Overland Land Cruiser in Alaska

[Ofer Bruhis]

I am having a hard time loading pics and text in English so here is a link to the blog...
https://medium.com/@ofer.bruhis/buil...r-f9682ba1acda

[איל מ]

יפה מאוד.
עניינה אותי במיוחד התמונה הזאת:

יש כאן כיוון מעניין לכירת שטח כפולה תוצרת בית.
הגזיות הנל נמכרות באתרים הסיניים בגרושים.
ואכן כמה פוסטים אחרי, מצאתי את זה:

[erezgur]

I am having a hard time loading pics and text in English so here is a link to the blog...
https://medium.com/@ofer.bruhis/buil...r-f9682ba1acda

הסיפור המופלא הזה הולך לאיבוד כאן בפורום.
בקישור של עופר מסתתר בלוג מטורף עם תמונות שעשויות לעורר עניין רב.

אני אנסה לעזור ולהביא לכאן חלק מהתמונות וקמצוץ מאד חלקי מהסיפור...

הבלוג של עופר מתחיל כך (במקור נכתב באנגלית):

לפני כ -25 שנה קנינו מכונית משפחתית - טויוטה FZJ80 Landcruiser משנת 1993.

המכונית שימשה אותנו במשך 20 שנה לקמפינג משפחתי ונסיעות באזור עיר המגורים.
כעת, לאחר שארבעת הילדים עזבו את הבית, אין לנו כל שימוש בו. מכיון שערכו (שווי למכירה) של הרכב נמוך, החלטנו שבמקום למכור אותו נשקיע בו ונהפוך אותו לביית נייד / קמפר עם כל היכולות של שהיה בכביש וגם בשטח בצורה עצמאית (לינה ומזון).

האלבום המלא של השיפוץ נמצא כאן - https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...1MU2VGMXB6RmFR

[erezgur]

המשך החלק הראשון מהבלוג מובא כאן בשפת המקור (אנגלית):

Searching for the right engine was a long process -we’re talking 2 years. After exhausting eBay and Craigslist, in December 2017 the engine was finally found through the North America Land Cruiser Community (through Facebook). The engine/drivetrain came out of a European HDJ81 Land Cruiser and was sent to Valley Hybrids, a shop in Stockton, California that specializes in diesel engine conversion for Land Cruisers. They replaced most of the external parts, rebuilt the injector pump and injectors, and did all the checks to verify that the engine was in excellent running condition. They also rebuilt the 5-speed transmission. The transfer case was converted to part time 2WD/4WD from all time 4WD in order to get even better milage on the highway. They have done an amazing job. We could have not chosen a better shop.



Meanwhile, “back at the ranch”, the vehicle was undergoing more changes. The bumpers were upgraded with more rugged units that can accept a winch and a spare tire in the back. The front seats were refinished with new leather and seat warmers. The two rows of rear seats were removed to allow space for a kitchen and bed.


The electrical and fuel systems had to be converted to the diesel engine and the transmission hump had to allow for the new manual shifters. The vehicle was then painted with a ‘sand’ color to blend better with nature.


In June, the engine was completed at Valley Hybrids. We borrowed a truck and brought it from Stockton to San Jose, California. On a hot sunny day in July the engine was finally put into the vehicle. Since this engine was designed for this Land Cruiser model in other countries, little metal work modification was required.


The finished job on the drivetrain required testing before the work on the “tiny house” began. The car was driven for 1000 miles. It also required a trip to the CA DMV to change the title of the vehicle from gas to diesel.


The big test was a road trip from San Francisco Bay Area to Tempe. The vehicle was taken on a 2000-mile trip to Arizona including 4WD trails in Sedona. It drove beautifully and got 24 mpg. There were no mechanical issues. The last day it was driven over 1000 miles with one gas stop for 10 minutes.


Broken Arrow to Chicken Point, Sedona, AZ
We were ready now to move ahead with the interiors. At this point we added a second battery to support the ‘home’ part of the car. It is charged by the alternator when the engine is running and disconnects when the voltage drops below 12.5 VDC when the engine is not running. It will be hooked to a solar panel if the car will be parked for extended period of times while using the fridge.


Tali Hardonag Architects began the interior design of the vehicle in order to convert it into a “tiny home”. After a long search a marine grade fridge/freezer was selected to accommodate the limited space — Webasto BI-41 dual. The advantage of this model is that it has a detached compressor that can be placed up to 6 feet away from the fridge. It will probably reside behind the fridge inside the wheel well. We’re still scouting for a sink and a stove that will fit in the layout.


We’re currently finishing the design for the kitchen and building a mock-up from plywood in order to experience the space inside the vehicle.


We hope to move quickly in the next couple weeks… stay tuned!

[erezgur]

האלבום המלא של השיפוץ נמצא כאן - https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...1MU2VGMXB6RmFR

האלבום מכיל המון(!) תמונות וגוגול-תמונות מאד מקשה על שילוב התמונות (embed) בפורום.
אני אנסה לשלב כאן מעט תמונות מהאלבום, ממליץ לעיין בכולם באלבום עצמו...
כנראה זה המראה המקורי לפני השיפוץ:

[ד ו ר ו ן]

ארז,
תודה.



Slowly..

[Ofer Bruhis]

This is the original car 15 years ago. It is 1993 FZJ80 with 250000 miles.

[erezgur]

הפרק השני בבלוג עוסק בבניית המטבח.
קישור למקור - https://medium.com/@ofer.bruhis/buil...-2-d05225f1b8a

מתוך עצלות אני אצטט את קטעי הטקסט בשפת המקור (אנגלית) ואטמיע כאן את התמונות.

New year 2019!
Our search for a sink and faucet zeroed in on a Kohler K-3349–1-NA. We liked it because its a sturdy 18 ga model, small and deep. The faucet will fold in to the well.
The cabinet frame is made of 1/2" square tubular steel frame. That would be covered in the future with aluminum sheets and powder coated gray to match the interior of the car. We sized the frame to fit the fridge.

The fridge fits nicely with the compressor tucked into the wheel well.

The Kohler sink heat exchange unit for the hot water system. We will have to find a place in the vehicle for this unit.

The water from the ‘hot water tank’ gets circulated with a pump that is being controlled by a thermostat. A switch on the dash will turn on and off the pump.

We had issues with space for the stove. We ended up building a stove from two camping stoves and some machined brass pipe parts. The connection was used from a torch welder and it hooks to a standard coleman propane tank. The stove was assembled and tested. It will require a wind shield and is designed to fit in a drawer under the fridge when not used. We can pull it back to cook by the tail gate, or to remove it completely and place it on the counter top for cooking in wet or cold weather.

Our next task is to find drawers and finish the storage unit behind the front seats. Last we will build the couch that turns into a bed.

[איל מ]

היה אמ-לק, אז רנראה פספסתי,
למה לקנות רכב בנזין ולהסב לדיזל, במקום לקנות ישר דיזל?

[erezgur]

היה אמ-לק, אז רנראה פספסתי,
למה לקנות רכב בנזין ולהסב לדיזל, במקום לקנות ישר דיזל?

אולי השרשור הקודם שבו כתב עופר תמצא רמזים - http://www.jeepolog.com/forums/showt...l=1#post799495

[erezgur]

הפרק השלישי בבלוג של עופר, עוסק בעיקר בריהוט הפנימי של הרכב.
קישור למקור - https://medium.com/@ofer.bruhis/buil...3-62f0545e0d8e

We have been busy. We leave for Alaska in 6 weeks. Not much time left. Rain has kept us from working, but we made some progress. We have been working on the frames for the kitchen, storage and bed.
The storage compartment will be behind the front seats with 3 aluminum lids that hinge. We are not sure if we want this as compartments or one large storage that can be divided by boxes or storage bags. The two hatches on the driver side and center will have 2" cushions and will be the upper part of the bed.

The lower side of the bed will be a bench that has a slider part that opens to a twin bed. The bench will have 3 cushions so that passengers will be able to sit on a bench seat in the back. They will have leather on top to match the front seats. The bench also has a storage area underneath.

There will have to be some latches to lock it in place. We will also install a back cushion for the bench, that will be removable and used as the part of the mattress that covers the slider part of the bed.

These 3 frames will be attached to each other and to the vehicle itself with screws. They will not be permanent, and can always be removed.

We ordered SkyCart aluminum drawers and installed them with extension glides. The bottom drawer is a bit lower to allow taller pots to fit in.

Stove work is done and it has been tested.

The stove will slide under the Fridge. We can pull it out and work on the tailgate or on a table. If weather gets bad, we may be forced to cook inside.

Kitchen cabinet got aluminum doors. This is 6061-T6 0.1" thick. All metal work will be powder coated.

The rear tail gate has food grade stainless steel plates with latches so that we can store all the recovery gear. It is a bit heavy, so when opening it, care must be taken.

The bracket for the water tanks that sit under the vehicle is done. Water tanks are 8" PVC schedule 40 with caps. Each tank provides 30 liters of water. One of the tanks will be hot water. A circulating pump with a thermostat will run the water through a heat exchange unit with the radiator coolant. The compressor will pressurize the tank so that water will ‘climb’ to the faucet and shower. Ha, yes, the shower…

The exterior shower unit is a Bullfinch shower head. The unit is well made, and very compact. We will let you know how clean we come out.

The shower head plugs in and has the handle integrated into it.

Also, the electrical panel is being assembled. Solar panel controller, 110 VAC Converter panel, main switch panel, thermostat controller, 110V plug and fuse box. A main disconnect will be added as well.

The 110VAC 1KW converter was mounted inside the wheel well to save space.
I guess we will post this public, and continue working…

[erezgur]

הפרק הרביעי בבלוג של עופר ממשיך בתיאור התוספות החיצוניות והשלמת הפרטים לקראת הטיול שלהם לאלסקה.
קישור למקור - https://medium.com/@ofer.bruhis/buil...4-f42b8a338006

A bit more work on the exterior. Added rock sliders and new Old Man Emu suspension from Cruiser Outfitters. The suspension is a bit stiffer because of all the expected load we are planning to add to the car. Only thing left on the outside are tires. We planed to put BF Goodrich 295/75R16 but they are not available anywhere. Bummer. Just ordered on Costco 285/75R16. Maybe next time.

We also added a rack from 4x4 Labs. Luke is an amazing guy and a great designer. It supprts 3 Jerry Cans and a High Lift. The roof rack is made by Prinsu Design in Idaho. It easily mounts on the vehicle and spreads the weight. Very well desined!!

The air system was installed with an ARB compressor and a 1 Gallon air tank. A pressure reducer was required for the air system that pushes the water up out of the tanks to the faucet and shower head. We are fighting gravity all our lives…

The ARB awning was installed with custom made brackets.

The interior was done by Sid’s Custom Upholstery (Alex is professional, charming and highly recommended) and was finished yesterday. All the cushions are leather to match the from seats. We used 2" firm foam to leave as much headroom as possible. All the leather was purchased from LSEAT and they have very good service.

The cabinets were finally powder coated with Navy Gray (Cardinal GR-01) by Moises Finishing in San Jose. We installed the drawers with soft close glides. Also, all the sheet metal inside was covered with noise dampening sticky material. The couch/bed had the leather cushions installed with stainless snap buttons.

The finished panels for the drawers were installed using 100% silicon to glue them. We hope it will hold.

The heat exchange was mounted above the transmission. There was just enough space for it. Silicon hoses to the radiator water. Rigid copper for the drinking/shower water.

The drain for the sink was hooked up. The last section is silicon hose and it exits behind the right rear wheel. An extension can be attached if we want the water to flow away from the vehicle. Otherwise we can just put a small bucket.

Now that the cabinets are ready, It’s time to finish the plumbing and electrical.

Just figured that we need to run wires down from the solar panels on the roof. We figured a ladder would serve two functions. Also added a step to climb to the back, since the tail gate is 36" off the ground. Ah, yes, and we got new tires!

We did a test of the hot water system. Ran it through a 1 gallon container. It took 10 minutes to bring it to temperature. Seems like we will have hot water after all. The original pump that we chose was not self priming, so we chose a different pump. We used an old prius battery to run the pump.

We leave to Alaska in less then 4 weeks, and now everything must come together. OK. It’s time to post.

[erezgur]

הפרק החמישי בבלוג של עופר, מה-8 ליולי, רק 3 שבועות לפני הטיול הגדול שלהםhttps://medium.com/@ofer.bruhis/buil...5-1f1e19716912

Only 3 weeks left until the trip. Things are coming together. The electrical is almost done. Some of the wires had to be run under the carpet, so we pulled everything off the back and cleaned before starting to assemble.

We used an old Corian slab to build the countertop. It takes a long time to get everything accurate, but once it’s assembled it looks great. The material is easy to work with and the glue lines are almost invisible

We used 3/8" copper pipe for the water system. Most used compression fitting, except in a few places that used a silicon hose with clamp to relieve the stress of the vibrations.

The lid for the fridge gave us a bit of a problem. For a $1000 fridge, the quality of the lid is not great. It just sits on the top of the fridge and is made of molded plastic with a sheet of Formaica on top. We figured that securing is a must, so we used removable hinges on the back, and rubber latches in the front. All this had to be integrated into the lid and a Corian on top of it all. It was a time consuming task.

The electrical panel is all done and ready to be hooked up.

Interior lights were tested with the ‘bed’ opened.

The layout for the water tanks was done before construction.

The water tanks were finally finished after a pressure test, and installed under the vehicle. We used 8" PVC pipes and they provided 9 gallons each. It heats 9 gallons to 150F in 18 minutes when the engine is running and warm.

We added a protective plate for the plumbing.

The circulating pump was installed inside a PVC pipe to provide some protection. It was installed in the rear bumper.

So the setup for the three modes of the car — drive, cook, sleep are below..

At this point the vehicle was ready for the first test. An 8000 miles trip to Alaska.

[erezgur]

הפרק השישי והאחרון בבלוג של עופר - המסע הגדול לאלסקה עם הרכב.
8000 מיילים שהחלו ב-14 ליוני והסתיימו בשלום וללא נזקים מיוחדים.
קישור למקור - https://medium.com/@ofer.bruhis/buil...t-838daff98928

Our depature date was June 14. The destination Alaska. It was an 8000 miles round trip that would put the vehicle and all the systems to a test.


We planned the route so most roads would be traveled once starting and ending in Palo Alto, CA. Dashed lines are done in a ferry, green is the return route.


The build was finished 12 hours before the departure. The water system was leaking under pressure. It used mostly 3/8 pressure fittings and we ended up wraping the connection with teflon tape before puting the pressure fit nut. Also the pressure reducer helped. We fitted two alu-boxes on the roof and a solar panel that worked as a wind deflector. One box had dry goods, and the other every tool, part and screw that we thought could go wrong.


The first 300 miles went well. We made it to Mount Shasta.


We stopped at a friend’s home in Seattle and our first camp was in Blue Lake, BC. Setup worked amazing. We cooked dinner and went to bed. No shower that night.


The following night was Lake Inga in BC. The kitchen/water system supported 2 couples and worked well. We placed a bucket under the sink drain, so it will not create a puddle.


The process was, open the back, pull the stove on the tail gate and cook dinner. The Jerrycan in the back was handy to quick wash. We installed a faucet on the bottom of it, so it would be easy access. The kitchen was all set in the tail gate, except the pots under the sink.


The color we picked for the vehicle, seemed to blend nicely with the background.


After 3000 miles we made it to the Alaska border. The bag tied to the spare tire ‘Trasharoo’ had a portable BBQ and the trash collected during the day.


We got to Heynes on a ferry from Skagway. We saw that there are different ways of traveling to Alaska…


Haines Junction was 3200 miles. Evrything was still working great. Hot water heated up in 20 min. 9 gallons to 150F.


Kluane Lake was our stop for the night. Had to take a couple of miles of a rough dirt road to get to the shore. We were alone for the night. No bear visits.


We took a dirt road to Wrangell-St. Elias glacier. We were told that it should take 3.5 hours. Took us 1h 20 min. We were flying!!!!


The next two days we traveled north and made it to the Denali Highway. We figured we will make kebabs for lunch with the Alaska Range on the background. We were almost 4000 miles of travel.


Ha, yes, and some of us decided to take a shower.


We then headed south through Talkeetna, Anchorage to Seward. We camped on the river bank with beautiful views. We logged 5000 miles. One oil change on the road.


The next day we camped on the beach of the Spit in Homer.


The setup seemed to be working great. We could get food ready in 20 minutes with the table set up and the awning open.


And… coffee in 6 minutes while some of us get to rest.


Not traveling with a big RV seemed to pay off. Easy and fast travel on dirt roads and fitting in small ferries.


Filling the internal tanks was also possible from the jerrycans. We carried a hose, so we could fill water anywhere.


Our last camp was in a state camp and the only one that needed a fee. Meziadin Junction.


We made it back to Mount Shasta after 7500 miles.


And made it home after almost 8000 miles and 25 days. Time to start planning the next trip. The vehicle was flawless. 2 screws came loose on the top of the A/C condenser. We had spares and installed them in a few minutes.


This wheel has done 5000000 revolutions.


Hope you enjoyed the blog. We enjoyed making it!

[ד ו ר ו ן]

כבוד!


https://www.overlandbound.com/buildi...ser-80-series/

[erezgur]

יפה מאד עופר!

נשלח מהנייד

[im_ri]

מדהים!

ממה בנוי הריהוט? איזה פרופילים אלה? וממה עשוי החיפוי?

[erezgur]

עופר כתב לי שהבלוג הועבר לאתר מתאים יותר לטיולי שטח ויש שם הרבה עדכונים.

אני אנסה בימים הקרובים לעדכן בהתאם גם את הפוסט הזה, בינתיים מי שרוצה להתרשם לבד - https://www.overlandbound.com/forums...cruiser.27601/

[elephant man]

תראו מה מצאתי
https://youtu.be/KVhfG-yXYR4

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

[שגיא S]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVhfG-yXYR4

סרטון WALK AROUND על הרכב של עופר.
מעורר השראה. באמת.