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Home > My Defender > 130 Camper Conversion

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Ratty43 Member Since: 01 Sep 2021 Location: Cornwall Posts: 87

Apologies for the delay in getting around to this, been a busy time both work wis.and land rover wise, but we made it safely across the Pyrenees, and what a trip it was. We followed 8619simon's route for the start, fair to say that this was a lot more strenuous than we expected (spectacular though) there were several points that weren't really all that fun. I'm not sure if this was lack of experience on our part or that the intervening years have not been kind to the tracks. Certainly I wouldn't want to do it in anything with less clearance than a Defender. All in though the first three days on this route were the best, wild camping with endless stars and we only saw one other car in 3 days and 300miles. Randy performed well other than the oil leak, now that we're back this has turned out to be both an oil leak and a diesel leak, the latter is a constant drip from the pump head. All in we have an engine in pieces. At the end of the day it was an incredible experience and we were both amazed at what a 35 year old, 3.4 ton vehicle could handle, we did buy a winch when we got back though, a hundred yards of mud focuses your mind on how far away help is! Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Dune du Pilat on the way down, very steep! Click image to enlarge Our first taste of the tracks Click image to enlarge And our first wild campsite, brilliant! Click image to enlarge Our second wild campsite, hellish day, at the time, we just ended up stopping because we couldn't cope with any more for the day! Click image to enlarge Our rear step was straight when we set off in the morning, this was done during the worst mud run. Click image to enlarge Dining room for our third wild campsite, life doesn't get any better than that, although not as wild as we thought, a farmer in a toureg went past us at what must have been 40mph, nearly upset my wine! Click image to enlarge A highlight in a bad day, I thought we had a failed CV, loud clicking on corners, so we stayed on the tarmac and missed the smugglers pass into Andorra. Turned out our diff lock light doesn't work .... Much wailing and bashing of teeth, still need to fix it. How our axles stayed in one piece through the hair pins is beyond me. Stressful day. Click image to enlarge Better run after we knew we were alright, there's a vulture somewhere in that photo. Beautiful part of the world. Click image to enlarge And more of it. Click image to enlarge We followed a random car park sign and stopped for the night in a field, the grass slope in must have been 30⁰, not sure how our neighbours managed to escape! Click image to enlarge Almost at the end, having braved another track and a short patch of tarmac we arrived at the France/Spain border, to be met by boulders.... Turned out that this is a popular migrant route so sehicles are now barred. I have as scouting for a pand rover friendly route when the gendarmes arrived, they have guns, we left! Click image to enlarge And there it is, the Med, the last time I saw it I was on a bulk carrier with 10,000 tonnes of steel pipes in the holds, this time was better! Click image to enlarge On the way back we visited the submarine pens, not for the first time I was amazed at the scale of such things and that people put such effort into war but not peace. Click image to enlarge New fuel cap didn't survive the journey, I assumed that this was the sort of thing that just worked. Genuine one now fitted, at vast expense. Click image to enlarge Old dog face was mildly pleased to have us back, although fair to say we missed her more than she missed us, the bonus of friends with a 13 year old son who disappeared with her each afternoon when he got back from school! Click image to enlarge Not bad for a 35 year old machine!

28th Dec 2022 10:11pm

mgokturk Member Since: 10 Mar 2023 Location: istanbul Posts: 4

Click image to enlarge Well thought setup. Did you ever need a passage between cab and the box? Such as in emergencies in certain places or in cold weather? To grab something from the back? I have almost the same setup with 110 box. Cannot decide whether to cut thtough the center windoe down to rear half bulkhead (just at the back of center console level) and make a metal suround from inside and outside. Like a space rocket attaching to space station What do you think? Is it worth it?

2nd May 2023 8:16pm

Ratty43 Member Since: 01 Sep 2021 Location: Cornwall Posts: 87

It's a good question and one we're still discussing! We don't have a crawl through, although it would be possible through the rear window as you say. The downside is that it opens up a good route for water ingress. There is the strong point of being able to get to the cab and drive off if in danger but to be honest with canvas sides around the bed and the faff of actually climbing out of the bed and through I'm not sure that I would get that far. Also, you have to consider the likelihood of such an issue occurring, everyone we have met so far (admittedly we've never been anywhere wild) has been very friendly. I read what I think is a really good but of advice - 'either camp in the middle of nowhere so nobody knows you are there or on the edge of a village so everyone knows you are there'. I'm planning on following that as a sensible path. Probably just massively tempted fate! There are advantages to not having a link to the camper other than the risk of leaks, the main one being noise, friends with vans routinely complain about thinks bumping about.

2nd May 2023 8:23pm

Ratty43 Member Since: 01 Sep 2021 Location: Cornwall Posts: 87	One other thing to bear in mind is that the box will flex away from the cab so if you do go down this route look to use something flexible for the link. Also meant to say - cracking 110 you have there!
2nd May 2023 8:27pm

mgokturk Member Since: 10 Mar 2023 Location: istanbul Posts: 4	thank you. will update about the result on another post, consulting with caravan builders and bodywork guys.
3rd May 2023 7:53am

L110CDL Member Since: 31 Oct 2015 Location: Devon Posts: 10756	There's always up's n downs in any journey but i'm glad that you came through all good and what a journey you both had. Thanks for posting the trip  1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up. Keeper. Clayton.
17th May 2023 9:46pm

wyvern Member Since: 13 Dec 2009 Location: Cornwall Posts: 2108

Fab write up of the trip - very envious and getting itchy feet again ! Love the vehicle worked well for the trip and only ‘minor’ issues at the time ... well as you say its a 30yr old landrover and they are unique at any age ! looking forward to the next adventures!  Poppy - TDCI (Puma) 110XS 2.2 - Camper conversion - see the build here - https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic56530.html Elgar -TDCI(Puma) 110XS Dormobile - now sold Devon & Cornwall 4x4 Response - DC126

18th May 2023 7:41am

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