So anyone actually 'Overlanding' in an NAS D90?

1of40

Well-known member
If you are solo it’s easy to do in a NAS 90. A couple is possible, but you will likely need a RTT. The limiting factor with a couple is that, unless one person is very short, you can’t make the driver’s side flat for a platform above the seats because of the steering wheel (this is easy to do on the passenger side).

Go and look at any of the D90 overland builds on YouTube and you will see lots of good ideas. The soft top does not really change the builds much (just need a full roof rack or mount a small RTT to the front cage and then you don’t get an awning.

Like this without the stuff in the top


There is plenty of room in a NAS90 for all the stuff you could want (of course it’s not secure unless in built in boxes) and one can carry a lot of weight.

And I know you don’t want a second tank, but if you need distance on fuel, that seems pretty much a requirement to me. I had a NAS 90 with a second tank (of course I never used it). Just use a transfer pump and it’s pretty simple because it’s a factory location on some ROW 90s (you can do an under seat fill if you don’t want to add a second external filler).
I sleep in my 90 by folding both front seats flat. I just remove the headrests and seatbottoms, fold down the rear jumps, and layer a twin sized air matress. Takes me honestly less time than pitching a tent and I have central air conditioning;)
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LRNAD90

Well-known member
I sleep in my 90 by folding both front seats flat. I just remove the headrests and seatbottoms, fold down the rear jumps, and layer a twin sized air matress. Takes me honestly less time than pitching a tent and I have central air conditioning;)View attachment 26573
Interesting adaptation, I don't think I've ever even figured out how to remove the headrests (honestly didn't think they were meant to be removable). And the sharper bits on the bottom of the seat bottoms don't puncture the air mattress?

I have no jump seats, but could do a piece of plywood floor across the wheel wells, or better yet a storage drawer system making the area flat, just would need to pack so that everything fits under that floor, hmmm...
 

javelinadave

Administrator
Staff member
Interesting adaptation, I don't think I've ever even figured out how to remove the headrests (honestly didn't think they were meant to be removable).
The are removable but 95% of them are rusted into position. Total PITA to free them without peeling back the seat back cover.
 

evilfij

Well-known member
The are removable but 95% of them are rusted into position. Total PITA to free them without peeling back the seat back cover.

Portapower. I am not sure why, but on my ST I could still not fold my drivers seat flat. I am going to try again.
 

LRNAD90

Well-known member
This guy and his girlfriend road-tripped from Ohio to Winter Romp car-camping in the back of an 88.


That makes my 90 look like a luxury experience..

The are removable but 95% of them are rusted into position. Total PITA to free them without peeling back the seat back cover.

Hmmm, my truck has lived a pretty pampered, stored indoors life, and has very little if any corrosion in the usual spots. I guess it's possible, but doesn't seem likely that they are rusted in place..
 

1of40

Well-known member
The are removable but 95% of them are rusted into position. Total PITA to free them without peeling back the seat back cover.
What I do is place a small wood block at the metal flange/base and give it a whack with a rubber hammer. It dislodges easily. I then spray the stem with silicone.
 

1of40

Well-known member
Interesting adaptation, I don't think I've ever even figured out how to remove the headrests (honestly didn't think they were meant to be removable). And the sharper bits on the bottom of the seat bottoms don't puncture the air mattress?

I have no jump seats, but could do a piece of plywood floor across the wheel wells, or better yet a storage drawer system making the area flat, just would need to pack so that everything fits under that floor, hmmm...
No, not yet. There’s not a lot of pressure that far forward.
 

Z.G

Well-known member
camel trophy photo
I can only imagine how terrible that would have been.

Tried that when I was 18 in my S80 with a group of friends. Ended up lasting 30 minutes like that and we drove home at 4am once one of us was sober enough to drive
 

D901560

Well-known member
I can only imagine how terrible that would have been.

Tried that when I was 18 in my S80 with a group of friends. Ended up lasting 30 minutes like that and we drove home at 4am once one of us was sober enough to drive
Haha. I had a similar experience in high school of a camping trip gone wrong and we slept in a Honda CRX.
 
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LRNAD90

Well-known member
Another two door (again hard top with roof storage) Jeep. So nicely organized, fairly minimalist I guess. Everything so clean and well planned, though the messy stuff (clean-up from cooking, etc) is omitted. I can't help but feel like he goes camping to make videos, more than he makes videos of his adventures.

It is relaxing to watch though..

 

Shearpin

Well-known member
I‘ve done some travelling in an NAS soft-top and Series III 88” - often as a solo vehicle. I started back in the early 1990’s when the available equipment was essentially backpacking gear in action packer boxes. Based on this experience - I agree with some previous posters that suggested you scale your equipment to suit your loadspace. There is nothing wrong with a good ground tent, sleeping mat and bag combo. With freeze dried food you can have a decent meal cooked over a stove that fits in the palm of your hand. That’s shelter and food sorted… For fuel and water I use 5 gallon jerry cans to meet the mileage plus error margin and 5 gallon surplus water cans I got from Rovers North in the early 2000’s.

With this mindset, the Defender 90 is a tough travel companion with great load carrying capability. We only upgraded to a 110 when our daughter was born - and we have still done some more local trips in the same old Series III - 3 up on the bench seat - when the Defender isn’t running.

Check out my website for some inspiration and packing ideas… Photo below is from Baja, Mexico on a trip with my then girlfriend - now wife (so she stuck around) in the early 2000’s.


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TexasD-90

Well-known member
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We did a ton of extended trips in our NAS 90 when our kids were little. We did pull a small trailer, which apparently disqualifies me from ever traveling with Chris Snell, but we had a blast. Did several trips that were off road heavy, and never had an issue. The trailer did end up on its side on the Rubicon, but it took very little time to get it back on the rubber side. We have since moved to a 110 and even tried a few land cruisers. My advice to people who ask is always to take whatever vehicle they have and get out there! The rest is just preference and fluff.
 

LRNAD90

Well-known member
You know, I find it funny that I find 10 or more videos about people sleeping/living in their Suzuki Jimny for every 1 I find about sleeping/living out of a 90..

Guess its all about perspective (like everything else), I'm sure a Defender 90 interior looks enormous to a Jimny owner, even though it looks small to the owners of 110's..

Fun Size comparison to a current D110 from a Doug Demuro Video..
 

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rlynch356

Well-known member
Yes… but a week is about my max in the D90.. me and my dog.
No full rack, no extra fuel cans (I do have a side extended fuel tank), and I’ve eliminated just about everything that I don’t actually use often.
I sleep in a swag tent, under an awning attached to the truck, and also have a shower awning on the opposite side.
I do have a small cab rack for the awnings, swag, fire pit/grill, and toilet. I can add another alubox if I need more stuff but usually carry firewood in the open space.
Inside… fridge, alubox 60 with all my food and camp stuff, 3 Dometic water containers with a pump, a side Troy box (more camp items), clothes bag, and dog bed. Camp oven/pots and that stuff lives beside the fridge.
Ceiling net has my shower, camp chair, foul weather gear, some poles for an awning to cover the back (force protector gear), and whatever else is soft and needs a spot to live.

It’s doable.. and until I get the 200 series build finished it’s still fun. But bigger is better… I’m already looking ahead to the one after the 200 as I want space to live inside the truck, and the Td5’s are coming.. and I need to decide how important towing is for that one..

Towing a trailer off road is miserable btw…

Just to add… I am going to build a rear tire carrier which will also hold 2 Jerry cans, and the hi-lift… this year… I could use the extra fuel.
 
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