Defender 90 as a camper?

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Jowniofownio212

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56
Location
Wales
Hello all

New to the forum. Looking at buying a defender 90 as I cannot fit the length of a 110 in my garage. My plan was to get a 110 and have it for off road and also a day van with rock and roll bed as there is enough length in the back but unfortunately it will be too tight a squeeze for the length for my garage.

I am hoping to go down the route of a 90 with a diy pop up roof with sleep area above and storage in the back.

I am supprised I cannot find anyone that has done this to a 90? Can anyone inform where I may find information on doing such a conversion or a build thread someone may have done?

Thanks
 
Hi
Could you build a roof rack with tent on etc? Easy to take off to lock the motor in the garage. No one normally converts a 90 to a pop top too short. Plus all your kit would be in the back if you need access to internal beds. It amazing how much space a week away takes.
 
I had 4 passengers and their walking kit in a 110 for a week moving from campsite to hostel and that was a struggle. I assumed the vehicle was roomy enough, but alas not. Besides the under seat storage everything else gets piled up. The amount of times I had to load and reload just to get at something in the lock box Good luck with 90 for this project
 
Yes a removal roof rack tent would work I suppose! Are there any diy builds on here of roof tents? It would have to be quick release as I only have 2.1m height in the garage.

If not, I may still consider a 110 and just sacrifice the garage space. There is enough length in the rear for a bench and cabinets on one side and for the bench to flat down to a bed.
 
Jowniofownio212 said:
Yes a removal roof rack tent would work I suppose! Are there any diy builds on here of roof tents? It would have to be quick release as I only have 2.1m height in the garage.

If not, I may still consider a 110 and just sacrifice the garage space. There is enough length in the rear for a bench and cabinets on one side and for the bench to flat down to a bed.
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If you're looking for a camper/ overlander then go 110. Alot of people have bought a 90, and after a few years wished they'd splashed the extra cash on a 110. Me included! I've put too much time and effort into mine now, but if id had my time again id go 110. There is sod all room in a 90, the only really comfortable way to make one into a camper would be roof tent, then you can use the rear space for kit, fridge, cooker etc!
 
doriz said:
Interesting, as I wish I'd bought a 90 - shorter, so less problems?
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Haha yeah I don't think so somehow.

Unless you mean a 110 csw with extra door and pillar.

A 110 van has a few more bits ont chassis, but that's all. I've never heard anyone before with a 110 say they wished they'd bought a 90 :)
 
I have been looking into campers & roof tents ect the only prob with a roof tent is once you've
picked your spot & set up camp, then for any reason you need to move then its pack up time lol
I am considering building a camping/expedition trailer with the tent on top, there is one near me
looks the dogs balls but he never uses it. I was hopping he might sell it to me :D
plus I have 2 dogs so I need the extra space loads of vids on youtube of conversions & trailers. :)
 
I recently bought a 110 ex MOD hard top with the intention of using it as a part time camper. .
My plan was to line it in ply, fit a campervan cooker/sink pod unit one side plus storeage space and a fold down section the other side to use as a bed (with a memory foam mattress or similar. I was thinking of running gas/water pipes down into the side lockers and keep the gas/water bottles in them.
The one I've bought has 4 nice folding seats in the rear and has been lined with some kind of insulation already, and I'm reconsidering my plans. I'm now thinking of a very simple set up, keeping the seats and fitting a foldaway table, gas burner on a folding panel on the rear door, sink will be a washing up bowl and I'll keep water in jerry cans in the lockers, and sleeping arrangements will be (for now) camping matress and sleeping bag on the floor and/or my small tent. I'm going to avoid the need for a leisure battery with battery led lights and I've already got a 240v hook up lead if staying on a campsite.
I'm going to look for some old cabinet I can hack to fit to one side for storage. Ideally I'd love one of the roof tents but they're expensive, but I've seen some nice awnings that can fit over the rear door which would be useful.
 
John S said:
Depends on how you buy and fit out.
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Ok buying cheap usually means one thing....its an older t4 or high mileage t5 & it needs money spending on
if its a good vw it will hold its price & everyone knows this, you can even stand up it them lol
Personally I would find prefer a transit high top or similar ex mod crew van or the likes which comes with
insulated panels, side windows & roof light plus usually have invertors & water heaters already fitted
so your half way there & you can stand up too (happy days) :D
 
Aren't roof tents a faff, no lions in blighty? I have a 90csw and its small, can't even lie down in the back. So I got a trailer and a big feck off tent that we can pitch in about fifteen minutes. Camp beds, cooker, ice box etc go in the trailer. Grub, refreshments (ahem) and bedding goes in the back. If you want to go light I've seen a couple of lean-tos on here today alone and somebody at billing had just a hammock and tarp I think? If I read you right I'd go for a 110, stick a bed in the back and knock a hole in the garage back wall. :)
All the best.
 
Or an old ambulance, lights and windows fitted, maybe even a stretcher bed!
I had a campervan and lovely though it was I never really used it unless I was going camping. With all the fitments they're very heavy and you don't really want to be driving about in a fitted kitchen if you don't have to! I figured the Landy would get much more use as a 'leisure' vehicle.
 
If I can be arsed, I'm going to fashion an army style folding camp bed which hooks to the rear sides like a stretcher and uses the three legs straight down to support. That way it folds up quite small, but makes a decent sleeping base when required.

 
I think a better setup would be something along the lines of a 'teardrop' caravan to drag behind. Basically a bed with a kitchen area at the back. All the kit goes in the back of the 90, and you can leave the trailer parked up and use the landy as a car for day trips. Traditionally they're quite lightweight so they can be towed by just about anything, but if you wanted something a bit more rugged, build a more solid structure on top of a sankey chassis.
 
The mrs and I do all our adventuring in our 90 - not a problem. Key is to build well thought out storage in the back I have sections that hold wolf boxes so things can be accessed without having to move other stuff around.
 
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