Project Fauxverlander 200 Series Land Cruiser Build Thread

verveoverland

New member
hey kurt on I love the look of the ARB bumper, looking to put that on my 100. have a couple of questions. I live where the salt life is! All bolts rust, could one possibly switch out some of the hardware to stainless steel bolts and still have the strength? Also which would you prefer to have the tire carrier on passenger or driver? The ongoing Debate!
 

cruiseroutfit

Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
hey kurt on I love the look of the ARB bumper, looking to put that on my 100. have a couple of questions. I live where the salt life is! All bolts rust, could one possibly switch out some of the hardware to stainless steel bolts and still have the strength? Also which would you prefer to have the tire carrier on passenger or driver? The ongoing Debate!

Certainly, many of the fasteners could easily be swapped to stainless. There are some I wouldn't recommend substituting where strength matters but again many would be fine.

As for the tire side debate. I've got a lhd 40 with right, rhd 74 with right, rhd 61 with right lhd 100 with left and the 200. One could fashion an argument about any way BUT we generally recommend the tire be behind the driver for visibility.
 

cruiseroutfit

Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
It's time to cross the t's and dot the i's on this build. I've made very little progress on finishing this up in the past six months, life has been busy and I've just been a bit apathetic about making some key decisions and really making the time. Quite trivial things to decide really but I needed to come up with a plan on how I'll finish out the electrical, lighting and communication gear. I've liked the layout I have in the 100 Series, USB/12V outlets at the rear drawers, behind the 2nd row and in the center console. Kenwood 2M, CB, dual batteries using the National Luna kit and an ARB compressor under the hood.

switch_6.jpg

Tearing apart the rear hatch to add switch & lights

I've set up the interior to allow for sleeping inside the vehicle, it's not a two-person solution so when the Mrs. comes along we bring a tent or have historically mounted a RTT. However if I'm rolling solo or have friends along that can fend for themselves... the interior rocks. However the 200 has a major drawback, like really major. From the inside of the vehicle there is no way to exit through the rear hatch. So if you're sleeping in the back you have to maneuver out the 2nd row doors. Certainly not impossible but a pain and when my morning camp ritual has generally included popping the hatch, dropping the tailgate and sitting down on the tailgate to grab brekky out of the fridge, all without even putting shoes on... it has been missed with the 200. Oddly some non-US 200 Series can have the switch so sourcing parts and integrating the wiring isn't a big deal. My pal Johnny installed a switch in his last year and sorted out the two exterior hatch switch wires you need to tap into, easily done. While I was in there I figured it was time to add a handle to make pulling the hatch shut easier and do something about lighting in the rear.

switch_10.jpg

Let there be light!

The PFRAN LED replacement bulb kit in the 100 Series has been great, but lighting over the tail gate was always lackluster (no stock light there at all), I added a pair of battery powered LED lights that were a stop gap but never really left me super happy. I knew I wanted something different on the 200 so I hooked up with Pablo @ Equipt and snagged some nice National Luna LED lights. I probably went overkill but the lights have multiple settings and whereas they aren't hitting you in eyes when turned on, the light thusfar has been welcome.

switch_11.jpg

The finished product

switch_12.jpg

Illuminated rear exit switch
 

Sempertoy

Explorer
a little off topic, but since you mentioned it, are you running steel or aluminum skids from slee on the 100?

-the artist formerly known as sempertoy
 

GREENI

Adventurer
Kurt, thanks for the in depth write ups. I'm a Land Rover guy, there's not a lot I don't know about Defenders, but I'm an absolute rookie with the TLC. Having followed x-overland videos and being a member on here, as well as owning every copy of OJ I've been inspired to try one. So I popped my cruiser cherry on Tuesday with a 100 series. (I still have Defenders though).

There's not a massive following or market for gear for cruisers in the uk, so things are tough to get. A roof rack is going to be a 4 week wait :-/ I've been hoarding ExPo stickers, so at least it'll have some identity for now!

So, back to my point, your great write ups, including the Death Star are schooling me on stuff I know nothing about!!
Cheers.
 

cruiseroutfit

Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
a little off topic, but since you mentioned it, are you running steel or aluminum skids from slee on the 100?

-the artist formerly known as sempertoy

Steel belly and aluminum front. It's held up great, a few dings/dents but it's protected everything nicely.
 

cruiseroutfit

Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
Kurt, thanks for the in depth write ups. I'm a Land Rover guy, there's not a lot I don't know about Defenders, but I'm an absolute rookie with the TLC. Having followed x-overland videos and being a member on here, as well as owning every copy of OJ I've been inspired to try one. So I popped my cruiser cherry on Tuesday with a 100 series. (I still have Defenders though).

There's not a massive following or market for gear for cruisers in the uk, so things are tough to get. A roof rack is going to be a 4 week wait :-/ I've been hoarding ExPo stickers, so at least it'll have some identity for now!

So, back to my point, your great write ups, including the Death Star are schooling me on stuff I know nothing about!!
Cheers.

Thanks for the kind words and I'm glad to hear it's been of use to you. Congrats on the 100!
 

sleak

Charter & Lifetime Subscriber
Greetings Kurt,
Will you be putting a kit together at Cruiser Outfitters with the rear exit switch and handle? I heard it mentioned on an Expedition Overland video, but there was no part information forthcoming. I'd really like to add the switch and handle (and probably lights, as well) to the rear hatch of my LC200.
Thanks.
 

cruiseroutfit

Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
Greetings Kurt,
Will you be putting a kit together at Cruiser Outfitters with the rear exit switch and handle? I heard it mentioned on an Expedition Overland video, but there was no part information forthcoming. I'd really like to add the switch and handle (and probably lights, as well) to the rear hatch of my LC200.
Thanks.

Yessir, available and shipping! We've shipped them all over the globe at this point :cool:
http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/electrical.html

IMG_2388.JPG
 

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