Building a Landscape Photography Truck

sounds cool!!

looking forward to seeing before and after pics on the build thread.... are you rivalling hammonds boat camper or clarksons hiace lol
 
This sounds great Mark. Can't wait to see he pictures from the trip.

Someone mentioned getting an inverter which sounds a good idea. What about a solar panel to top things up while you're away from any mains. Also depending on your phone is might be worth getting a power adapter for the cigarette lighter that has a usb connector. They are also good for charging your iPod.
 
It lives! Engine work is nearly finished, starts and runs well.

Power for phones, camera batteries, satnav etc is taken care of, inverter would be for powering my Macbook for editing in the field.

I bought a Biolite stove which generates electricity from heat, I can charge my Blackberry up as I cook tea!

Next thing is winter tyres, luckily selling cars I have access to a really good tyre man who is going to look after me. Also looking at lighting, am thinking of worklights all around the sides and rear for packing camera gear up, cooking etc. Driving lights I'm thinking of a set of long range driving lights, last time I did a quick run up to Glencoe at night I drove for an hour and a quarter on full beam without meeting anyone so want it nice and bright.
 
Dinae forget a flashing beacon, to warn the snowplough crew that you are stuck in a drift.:lol:
Seriously though, the days are short in November so be prepared for long dark nights in your vehicle.
 
We want pictures! And we want them soon! Haha sounds like a cool idea looking forward to seeing the results.
 
Mark, I use general grabber AT2s, had them on the hilux and now on the patrol. Great off road tyre that are not overly noisy on the road,very hard wearing as well.
 
markmullen said:
Sound like a good choice. I'll see what my tyre man can do me a deal on.
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Seriously mate, I`ve told loads of keepers,water baliffs and stalkers about them, many have them on 4x4s now.Very good tyre.

Edit...........get your cheque book out................;)


http://www.direct4x4.co.uk/
 
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Still no photos but today's update.

It is MOT'd and starting on the upgrades.

I've got a set of 12" Cibie Super Oscar spotlights being wired into the main beam.
A set of astonishingly bright IPF spotlights as fitted to WRC cars being wired in on a switch
4 worklights being fitted, one each side and two at the back, for camping and reversing
A roofrack
An awning for cooking under in bad weather
Custom made insulation to keep me warm whilst sleeping in it, fixed on the rearmost windows, removable on the middle section in case I want to take passengers
Winter tyres
A CB (President Teddy for the CBers) and huge whip aerial. Hopefully won't be needed but will be backup comms in an emergency out of mobile range
Installed inverter for running laptop for night time editing
Dual battery system already installed, replacing batteries with new ones as a precaution
JVC CD/MP3 player with iPod
Jerry can holder for reserve fuel

Hopefully by next week it'll be taking shape and I'll be able to get photos.
 
Nikon Ken said:
Great project - hope trip goes well.

Having slept in vehicles just one piece of advise, don't skimp on the insulation.
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A tent and decent sleeping bag is warmer than an ordinary vehicle so insulation is the key

November in scotland is likely to be horizantal rain
 
alfbranch said:
A tent and decent sleeping bag is warmer than an ordinary vehicle so insulation is the key

November in scotland is likely to be horizantal rain
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Windows are going to be clad in custom made insulation based on the new style loft insulation, the foam between foil stuff. My sleeping bag is designed to be good down to -40 Fahrenheit so should be OK. I can always fire it up and run the heaters if required.
 
markmullen said:
Flashing beacon (well, low level LED lightbar, the modern equivalent) organised :lol:
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Mark, the LED lightbar may not be ideal. It's being noted that LED traffic lights, bright though they are, don't generate enough heat to melt the snow that falls or is blown on to them.

I wouldn't bother to mention it, except that I'm personally all too familiar with the phrase "b****r, who knew!?" ;)
 
SimonH said:
Mark, the LED lightbar may not be ideal. It's being noted that LED traffic lights, bright though they are, don't generate enough heat to melt the snow that falls or is blown on to them.

I wouldn't bother to mention it, except that I'm personally all too familiar with the phrase "b****r, who knew!?" ;)
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Cool, thanks for the heads up, if I need to use them I'll go and clear them of snow.
 
You mentioned the spots on the front being wired in to the main beam. Are you using the main beam as a trigger wire for relays? If you're just planning on taking a feed off them - don't - put a new fused feed direct from the positive terminal on the battery to the relays, trigger on the main beam wire - you'll get the full 13.8V to the lights and safeguard your main beams at the same time!

Definitely get busy with the insulation. Also have a look on ebay for 'eberspacer heater' blown hot air heater - run it off your main fuel tank - fire it up when you need it. They're neat little things and will make you happy and warm.
 
Diamond hell said:
You mentioned the spots on the front being wired in to the main beam. Are you using the main beam as a trigger wire for relays? If you're just planning on taking a feed off them - don't - put a new fused feed direct from the positive terminal on the battery to the relays, trigger on the main beam wire - you'll get the full 13.8V to the lights and safeguard your main beams at the same time!

Definitely get busy with the insulation. Also have a look on ebay for 'eberspacer heater' blown hot air heater - run it off your main fuel tank - fire it up when you need it. They're neat little things and will make you happy and warm.
Click to expand...

Yep, they'll be on relays, and also switches so that around town etc full beam is just full beam, beyond that I can select one or two sets of spots in addition.

Insulation will have to be a quick job this time as leaving at the weekend, will look at eberspachers when I return, in readiness for the next trip.
 
John got no cheapo cayennes then ? The road down loch ness on the non touristy side is quite interesting (east side).. loads of wildlife etc..have a good trip , Steve w.
 
As we speak the CB is installed and the spotlights, the roofrack is on and looking good and new batteries have been installed (as standard it runs a dual battery setup).

The next jobs are the inverter being installed (500w, should be sufficient to run a Macbook Pro for editing), the orange beacon fitted and the worklights.

All being well the truck should be finished for tomorrow evening, then my valeters can have a go at it (where I will be sleeping needs a good shampooing out) and winter tyres fitted.

The plan is I'll set off at the weekend, though I might run it locally for the weekend and then set off Monday.
 
Just started reading this thread with a lot of interest!

I've got a VW camper which I acquired a few years ago to complete a round of the Munros (hills over 3000') up here. It is a 2wd van, winterised, and I used it for three solid winters, out almost every weekend in temperatures as low as -20C.

My tips...the number one thing is heat, generating and retaining it. My van has plastic double glazed side windows and the walls are packed with glass wool. It has a gas fired blown air heating system, which needs 12v for the fan. It's a 'Trumatic' and is well worth the investment. I have thermal screens for the non double glazed back window and windscreen. Lovely and toasty right down to way below freezing.

Mind, Scotland is dark in the winter, and something to pass the boredom from 3pm to 9am is useful, a DVD player, radio, books, cards, alcohol!
 
thisthreadisworthlesswi.jpg
:D
 
Have a safe trip tomorrow, don't worry to much about the pics save your resources battery's etc unless you are staying in a hotel lol then you can upload, look forward to viewing them whenever that may be.

IMO I think I would prefer to view the images from start to finish of the expedition, instead of the odd image here and there.

Kevin
 
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When do you hope to reach Skye Mark?
The hills have a lovely covering of snow at the moment but the weather is very changeable just now and I think we have milder/wetter weather on the way.

PM me if you need any info/help on Skye, I'm not sure if you've been here before :thinking:
 
Sorry for the lack of pics yet guys, it has been a mad few days prepping the truck for my departure tomorrow.

Yesterday's jobs included having a set of Hankook winter tyres fitted, having my valeters clean it up and then driving it for the first time. It is excellent, it drives really well. The good news is it is a good big fuel tank, I put £125 of diesel into it which for long range work makes it easier.

Today's jobs included fitting loft insulation to the rear windows, that went far better than expected, I left an air gap to the rearmost windows to add to the insulation. I then set the CB up, it needed very little doing and soon I was getting all sorts of odd communications coming through, including lots of American accents strangely! The next step was to fit carbon monoxide alarm and smoke detector, possibly overkill but as I am going to be living in it I thought it money well spent.

I've just packed up all my gear ready to leave tomorrow. Thanks for all your support everyone. I am taking my Macbook with me to edit on site, I'll get some pics of the truck in the wild.

Thanks for the offer Marie, I may well take you up on that.
 
Mark is this a wind up ? nearly 4 weeks of thread and no pictures. I hope you will have time to post some soon, we are champing at the bit waiting to see the dream machine
 
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