We are travelling with a Land Rover Defender 110 from 1997, totalizing 150 000 miles at the time of departure.
The design of the vehicule has been done over two years. It is basic but funcional, and results from our small experience of travelling as a family.
The two back seats were removed and replaced with home-made chairs.
The box placed at the rear of the vehicule contains a WAECO fridge, and two small aluminium boxes on the sides are used to store tools.
A small aluminium table is fixed to the back door.
The fridge and the food box remain always easily accessible. We carry in the back of the vehicule only a few cases of luggage and night clothes for a few days. This limits manipulations with the roof box.
On the gallery take place the Howling Moon roof tent that opens rearward, and an aluminium box of 500 liters where are stored the rest of our things.
Two mesh crates are installed behind the roof box. Very handy for transporting wood, garbage or dirty dishes.
An aluminium walkway placed between the tent and the crates provides and easy and safe access to the gallery.
The five children sleep in the roof tent, and parents in the vehicule. A canopy at the rear of the tent provides a sheltered area when needed.
A small aluminium box placed under the gallery contains a ladder, two folding tables and seats.
Two additional fuel tanks over a hundred liters have been installed under the chassis and the rear right wing. They give us a range of around 1000 miles.
They come from Safari Equip England.
Two water tanks are installed symmetrically with fuel tanks, and give us an autonomy of 100 liters.
The device is completed by a Katadyn filter in order to ensure filtration and potability of the water. In areas at risk, we will add chlorine tablets.
A copper coil placed in a good fire will provide unlimited hot water, subject to be near a water tap or a river.
This solution is the best for us as we do not have the option of showering 7 persons relying on our scarce water reserves.
An indispensable outdoor toilet will ensure our confort . It is made from aluminium sheets 2mm thick, and a wooden lid.
Our autonomy of electricity is provided by two Optima batteries, separeted by splitter-coupler, which prevent discharging the main red battery when the car is stationary.
The yellow 75Ah battery is being used to operate the various accessories such as lighting and fridge.
It is completed by two 30W solar panels placed on the roof box.
A 600W converteur supplies the needed 220V to load PCs and cameras.
Two sand plates made from composite are placed under the gallery at the front.
A cable puller of 1600 kg, a kinetic rope, some slings and shackles should help us out of some bad situations.
Before leaving, the vehicule has undergone a complete overhaul at JP Land, with replacement of the two gearboxes, clutch, head gasket, vaccum pump, rear halfshafts, constant velocity joints at the front, drive flanges, front prop shaft as well as all the rubber bushes.
We only take with us as spare a water pump and two universal joints, in addition to replacement filters and fluids.
And of course a good tool box.