The vehicle - Troopie

The trip to Alaska in my Lotus Elise in 2012 was done with a specific goal in mind - To be the first ever Lotus of any description to cross the Alaskan Arctic Circle on the Dalton (aka Ice Truckers) highway.  We made it, and in a small way created history, as well as proving the oft-quoted Lotus acronym "Lots of Trouble Usually Serious" completely wrong.  It is a great little car if treated appropriately.  The trip was great - lifechanging even - But there were a lot of interesting places I just couldn't get to because of the rough dirt roads and a ground clearance of about 9 cms.  In addition, the weather was often hard to cope with because I was in a small convertible car and a small tent - So rain caused serious discomfort. So once I realised I had to come back

again to see the parts I had missed, I spent my time working out what would be the ideal vehicle to take.  It had to be 4 wd, one had to be able to rest, read, sleep and eat in the vehicle if necessary, it had to require easy set up in poor weather and be relatively weather proof, and lastly I needed to be able to get spare parts and have it worked on easily by any mechanic, anywhere.  And with my additional plan of also going down through S America, it basically came down to 2 vehicles - A newish VW van, diesel, 4wd, pop top (as made by Trakka), or a Toyota Troopie done up as a camper. In the end the Troopie won out because the VW, still being quite new, was much more expensive, as well as being less rugged than the Troopie. Knowing people with the VW's, I do not regret my decision. 

Once the decision was made, it was a question of finding one.  After much searching it became obvious that in my budget it was going to mean buying an ex rental one already fitted out as a camper, with pop top, stove, sink, fridge, beds etc as this would be much cheaper than buying a bare vehicle and having it retro fitted.  Then it just became a matter of finding one that had not been too badly abused - And I eventually found it though one Bond - Peter Bond !!  He works for the company that re-sell ex rental Troopies, and he details them all before resale.  I looked at several in other yeards and they all were as they came off rental - Scruffy, still full of red dust, and no cheaper than a perfectly detailed unit from Peter.  So after a test drive, an RACQ inspection, and the opinion of my now adopted 4WD guru Dean Futcher at Aus 4 WD in Nerang, at Christmas 2012 I bought a 2008 V8 diesel model with 260,000 kms on it, but basically in good condition - And then set about getting it in the condition I knew I would need to enable it to return to Alaska, and then travel down through S America to Tierra del Fuego.  Fortunately I left a year to do this !!!

Basically everything was there - The stove, the 50 l water tank, the double (180 litre) diesel fuel tanks, the pop top, the fridge, the double batteries, and so on.  The best way to come up with ideas was to go on a trip, so in December I drove it down to Victoria for Christmas.  Basically, all as good, and it just needed "fettling", although the first major problem cropped up - The auxiliary battery wouldn't hold a charge - And when I went to have it checked, found out it wasn't a deep cycle unit as it was supposed to be, but just a regular car battery - and an old one at that.  Once that was replaced, no more problems on that side, and once I got back to Queensland, Peter Bond refunded me the cost of the new battery.

Then I set to work inside.  Basically there were cupboards and storage areas under the beds, but stuff rattled around in there, and after 4 years of rental they were pretty banged up and ugly inside.  And there were minimal storage areas for stuff up front.  I checked on line and you can buy door pockets and console storage areas and map shelves for above the windscreen, but they all seemed to cost about $400 each.  So with a basic skill in woodwork I set to work with plywood, a jig saw, glue, and nails to make them, and then covered them with thin foam and trim matching dark grey vinyl.  I also planned to upgrade the radio and speakers (I needed to be able to connect my

ipod so I could play my music !) so in the door pockets I had made I had left space for speakers. Doing the curves of these door units was pretty tricky, and required a bit of lateral thinking !! Eventually got them all done, with Trooper the dog's help (he lies in the garage while I work, and looks at me with his soulful eyes when I cry out when I hit my thumb with a hammer, or super glue myself to my work !!)  Anyway, once finished, the total cost was about $100 for the lot, and I am really pleased with the results. 
Then it was the seats - Flat, plastic and very uncomfortable - especially the supposedly "double" passenger seat.  They had to go.  Looked at various after market units, but they were so expensive.  Then while my son Damien was over here from WA, we found a written off Troopie Ute at the wreckers, which had carpet (instead of plastic mats), more comfortable cloth moulded seats, and also some more storage bins which fit between the seat.  Damien managed to get them out of the wreck, and although they were in sad shape dirt wise, but after professional cleaning, they came up like new, and Damien soon had them in my Troopie.  Big improvement. 

Then I attacked the storage cupboards inside.  Because of the intruding wheel arches inside, the space was very unusable, and getting things in or out often means taking everything out in order to get to something at the back. So I decided to make sliding boxes that enable every possible space to be used, while also giving ease of access.  I looked to professional "slider" units, but they were far too expensive for me, so, using plywood and my trusty jig saw again, I set to work.  To make them slide I just fitted self adhesive felt pads on the bottom of each box, so they don't rattle and also slide in and out easily, and can also be completely removed if necessary for cleaning etc. Once again, I am really pleased with the result, and they work really well.  I also eventually changed the big cumbersome hinges for much more simple piano hinges. 
Then I turned to the storage area under the bed - Once again, in its existing format you often had to unpack everything to find what you wanted.  So, seeing as I was on a roll with the plywood and jig saw, I kept going !  First I lined the entire storage area with grey felt - Roof lining material actually, which is good because it has a bit of stretch in it to make it easier to get round the (many) curved bits when you glue it in.  This really smartened the area up, and made it more suitable for storing clean clothes etc.  Then I put runners along the sides of the storage area, and then made 3 boxes to sit on those runners, with the runners enabling the boxes to be slide left to right (once any one box was removed) for ease of access to the area below the boxes.  And as the rear window washer bottle is located in this cupboard, ease of access is vital !!
There was also a small additional but separate storage area here, and by taking the cardboard bottle dividers out of a case of wine, I was able to make a rattle free (and cost free) storage area for 6 bottles of wine !!  Perfect !!
Next was the glove box, and for this I admit I went commercial !  The Troopie has a stupid glove box door that not only opens downwards, but also has the lid hinged half way back into the glove box. This means that as soon as you open the door, half the contents spill out on your lap !  Fortunately a guy called Doug, who presumably owns a Troopie and had got tee'd off with the design, had made a bin called (appropriately) "Doug's Tub", and, sliding in and out with ease, it is the perfect solution !! Job done. 
So my storage was looking good now, both quality and quantity wise.

Lastly, there was an interesting space behind the passenger seat, which existed above the void where the sliding sink and cooker were fitted.  This had an open hole and inside was quite a spacious gap, so I decided to fit a lockable door to this space, and it would then become a good "safe" place for storage.

Attention then turned to the spare wheels on the back.  I wanted two spares, and to accommodate the tent on the back (of which more later), I needed to get the existing spare off its mounting on the door.  Kaymar in Victoria make an integral rear bumper and dual spare wheel carriers which suited my purpose, and although they were a little more expensive than some, I was assured they were the best. so I went with them, and had TJM in Nerang fit them.  I was very disappointed when TJM told me the existing water tank would have to come out as it wouldn't fit with the new rear bumper, but I had no choice, and was confident I would find a way around it eventually.  Some time later I found a Kaymar display at a 4 WD show, and asked them about this issue, and was told that they water tank WOULD fit - It just needed a bit of effort and fiddling to make it work. So I was a bit upset with TJM, who are the supposed experts, and after about 3 hours under the car with a grinder and a drill, finally got the water tank back into place. But it was not as easy as I make it sound here - I struggled quite a lot with it, believe you me !! Anyway, eventually I had twin spare wheels that swing out of the way, AND a water tank !  Apart from the suspension, this was one of the most expensive items I had done.

Next was the tent.  I knew I needed a bit of a sheltered area for bad / cold / wet weather in Alaska (and elsewhere).  I needed somewhere I could stand, change, sit, cook, read etc, in comfort, and out of the weather.  The car came with basic awnings on one side and the back, but these were pretty flimsy, and were more sunshades than anything else. After a lot of looking and discussing the issue at 4 WD and Camping shows, I found a local manufacturer who used stout canvas, and was prepared to modify the design to suit my requirements.  (Most units are made in China from less robust materials, and are not much better than the awnings I already had.)  Ross Mann from

Polaris Camper Innovations in Wacol was a pleasure to work with, and put up with my "design as you go" process with a smile.  Basically I first fitted an awning to the back of Troopie, to which I could later fit sides.  But first I had to get a bracket made to mount the awning - Usually they bolt to a roof rack, but as I have a pop top, I cannot have a roof rack fitted.  So with the help of a local Offroad business, I designed and they made up a suitable bracket that not only could the awning be bolted to, but which was also sealed off so that water / rain / wind would not blow down inside the tent.  They did a really good job, and once this was fitted, Ross made up the sides for me to the correct lengths, and it was this basic unit that Janet and I used on our trip 1/2 way round Australia in July, so we could see what changes were needed.  The basic concept was great, easy to erect, lots of privacy, but there were big gaps between the sides and the van, and under the rear bumper - These might be acceptable in the better weather in Aus, but I knew that the icy winds and often driving rain in Alaska would quickly make the tent useless.  So Ross stitched additional sections on to the sides so I could clip it to the car itself and seal the sides, he made a panel to affix below the rear bumper, and he changed the design of the bottoms of the sides so they can now be pegged much more securely to the ground - I think he is now going to incorporate several of my modifications into his standard design now !!  So, now the rear tent is all completed.
But where to store the tent ???  Believe it or not, storage space is quite limited inside !  So I decided on a "Wheelie Bin".  This is a large and very rugged and waterproof rubberized canvas bag that attaches firmly to the outside of a spare wheel.  Often used for dirty or wet clothes when travelling it is ideal for storage of the tent, and as it is attached to one spare wheel, it swings out of the way when the wheel is opened, so it does not get in the way of the tent.    Again, had to purchase this, but problem solved !!
Then one day I was driving down the road and saw a "Lotus" caravan, which had "Lotus" mud flaps !! Well I had to have a pair of them, didn't I ?!!  I don't think the caravan dealer who sold the to me would work out why I wanted Lotus mud flaps on a Toyota 4WD !!
I then had to replace the gas stove as it had rusted in places which meant it was hard to light and keep alight. Was told by the gas man that the trick is to replace a couple of the metal screws (which rust) with stainless units, and this will prevent the problem reoccurring.  
Plates and cutlery were a problem - Not only do they rattle a lot, but you need them handy when you stop for lunch, and because there is often stuff stored inside the van during the day, if the plates are in an inside cupboard you can't get to them easily.  So it was back to the plywood, and I made a small box just behind the fridge so the plates and cutlery won't rattle, and are right where you need them.

Now that I had the inside just about sorted. it was time for mechanical work.  I knew shocks and springs had to go - And son Damien persuaded me I needed a 2 inch lift while I was at it, as it would cost no more if I did it at the same time.  After much discussion with various 4 WD'ers, and Dean Futcher at my 4WD workshop, we went with IronMan 11 leaf rear springs and Steering Damper, Dobinson's front springs, and Bilstein shocks all round. Along with new caster bushes and adjustable panhard rod, everything came together well, if expensively.  On the trip up through the middle in July, it all worked perfectly.

After the July trip I decided to fit sheepskin seat covers.  I had these in the Lotus for Alaska and they made the car so comfortable, and much warmer, that I decided to do the same to Troopie.  But custom made ones were far too expensive this time, so I just went with better quality commercial ones this time, and am quite happy with them.

After the July trip, I was having a problem with tyres.  When I bought the vehicle it came with 5 brand new Sun Razor mine spec wheels, and new HiFly tyres.  I knew these tyres were cheap Chinese tyres, and always intended to replace them once I got to the US, where the BF Goodrich tyres I wanted are half the price they are in Australia !!  But after just 15000 kms, these HiFly tyres started to wear bald in some places, while maintaining perfect tread in others, and this made them impossible to balance - Which in turn meant the car was almost impossible to drive because the steering wheel was shaking so much.  So I had to fit 2 (expensive) front tyres, but this didn't cure the problem because the back tyres were worn similarly, and the whole back of the car was shaking around too !  They were worn on the inside and the outside, on the front and the back, and as I had new suspension, and perfect geometry (I had it checked 3 times by 3 different people), it was totally a tyre manufacturing problem - The rubber compound of the tyres was inconsistent throughout the tyre, causing some areas to wear faster than others. So my only advise is DON'T buy cheap tyres - It is not worth it either safety or cost wise in the end.

Because I ship the car RoRo (Roll On, Roll Off, not in a container), I need to make sure the car is totally secure and nothing can be stolen. One is not supposed to ship personal belongings in a vehicle, but I have the mattresses and tent and pots and pans that I obviously cannot carry in my suitcase on the plane !  I am not so worried about the shipping from Brisbane to Seattle, but am more concerned about theft on the Panama to Columbia ferry section in Central America, where security may be more lax !!  So I have decided to separate the front of the car from the back, and make the back secure.  I have fitted metal security screens on the side windows, and at the rear, not only can the doors be locked, but also the twin spare wheels can be locked closed, so people cannot even reach the rear doors. The spare wheels can also be locked onto the carriers, so they cannot be easily removed either. Then, behind the front seats, I have made a metal mesh grill that I can bolt into place, making the rear compartment completely sealed off from the passenger area in the front.  This grill can be removed when we are on the road, and folds flat so it can be stored out of the way, and just refitted when the car is to be shipped.  Inside the back, all the cupboards and drawers have been fitted with locks, and additionally, I am taking an old bicycle with me, and this will be bolted into the back so that unless they can get the bike out of the way, they cannot open any cupboards anyway. And I have made a way of locking the pop top closed so people cannot break into the car through the canvas sides of the roof either. Hopefully this will make the whole car secure - Yes, people can steal the car, but there isn't much I can do about that !! But am fitting an battery isolation switch to help resolve that issue as well !!

I then needed a bike rack, and as I know of none that are secure enough on the market, I designed my own.  This is an adaptation of the existing Kaymar anti-theft plate which secures each spare wheel to the carrier, and I just had a frame extended out from this plate, and then attached two existing bars off my Thule bike rack to complete it.  This can be bolted sideways when the bike rack is not in use.  Best of all, when the bike is mounted on the carrier, the whole unit swings away with the spare wheel, so the bike doesn't have to be taken off to access the back doors, or even when putting the tent up to camp - The bike can just stay on the rack !!  Think I need to patent this one !!  All done by Alan Huish in Southport, who coincidentally made up some brackets for my Lotus for the 2012 trip !!

Another mod which worked really well on the Lotus was an acrylic stone / insect deflector that kept my windscreen almost totally bug free.  So I have made one up for Troopie and on the July trip it worked really well.  Another windscreen mod used on the Lotus was to fit a set of Pro-Tint windscreen rear offs which protected the windscreen from flying stones and worked really well.  I am going to fit a similar set to Troopies windscreen shortly. 

Getting in and out of the back of Troopie once you were shut in as proving to be a problem, because the lever to open the wider door was down low which made it really difficult to reach, especially in the middle of the night !!  So I used a remote ignition switch cable left over from the Lotus, and attached it to the leaver, so now you can just pull the ring up and the door unlatches !!

Needed to know the condition of my batteries too. I had considered solar etc, but it was expensive as well as difficult to mount on the pop top, and eventually, talking to people, I realised all I wanted to charge was my camera, computer, iPad etc, and the only electrical item in the car was the fridge.  And as the voltages vary in S America between 240 V and 110 V, I decided to just buy two battery chargers (1 x 240 V and 1 x 110 V), so if I am parked and need to plug in, I can just plug the battery charger in, and continue to run everything off the deep cycle auxiliary battery. I will be driving most days which will charge the batteries, and I can survive about 2-3 days without power, so I just bought a couple of small 5 amp inverters which plug into the cigar lighter so I can charge cameras and computers while I drive.  And to monitor the batteries I just bought a cheap volt meter from Jaycar and installed it with a 2 way switch so I can check the voltage on either battery. I have installed all LED lights in the car too, so they use minimal power at night.  I have also made up LED strips that hang outside so if cooking or eating in the dark, we can see what we are doing. 

A few weeks ago I had a new Excedy clutch and all seals fitted as I wasn't sure of the condition of the existing clutch. Also had all the wheel bearing and bushes replaced, and all brake pads and discs as well, so I know they are new.  So basically now everything mechanical has been replaced or checked, except the engine, which everyone assures me is in good condition, although I am shortly going to have a full diagnostic done on it to check injectors etc.

One thing I have been planning for a while is to fit a hot water shower.  Glind make one, but there is so little space in the engine bay of the V8 that fitting it is a nightmare.  When Damien was over here on a visit recently, we finally worked out a way to do it, and after moving a few things out of the way to different locations, we made it fit.  The hot water exchange unit is fitted at the back of the engine, and I have had Alan Huish make me up another bracket to my design, on which I can mount the pump.  This will then connect to a shower head and enable us to have hot water showers on the road when free-camping. As every camper knows, if you can have a hot shower, most other things are bearable !!  So I am really pleased to get this fitted at last - Due to my aging body and arthritis, I couldn't have done it without Damien's help in getting into difficult corners and pulling heater hoses off etc. 

Recently it was time to get the stickers on.  Peter, a Lotus owner. has become a friend of mine for several reasons.  When he lived in Europe, he drove his Lotus to the Norwegian Arctic Circle - A comparatively easy trip as it is all tarmac and civilization all the way !!  Nevertheless, it was his trip that first made me think of driving my Lotus to the Alaskan Arctic Circle - Yes, Its ALL HIS FAULT (That makes two of them I can blame it all on) !!    Anyway, I had never met Peter, only talked on line, and then

when Janet and I were about to set off up through the middle of Aus last July, we found out that he and Karen were not only about to do virtually the same trip from their home in Victoria at the same time, but that he had a 4 WD Trakka VW Van as well !! Talk about coincidences !  Maybe we could meet at last !!   Anyway, it ended up that we only managed to meet after we got back to the Gold Coast and  Peter and Karen were passing through on their way home from the Cape, so we had a great time catching up, comparing Lotus', comparing 4 WD vans, and generally solving the world's problems !  And over the coming weeks Peter then proceeded to help me immensely with designing stickers for the car for my trip.  I found last time that having the car stickered up and very "obvious" really drew attention and got people chatting to you along the way, which to me was one of the best parts of the trip.  So Peter came up with the idea of the globe, and the picture of the cartoon Troopie on there, and this has been put on the doors - And on my new business card !!   Then I have the names of each major city I plan to visit written on the car, and these will be crossed out in red as I pass through them - I did this on the Lotus and it proved to be a great conversation starter when on the road.  I also have my blog on there because last time a lot of people got my blog address off the car when I was actually driving,  and would then contact me via email to say "Hi" and "Good Luck" in the evening.  So after planning the

layout, and with the help of Sarah at Face it Graphix (who also did the Lotus graphics for me in 2012), these were finally put on in January.  The hardest part was finding out the correct Latin American Spanish translation for "Caution - Right Hand Drive" !!!   Before having the stickers fitted, I had Preferred Car Care (who cleaned the seats and carpet when I bought them) come round and give the car a complete wax and polish.  She was gleaming, and now the artwork is all on there, it looks really good.  So thank you Peter for your input, and to Face it Graphix for bringing it all to life !!

One place that proved not to be too waterproof, despite my liberal application of waterproofing stuff, was the pop top.  This is kind of important, but it turned out that a leak was coming through the little window openings.  These have to be on the inside so you can open them, but rain then gets down inside the stitching and dribbles in.  So to make the whole pop top totally weather proof, I bought some nylon groundsheets, and had Ross at Polaris make these into a long wrap of material that went right round the pop top, hanging on hooks I screwed into the roof, and acted as a flysheet, like on a tent.  Tried this out last time in Victoria, (where it always rains !!) and it worked perfectly.  Will also keep the van warmer in cold winds, I think.

One cooking item I have bought is a Dream Pot, from the guys in Rockhampton. It is a type of slow cooker, or crockpot, that needs no power, but after you have started cooking the meal on the stove in the morning, cooks your meal while you drive by being very well insulated and retaining the heat.  I am not a good cook, but after finding I could cook using a normal slow cooker at home, saw one of these at a Camping Show recently, and decided they would be ideal for on the road.  So I have been trying it out at home and making sure I know how to use it before I go !!

The only part of the car that I haven't really touched is the engine. Dean at Aus 4WD reckoned the engine was pretty good despite having almost 300,000 kms on the clock, and it doesn't seem to use any oil, and has run really well for the past 12 months. But setting off on a long trip like this, into some pretty remote areas, I really wanted to somehow get it checked over, just to give me some extra reassurance. Diesel engines are so foreign to me, and make so much clatter and noise compared to a well tuned 4 cylinder petrol engine, that I am always concerned, mainly because I just don't know what all the noises are !!  Sounds to me like it is about to explode !!!
Anyway, found a company up in Toowoomba (about 2 hours away) that do a full computer diagnostic on diesel 4WD engines, and when I spoke to them seemed to be able to provide exactly what I needed.  So on a day when the temps were supposed to reach 38 deg C (100 deg F) I set off - and was not disappointed.  First they ran an engine diagnostic, plugging their analysis computer into the engine.  Apart from pointing out some of the red dust from the Outback that had obviously passed through or around the air filter, they said everything was spot on.  Even the fuel injectors, which on a diesel are a key (and very expensive) item that you do not want to fail in some out of the way place, are apparently as good as new !!  Perhaps they have been replaced before ?  But because rental companies destroy all service records before they sell a vehicle, I will never know !
After that, they put Troopie onto the (rolling road) dyno where they can run the engine and transmission at speed, and check fuel flow and power etc.  (Power would have been even better if the ambient temps were a bit lower !)  Quite scary when the vehicle is revving its head off at max speed, but just sitting there stationary in front of you with the rear wheels spinning like crazy on the rollers of the Dyno ! I always wonder what would happen if the tyres came off the rollers and the car then shot forward at 100 miles an hour !  Anyway, all worked well, and the results were equally good, with the staff at MTQ all very impressed considering how many kms were on the clock.  Their report says "All injector values very good; dyno test all OK making very good power; Vehicle seems to be in very good order".  So I am very happy.  And they explained what all the noises are, said that they are all totally normal, and that I shouldn't worry about them - So I won't !!  They even suggested I take my hearing aids out when I drive so I can't hear the noises !! ROFL. 
I also talked to them about possibly fitting oil pressure or turbo boost gauges, and they recommended a small unit that plugs straight into the OBDII connector and gives you all the info you need, as well as being able to clear errors in the cars computer should they occur. For those of you wondering what an OBDII connector is, it is the plug (usually) right under the steering column in every modern car where the service garage plugs in its computer to analyse your car when it is serviced.  Anyway, bought one on eBay, took about 10 minutes to fit and calibrate, and now for $185 I can now run almost the same diagnostics as a garage can - Very useful if I have any engine problems while on the road. So a big thank you to John and his crew up at MTQ in Toowoomba.

I have also decided to get the windscreen tear-offs fitted here in Australia instead of waiting till I get to the US.  I have the time before I go, and the price is not much different once exchange rates are taken into consideration. So they are now on order and will get put on shortly.  I had these fitted to the Lotus and are a protective coating over the windscreen, minimising the chance of stones cracking your windscreen.  Obviously a brick will still go through, but it is cheap insurance instead of having a broken windscreen in the middle of no where.  Anyone interested can find out more about them here http://www.quickpeel.com.au/products.php

I am also having a small "lights-on" buzzer fitted so that if I stop the car but leave my lights on, the buzzer will sound to remind me to turn them off.  Many modern cars already have these, but the Troopie doesn't, and I am always leaving my lights on, so this is just a cheap solution.  At the same time I am having a special switch fitted so that I can disconnect the main battery quickly and easily when I park the car, thus immobilising it completely. Once again, just a small and low cost anti theft precaution for peace of mind.   Edit - Both fitted 4th Feb - All good.  Troopie is now officially finished and ready to go !!

Last thing to be done will be a complete oil change and service and final checkover by Dean Futcher and the guys at Aus 4 WD.   Will leave this till the last minute so I can get as many miles up the road in Alaska before I need another oil change !!  Edit - Completed 3rd Feb, All good.  Also changed the fan bet to a new one as a precaution.   Dean and the boys say there is nothing else they can do !! 

Now all I need to do is to pack the car, and get going !!!! Have just been advised by Brian my Shipping Man that there is a more direct vessel to Seattle now, which leaves Brisbane on 16th March and will still arrive Seattle in mid April, so I suddenly have 4 extra weeks up my sleeve to get ready - But I have nothing left to do !!  I will fly over on the 14th April to meet the car, and Janet will fly into Seattle on the 3rd May, and we still plan to set off from Anacortes by about the 7th May. 

Photos of all the things I have done can be found here https://picasaweb.google.com/117739775480775657932/TheVehicleTroopie?authkey=Gv1sRgCNCavdfl3_fqRg#