to the F/BJ40, and then the F/BJ45 for maximum space.
Enough of that twaddle.....
The Plan - $spent ($budgeted) and details
Prices in $CAD, taxes and shipping included
R = Recieved
RM = Received & Mounted
FP = Future Purchase
TBB = To Be Built/Bought
NC = No Clue!
RM - Roof Rack - $129 - Amazon special
R - Roof Top Tent - $1940 taxes in, shipped - Wild Coast Tents "SandPiper"
FP - Awning - ($900) fox wing
TBB - Drawer setup for Kitchen -($200)
R - Storage tubs for drawer - $56 -Princess Auto (8 of them)
R - Drawer slides for stove slide out - $19 - Princess Auto 100lb 26" full extension
TBB - Drawer slides for kitchen slide out - ($70) - Lee Valey 200lb 36" full extension
R - 12V fridge - $375 from some overstock place online.... Details will be added!
R - Coleman stove - birthday gift :cD
TBB - Propane water heater - ($110) Ecotemp L5
TBB - 2nd Battery system
NC - On Board Air (have a Viar compressor, need a tank)
R - Winch - $565 P.Auto 10.5K lb on sale
FP - Suspension update
TBB - Rock Sliders
TBB/R - Interior/exterior LED lighting - have lights - $30- need to build tracks.
R - Water Jug - birthday gift!
Total spent so far... $ 3114 CAD
I'll try to update this page as I go. Now, as a final note, the vehicle list above is a little incorrect. The BJ70 is the technically project #2, with the 45 as project 3, however the 70 is priority #1 and the 40 has been on hold for it since the fall!! See link in my signature "Saving the silver 70" for the 100+ hours of bodywork done so far (rust removal) that needs to be finished before we can think of going anywhere! (So you may notice a few pics with no 1/4 panel, no doors etc!)
Right... On to the "Stuff"
Today I installed the roof rack bars. I picked these up on Amazon Canada - el cheapo - and so far I am very happy with what I got. I've mounted them up and they clamp well, seem pretty beefy, and for the price of $53 per pair with all the hardware - I figure I couldn't go wrong. They adjust from something like 38" to 65" wide.
**Edit - I have now discovered that these are listed on Walmarts US website, at $89 US per pair, and have a load rating of 250lbs (I assume per pair, not each, though statically I would feel comfortable being 220lbs and standing on one) and a width of 37" to 63" considering I got them for $53 Canadian per pair - I am very happy!**
Here is how it looked unpacked from the two boxes (they come as a pair, I ordered two pairs)
Next we (my son and I) loosely assembled the end plates, following which we torqued everything down (good finger work for an 11yr old)
Then I braved the freezing ass cold (-40C today) and ran out to my shop with all the gear - to pop them onto the roof. Now, I knew that the side plates on the rack were overly high - so my plan originally was to throw an ATV ramp on top of these bars, and mount the RTT to that. After looking at it, I've decided to return the ramp as I don't think it will add any value at all - and I'd rather spend that $180 on something else. Following that decision, I set the RTT bar on top of the rack bars and figured out that the bars should be 17" apart on center. I also lopped the passenger side of the rack down, so the tent base will be able to fold open. I left the drivers side full height to mount the awning.
Lopped off, light heating the steel so I can paint it (too cold in the shop!)
I did also decided to mount the bolts with the carrige head in, as the end of the bolt was too close to te roof for my comfort, and installation is much easier when you can get a ratchet wrench or driver bit on the nut. (Just loose here)
So here it is with the 4 bars locked in place, trimmed down on the passenger side, and spaces accordingly for the next installation - the RTT. (Tent bar is resting on the cross bars)
Over the past few months in the cold dark winter here in Canada, after giving up Satelite TV for its rediculous cost - we have been relying on the Internet as a source of "TV" shows to watch in the evening. Recently, a friend and fellow mudder @Tapage sent me a link to the Expedition Overland series, and we (my wife and I) got completely hooked.
It's always been on my list to "rig up" one day, and set out for a long adventure exploring everywhere - from the Outer Banks, to New Mexico (where I drove my 80 home from) and Californa - and honestly ending up (and staying permanently) in Panama. Expedition Overland pushed that urge even more, but more importantly sparked the same desire in my wife.
We have always enjoyed camping, in the summer just before we got married we drove from eastern Ontario to Vancouver island, traveling west through the northern US, up into Alberta from Montanna, and then on the return trip through the Canadian prairies. We did all this in my Jetta TDI with a tent - and we were out and back in 2 weeks - way too fast, but I had to show her what's "out there" as she had never been west.... At all!
After camping like that for a while, we were a family of 3, and after borrowing a tiny "Bonair" camper for one trip, we moved into the world of pop-up tent trailers. Ahh the comfort and space!!! Recently we decided that we wanted more - and moved up to a 30' 5th wheel that we rarely use - as it just doesn't go the places we want to go.
So, it's now time to downsize again, and with the knowledge we have started gaining, and the places we know we want to go - it's time to gear up - on a budget.
The goal here is to spend less on equipping ourselves than what we end up selling our 5th wheel for - so it's not really a fixed budget - but more of a goal to spend as wisely as possible, and end up with gear that's going to get us out there and exploring all the tight spaces we stopped being able to get into. I hope to be set up for under $5K Canadian, but the only reason to have a plan is to deviate from it right?
Step 1. What vehicle to use. Now of course if we could chose anything, it would probably be a 75 or 79 - but our 5th wheel is definitely not worth that much!! So the choices come down to which vehicles we already have.
My winter DD - '93 FZJ80
My wife's winter DD - '85 BJ70
My #1 project - '77 F/BJ40
My #2 project - '78 FJ45
The hauler - '02 F350
To narrow it down...
The 80 gets horrible fuel mileage
The f-350 while nice, has many other tasks during summer that would require that it was unloaded and re-loaded all the time.
Project 1 and project 2.... Well - they are still projects!
So the plan for now is to start with the BJ70, and eventually move to the F/BJ40, and then the F/BJ45 for maximum space.
Enough of that twaddle.....
The Plan - $spent ($budgeted) and details
Prices in $CAD, taxes and shipping included
R = Recieved
RM = Received & Mounted
FP = Future Purchase
TBB = To Be Built/Bought
NC = No Clue!
RM - Roof Rack - $129 - Amazon special
R - Roof Top Tent - $1940 taxes in, shipped - Wild Coast Tents "SandPiper"
FP - Awning - ($900) fox wing
TBB - Drawer setup for Kitchen -($200)
R - Storage tubs for drawer - $56 -Princess Auto (8 of them)
R - Drawer slides for stove slide out - $19 - Princess Auto 100lb 26" full extension
TBB - Drawer slides for kitchen slide out - ($70) - Lee Valey 200lb 36" full extension
R - 12V fridge - $375 from some overstock place online.... Details will be added!
R - Coleman stove - birthday gift :cD
TBB - Propane water heater - ($110) Ecotemp L5
TBB - 2nd Battery system
NC - On Board Air (have a Viar compressor, need a tank)
R - Winch - $565 P.Auto 10.5K lb on sale
FP - Suspension update
TBB - Rock Sliders
TBB/R - Interior/exterior LED lighting - have lights - $30- need to build tracks.
R - Water Jug - birthday gift!
Total spent so far... $ 3114 CAD
I'll try to update this page as I go. Now, as a final note, the vehicle list above is a little incorrect. The BJ70 is the technically project #2, with the 45 as project 3, however the 70 is priority #1 and the 40 has been on hold for it since the fall!! See link in my signature "Saving the silver 70" for the 100+ hours of bodywork done so far (rust removal) that needs to be finished before we can think of going anywhere! (So you may notice a few pics with no 1/4 panel, no doors etc!)
Right... On to the "Stuff"
Today I installed the roof rack bars. I picked these up on Amazon Canada - el cheapo - and so far I am very happy with what I got. I've mounted them up and they clamp well, seem pretty beefy, and for the price of $53 per pair with all the hardware - I figure I couldn't go wrong. They adjust from something like 38" to 65" wide.
**Edit - I have now discovered that these are listed on Walmarts US website, at $89 US per pair, and have a load rating of 250lbs (I assume per pair, not each, though statically I would feel comfortable being 220lbs and standing on one) and a width of 37" to 63" considering I got them for $53 Canadian per pair - I am very happy!**
Here is how it looked unpacked from the two boxes (they come as a pair, I ordered two pairs)
Next we (my son and I) loosely assembled the end plates, following which we torqued everything down (good finger work for an 11yr old)
Then I braved the freezing ass cold (-40C today) and ran out to my shop with all the gear - to pop them onto the roof. Now, I knew that the side plates on the rack were overly high - so my plan originally was to throw an ATV ramp on top of these bars, and mount the RTT to that. After looking at it, I've decided to return the ramp as I don't think it will add any value at all - and I'd rather spend that $180 on something else. Following that decision, I set the RTT bar on top of the rack bars and figured out that the bars should be 17" apart on center. I also lopped the passenger side of the rack down, so the tent base will be able to fold open. I left the drivers side full height to mount the awning.
Lopped off, light heating the steel so I can paint it (too cold in the shop!)
I did also decided to mount the bolts with the carrige head in, as the end of the bolt was too close to te roof for my comfort, and installation is much easier when you can get a ratchet wrench or driver bit on the nut. (Just loose here)
So here it is with the 4 bars locked in place, trimmed down on the passenger side, and spaces accordingly for the next installation - the RTT. (Tent bar is resting on the cross bars)
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