Defender Expedition Build Completed - YouTube

[miker]

Hi Guys. Well, just about completed my build on the 'fender. Head off for the Kimberley shortly. Put together a brief (sort off) GoPro video of the brick if anyone wants to have a squizz. Might be a useful idea or two in there for someone. It's a "one take" Sunday arvo job so don't judge too harshly. Bit of fun. Just Google search YOUTUBE DEFENDER MIKE ROWLEY and you'll see the clip.

Cheers.
Miker.

[1nando]

Hi Mike,

Just watched the clip. Great work and I congratulate you on your beast.

I noticed you have some surface rust on the rear cross member and chassis. Will you be addressing that or leaving it....I'm curious as I'm currently deciding how to go about rust proofing my chassis.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using AULRO mobile app

[miker]

Hi 1nando. I will now do what I've done for donkey's years. Saturate the underbody with vege oil. Few weeks time it will dry to a "skin" and if done during a bit of warm weather will creep it's way into most places. Probably cost me $5. Had held off in recent times as with the work being done just didn't want to be working in the stuff. A lot of the fruit for the Td4 has been dragged over from the previous Td5.

Chris. M.

[Surrufus]

Great video! Thanks for sharing!

You've definitely given me a few ideas and a bit of inspiration, and I don't even have my Defender yet (arrives in August).
I hope you enjoy the Kimberly, I was just there for work, and even the terrain around the mine site looked beautiful. I plan to travel there myself one day!

[miker]

Gday Surrufus

Glad you found it worthwhile. As I did the video on the spur of the moment only realised afterwards all the stuff I missed eg. triple battery setup, water filter etc. Oh well.

Really looking forward to the Kimberley also. Just bailing out of a small business so have been restricted for quite some time since my last big trip (8wks on the CSR)
Cheers.
M

[The Cone of Silence]

Mike

We have many of the same mods but the hat holder is now on my list - love it!

Great work and thank you for doing a video - you're making me want to do one now as well

I hope you enjoy the trip to the Kimberely with the girls! Just one piece of feedback - the compressor in the case above the rear seat passenger side....you're going to strap that in properly, right? ;-)

[miker]

Hi Bobby. Yes, I have a couple of very similar units I see locally around my area also. Enjoy the comradery. Dragged my two daughters all over Aus when kids and now as young adults they have been able to get the time off their respective jobs to join the oldies for what may be our last "family" jaunt in the back blocks.

Fear not...the compressor is bolted to the cargo barrier + additional ties. After all, it is behind my head too!

[miker]

...forgot...the hat holder is simply two seperate pieces of bungee cord. I put 2 rubber grommets on each one and a knot at each end. Drilled the four holes in the lining same diameter as cord then forced the knots up through the holes. Then did the same with the grommets. Bit fiddly but works a treat when done. I can nest 2 or 3hats easily.

[noyakfat]

Good one mate.

I've been lucky to see a fair chunk of the Kimberley from the sea. Never set foot in the place via 4WD though, so I am very envious of your trip. It is probably the most beautiful place I've been.

Enjoy yourselves and be sure to take LOTS of photos.

Cheers,
Nige

[Toxic_Avenger]

Subscribed!
Keep up the videos!

[miker]

Thanks fellas, appreciate the positive feedback. Only other video on the horizon is my Kimberley trip.My kids bought me the GoPro a year or so back and this will be my first decent trip away with it. Have plenty of accessories for it and intend to put some effort into it to produce something a little more visually entertaining than standard fare...hopefully. Certainly beats the analogue camcorders than many of my earlier forays have been captured on :D

[Toxic_Avenger]

I spied your go pro selfie pole there, so all hope is not lost! I think there is a Spielberg inside that defender waiting to get out!

[Didge]

thanks Mike, excellent videoing and a few great ideas in there - very car car you have.
Maybe you could post up the youtube link in your original post - to save you looking again here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7cj13CtkJU

mmh, sorry about that - I thought it would only show as the link


cheers Gerald

[rar110]

Wow, well done.

[The Cone of Silence]

Hat mod installed!

As I have a plywood bed platform for the cabin roof, I screwed in four eyelets and tied the shock cord to them. So easy....and now the eyelets provide another point for cargo securing.

[miker]

I spied your go pro selfie pole there, so all hope is not lost! I think there is a Spielberg inside that defender waiting to get out!

The selfie stick was used as a stabiliser given it was Sunday arvo and nought a beer yet consumed...hate the shakes. :)

[miker]

...as is so often the case in life...it's the little things that bring the most joy. Well done mate.

[DiscoMick]

Very neat. Some good ideas there.
That hat-holder is a simple solution I like.
Also like the fold-down table on the rear door. I've been pondering how to simply put a table on the rear door and now I can copy yours! Just have to find something firm to screw the base to on the door.
Putting an LED light strip in the centre is also a good solution.
Was also interested in how you have mounted your water tanks as that is on my wish list.
I like simple ideas which work well.

[cookie monster]

Great video, giving plenty of ideas for our 90.
Have you any more info or photos of the fuel/water separator that you mentioned earlier?
Cheers cookie

[miker]

Hi Disco Mick/Cookie

Glad it was useful to you guys. Couple of things re your posts:
The food grade hose I use to fill both tanks lives on the shelf above the Engel. It has a quality marine filter in-line to take care of the nasties eg. No Bali belly. And also a good carbon filter in-line between the tank and the tap. This takes nearly all the odour/taste out of most outback supplies be it tank or bore.

The cutting board is a hard commercial poly board. I had it in the right width and just cut it to length. If you use the cheap plastic cutting boards from the supermarkets they will sag in the heat and with just general use. Also they are not well suited for applying hinges and the like due to that softness. Best supports I've found is SS fishing trace cut to size and then crimped. The little crimps come in the same packet and just use pliers. They join to a black SS swivel screwed in place on the cowling. Works better than chain, string etc. IMHO. Try and make it a one hand open/close as much more convenient.

The two 12v sockets on the rear door are used as follows: 1. is for a 12v FM transmitter ($40) in which sits my iPod. When working, cooking etc. at the rear, either with the annex up or down you have all your music at your fingertips playing through the car speakers [rear] 2. A small 12v Majestic HD TV 19cm sits perfectly on the inside of the rear door glass, held in place with two large Velcro strips. You can travel in this configuration and simply turn it on at any stop. The aerial is fixed near the shovel holder. Nice touch of luxury to catch up on the news while cooking dinner if in a reception area - also/mainly, happy wife, happy life!

[miker]

Just for the record I installed the double cardan front drive shaft today. I know it is already recognised as one solution to vibration issues after lifts, and in my case, EUREKA!! 100% cure for what was a pretty full on vibration issue. Thank goodness.

[Dervish]

Do you happen to remember where you picked that bolo machete up from? I've been looking around for one but most places seem to stock the more conventional - and less useful - ones.

[miker]

Sorry Dervish. Been toting it around for many years. Would have just been an opportunistic buy at some surplus store.

[Didge]

Do you happen to remember where you picked that bolo machete up from? I've been looking around for one but most places seem to stock the more conventional - and less useful - ones.
What's the difference? I thought they were all basically the same. I use an old timber handled cane knife although it could do with a bit more meat in the blade
:)

[Dervish]

What's the difference? I thought they were all basically the same. I use an old timber handled cane knife although it could do with a bit more meat in the blade
:)


Bolos have more mass at the far end of the blade, which puts more power into the swing - sorta half knife, half hatchet. Very useful for dispatching branches that you normally wouldn't attempt with a knife, or would take much longer.

[Didge]

Thanks Dervish - much the same problem as my cane knife - not enough weight in the blade- guess I'll also be looking for a Bolo.
cheers Gerald :)

[Toxic_Avenger]

Try cutting edge knives. They are brisbane based iirc. I've bought plenty of knives of them in the past. They also get around to some of the camping shows etc but you'd have to ask them for their schedule.