My car lease ended early this year so I went with a Nissan Navara ST-X 2021 King Cab with a tray conversion and lift off canopy.
This is about taking the empty canopy and setting it up for camping and touring.
Wants
- Be able to pull up and setup in minutes
- Able to setup a longer term camp and still use the ute
- Not be towing a trailer or caravan
So what do I want in side / outside
- Roof top tent, hard body, clam shell style
- Water about 80 liters
- Solar and car recharge for battery
- Lithium battery able to provide 200Amps and 200Amp/hour
- Inverter 1500W (need my coffee)
- Storage for food and cooking on one side
- Table
- Fridge dual zone 70+ liters
- Draws for storage of camping items
- Insulation against heat
- Awning for protection
- White and amber lights
So here is the ute and canopy the day I got the canopy
TO
80 liter water tank up front with filler and pump.
This is the rough layout that I was planing
Now the power, so many circuit breakers, 40A DC2DC charger, Victron monitoring, 1500W inverter over the battery, 200A CB.
Power switch box with 8 outputs, each fused from Ebay.
Water plumbed to the back
Ladder for the tent.
Bought a second hand aluminum table, made some brackets, shortened a pair of old adjustable poles and here’s my table.
Roof top tent with 2 awnings (2.5 x 2.5 meters) attached either side
Added light strips, one amber and one white
In getting ready for this work I found Rivnut also called Nutsert, go in like a pop rivet but is a nut to bolt down to.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/333361187801?var=542408597560
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/233368730841?var=532926551070
First time out camping, few things to do now
- Tap needs to out for access
- New LED lights which are brighter
- Need a platform for entry and exiting the rooftop tent
- Awning for rooftop tent unzips in strong wind
- Storage for the legs
Solar panels mounting, Kings 160W panels and mounts, had to modify the mounts so it worked on the roof top tent.
Some more work today, and some catch up photo’s too
Firstly finally got round to putting up the shower / en suite awning from Kings, it is removal able (slides into the roof rack pipe). Very happy with how it works.
Added non slip to the ladder
This is the shelf to allow storing the legs under.
Now that the back is lined I have been able to mount the axe, hatchet and bush saw on one side and power / USB on the other.
Tap changed to dual and moved out providing easier access for filling things like kettles.
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