Defender - expedition preparation - interior shelf & storage ideas

GreatTrekSouth · Jun 1, 2009

Hi there

I am preparing my Defender for an expedition and want to modify the interior rear section. I basically want to make boxes and equipment as accessible as possible.

Does anyone have any good ideas, suggestions or experience in land rover storage? Pictures would be especially appreciated to give me some ideas!

I am running out of budget so will not be buying a Mobile Storage System drawer. I am thinking more along the lines of a basic rear shelf across the wheel arches. Perhaps also a shelf up at roof height as well.

Many thanks

Neil

Griffdowg · Jun 1, 2009

neil,

what vehicle? have a look at my website for ideas

got a set of mantec load shelves in the back of my 90 and made a shelf up high

G

GreatTrekSouth · Jun 2, 2009

Thanks for the info.

I have a Defender 110 CSW so I guess the load space in the rear is roughly the same as a 90 like yours.

Have you got any good inside pics of your rear load space?

Neil

rover-resurection · Jun 6, 2009

a shelf up top would be easy enough,i made 1 for for my old series 3 which would be very much the same with a defender. i just used some old bed slats, cut them to size slotted them on to the roof sill and secured it. i think a box between the arches will be easy to make with some ply.

Booger · Jun 6, 2009

Griffdowg said:
neil,

what vehicle? have a look at my website for ideas

got a set of mantec load shelves in the back of my 90 and made a shelf up high

G

I also had a look at your website, very good, will be using it as a reference for my vehicle prep, but I didn't actually see any pics of your shelf system. Also couldn't see a pic on the mantec site, if you have a pic it would be very helpful

Griffdowg · Jun 6, 2009

Not the Mantec System but the one I built myself. I dont have any of the mantec one at the mo. Spoke to them a while back about it and they were stopping production to produce one that would also fit the newer puma's. Not sure whats happened. picked mine up 2nd hand, they are pretty rare though and very expensive new. All the G4 defenders have them in, and i noticed today at Eastnor, that those LR experience Icelandic things had a set in to. So if your there tomorrow, take a look. Once all my kit is in, and ive raised it for the fridge slide, I will take some pics for the website

G

Griffdowg · Jun 6, 2009

Use Google, found this: LRS4SLGSET DEFENDER SIDE LOAD GUARDS AND SHELF KIT - MANTEC | Mantec | shop | www.lrseries.com | L. R. Series

picture here.

GreatTrekSouth · Jun 8, 2009

Awesome! Thanks so much.

Jonnie Bee · Jun 19, 2009

Hi Neil
We've just returned from a 6 month trip around W Africa in a 110 CSW - Met up with Griff in Morocco too, but that's another story....
We also did everything on a budget, and I reckon our storage solution was pretty darn good. Well, it worked for us, and the only things not immediately accessible were the box of stored food and the spares...
Anyway, the pics attached show how well (if leaving one seat in the rear) wolf boxes fit in the remaining space. Also, the Hi-Lift fits below the seat, and with the use of an old net and bungee, on the seat is our table, chairs tyre pump etc etc.
On the other side I built a 4 compartment storage cupboard from thin ply and loads of polyurethane glue. Gert strong!
Hope this helps,
Jonnie

onelife · Jun 22, 2009

Also have a look at these;

Solent Plastics - Plastic Boxes | Plastic Storage Containers | Plastic Crates

Great service, and generally a lot cheaper than LR/Overlanding brands.

landroverjack · Jul 19, 2010

Nice idea with the ply cupboard Jonnie. You've got me thinking if i can do something similar. What points is it attached to the vehicle and how much weight does it hold?

jai_landrover · Jul 20, 2010

rustyrhinos · Jul 20, 2010

Not a Defender, but in my series I have a few cheap plastic boxes, 1 metal storage box and the rest is thrown in, but that is not to everyones style!

I have one of the boxes from here: BareBox - they are well made and make good use of the shape of the rear tub. Expensive for what they are, yes, but if you can't be bothered to make a box yourself (I did not have time, we tend to make everything) it is somewhere to start.

bluehaze · Jul 20, 2010

That's a nice and simple solution.

landroverjack · Jul 21, 2010

90 quid! :doh:

Jonnie Bee · Jul 21, 2010

landroverjack said:
Nice idea with the ply cupboard Jonnie. You've got me thinking if i can do something similar. What points is it attached to the vehicle and how much weight does it hold?

There is one sheet of 25mm ply bolted against the window. In pic 7 you can see the lower 3 bolts which are existing (originally used to attach grey plastic trim) and along the top I drilled out 4 holes and bolted through into the 'U' channel. I then built the rest of it from 9mm ply. It takes a fair weight (recovery gear, books etc) and has taken a lot of heavy off-road abuse (1000's of K's of unmade road, hundreds of which severe corrugations) and still as strong as the day I built it! The secret? polyureathane glue and loads of screws! Line each compartment with foam to reduce noise also.

B3aker · Jul 21, 2010

I've managed to conn one of my mates into knocking me up a draw if i get all the materials and a supply of beer, will post some photo's when its done.

bluehaze · Jul 21, 2010

£45 quid and four hours work to make the drawer - see the storage solution thread.

Cooker housing next.

Then I'm going to remove my higher shelf and fit a storage area between the arches, in line with the drawer. This will be used for non essentials and will be accessable via a hinged lid..........

landroverjack · Jul 22, 2010

Jonnie Bee said:
There is one sheet of 25mm ply bolted against the window. In pic 7 you can see the lower 3 bolts which are existing (originally used to attach grey plastic trim) and along the top I drilled out 4 holes and bolted through into the 'U' channel. I then built the rest of it from 9mm ply. It takes a fair weight (recovery gear, books etc) and has taken a lot of heavy off-road abuse (1000's of K's of unmade road, hundreds of which severe corrugations) and still as strong as the day I built it! The secret? polyureathane glue and loads of screws! Line each compartment with foam to reduce noise also.

Ahh I see, trouble is.. my 110 hard top has no windows and these 3 bolts are not there anymore! :doh:

I have cut down some old shelves which now fit perfectly across the wheel boxes so there is a flat base if i want to sleep in the back. My plan is to put a cupboard system on one side, similar to yours, but so that it comes right down to the wheel box where i can bolt it on. Then I should be able to bolt it somehow to the section where your 3 bolts are and again at the top where the gutter runs along.

Have you got any tips? How heavy do you estimate it is?

Thanks, Jack.

landroverjack · Jul 22, 2010

bluehaze said:
£45 quid and four hours work to make the drawer - see the storage solution thread.

Cooker housing next.

Then I'm going to remove my higher shelf and fit a storage area between the arches, in line with the drawer. This will be used for non essentials and will be accessable via a hinged lid..........

A nice job well done, good luck with your next ideas!

Defender - expedition preparation - interior shelf & storage ideas

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