So anyone actually 'Overlanding' in an NAS D90?

[jymmiejamz]

I did a ton of trips in my nas D90 when I had it, although I wouldn’t consider it overlanding. For overlanding I think you need at least 1k Instagram followers and to exclusively stay in a KOA campground.

I had an auxiliary fuel tank and one fuel can. Two fuel cans would have been nice, but only wished I had a second one once. I built a false floor in the back and had plenty of room for a lot of spares and tools located dead center in the truck. I had a roof rack and that’s where i put fuel cans. Sometimes I did a pelican on the roof, but once I got my setup down, I didn’t need to.

Outside of the janky aftermarket DUI HEI distributor (installed by a PO), I never had issues with that truck and would put my wife or mom in it to drive anywhere.

A d90 worked for my wife and me, but it really just depends on what you want to do. Probably not a vehicle I would want to travel the world in, but also wouldn’t let vehicle limitations stop me.

Pic for fun

 

[LRNAD90]

I did a ton of trips in my nas D90 when I had it, although I wouldn’t consider it overlanding. For overlanding I think you need at least 1k Instagram followers and to exclusively stay in a KOA campground.

I had an auxiliary fuel tank and one fuel can. Two fuel cans would have been nice, but only wished I had a second one once. I built a false floor in the back and had plenty of room for a lot of spares and tools located dead center in the truck. I had a roof rack and that’s where i put fuel cans. Sometimes I did a pelican on the roof, but once I got my setup down, I didn’t need to.

Outside of the janky aftermarket DUI HEI distributor (installed by a PO), I never had issues with that truck and would put my wife or mom in it to drive anywhere.

A d90 worked for my wife and me, but it really just depends on what you want to do. Probably not a vehicle I would want to travel the world in, but also wouldn’t let vehicle limitations stop me.

Pic for fun

Cool Picture..

Hard top again, but any photos of how you packed it up?

 

[jymmiejamz]

Cool Picture..

Hard top again, but any photos of how you packed it up?

The top makes no difference, other than driving a soft top long distances is tiring in my opinion.

I just scrolled through a ton of old pictures, and couldn’t find any of the inside of my d90. At that time I used a pelican 1650 for sleeping pads and bags (things I needed dry). Tent, table, and chairs went under the false floor. Cloths went in 1-2 large north face duffels depending on length of trip. Camp kitchen went in a pelican 1600. Food went in the fridge and a pelican 1510 or under the floor. There was still room for our dog between our gear and front seats.

 

[LRNAD90]

The top makes no difference, other than driving a soft top long distances is tiring in my opinion.

I just scrolled through a ton of old pictures, and couldn’t find any of the inside of my d90. At that time I used a pelican 1650 for sleeping pads and bags (things I needed dry). Tent, table, and chairs went under the false floor. Cloths went in 1-2 large north face duffels depending on length of trip. Camp kitchen went in a pelican 1600. Food went in the fridge and a pelican 1510 or under the floor. There was still room for our dog between our gear and front seats.

Your dog looks remarkably like mine (is he/she a mixed breed too? Our is a rescue that is Rottie/Chow/Collie (apparently)..

Anyway, appreciate you taking the time to look...

A SW matters because it allows easier roof storage (and side storage if wanted), as well as a better insulated interior if you wanted to sleep inside.

Came across this Italian couple that has a pretty functional build in the back of a SW..

 

[hillstrubl]

Keep your eye out for a Sankey trailer

I might know of one for sale... the next time I'm up at my Poconos house I'll stop by where I saw it if anybody is interested...

I will add that there is no shame with the Pedro GTT method of overlanding.
View attachment 26552

I WAS THERE!!

 

[Z.G]

That is cool, wish they would have shown more of how the sleeping platform works..

I could probably do this hammock trip from the roll cage.. This guy has his whole routine of camping in his 90. He has several videos, this is just one..

I actually have a similar idea for my 2 door 110. Planning to have a large canvas with 4 or 6 fixing points to clip onto my roll cage for a large hammock-style platform above my bed. Car camping is the way to go, tents are a PITA

 

[rocky]

I’ve slept in my 90. It’s far from perfect. But ok for a couple of nights. It gave me 110 envy. As long as you can get the truck level, its ok, and so much easier than setting up a tent......

 

[jymmiejamz]

Living in LA made me never want to sleep in my car.

 

[pmatusov]

It is a little off-topic, but I found it easier to camp in a D1 than in a LWB Classic.
D1 had a shelf and everything except for the fridge was under it - making turning in only requiring rolling out the pad and the sleeping bag.
A D90 has as much headroom as a D1, so I think it could be done somewhat close (at the expense of lesser space under the shelf, and 10" shorter run from the dashboard to the rear door).
All of this only applies to 1 person or 1 person + 1 dog.

 

[evilfij]

I liked that I could crack the rear lift up glass on the LWB to get some air when I slept in it. That and with the rear seats removed I had plenty of length. In the D1 there was some contraption made out of a Walmart cot that sort of worked on the passenger side.

 

[lithium1330]

A REI 2-person roof top tent on my 90.
I slept in the 90 a couple nights when it was really cold and windy outside. It wasn't ideal, but it was definitely nice being out of the elements.
My truck also came with (from prev owner) a 13gal aux tank. Between the 2 tanks, I can get 400+ miles between stops which is really nice.

 

[pmatusov]

I liked that I could crack the rear lift up glass on the LWB to get some air when I slept in it. That and with the rear seats removed I had plenty of length. In the D1 there was some contraption made out of a Walmart cot that sort of worked on the passenger side.

In a D1, I found that a shelf about 10.5-11" proud of cargo floor is perfectly even with the cubby box. While traveling and camping in the D1, I'd remove the rear seats, have the fridge on the rear left side, and the shelf covered the entire rear space up to the backs of the front seats. The part over the rear cargo floor was hinged, allowing easy access to what's underneath. With the feet between the front seats on the cubby box, I had plenty of space to stretch out.
In the LWB, I made two aluminum boxes that fit on the floor between the 45-degree step to cargo floor and front seats, and they hold the tools and spares - very low down, and in the middle of the wheelbase. That leaves me a perfectly flat floor about 80" long to sleep on - but before sleeping, I have to unload the Pelican box with the cooking stuff and some odds and ends.

 

[uc4me]

I don't sleep inside my NAS90. Just too tight for me and I wanna stay dry when it rains

I figure if I have to shift and move everything around inside to make whatever room I can for the night I might as well just unload the rest of the roof rack and literally toss a tent up there and leave all inside alone. Takes me little time.

Nothing like stretching out.

 

[erover82]

Ed slept on a tent cot but he did spend one night in his 90 sleeping on top of his gear during a massive rainstorm.

Did he continue using it? Seems like a great option. Get's you off the cold hard rocky or muddy ground, but sets up and stores relatively easily.

 

[KND]

I don't go overlanding but I always go camping with my NAS D90 and a modified CDN2 M101 trailer with roof top tent. It's perfect for two people and 2 children.

That was an old set up, I recently add flat water tank under the tent, awning on the side and a few random thing inside that we need for 2 or 3 days camping.

 

[javelinadave]

Did he continue using it? Seems like a great option. Get's you off the cold hard rocky or muddy ground, but sets up and stores relatively easily.

View attachment 26568

He used it the entire trip other than that one stormy night. He did say he feared “widow maker branches” and midnight bear visits but neither happened.

 

[erover82]

Yup and people have climbed Everest without oxygen, which might actually be easier.

The two examples illustrate the options with a 90.

Expand the 90's storage capacity to bring more gear, as Bill (Defender Mods & Travels) does.
-or-
Reduce the size of the gear to fit a 90's available storage, as Ray (family in the Series 1) did.

If you consider how much gear one takes when backpacking, bikepacking, or motorcycle overlanding, it can easily fit a 90 with plenty of remaining space for fuel, but that requires a variable comfort with discomfort. It also depends on the route. Does each day's travel land you in a good camping spot in nice weather? Then a tent is no big deal. If each day finds you in setting up a tent and eating dinner in mud bog late at night, that's draining.

 

[chris snell]

The point is that car camping in a 90 is a just a series of compromises. If you ditch that NAS 90 and buy a 3-door, you no longer have to make excuses. You can bring all of your crap, drive for 1,000 miles without refueling, and sleep in the truck.

 

[evilfij]

The point is that car camping in a 90 is a just a series of compromises. If you ditch that NAS 90 and buy a 3-door, you no longer have to make excuses. You can bring all of your crap, drive for 1,000 miles without refueling, and sleep in the truck.

What’s the fun in that?

First vehicle I car camped in was a Honda accord. I folded the rear seat and slept with my feet in the trunk. . I want to say that was a rover event in killington VT (while my series was not up for the trip or maybe it was in another state).

The logical extension of the thinking is that you end up in a unimog based earth roamer or something.

 

[erover82]

What’s the fun in that?