Camper-terrain

It is a great story about our three square meters of property all-wheel drive.
Will be 63 photos.

I am writing on behalf Frantsuzova Denis.





But I'll start my story is still far away.

The main part of our autotravel, like most friends, falls on the warm season, which, given our climate, is quite fleeting. Open season overnight stays in nature, we tend to be closer to the middle-end of April, close to the end of September.

We basically always sleep alone in the car, and the reason a few points:

1) Security. A stranger is always easier to get into the open tent than in a closed car. Yes, and often cause damage to someone else's car to an inexperienced person is psychologically more difficult than the rest of the property, because somewhere in my subconscious still sits the idea that "the car - it's expensive," and, perhaps, for it will eventually have to pay. Although, of course, this is not a panacea, if you want to get into the machine - will climb. But this would still be more difficult than in the case of the tent.

2) Convenience and speed training camp for the night. For us the main thing - it's easy to find a flat place to put the car. Sometimes sleep sloping towards the legs, or with a slight slope side without any discomfort. Since I have installed in the trunk thought sleeping system, about one minute after switched off the engine, it was possible to bedtime, regardless of what is happening outside.

3) Climate Control. It just so happened that the last few years, we have year-round home with air conditioning sleep. The machine is the same. At night I rented a starry sky for a long time, so we go to bed late. In the summer, after the sun rises, sleeping in a tent becomes problematic because of the heat. At night, especially in the mountains, it has to be warmed considerably and use warm sleeping bags. And when spend the night in the car, in the cold simply turn the stove warms the morning, you wake up, switch on the air conditioning and climate sleep on. For some it may seem insignificant reason for this, but we are so accustomed to, and it's really easy! The engine idling consumes about 1 - 1, 3 liters of diesel per hour, ie, 10-13 liters per night, depending how long we sleep. For comfort comes at a price, and we just take it for granted.

The experience of the previous winter.

In September, I once again realized with sadness that the cold winter is just around the corner and it would be necessary to do something. At the same time I recalled the experience of last winter, when we arrived late in the evening for some interesting place within a few hours I was shooting the stars, and we sat in the car front. Basking as they could - -20 diesel rather quickly cooled to 45-50 degrees and muzzle slightly warm oven. Drinking hot tea, however, for its preparation had to go out to open the back door and vystuzhat salon. We ate a meal spread out on the armrest between the seats. Whiled away the time sitting on the internet, but that's to go to the front and sit still for a long time on the front - two different things.

The result is that, like, and a large car, and place in it a lot, and we carry a lot of things with them - but for our own space inside somehow end up severely lacking. These thoughts have visited me all last winter, then came the warm season, travel, well after, in September, it had to think again.

Alien experience.

At the same time, Learn periodically ran across some interesting projects for alterations car to stay in the cold season, two of which I decided to mention in his story - I am sure those who have not seen it, it will be interesting:

1) andrew_dovgan, for example, found in the back of his pickup makeshift living quarters and his autumn trip to the Kola has confirmed the effectiveness of such a decision.



The module is secured in the back of the car, if necessary, it can be removed and left in the garage. The roof folds, placed inside the kitchen, toilets, shower and, of course, the bed. The most important thing - according to the owner, no problems on the roads during the passage of difficult areas were not there, the machine has not lost in the obstruction.



Another very interesting point is that the owner before making "house" took the dimensions of bodies of the most popular pickups different manufacturers represented in our market, so that, if necessary, change cars, the module is likely to successfully take hold in the back of another car. < br />
Read more about this project you can read Andrew Learn the tag «expeditionary unit."



Among the shortcomings of this decision for us personally, I see two things:

1) Security - from inside, you can not quickly change seats behind the wheel and go to another place, would first have to go outside.

2) Climate Control. If the heat is elementary solved by installing the heater, the cooling unit I personally do not see the simple ways. It is either installed on the roof of the mobile air conditioner, such as in cars carrying dairy products. Searching for fun, suitable options I have found - those options automobile air conditioners that are on the market, cooled to 0 ... +5 degrees, very cold, or designed for a large amount of interior (such as the bus). Probably, badly searched. Well, they consume quite a lot, that is, still have to run the engine. Another option - to do it a second path to an existing air conditioner evaporator in a residential unit, but it is also technically very difficult decision, and I think it is quite expensive.

Nevertheless, the result obtained I liked, at the hands of its author definitely grow from the right place, and most importantly - the product personally he is very pleased, as travel by this car to him.

Well, "one little nuance" in the framework of the story - we still do not pick-up, hehe! :) So this is not an option, go further.

2) About the second project can be read in LiveJournal Alexei klimovs_travels, among the entries for the tag "Ekspeditsionnik." In short:

1) It rukasty man bought a new Land Cruiser 78.



2) Cut off from his back half of the body (the Lord GOD !!!).



3) Self-produced power frame, simultaneously refined the off-road capability of the machine.



4) As a result I came out here such an interesting car with an accommodation module



Well what can I say. Almost a dream machine has turned! SUV with bridges and ponizhaykoy, huge 36 & quot; wheels are also designed to compensate for the weight of the machine greatly increased. Quite a large module makes it comfortable to spend time in all weather conditions, including the freezing cold to -30. The ability to get out of the module into the cockpit and take the wheel, without going outside. Cooling air conditioning unit in the warmer months.

In general, really perfect, but requires a lot of time for completion, significant financial investments (cost new of the "Cruiser" about 2 million rubles. BU in good condition find it is not so easy, plus the cost of completion of the machinery and construction module), as well as registration of changes in the traffic police (which, in fact, is not so difficult - he went through it when replacing the motor and the installation of a full drive in LeoCar'e). Although what happened in the end, definitely worth it all.

Honestly, I thought like a repeat Defom occasionally came to me, but somehow it did not survive, as they say.

In general, we are coming closer and closer to the fun.

Just at the beginning of September on the website www.expeditionportal.com I stumbled on the subject, where the man was preparing his 110th Defender to travel to South America . And there I came across this picture here, after which suddenly stopped scrolling page.



Defender on it was transformed into a double. Rear - seat for two people, a table, a refrigerator, a lot of wardrobe ... "Oh, it is impossible", - the first thing I thought, and started flipping page on. But once the text is difficult to read, but the picture did not come out of my head and had to return to her back.

All looked at it in detail and could not figure out where is the arrangement at this place a bed for two. I read a little further, and saw that the author originally wanted to do a hinged roof for increasing the height of the passenger compartment on parking. Along the way, I decided that the car will not sit back just because of the height of the ceiling. I try to find a 3D-model of Defender to see this very high. In the search came another thought - "Why am I doing this, if the tape is in the closet and under the windows of the car is worth?". He dressed and went to measure the dimensions of the interior.

The matter was complicated by the fact that the cabin has been fixed sleeping system and a lot of things that I decided to put a number on the asphalt. Pass along by police at two o'clock in the morning it seemed suspicious, we asked for the documents, inquired what am I doing so. In response to "measure the salon" as something strange looked at me, but wished good luck and left.

After removing the rear seats the size of (their size, I decided to base) and the rest of the cabin, his head began to develop options for layout, but all depended on the bed.

In my plan, it should be from wall to wall, a length of 185cm, the width of the consist of several parts, with folding and unfolding quickly, and most importantly - support the weight of two people without any props in the center. Here's how to do it - I do not know as to visualize it yourself either made from a single piece of plywood, that would be pretty tough, but not held in the interior in size, or of several pieces with a backup in place of the compound I I did not like the principle, as this option would have blocked the passage between the seats, and each time the shoot-set these backups are not very interesting to do.

Along the way, a separate list jotted down the requirements for future residential compartment:

1) Bed - quickly and easily folds and unfolds. Power design. The ability to lay out the bed, without leaving the car outside.
2) Bedding. Once the bed can be spread without going outside, then they should be stored in the cabin somewhere near at hand.
3) The entire structure should consist of two parts, which are securely fastened to the body (the previous version was simply vraspor between walls). Between them should be run. Entrance to the residential area through both the rear and left through the back door. Right rear door will not be used at all. Large flat floor in a residential part.
4) Def will double. Otherwise, no way.
5) wide seat for two, it was convenient to spend time at the cabin. Under the seats - compartments for food and small things.
6) Self-contained air heater for use in the cold season.
7) Place the tile. Compartment for kitchen utensils. Everything should be on hand.
8) The sink water. The main water tank. Intermediate tank for heating water. Hot showers. Wastewater (sewage).
9) Fixed fridge with autonomous operation by the second battery.
10) Large cabinet for my photo equipment with a separate compartment for small things like radios, lanterns charges. All in one place and close at hand.
11) of long bay slider (videorelsy) in which it must be inserted in the assembled state (with motor stranded tripod head, remote control, as napryazhno each time to collect, disassemble it).
12) A compartment for tripods, I have a lot of them.
13) Subwoofer.
14) Power The battery in the rear. Inverter. Sockets 12V and 220V in the back and middle of the cabin.
15) The compartment for off-road shmurdyak and tools.
16) interior lighting, door openings at the opening of the doors, as well as weak illumination space near the car on the street, the light which should not interfere with night shooting.

It seems to be the main considered. With the rest of the small things be defined as exploitation.

Let's go!

1. Def surprised me once again. In what other machine can check the oil level in a box and razdatke without leaving the cabin? :)



2. Stand-alone air heater. It would be thoroughly warm interior, which would lead to a reduction in its volume, and use the heater to 2 kW. But in this case it would have to stick or to get rid of the rear windows, and they to me very much like Defe. I decided to go the other way and set the heater Eberspacher Airtronic D4, the good that I bought it at the end of August to the action on the very "Delicious" price. For fun in Yandex searched today - before the winter prices have soared significantly.

Its power, as the name implies, 4kW, which to heat the passenger compartment in theory should be enough. I decided to install it in a single convenient location - under a box, which is located between the seats. Put himself asked for the installation of a third of the cost of the "hair dryer."



3. Air intake fixed under the body, the output of exhaust and silencer - on the frame.



4. Since the installation of an additional fuel tank in the wing I was initially foreseen in the tee line, connecting the fuel pump to the tank took about twenty minutes. And in general, as a rule, it is a very long procedure to drain the fuel tank and removal from the machine.

The broken spring - the consequences of the concentration of the brunt of the (fuel and water) in one corner of the cabin.

Looking ahead - at night this thing pretty loud clicks, despite the rubber damper. As if someone quietly tapping the outside of the car. What would you do with him?



5. The control panel placed between the cup holders. I do not just take care of the designation German colors on the wiring diagram. There are about 15 wires, of which in this case involved only five. But, to my surprise, it worked the first time, and when a couple of minutes in the salon began to arrive warm, joy knew no bounds! :)



6. One last look at the way it was ...



7. understand. Did once this construction more than a month to sort out all screwdriver hour. From a large water tank also had to get rid of.



8. Hats trim. The holes where to insert trim caps, threaded - the attachment point of the future 'furniture'.



9. Make a hole for the two Gulf and drain hoses additional tank and pump wiring to the tank (12c) and the water heater (220). Posting in whole ripple. Due to the fact that this part is mobile, the hoses had to use it are - they do not lose flexibility in the cold.



10. Next, lined with a plastic hose, purchased the building market, together with posting on the perimeter of the door. At the same time I find out that the roof Defa, is simply screwed on the bolts on the perimeter! Ie it is really possible in the future to do a flip! :)



11. Put in place liner, simultaneously making a "pocket" for the sleeping bags, blankets and pillows. Open the window will be possible only in unfolded bed.



12. In the evening had only to make the basis for the seat frame. On a gray trim under the "pocket" that part of the fixed structure, which will be hard to hold a block of seats on its location. The low points using standard ring intended for holding cargo. Total each part of the module is securely attached to the body in four places.



13. Only by removing the rear seats, which we did not use, I realized just how huge interior from Defender!



14. The seat frame is almost ready. I take into account that the top will still pillows, and thus I shall be placed not resting his head on the ceiling.



15. Since the main tank had to get rid of, was acquired by the plastic tank Front Runner 40 liters of water in the rear left fender. And gravity will be located in the cabin is now more evenly (remember the bursting of spring?), Because on the other hand it balances the same tank 45 liters of fuel.



16. Within each Defender there is a field that distorts reality and accuracy. In particular, one and the same tape will show a completely different data if you measure it in any equal parts of two different Defender, and so what happens to a compass - even afraid to say. Fortunately, Def able to find their own direction of light in the desired direction.

But you buy the tank, complete with iron which is the pattern and the instructions say: attach the template to the wall of the body, mark the position and the central hole marker accurately drill the metal and you get exactly into the mouth of the tank.

I am attaching notes to drill holes - miss two centimeters! And it's fucking with a ready template factory !!! Defa energy field multiplied by the manual assembly of the English is indeed very strong phenomenon, otherwise how to explain it? Hammer traditional remedy the situation.

Then, when I did the cooking part of the module, I recalled this incident, worried that evenly spread out to make a bed I did not succeed. :)










































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That's all I wanted to say.

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