Wagon camping set ups

[gudge]

Hi guys, I wanna set up my gu wagon for a trip to the cape. Now all the important mods are done ( suspension, snorkel and servicing). I wanna set up a double bed in the back with room for fridges, storage recovery gear. Just looking for any ideas from what others have done. Photos would be great! Also awnings or tents which are attached. Thanks fellas Gudgeon

[DUDELUX]

Is there enough room in the back for a dble bed?? Plus fridges, spares, tools, etc??

I think making(or buying) a set of drawers would be a good start, you can store heaps in there, and a fridge slide on the top of the drawers.
Have you thought about a fold down table made to fit on the inside of the rear doors??

Roof racks will hold plenty too.

[BundyRumandCoke]

There wasnt enough room in the back of our GU for a double bed, let alone all the rest of the gear. So, instead of towing a trailer, we went for a roof top tent, bought off Ebay for about $500, and then bought an awning for the side. That was our accommodation.

We then stripped out the 2nd and 3rd row seats, and built a false floor that mounted to the 3rd row seat mounts. We had a pair of plastic storage boxes under this floor, accessible from the back. On top of this floor, we had the fridge and esky. In front, in the second row seat space, we had the long items across the car, folding table standing on edge immediately behind the front seats, then things like camp chairs, ect.

5 weeks away to Tasmania for the 2 of us worked very well. Heaps of room. The mod to this set up for our trip later this year is the aquisition of a cargo barrier, which I will mount immediately behind the front seats, and possibly extend the false floor all the way through to the cargo barrier, and probably another awning for the other side.

[nabstud]

I tried a few different setups. I removed the rear seats which freed up so much room.

The first was this one. I didn't have a fridge back then though. I moved the cargo barrier to behind the front seats and put an air mattress on top. It was OK but was a bit small for my 6'6" frame.



This was my second and better attempt. It started off as just a storage system and fridge slide, then I moved the cargo barrier again and made it full length. Air mattress made my face too close to the ceiling so a smaller foam mattress did the job.



I now tow a camper...

[MattGU]

There may be room for a single mattress beside the fridge but it would be a squeeze. I can also tell you that camp fridges seem quiet until you have to sleep right next to one. I spent a trip to the cape sleeping in the back of my ute next to the fridge and that thing woke me just about every night when it cycled back on in the early hours of the morning. Guess it was good to know the battery wasn't flat....

[stilivn]

my draw set up in my 80 has a plate that sits in to make it all level when fridge is removed. I Just put the fridge in the front of a night an that lets me have a bit more head room. no promises but if i get chance might try get some photo's up.

[CT]

There may be room for a single mattress beside the fridge but it would be a squeeze. I can also tell you that camp fridges seem quiet until you have to sleep right next to one. I spent a trip to the cape sleeping in the back of my ute next to the fridge and that thing woke me just about every night when it cycled back on in the early hours of the morning. Guess it was good to know the battery wasn't flat....

That and the fact that you had an outboard shoved up your ass every time you rolled over.

I've got the same fridge and second the sentiment. Worse than your mate snoring in the back of his ute on the other side of camp.....

[Mosko111]

Tech screw a double swag to the roof, its fool proof im telling you!!

Also Gudge and his lay friend are quite short, so if they do remove the rear seats i think the set up you have nabstud would work quite well for them!

Then add a batwing awning/ slide out drawers right behind the cargo barrier for easy access to clothes,

Roof basket with black flat 40ltr water tank (no need to wire in water pump that way as its gravity fed and great for a quick warm shower) have your highlift and shovel up there aswell!

[ferrit]

I bolted the ARB tent to my roof. it was just easier than trying to squeeze myself and the better half into the rear end of the 100 series, and it also meant i didnt have to unpack half the car to make my bed every night.

[4 Ears]

I did a set up for our GQ with a rooftop tent, annexe at the back, rollout awning on the passenger side, made a drawer set for the rear with fridge slide (2 zone Engel,) 2 drawers for recovery gear & tent annexe. 2 x 20l water jerry's, side storage either side of the drawers (accessed through the sliding windows, grog underneath the water, clothes above the drawers, all behind the cargo barrier.
I removed the rear seats, made 6 drawers on the passenger side- one a board for food preparation, the rest in 2 widths to suit the opening. Food, cutlery, crockery, cooking utensils, condiments, etc were stored in the drawers. My bride's chair was between the seat & drawers, storage beneath for tools.
On the driver's side, cupboards for the Coleman Hot Water on Demand & chemical toilet, my chair behind driver's seat, storage below for more tools.
Between the cargo barrier & the rest was storage for a fold up table, 2 cannister type stoves & fittings, pop-up wc tent & clothes line.
In the middle was more storage for a drink cooler, laptop, more grog & soft drinks, maps& camera including lenses, battery chargers, a Thermos Slow Cooker,etc.
Any other space was taken up with wine & anything else we needed.
Needless to say, little or no space was wasted.
A small roof rack carried extra spare tyres, gas cannisters, high lift jack & shovel.
We were very comfortable. The only downfall was the need to pack the tent up to go sight seeing.

[Bingham]

I think unless your a 17yr midget with a dwarf missus who does not like the creature comforts that an outside sleeping arrangement would be best especially if your doing a cape trip and taking all the bits. Fridges recovery camp gear cooking gear food containers eskys. unless you unload fully every night then you wont really fit... and prob wake up and half the gear is gooone.

A draw set is invaluable. Get a good cash price on a roof top tent then flick it when your home if you dont want it and dont think you would loose much.
Otherwise one of those heavy duty canvas tents and dont setup to close to the river.

I should stop being lazy and put some photos of mine up at some stage. Think after my 4th patrol wagon we are getting things sorted! Leave for cape in couple weeks

[bru21]

Look at the black wolf turbo tents. I sold my arb roof top and am pinching my folks tent. Takes nothing to set up - put away. Theirs is 3x3, and was used in the pissing rain over christmas at moreton and it stayed dry inside after a weeks rain. Bingham doesn't have a rooftop tent - his is more like one of those hotels the shieks in arab land have - just bolted to his roof. Also how tall are you? I struggled to open the arb without climbing on the roof of my 76 (like 5 seperate times for one opening), and i'm 5'11.

[DIRTY ROCK STAR]

put your photos up bingham...
show us the way