I go 4 people in my troopy with the rear bench seat. Absolutely packed to the ceiling in the boot. I’ve got a rtt for the wife and one child. And the boy and I sleep in a tent. Nothing better than a fully loaded troopy for a comfortable ride. My solution is to stay at least two nights everywhere so more fun and less packing. With a 55L long ranger water tank underneath I can camp 4-5 days. Good luck Ronny
I inherited my dad's Troopy. Then, after 4 years, a homeless junky stole it from my property, crashed it, set it on fire and never got convicted, even though the police knew he did it. Gutted to this day 😢🇦🇺
Sucks to hear mate, but nobody wants to be a homeless junky. It would be a horrible life. I am on my second troopy, my first one I bought was too rusted out to warrant a big build and sold it at a loss. It’s never too late to start again, even in a good old 1hz👍🏼
@@mikeedwards1682 his motive was simply joy ride then burn it. That's what he had done to another car over the valley. Sorry, no sympathy for someone who does that as well as having domestic violence orders against them. I've moved to setting up a RAM as a tourer now. Good luck with your Troopy into the future👍🇦🇺
I do love that your actually planning it out whilst using it and doing it slowly based on needs not just paying someone to build “the ultimate tourer” with what they say is best
We are driving a Landcruiser 74 (short wheelbased) with 40 cm less wheelbase. There are no extra water or fuel tanks available for the shorty. We build them oursves and have now got a total of 190 liters of fuel and 50 liters of water under the vehicle, additional we also have 40 liters of water inside the car. Planning storage smart is the key to a practical overlander.
As a French family of 4, planing to do 3 x month trips in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, etc, etc, we can’t wait to discover how you managed to build a 4 people Troopy :-)
If you were happy to spend 3k on a water tank, then just do the 3rd door conversion that the ambulance Troopy’s have. That way you can use every space inch of space in the back and have a far more suitable and functional access point for the rear passengers. Getting in and out of the Troopy through the rear 350mm walk way will get old really quickly, even for kids
I'd imagine the cost and engineering that would be required might be too much for a 1-2 family trips a year. Unless he's going to start touring full time with the family. Though I agree, having the extra space would be great. Yo also have to consider. It's not just storage, it's also living quarters too... So he's gonna want to walk back there too (roof up for the night) instead of climbing over seats.
The front passenger seat is designed to fold down and forward for access. I have an RV with fold down rear seats it works for people that can climb but not babies or toddlers
same here ..wish we had a troppy ,bare bones wagon , like to do a car camper /overlander the,4runner /GX460 has a 3rd row v8 gas hog, no range,low payload the U.S.have to pick from is ? I cant find a thing every manufactures want " independent rear Axle for.smooth ride , leg room for the 3rd row. 2rd row ent screens and luxury car bits " my ideal size 115" wb 200" over all 72" wide at least a 7' cargo bay diesel , jeep could do something on the grand Cherokee ..more luxury car tahoe ...more family car
I have one daughter and put two Techsafe seats in the back for her and a friend, fridge and drawers are behind those seats with a ‘passage’. It does limit things a bit! Also, once I put the rear bumper with spare wheel carrier on the back it obviously blocked access to the rear door when closed. Our set up does work well now, although we don’t do long trips on it together.
awesome!!!!! This is the content we are missing on YT. Keep the family content up :) 79 for 4?! What are possible layouts or concepts etc. etc. Well thought of mate!
3:55 Back in the 90s I had a Kombi. It was originally a camper but had been gutted for reasons... I fitted a pair of bucket seats in the back, and used 6 inch x 6 inch x 1/4 inch metal plates under the floor to anchor the seats and the belts. The engineer said it was overkill and passed it.
Will a gxl passenger seat rail work with the seats your running? They slide alot further forward than the workmate seat rails (almost slide all the way forward into the dash from memory) to give good access from the passenger door into the back seat on the gxls with the forward facing rear bench? Will free up alot of rear storage space then. Think 2 door sports car access to the back seat. If grown adults do it im sure the kids will have have sero issues,
I'm planning a similar build with forward facing rear GXL seats , bench front seats ( 6 seater total) a fridge on the floor with 2/3 draws next to it and a frame that drops in when the rear seats are folded or removed to turn it into a bed setup. Also looking at Airconditioning and some sort of hot water system while also keeping it light 🤔
Dominic, did that on an RV about 20 years ago so I couldn’t tell you now who the fabricator was. Had double stack drawers next to a fridge from rear doors to back of FF seat. Pretty standard setup. The crux of it was the cargo barrier which had an external frame that followed the vehicle’s sides and roof line and an internal frame and mesh that was hinged from the front edge of the drawers and when unpinned, folded forward and landed perfectly on the now tumbled forward rear seat creating a full length bed. A tri-fold mattress and sleeping bags fit behind the seat when travelling. Worked for a great stealth bed but even better for the kids as we had the Oztent on the roof for us.
Thanks for the update on the rear passenger seats! I’m planning to set up to accommodate for 3, including a little one with a car seat. Those seats should work for that yeah?
Yeah mate, stop promo, I already bought one...🤣 That was hell of a job in Germany, but now I got one an it is your fault! (My wife knows, too😏😈) Thank you, I'm watching your content for eight years now, but the Troopy sent me over the edge finally😄 Cheers Ronny, greetings to WA from Bjørn
GMTA - I got a Troopy4Four because of the extra space vs a wagon (and still a shorter wheelbase than a ute), fitting approved and certified two extra seats was not easy and I also ended up with seats for vans or mini-busses (Schnierle). No roof-conversion (yet), no headroom issue so far; and the rail system for the seat consoles allows me to move the seats backwards/forward in seconds and take them out in minutes. Now comes the CAD process and seems like you are catching up with me so I can start getting my inspiration from you 🙂Can't wait for the next part. One more thought - using individual LFP cells plus BMS and not a ready-built battery allows you much more creative space-saving arrangements.
In Europe it is quite common to install the seats from a Renault Espace in the Troopys to allow seating for children. They come with a seat belt and ISOfix (fastening standard for child seats). They can also be folded down. What brand are the seats in the video? Thank you.
Yep, I still have a soft spot for the troopy. My first troopy I owned, with the 1HD-FTE was an ex-NSW ambulance. It only had 42000k on it when I bought it. It also had a 3rd door on the passenger side. I sourced a forward-facing rear seat from an RV, had that fitted and engineered. That was a perfect set-up. Unfortunately, I lost that troopy in floods. I then got another troopy, an RV, same engine and it was blue with a forward-facing rear seat. Unfortunately, it didn't have the extra side door. I looked into getting a door fitted. That would've been an very expensive cost. So, the troopy went to a new owner.
Dream vehicle, nothing like a Troopy. Any chance you will be stateside at Overland West this May? Did you have the rear track widened? I hear in stock form they are narrower in the back. Thanks. Well planned out👍
Thank the heavens and Ronny Dahl for this. I am so sick and tired of all the overland build channels with their "ultimate over-lander" build for two people. There is just no challenge in that!! Not everybody is old with the kids are out of the house and takes photos any makes RUclips videos for a living!! If they want a challenge, use a double cab/Troopy platform and build a tourer that sleeps four people and carry their stuff for a week.
In the early 80s our family of 5 did the Gibb River. Starting from the Gold fields of W.A in a troopie had the bench seat in the front. Dad made a box that fitted across the troopie behind the front seats the put a 50mm foam seat on the box for me and my 2 sister to sit facing backwards so for the 6 week trip we got to see a lot of were we had been 😂
Awesome Ronny. I have in mind to try a 5 people Troopy, similar to the configuration that you're doing. Or maybe it just needs to be 2 vehicles.... hmmm...
Hi Ronny, love your project! Have you talked with Stefano from Bonetti Campers at the Sunshine Coast. He has a custom made fridge with the compressor in the sidewall to optimise the space and it goes over the wheel arch. Might be an option. We got the Crusinator conversion which has a lot of nice details like this. Keep the great work up!!
Good vid mate, 350mm walkway is pretty damn skinny - have you considered stealing 25mm from each side of the installations on each side to make it 400mm? I know it is maybe a bit nitpicky and not a huge gain for the walkway but it might make it that little bit easier to navigate/ walk through? Just a thought - thanks again for the vids :)
Swivel seats seem like would have been the go then could have a pop-in table to sit and eat a family of 4 when its cold and raining outside. 😉 Even better with extra side doors.
Yep I'm another Ex-Troopie owner and I've regretted it since 1988😳☹️😭 Being the old HJ47 4seater it was easier to build my dream " Overland Expedition" vehicle before it was the CooL Thing to do. It had all the fruit including my now 42yr old 35litre Engel Fridge that's still working perfectly as my Freezer(to supplement the 65litre & 15L fridges) Now days try fitting in a slide-out kitchen/pantry/collapsible sink, 2x150amps of Lithium/600watts of Solar to run the fridges, lighting and the induction microwave plus single induction cooktop(no gas except for compact double burner for emergencies) and squeeze it into a 2001Jeep XJ Cherokee Wagon plus everything else include a porta-loo. You'll do fine coz the Troopie is still the best wagon for two or four people. I'm watching your journey with excitement 👍😀😎👍🏻
Great vid Ronny 👍 keen to get the 90L water tank, is it the LRA one? When it was installed did they need access to the inside floor pan? I’ve already got cabinets fitted inside so that would be very awkward if required.
Going to be an interesting build. Instead of just 1x200ah battery, why not 2x80-100ah batteries instead. They would give you more flexibility to mount together or separately. Let's not forget lithium batteries can be mounted upside down and sideways if needed too. Or make it modular. 1x 100ah for the 4 person/2 week setup. And have the second battery on an Anderson plug that you can add/remove to kit out for 2 person/4weeks to have more creature comforts or enough power for longer trips
I have always loved Troopys and get very excited when I see one with a three door conversion, like you say I have never bought one because I have two kids. My other concern though is leg room with the lack of a footwell or high floor pan for your rear passengers. It’s okay when your kids are little but teenagers or adults on long drives I worry would struggle. My extreme answer was to buy an Australian Arkana body aka Troopy on steroids which gives the rear passengers a door, footwell and plenty of leg room plus it has a wider body than a troopy and more cargo space. Pity they weren’t still building them as I reckon they would be selling like hot cakes! Great video, i still love them.
Another great one Ronny. looking forward to seeing how it turns out. We are a family of 4 in a Troopy. The "minimalist" approach is a must😄 Definitely possible
We’re a family of 5 with twins on the way. Was thinking a troopy would be a great car for trips. Interesting to see many leave for other wagons when people have kids
Looking forward to see how you lay things out, have you thought about a 6'x6' pull up hub tent instead of swags? I use an insulated version with stove jack, instant side room/shower room/sauna room/or kids room only 18kg 52"x12" bagged, 60 second up, 60 second back in the bag, lightweight, sturdy, versatile, good bit of kit, might be a solution to carrying extra gear for four, 👍🚙🇨🇮👌
Dual dcs lithium set up under the bonnet? Save you a bit of space in the rear and you'll probably get a bigger lithium set up. Few channels not as big as yours have tested how reliable they are under bonnett..would be cool to see you give it a go
My ex just sold his 9 seater troopy! Needed that many to hold our tribe! His had a side door engineered which was very much a necessity with the 3 rows
You wan the shoulder seatbelt strap to be comming from the other side of the seats so heads are moved inboard in an accident. Switch the seats around sir.
20kg empty water tank weight..... thought to myself, geez thats light in steel. Appears a 90ltr steel aux tank is 45kg. so must be around there someplace. That's an added 135kg in weight with the tank full. Heavy man.
in africa we get them Converted to 9 seater safari wagons with pop-up roofs. for family use and expeditions the Safari Landcruiser is the largest SUV truck you can get.
Hi Ronny, been where you are… I have a 5 seater GXL, with a mulgo V2 poptop. To get the passenger headroom the folding bench seat was dropped by an inch and the bed platform lifted by an inch. It works fine for my tall son and is ADR approved. In the rear I have put in an arb drawer system with 300amp of lithium and 2000w inverter, taking half of one drawer. I went with drawer system as I need the flat area for payloads. The fridge slide slides out to give access to the battery system. I mostly cook with an air fryer and get about 6 meals out of the system. When I need a two-seater, rear seats fold forward and the void is used for packing or a second 40 litre fridge. I intend to create a bed by having a folding forward platform attached to the drawer system edge that folds over the folded seat void, and stands up when the seats are being used to act as a low cargo barrier when seats are up. This setup means I spend almost all my time outside which for me is fine.
Also, got 90litres of water underneath with a 50litre Longranger saddle tank over driveshaft, and a Thorburns 40litre rear tank, both with pumps, the filler is a Thorburns vent replacement which looks like what you have and includes an Anderson 12v directly to the battery for an external solar blanket. I have 200w panels on the mulgo connected to a switch / splitter to direct the solar charge to either the rear house batteries or to the cranking batteries in the front in case of a flat battery. Ronny, thanks for the videos, and I am enjoying watching your build, cheers mate.
As doors to your storage, why don't you use canvas with zips. Much lighter than wood. Use aluminium for the carcass of your drawer system. All this will save weight.
I suspect you would have to install a roof extension in to cater for 6'2" or higher people, I'm 6'1" and premium head room stand to fit 6'5" you would of been better to leave the original bench seat bracket and mounted the single seats on to it not e if you you are going to buld for 2+2 you might As well build in mind for 2+4 you might want to even converting a another vehicle into a trailer move everyone into tthe trailer to live out of it.. personally If I was going to use as troopy as a family hauler i wold likely extend it by 5 foot make it a 6x6 and widen the cabin are 1-2 foot because as a people mover they aren't comfortable to stack 6+foot people in base bench seat..
He said he’s going on an outback trip to test out the troops again before deciding the layout- if guess probably on the upcoming Easter break. Looking forward to living vicariously!
Just a suggestion for your battery. Check out the atlas prismatic 175 amphr. they are the same footprint as a 100 amp agm (ausie battery and solar in queensland)
I just bought the kids a landcruiser so we can travel in pairs. All problems solved. Too bad they are still below licence age. But that problem is self solving 😝
Can see your mind is ticking on this one but straight off it’s compromise on everything already. Small battery to have a smaller solar when the roof is already full with swags and extras . Not a fan of the leg room in the back personally but that’s the seat being stuck to the floor really hated my father’s panel van as a small kid . With that though it’s the sleeping outside. As a touring rig I didn’t feel safe that having anyone outside the vehicle in a roadside free camp style scenario was a safe option. I’m stuck on this one I’d be starting to think I’ve got the wrong car for the purpose it’s almost a jack off camper on the 79 or even a Alu cab/ camp king industries tub camper on the sr5
Looks quite nice to me. Though if it was my project I would probably have gone with 2 rooftents instead of the pop up. Had two howling moon tourer rooftent on my hilux in the past and was quite happy with it (unless you wanna try going faster than 120) Only real downside I felt was it trying to roll over when tackling steep tracks. As for the noise it didnt really register with me cause I was running some pretty aggressive MT's anyway...
90 litres of water is nothing! 1.6 litres per person per day??? Yeah shitload for a weekend, but not for four weeks,then again if you’re in southern Tasmania in winter it may work.
Hey Ronny don’t know if you will get this message now but I need some help and I have no one else to ask…? I have a troopy I want to buy it has some rust about $6000 worth 2008 workman’s it has 210000kms on it He wants $35000 I have some photos how do I send them to you. ? Is it worth spending $15000 on it to get a new troopy. Gavin
I go 4 people in my troopy with the rear bench seat. Absolutely packed to the ceiling in the boot. I’ve got a rtt for the wife and one child. And the boy and I sleep in a tent. Nothing better than a fully loaded troopy for a comfortable ride. My solution is to stay at least two nights everywhere so more fun and less packing. With a 55L long ranger water tank underneath I can camp 4-5 days. Good luck Ronny
I inherited my dad's Troopy. Then, after 4 years, a homeless junky stole it from my property, crashed it, set it on fire and never got convicted, even though the police knew he did it. Gutted to this day 😢🇦🇺
U personel story doesn't fit in
@@bobbeebobbee6998 yeah, it probably doesn't. Bite me 😂🇦🇺
Sucks to hear mate, but nobody wants to be a homeless junky. It would be a horrible life. I am on my second troopy, my first one I bought was too rusted out to warrant a big build and sold it at a loss. It’s never too late to start again, even in a good old 1hz👍🏼
@@mikeedwards1682 his motive was simply joy ride then burn it. That's what he had done to another car over the valley. Sorry, no sympathy for someone who does that as well as having domestic violence orders against them. I've moved to setting up a RAM as a tourer now. Good luck with your Troopy into the future👍🇦🇺
I do love that your actually planning it out whilst using it and doing it slowly based on needs not just paying someone to build “the ultimate tourer” with what they say is best
Awesome video Ronny and something we have been thinking about as well!
We are driving a Landcruiser 74 (short wheelbased) with 40 cm less wheelbase. There are no extra water or fuel tanks available for the shorty. We build them oursves and have now got a total of 190 liters of fuel and 50 liters of water under the vehicle, additional we also have 40 liters of water inside the car. Planning storage smart is the key to a practical overlander.
As a French family of 4, planing to do 3 x month trips in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, etc, etc, we can’t wait to discover how you managed to build a 4 people Troopy :-)
If you were happy to spend 3k on a water tank, then just do the 3rd door conversion that the ambulance Troopy’s have. That way you can use every space inch of space in the back and have a far more suitable and functional access point for the rear passengers.
Getting in and out of the Troopy through the rear 350mm walk way will get old really quickly, even for kids
I'd imagine the cost and engineering that would be required might be too much for a 1-2 family trips a year. Unless he's going to start touring full time with the family. Though I agree, having the extra space would be great. Yo also have to consider. It's not just storage, it's also living quarters too... So he's gonna want to walk back there too (roof up for the night) instead of climbing over seats.
The front passenger seat is designed to fold down and forward for access. I have an RV with fold down rear seats it works for people that can climb but not babies or toddlers
So awesome.. Wish we had these in the US.
same here ..wish we had a troppy ,bare bones wagon , like to do a car camper /overlander the,4runner /GX460 has a 3rd row v8 gas hog, no range,low payload the U.S.have to pick from is ? I cant find a thing every manufactures want " independent rear Axle for.smooth ride , leg room for the 3rd row. 2rd row ent screens and luxury car bits " my ideal size 115" wb 200" over all 72" wide at least a 7' cargo bay diesel , jeep could do something on the grand Cherokee ..more luxury car tahoe ...more family car
Same, but we can get 70 series now, but they cost as much used as a new 4runner😢
Why?
@@georgejulien3286 so we can build a tour /car camper / overlander rig
@@P3ImagingInc but a 4Runner and a 78 are different beasts and for different purposes
I have one daughter and put two Techsafe seats in the back for her and a friend, fridge and drawers are behind those seats with a ‘passage’. It does limit things a bit! Also, once I put the rear bumper with spare wheel carrier on the back it obviously blocked access to the rear door when closed. Our set up does work well now, although we don’t do long trips on it together.
awesome!!!!! This is the content we are missing on YT. Keep the family content up :) 79 for 4?! What are possible layouts or concepts etc. etc.
Well thought of mate!
Looking good. Glad you fitted proper seats for the kids. Those bench seats just don't cut it for safety. Can't wait to see the finished product 👍
3:55 Back in the 90s I had a Kombi. It was originally a camper but had been gutted for reasons...
I fitted a pair of bucket seats in the back, and used 6 inch x 6 inch x 1/4 inch metal plates under the floor to anchor the seats and the belts. The engineer said it was overkill and passed it.
Will a gxl passenger seat rail work with the seats your running? They slide alot further forward than the workmate seat rails (almost slide all the way forward into the dash from memory) to give good access from the passenger door into the back seat on the gxls with the forward facing rear bench? Will free up alot of rear storage space then.
Think 2 door sports car access to the back seat. If grown adults do it im sure the kids will have have sero issues,
I'm planning a similar build with forward facing rear GXL seats , bench front seats ( 6 seater total) a fridge on the floor with 2/3 draws next to it and a frame that drops in when the rear seats are folded or removed to turn it into a bed setup.
Also looking at Airconditioning and some sort of hot water system while also keeping it light 🤔
Dominic, did that on an RV about 20 years ago so I couldn’t tell you now who the fabricator was. Had double stack drawers next to a fridge from rear doors to back of FF seat. Pretty standard setup. The crux of it was the cargo barrier which had an external frame that followed the vehicle’s sides and roof line and an internal frame and mesh that was hinged from the front edge of the drawers and when unpinned, folded forward and landed perfectly on the now tumbled forward rear seat creating a full length bed. A tri-fold mattress and sleeping bags fit behind the seat when travelling. Worked for a great stealth bed but even better for the kids as we had the Oztent on the roof for us.
Thanks for the update on the rear passenger seats! I’m planning to set up to accommodate for 3, including a little one with a car seat. Those seats should work for that yeah?
Yeah mate, stop promo, I already bought one...🤣 That was hell of a job in Germany, but now I got one an it is your fault! (My wife knows, too😏😈)
Thank you, I'm watching your content for eight years now, but the Troopy sent me over the edge finally😄 Cheers Ronny, greetings to WA from Bjørn
Hello, very nice conversion, who is the manufacturer of the water tank? Thanks
GMTA - I got a Troopy4Four because of the extra space vs a wagon (and still a shorter wheelbase than a ute), fitting approved and certified two extra seats was not easy and I also ended up with seats for vans or mini-busses (Schnierle). No roof-conversion (yet), no headroom issue so far; and the rail system for the seat consoles allows me to move the seats backwards/forward in seconds and take them out in minutes. Now comes the CAD process and seems like you are catching up with me so I can start getting my inspiration from you 🙂Can't wait for the next part.
One more thought - using individual LFP cells plus BMS and not a ready-built battery allows you much more creative space-saving arrangements.
Looks nice, thanks. Since it is a 4 seater a comparison with LC 76 might be interesting.
In Europe it is quite common to install the seats from a Renault Espace in the Troopys to allow seating for children. They come with a seat belt and ISOfix (fastening standard for child seats). They can also be folded down. What brand are the seats in the video? Thank you.
Yep, I still have a soft spot for the troopy. My first troopy I owned, with the 1HD-FTE was an ex-NSW ambulance. It only had 42000k on it when I bought it. It also had a 3rd door on the passenger side. I sourced a forward-facing rear seat from an RV, had that fitted and engineered. That was a perfect set-up. Unfortunately, I lost that troopy in floods. I then got another troopy, an RV, same engine and it was blue with a forward-facing rear seat. Unfortunately, it didn't have the extra side door. I looked into getting a door fitted. That would've been an very expensive cost. So, the troopy went to a new owner.
Dream vehicle, nothing like a Troopy. Any chance you will be stateside at Overland West this May? Did you have the rear track widened? I hear in stock form they are narrower in the back. Thanks. Well planned out👍
Thank the heavens and Ronny Dahl for this.
I am so sick and tired of all the overland build channels with their "ultimate over-lander" build for two people. There is just no challenge in that!!
Not everybody is old with the kids are out of the house and takes photos any makes RUclips videos for a living!!
If they want a challenge, use a double cab/Troopy platform and build a tourer that sleeps four people and carry their stuff for a week.
Thanks for this! I do not want a car for just two persons.
Question how is the head room in the back seat after rooftop conversion?
In the early 80s our family of 5 did the Gibb River. Starting from the Gold fields of W.A in a troopie had the bench seat in the front. Dad made a box that fitted across the troopie behind the front seats the put a 50mm foam seat on the box for me and my 2 sister to sit facing backwards so for the 6 week trip we got to see a lot of were we had been 😂
Awesome Ronny.
I have in mind to try a 5 people Troopy, similar to the configuration that you're doing.
Or maybe it just needs to be 2 vehicles.... hmmm...
Hi Ronny, love your project!
Have you talked with Stefano from Bonetti Campers at the Sunshine Coast. He has a custom made fridge with the compressor in the sidewall to optimise the space and it goes over the wheel arch. Might be an option. We got the Crusinator conversion which has a lot of nice details like this.
Keep the great work up!!
Need more info on that tank, is it available for us to purchase too? How much was it?
Good vid mate, 350mm walkway is pretty damn skinny - have you considered stealing 25mm from each side of the installations on each side to make it 400mm? I know it is maybe a bit nitpicky and not a huge gain for the walkway but it might make it that little bit easier to navigate/ walk through? Just a thought - thanks again for the vids :)
Swivel seats seem like would have been the go then could have a pop-in table to sit and eat a family of 4 when its cold and raining outside. 😉 Even better with extra side doors.
I sold my 75 because we had a kid last year.... anyway I just bought an ex ambulance troopy with a 3rd door! Best cars.
Checking back daily to see when the finished video will be up!! Really showing if it is possible for us to travel with troopy also
Yep I'm another Ex-Troopie owner and I've regretted it since 1988😳☹️😭
Being the old HJ47 4seater it was easier to build my dream " Overland Expedition" vehicle before it was the CooL Thing to do.
It had all the fruit including my now 42yr old 35litre Engel Fridge that's still working perfectly as my Freezer(to supplement the 65litre & 15L fridges)
Now days try fitting in a slide-out kitchen/pantry/collapsible sink, 2x150amps of Lithium/600watts of Solar to run the fridges, lighting and the induction microwave plus single induction cooktop(no gas except for compact double burner for emergencies) and squeeze it into a 2001Jeep XJ Cherokee Wagon plus everything else include a porta-loo.
You'll do fine coz the Troopie is still the best wagon for two or four people.
I'm watching your journey with excitement 👍😀😎👍🏻
Need some outback gear solutions bags for the back doors mate. Will
Add heaps of storage for the little things you need to carry
Great vid Ronny 👍 keen to get the 90L water tank, is it the LRA one? When it was installed did they need access to the inside floor pan? I’ve already got cabinets fitted inside so that would be very awkward if required.
Going to be an interesting build. Instead of just 1x200ah battery, why not 2x80-100ah batteries instead. They would give you more flexibility to mount together or separately. Let's not forget lithium batteries can be mounted upside down and sideways if needed too. Or make it modular. 1x 100ah for the 4 person/2 week setup. And have the second battery on an Anderson plug that you can add/remove to kit out for 2 person/4weeks to have more creature comforts or enough power for longer trips
Should I save for a house or buy a troopy?
Troopy saves money on council rates. I’m hoping troopy prices go up and houses go down.
Buy the troopie and enjoy life
Are you having plans to apply sound deadening to your troopy
Hey Ronny why didn’t u just go with a GXL from the start?
Interesting, thanks mate...
I have always loved Troopys and get very excited when I see one with a three door conversion, like you say I have never bought one because I have two kids.
My other concern though is leg room with the lack of a footwell or high floor pan for your rear passengers. It’s okay when your kids are little but teenagers or adults on long drives I worry would struggle. My extreme answer was to buy an Australian Arkana body aka Troopy on steroids which gives the rear passengers a door, footwell and plenty of leg room plus it has a wider body than a troopy and more cargo space. Pity they weren’t still building them as I reckon they would be selling like hot cakes!
Great video, i still love them.
Another great one Ronny. looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
We are a family of 4 in a Troopy. The "minimalist" approach is a must😄
Definitely possible
We’re a family of 5 with twins on the way. Was thinking a troopy would be a great car for trips. Interesting to see many leave for other wagons when people have kids
Looking forward to see how you lay things out, have you thought about a 6'x6' pull up hub tent instead of swags? I use an insulated version with stove jack, instant side room/shower room/sauna room/or kids room only 18kg 52"x12" bagged, 60 second up, 60 second back in the bag, lightweight, sturdy, versatile, good bit of kit, might be a solution to carrying extra gear for four,
👍🚙🇨🇮👌
Dual dcs lithium set up under the bonnet? Save you a bit of space in the rear and you'll probably get a bigger lithium set up.
Few channels not as big as yours have tested how reliable they are under bonnett..would be cool to see you give it a go
I'd love those to free up space in the back of my 76 however the cost outweighs the space saving
🎊Tomorrow I’m celebrating 17 months of waiting for my 76 series with no build date in sight. Gotta love Toyota 🎊
19 months and still no build date 👍
I have a Scheelmann seat with integrated seatbelts. Great seat
My ex just sold his 9 seater troopy! Needed that many to hold our tribe! His had a side door engineered which was very much a necessity with the 3 rows
love your work Ronnie.
With the water tank under the car and next to the exhaust does it get hot or is it pretty good with the temps
It’s pretty much ambient temperature, perhaps a degree or two hotter.
Hey Ronny. Have you considered running the DCS (Deep cycle systems) 180ah under bonnet lithium setup? Would free a bunch if soace in the cab.
You wan the shoulder seatbelt strap to be comming from the other side of the seats so heads are moved inboard in an accident. Switch the seats around sir.
Hi Ronnie, Try the Power Paul 280AH Scout Lithium 365mm L, 190mm W, 265mm H (Allow approx. 30mm for connections)25Kg Australian Made!
Boat fridges with latches might have the ideal size.
I’m interested in this concept of a 4 seater troopy. Currently have a 76 but it is definitely small
20kg empty water tank weight..... thought to myself, geez thats light in steel. Appears a 90ltr steel aux tank is 45kg. so must be around there someplace. That's an added 135kg in weight with the tank full. Heavy man.
my fav so far
in africa we get them Converted to 9 seater safari wagons with pop-up roofs. for family use and expeditions the Safari Landcruiser is the largest SUV truck you can get.
Go the Troopy! Enjoying this series and hopefully a travel series to follow with both 78 & 79's.
Where's Torbs since the simmo trip?
Working overtime to pay for the bits he broke! Thoughts and prayers to Big Bear ❤
I have 2 kids and that’s why I want a troopy so this is going to be good.
About 85 kilos of water!😮😮😮
A good replacement for those wing nuts would be some chucky thumb screws.
Hi Ronny, been where you are… I have a 5 seater GXL, with a mulgo V2 poptop. To get the passenger headroom the folding bench seat was dropped by an inch and the bed platform lifted by an inch. It works fine for my tall son and is ADR approved. In the rear I have put in an arb drawer system with 300amp of lithium and 2000w inverter, taking half of one drawer. I went with drawer system as I need the flat area for payloads. The fridge slide slides out to give access to the battery system. I mostly cook with an air fryer and get about 6 meals out of the system. When I need a two-seater, rear seats fold forward and the void is used for packing or a second 40 litre fridge. I intend to create a bed by having a folding forward platform attached to the drawer system edge that folds over the folded seat void, and stands up when the seats are being used to act as a low cargo barrier when seats are up. This setup means I spend almost all my time outside which for me is fine.
Also, got 90litres of water underneath with a 50litre Longranger saddle tank over driveshaft, and a Thorburns 40litre rear tank, both with pumps, the filler is a Thorburns vent replacement which looks like what you have and includes an Anderson 12v directly to the battery for an external solar blanket. I have 200w panels on the mulgo connected to a switch / splitter to direct the solar charge to either the rear house batteries or to the cranking batteries in the front in case of a flat battery. Ronny, thanks for the videos, and I am enjoying watching your build, cheers mate.
Do you still own your Troopy? Or just the 76 series?
As doors to your storage, why don't you use canvas with zips. Much lighter than wood. Use aluminium for the carcass of your drawer system. All this will save weight.
I wonder if it could be set up similar to the Nissan nv200 recon camper van.
Good choices
Jeez, that second row looks uncomfortable as hell. Knees are up in your face.
I'd near give my left walnut for a late 70s/early 80s Troopy.
Wish we had the troopy in the US 😔
same here I cant think of any worth buying.? a basic base model 2 row wagon to build a car camper overland out of
Hey Ronnie what brand/store did you get your black cameo pants from. They look tougher than the cheapie eBay thin stuff. Love the channel
They are Dexter brand from the surf shop
Amptron have a 200Ah lithium battery that is way smaller than the carton you made. Have you seen those?
Interesting
Man I wish we could get a troopy in the states. guess I will have to settle for my WD21 pathy for now
I’m a happy Troopy owner and we are a family of 6, we use a trailer
Solar blanket!!!
Great video bud
I like Sundays. Me and the 19 month old daughter mosey out into the loungeroom and wouldn't u know, uncle Ronny has a new video.
The two person troopy is an oxymoron 😂
I suspect you would have to install a roof extension in to cater for 6'2" or higher people, I'm 6'1" and premium head room stand to fit 6'5"
you would of been better to leave the original bench seat bracket and mounted the single seats on to it not e if you you are going to buld for 2+2 you might As well build in mind for 2+4
you might want to even converting a another vehicle into a trailer move everyone into tthe trailer to live out of it..
personally If I was going to use as troopy as a family hauler i wold likely extend it by 5 foot make it a 6x6 and widen the cabin are 1-2 foot because as a people mover they aren't comfortable to stack 6+foot people in base bench seat..
4 people?
Stock Prado and a camper trailer 😇
Yep. All the problems would be solved with a nice camper trailer. I reckon when I’m old an ultimate or a cub would be the way to go.
Stock prado, roof rack and swags. Still have 1000kms range, comfort and can do harder trails.
What’s happened to the trip videos Ronny?
He said he’s going on an outback trip to test out the troops again before deciding the layout- if guess probably on the upcoming Easter break. Looking forward to living vicariously!
I wonder whether or not you will stick within the legal GVM at the end.
Just a suggestion for your battery. Check out the atlas prismatic 175 amphr. they are the same footprint as a 100 amp agm (ausie battery and solar in queensland)
Chest Fridge................ Vs ..............Upright Fridge...............Vs...............Draw Fridge..............?
I just bought the kids a landcruiser so we can travel in pairs. All problems solved. Too bad they are still below licence age. But that problem is self solving 😝
How are the solar panels going to work with the gear,swags or tents, on the roof Ronnny?
Good one Rony lot of bla Bla Bla Coment it's part of the game see u some time Bob Laos 4x4 overland best contry in Asia U welcome anytime
Can see your mind is ticking on this one but straight off it’s compromise on everything already. Small battery to have a smaller solar when the roof is already full with swags and extras . Not a fan of the leg room in the back personally but that’s the seat being stuck to the floor really hated my father’s panel van as a small kid . With that though it’s the sleeping outside. As a touring rig I didn’t feel safe that having anyone outside the vehicle in a roadside free camp style scenario was a safe option. I’m stuck on this one I’d be starting to think I’ve got the wrong car for the purpose it’s almost a jack off camper on the 79 or even a Alu cab/ camp king industries tub camper on the sr5
My question is how to make a central seat because I have 3 kids
You should make your kids sets rotate
I have 220l of clean water.
2x90l diesel
Should have got a D-MAX
Looks quite nice to me.
Though if it was my project I would probably have gone with 2 rooftents instead of the pop up.
Had two howling moon tourer rooftent on my hilux in the past and was quite happy with it (unless you wanna try going faster than 120)
Only real downside I felt was it trying to roll over when tackling steep tracks.
As for the noise it didnt really register with me cause I was running some pretty aggressive MT's anyway...
Would be nice to own🤙🕶
90 litres of water is nothing!
1.6 litres per person per day???
Yeah shitload for a weekend, but not for four weeks,then again if you’re in southern Tasmania in winter it may work.
2 litres per person per day... Russell coight.
Mine sleeps 4 at a pinch
Hey Ronny don’t know if you will get this message now but I need some help and I have no one else to ask…? I have a troopy I want to buy it has some rust about $6000 worth 2008 workman’s it has 210000kms on it
He wants $35000
I have some photos how do I send them to you. ? Is it worth spending $15000 on it to get a new troopy.
Gavin
As good as a troopy is after buying it for $80K-$100k then there’s another $30K plus to maximise it…expensive..
Drink on 'troopy'..