My Creative Detecting / Overlanding Rig

[Goldseeker5000]

Since I am now a snowbird full time and will be living out of my 1995 4 cylinder Tacoma, I had to get creative to deal with everything from foul, rainy weather, wind, cooking, computer work station for editing my YouTube videos, sleeping, storing food for weeks, even months on end, showering, accessing my detecting gear, powering my ICECO 60Ltr. Fridge/Freezer, batteries for everything from detector, phone, computer, power tools and anything else I get that consumes power, my bases are covered. I utilized a ladder rack and added 1x8 and 1x3 boards to the sides, and then outfitted the top with a 4x7 ft sheet of 5/8" plywood. I then stained it with solid base olive drab stain. Next came taking a large military canvas tarp, cutting it down to four sections according to the measurements of each side inside the truck bed. I then got some 1"x 1.5" boards and fitted them to the top edges, folded the boards over the canvas and screwed them in place. Everything is a tight fit and the canvas is sandwiched between the interior boards and the exterior boards. The bottom edge is long enough to hang over the top edge of the truck bed when I am at camp. They will be tucked inside when driving, unless it is raining to shed water outside the truck bed. I have a tie down screwed down to the ceiling to hang a lantern for light and heat. On the driver's side I added three vertical boards to the exterior horizontal boards and put hinges on them to attach a counter top to accommodate my camp stove as well as space to work at the computer. My inspiration for this was a dream I had about a fold down bed attached to the ladder rack and it evolved into the work counter. I hang my solar panels from the passenger side upside down to angle them up to receive the sun better. I still may add the fold down outside bed platform if I can think of a way to still accommodate the solar panels. Well I just now figured it out so that will be a upcoming project. I keep my Jackery Explorer 1000 solar bank locked inside with heavy chains and paddle locks and my fridge is locked to the truck bed in the same manner. I am never out of sight of my truck and if I ever do, then I employ my 5th Ops perimeter trip alarm. Booby trapping the truck with Carolina Reaper pepper powder when it is detonated by would be theives. I have back ups for back ups living this way. That's how I roll. Hope y'all enjoy this creative setup and get some ideas to make your rigs better outfitted, if you don't have a camper. This enables me to get to very remote areas and enjoy creature comforts for long periods of time.

[Goldseeker5000]

More photos

[rvpopeye]

OOOOOO flexible panels !

[Goldseeker5000]

More photos. 8 nuggets so far for a total of 1.5 g.

[Goldseeker5000]

It is nice waking up to views of the West Rim of the Grand Canyon each morning.

[phrunt]

Not hard to get a midnight snack with your food right next to your bed 🙂

You've got yourself setup well for your style of living.

[Goldseeker5000]

For sure phrunt.😁

[PeterInSa]

Great setup Gs5000, also great country to detect in.

I have a Shower/Toilet Tent mounted on the side of our Landcruiser for when my wife goes bush with me ( plus Portaloo etc)

 

[Goldseeker5000]

Gotta have your bases covered. Right?!

[Gerry in Idaho]

You make some of us non retired folks a little jealous. That's quite the fancy set up you have and makes moving much easier than an RV or camp trailer.  Well done.   Glad you are swinging a good GPX-6000 and finding some yellow metal.  Great pics too.