Pop Top Troopy Camper

[NM Frontier]

If you buy a truck from Australia, plan on another $10-15k making it whole.

JDM trucks: plan on another $5-7k making it whole.

Folks: 30 year old trucks. 'Nuff said.

This is exactly why I went the JDM route for my first adventure in to an imported cruiser. I'd much rather have the troopy but just don't have the resources for that kind of project right now. Both money and facility wise.

Till then I just enjoy and learn as much as I can from the 74.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Especially in the Southeast US.

Well you didn't have to make it personal.

 

[AndrewHadji]

If you buy a truck from Australia, plan on another $10-15k making it whole.

JDM trucks: plan on another $5-7k making it whole.

Folks: 30 year old trucks. 'Nuff said.

troof...

 

[Gun Runner 5]

If it makes you smile while you're driving down the road it's worth every penny. Most of the middle age women I see driving late model Wranglers don't appear to be smiling.

 

[Aussie 25]

A few pictures of the inside of my 75.
Bottom bead, cupboards and sink.
Standing up inside with the top bead folded and with the bead spread out. Its got 4 fly screened windows up top, that is my sleeping spot.
The canvas is dark and no light comes through, great for a sleep in.

 

[Aussie 25]

View attachment 1218744

It also has an old Engle fridge, around 30 years and still working. Coppell of chairs to sit down and enjoy the cold beers. Fly screens fitted to the side windows and the seats out of a 2013 VDJ79 with custom arm rests. It weighs around 2800KG with gear and full tanks.

 

[ca18sean]

That thing looks awesome! Great setup.

 

[tmarx]

Is the area over the cab itself still open for wood / solar panel ? Around here we have to rely on charcoal at times and if aquired from the wild it becomes a messy bag that can only go on the roof rack ...

 

[Aussie 25]

Is the area over the cab itself still open for wood / solar panel ? Around here we have to rely on charcoal at times and if aquired from the wild it becomes a messy bag that can only go on the roof rack ...

There is no where inside you can put wood or charcoal, you may be able to put a light roof rack on top. It had solar panels on the roof but I removed them to fit it in my shed.

 

[NM Frontier]

Very nice, do you get much noise/clunking from the large cabinets, or I guess from whats inside the cabinets?

 

[Aussie 25]

No not much noise at all inside. All the gear is fairly well packed in the cupboards. The old engal fridge compressor rattles a bit when you hit a fair bump, but that is about all . Its even quoit on gravel roads because the back floor is covered with a pice of 20mm ply covered in vinyl.

 

[tmarx]

Here is my Hzj75 pop top. Had it for 8 years, done around 100000km and no intention in selling it.View attachment 1197921 View attachment 1197922 View attachment 1197923

This design retains the classic lines of the Troopy and is very pleasing to the eye ...

 

[Aussie 25]

Here is a another one of it having a relax near the beach with its rear cover on ready for some rain. Its good with that on, back doors can be open and it all keeps dry.

 

[GreaseMonkeyJP]

@Aussie 25
Nice rear cover, where did you get it? It looks like a really functional combination of protection and access.

 

[Aussie 25]

The awning is a Wild Country brand Pitstop Car Awning. I have had it for 5 years, cost about $80. Works well.

 

[ozcrusier]

Here's a good camper someone put money into.
Toyota LandCruiser HJ75 Dual Cab 12ht | Cars, Vans & Utes | Gumtree Australia Benalla Area - Benalla | 1110344750

 

[AlanofOZ]

G'day everyone,

I've just seen this thread on the forum and I thought I'd put my two-cent's worth in.

Troopies are the vehicle of choice for the mining industry here in Australia - that means lots come on to the market via vehicle auctions and all of them have been thrashed to within an inch of their lives. Kms (mileage) is not a good indicator; it's like dog years - a year in a mine is like ten in "normal" use. Ask if it has been a mine vehicle and avoid it if it has.

Another source of Troopies that already have pop-top conversions are the hire car companies. Converted Troopies have been rented for years here in Australia and the original conversions are very tidy and nicely done. The usual plan has been that a base model (split rim wheels, cheese cutter tyres, no diff locks, standard suspension, wind-up windows, vinyl seats etc.) is converted to a pop-top and put into the rental fleet for three years. Three year is about the useful life of the cabinet work and other parts of the conversion. Why three years? Imagine the average person renting a 4x4 camper. In Australia it tends to be a group of European backpackers who try to see the whole continent in four weeks, and who have zero regard for any mechanical parts of the rental vehicle (think driving on sealed roads with 4WD engaged, driving in sea water up to the doors or "jumping" sand dunes). When the ex-rental Troopies come on the market here they tend to have in excess of 300,000 km on them, which is a lot of abuse in three years.

Here is one ex-rental Troopy currently for sale here in Melbourne, this dealer is an "outlet" for ex-rental campers and does a nice job of making the vehicles look attractive (i.e. a thorough detailing, $1000 worth of rims and tyres and repair/replace any damaged canvas): 2011 Toyota Landcruiser Workmate Troopcarrier Manual 4x4 MY10 - Berwick Commercials

A few people have posted about their Troopy conversions here on Ih8mud. This is mine: 78 Troopy flip top overlander

Here is a nice one in Cape Town: Cape Town Troop Carrier CTTC

Here is the distributor in the USA for Alu-Cab: Alu-Cab Canopies | 4WD Roof Top Tents | Aluminum Canopies

If your heart tells you to buy Troopy, but your head says "no", go with your heart.

 

[Aussie 25]

I had my pop top troopie for 9 years now, and haven't had no problem , would swap it for anything.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

 

[Letsgomoreplaces]

Here's a peak on the Nitro Trakka Bushman Troopy