• 

  LOFTYBOB

  5 years ago

  Just a quick update on our plans to do a 4 year figure 8 of Australia, starting in 8 months time.

  
  

  I flew to Perth and collected the truck/van from the relatives of the deceased estate I bought the truck/van from. Then drove it back to Adelaide over a 4 day period.

  
  

  Got home and started to modify the van and truck for what we needed. A 2" lift with new H/D Old Man Emu springs and 6 x shocks went in, and the rear seats were ripped out and replaced with custom roller drawers and a area for the Dogs to sit on top of their mattress and bedding. They have a ramp so they can get in/out of the truck easy.

  
  
  

  
  
  

  5TH wheel has 1,200 watts of solar installed with a 3,000 watt inverter, 3 x 500 watt regulators, and 3 x 260 AH AGM deep cycle batteries.

  
  

  We need that much as we fitted a 5KW Fujitsu reverse cycle split domestic A/C to the van to keep us and the Bulldogs cool.

  
  

  Fitted a 208L twin dafos compressor fride in 12/240 Volt as well because the three way fridges are shit.

  
  

  5TH wheel as a 5KVA generator as well, this with the solar should mean we can avoid caravan parks and free camp as much as possible.

  
  
  

  F250 copped a new Kenwood head unit (Bluetooth/spotify ready) with new splits and a 10" Kicker sub mounted forward of the drawers in the back

  
  
  

  
  

  Truck has been completely Dyna matted and sound/thermal foam lined.

  
  
  

  
  I'll keep updating this post as we get ready for our trip
  
  Regards Lofty
  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• 

  LOFTYBOB

  5 years ago

  Chomping at the bit mate. We just had another Grandchild born, so delaying a few months.
  

• 

  tussuck

  5 years ago

  A great idea... BUT WHY spend 2 out of the 4 years staring at bloody red sand/dirt?  lol 

• 

  LOFTYBOB

  5 years ago

  Quoting tussuck on 24 Feb 2019 02:02 AM

  A great idea... BUT WHY spend 2 out of the 4 years staring at bloody red sand/dirt?  lol 

  Most of the long haul sections will be dispatched fairly quickly, but we plan to stay at every medium sized town in Australia for at least a week
  

• 

  JFE

  5 years ago

  Thanks for posting Lofty - I’m reading with interest and a touch of envy. I especially like how you are catering for the dogs. Nice one.

• 

  tussuck

  5 years ago

  Not for me, BUT it sounds like a bloody good idea and trip.  

• 

  -kiwi-

  5 years ago

  ya doing it Lofty...…. doin it in style...… bloody awesome, I for one will be following this with a keen interest, good onya mate. im jealous and wish you all the best

• 

  paulybronco

  5 years ago

  Enjoy mate, sing out when your headed to our neck of the woods....let you buy me a xxxx.....LOL

• 

  binnsy

  5 years ago

  Did a lap in the mid 80s in a full length bus decked out with everything we needed. Took us two and a half years and certainly didn't see it all. Enjoy the trip. You won't want to come home. 

• 

  paulybronco

  5 years ago

  Quoting binnsy on 24 Feb 2019 09:37 AM

  Did a lap in the mid 80s in a full length bus decked out with everything we needed. Took us two and a half years and certainly didn't see it all. Enjoy the trip. You won't want to come home. 

  I have not done the trip yet and i dont want to come home already....the Mrs lives here!  LOL

• 

  JFE

  5 years ago

  Quoting paulybronco on 24 Feb 2019 09:20 AM

  Enjoy mate, sing out when your headed to our neck of the woods....let you buy me a xxxx.....LOL

  Fark, offer the bloke something better than XXXX. Aldi beer better than that!

• 

  LOFTYBOB

  5 years ago

  Final proofs are done and signed off for the Fiver, had to change some of the designs due to production limitations. Black back grounded Phoenix is going on the bonnet of the F250. You won't be able to miss us on our around Aus trip.

  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  

  

  

  

• 

  paulybronco

  5 years ago

  Subtle ....

• 

  JFE

  5 years ago

  Hope it glows in the dark.
  

  Looks the goods.

• 

  LOFTYBOB

  5 years ago

  Another Update,

  
  

  Due to being too close to our maximum load capacity with the F250 (the pin weight of the 5th wheel only left us 500KG's to load in it) I have just purchased a purpose built 5th wheel hauler from Iveco.
  

  It is a GVM/GCM upgraded 50c 210 6 speed manual, that has air and elec brakes, turntable/goose neck ball/normal tow bar, twin air compressors, air bag suspension, air ride electric heated seats, premium sound system with DVD, TV, Bluetooth, and touch screen, 3 x reversing cameras, Satellite navigation, satellite phone.
  

  
  

  It will allow us to load an extra ton of gear, which will come in very handy.

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  

  

  

  

• 

  steelo

  5 years ago

  I can't keep up!! I'd already gotten used to the F250..

  Still, it's early days

  
  
  

  

• 

  keith

  5 years ago

  Quoting steelo on 14 Mar 2019 06:01 AM

  I can't keep up!! I'd already gotten used to the F250..

  Still, it's early days

  
  
  

  

  .
  Agree Steel , always room to upsize.
  

  

• 

  Far Canal

  5 years ago

  Sheet!, these are all much bigger than the house with foundations I live in.

  Great heckling.

  
  
  

  

• 

  steelo

  5 years ago

  Going to take a bit longer than 4 years now
  
  

  

• 

  Far Canal

  5 years ago

  Need to take a big vacuum cleaner with you to clean this one on the road.