FJ40 long range use? (1 Viewer)

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hairy_apple said:
Hum, that might be cool, but the 40 is a quite a bit to short to sleep in. Although I've had ideas for a long time about some kind of platform that would be the same length as the flat part of the tub, then slide out and drop down to butt up against the end of the tub with the tailgate open, then you could have some kind of canvas skirt go around the platform to the lift hatch and barn doors to close it all in, it would take some expementing, but I've always thought something like that would be sweet.

Funny you mention that, my dad was telling me yesterday that he saw a 40 turned into a little camper back in the day and thought it was way cool.
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Drew (amaurer) did that...had it at SnT a couple years ago, and I think there's a thread in the 40 section.

Saw that straightsixstraightsouth rig on Facebook on Mark Whatley's page (Cruisers Only), looked nicely set up. I've also had ideas of expo'ing in my FJ40, as stated above much easier with 1 than with 2.
 
Yeah, I've had the idea for something like that for a long time and never really tried to make it happen. I might someday.

Going to get to try this whole idea out soon... we're going to Death Valley in the Spring and I'm hellbent on taking the cruiser! :) Going to learn a lot from a trip where I'll drive the cruiser more miles in one trip then I do all year normally.
 
Just went and found amaurer's, that's sweet. That is exactly what I had thought about making. Way cool.
 
hairy_apple said:
Yeah, I've had the idea for something like that for a long time and never really tried to make it happen. I might someday.

Going to get to try this whole idea out soon... we're going to Death Valley in the Spring and I'm hellbent on taking the cruiser! :) Going to learn a lot from a trip where I'll drive the cruiser more miles in one trip then I do all year normally.
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Where in DV?
 
Don't have a plan yet... still coming up with a plan. Going to be my first time there so I've been researching a lot and getting ideas, going to run the list by the group in the next few weeks and come up with a route and plan and dates once we've all had a chance to get together and figure out what we want to see when we're down there.
 
Cruiserdrew said:
I did meet a guy once who took out the passenger seat on his 40, then built a platform so he had a 6 foot long space to put his sleeping bag and sleep out of the weather. It can work.
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I wonder who that might be?:hmm:

Getting ready to head out to DV on Thursday. A couple of pics of the current set up [like myself, I consider all my rigs to be works in progress]

Pic 1: cleaned out to start packing

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Pic 2: sleeping bag and air mattress in 'stowed' position. As others have stated, you have choices and compromises to make. A mummy bag would obviously be a lot more space-friendly; it's just not my style.

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65swb45 said:
I wonder who that might be?:hmm:

Getting ready to head out to DV on Thursday. A couple of pics of the current set up [like myself, I consider all my rigs to be works in progress]

Pic 1: cleaned out to start packing
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Possibly the same guy as mentioned in post # 14.

John
 
Pic 3: bag and pad deployed. Bag is 8 feet and 8lbs. Platform is 7 feet from the dashboard to the tailgate. I usually put my duffle bag of clothes under the sleeping bag as a bolster.

Further details. One large fixed box that spans the bed directly behind the front seats holds all the spare parts and supports the rear deck. Two totes accessible from the rear. One has the kitchenware, the other the dry goods. Stove and fuel stored in a saddle bag in a compartment over the stock gas tank. Compartment ahead of the fuel tank holds two milk crates worth of firewood.

Compartments forward of the toolbox can be removed while keeping the rear intact. I think the last time I did this was when my wife joined me for Rubithon in 2010.

I have since designed a system [in the karma cruiser]for modifying the stock bench seats for sleeping accommodations for two. The column shift helps!

:cheers:

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That's pretty slick, but I almost never travel alone. I don't think my wife would enjoy it if I removed the passenger seat. :)

I showed my wife amaurer's set up and we agreed that would be perfect for DV as we've spent enough time in the desert to know it's going to suck bad if the wind comes up and we're in a tent exposed to sand and silt and such. Been there too many times at Sand Mt.

Right now, my basic plan is to set up some kind of platform across the wheel wells and a second platform the same length and a little narrower (to fit through the tailgate) lined up with it for the sleeping platform. Going to try to make it so it will fold in pretty flat so we can still keep the ice chest and dog in the cruiser, tools under the wheel well platform.

All the sleeping bags, and light stuff I'm going to build a roof rack. I've been meaning to for a while anyway. My wife is going to sew up some MOLLE panels to strap to the back of the seats, then we can add pouches as needed for small stuff we want to keep in the cab like a first aid kit and flashlights and whatever else we feel want want in easy reach (snacks). We've been putting a lot of thought into packing it for this trip, and I think we'll have a few practice trips locally with the set up to make sure it works for the big one. We've got some good ideas I think will work out nicely. I'll update once we have some of them build and figured out.
 
man, I would've been all over long distance travel in the 40 then before the kids came, IF I had a 40 then! lol.

totally doable and agreed on all the minimalist packing strategies.

and yes, look at some of the couples that travel two up on enduro bikes (and just hard cases, so you can pack bare necessities)

just sharing my sleep arangements, it's a little ghetto but you get the idea..and it works well without a hard top.






platform acts as another spot to stack stuff on. hinges give acces to the front and back and the side wings fold in. it's been painted since and i'm sure I could have used thinner wood, but the 2x4's were the cheapest on the shelves, lol.

you can also string jungle hammocks (they can pack into a small ball) between the roll bars and one tree or another rig, or a good tent on the ground.

 
Holy crap your cruiser looks familiar...

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My cruiser before being repainted this last summer. :)

I also am going to have my wife sew something like this up for us to keep small stuff in. This will help a lot to have small stuff in pouches stuck to back of the seats. Stuff we need to keep close, flashlights, maps, first aid, ect. I have had an idea for something like this for a long time, just never got around to doing it and am gong to get on it soon for this trip.
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I liked the idea of the RTT but just couldn't bring myself to invest in something I wouldn't use very often. After giving it some thought, I figured I could use my Yakima racks, add a plywood platform and just attach my backpacking tent to that. Takes very little room inside the Cruiser to store the tent and my backpacking mattress and the platform folds in half and has little wind resistance. I figure the weight on top is no more than having two kayaks up there. Anyway, the cost was minimal and I was able to use my existing gear. Doesn't take much more time than pitching my tent to set up; maybe five minutes total. Anyway, it's something to consider. Here are the obligatory photos.

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I have also gone the expedition trailer route to be able to use my 40 on longer trips and I absolutely love it. I have had it all over the Arizona strip and Utah/Nevada desert. I take my family with me in the 40, but the trailer carries all our gear so storage is not a problem. My trailer is a pop up so no RTT. I installed an aux. fuel tank to increase my range.

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I have to say, your trailer is a work of art. I have admired it for a while. VERY tempted to build one for my 40. I actually found two tubs on CL a few weeks ago and almost bought them to make a trailer out of.

I have pretty well decided I will build a trailer eventually, right now I'm focusing on getting the cruiser's little issues fixed before March.
 
Had a cool idea tonight...

Basicly, remove the fiberglass part of the hardtop, build a frame inside it. Build another matching frame inside the sides of the hardtop. Mate them both together at one end with a hinge, swings open and have a built in roof top tent! Thinking I couldn't be the only person in the world to have thought of this, I searched a little and found one single picture of the idea done. It's as cool as I was thinking it would be.

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Also started thinking there is no reason you need to double the footprint of the hardtop, you could also just build one frame inside the cruiser's hardtop, and the fiberglass part could pop straight up and have canvas sides. Either way I think would be a very cool slick way of sleeping in an FJ40.

Might have to start hunting CL looking for an extra hardtop for cheap....
 
Yeah, the flippac campers are way cool. I'd love to put one on my wife's pickup someday, but they cost a lot more then the old Toyota is worth.

The thing about the jeeps, is that is a whole new top. The cruiser is already half way there by having the fiberglass cap separate from the sides. Out to the side would be cool too for an awning. My cruiser is tall enough you'd be able to stand under it flipped out to the back or side no problem. I just thought over the hood would make it so you know that if you can fit your truck in a parking spot, your tent fits too.

I think if you built the frame out of aluminum and lightweight plywood you could make it stout enough to support two people, but not too heavy that it majorly effects the handling of the cruiser.

Hum.. I am really interested in trying to make something like this now. I think I'm going to start making some calls and see if I can't find another hardtop. I know a few people who most likely have one around I can get for cheap.
 
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