Butts' D22

[STRbutts]

So I figured I'd have a crack at putting up some pics of my trusty ute..
The day I bought it plus some of the bits I've installed inside. The 2nd shot is the canvas canopy the old man and I knocked up a couple of days prior to the Simmo trip last year. Not the prettiest thing in the world but it did the job very well..and cost $45. An ARB canopy is on the wishlist though...
The double din head unit plays CD's and DVD's and controls the i-pod via the touch screen. the main idea behind getting that was to eventually have a reverse camera so I can easily line the trailer's up to the tow ball by myself quickly and easily. It would also be handy backing the ski boat trailer down some of the ramps we use. I also thought about a small camera somewhere under the front bar so big rocks and other obstacles can be assessed. The UHF's main unit is under the passenger seat but the head unit is at arms reach. It all works very nicely

 

[Laith]

Good one mate.

The canvas canopy would be pretty cool for weekends away and such.

 

[vsteve01]

The 2nd shot is the canvas canopy the old man and I knocked up a couple of days prior to the Simmo trip last year. Not the prettiest thing in the world but it did the job very well..and cost $45.

I'm looking for something simple like this to get a bit of extra head room for trips. What materials did you use and where from?

Cheers

 

[Dion]

I also thought about a small camera somewhere under the front bar so big rocks and other obstacles can be assessed.

I've thought about this also with interest, but how do you plan on aligning everything to be able to assess? Judging by the performance of the (wide angle...) reversing camera in me mum's Prius, one wouldn't be able to assess, well, anything...

 

[Dave]

Looking good.

I like these threads, gives me ideas.

Been thinking about a DVD player maybe.

2 thumbs up.

Dave.

 

[STRbutts]

Thanks gents,
Now to answer some questions.. The canopy we made out of 12oz canvas supplied by adelaide cut length canvas. Think I bought about 3mtrs?? We already had some shock cord (bungy strap) on a roll, but you can buy that from the same place. then we just needed the eyelets. any upholstery place will sell em. you just punch them in with a special punch and voila. the last thing was the nylon rope through the front edge that just attached to the sail track that holds the standard tonneau cover on. you can buy that stuff just about anywhere as well. the whole thing swaps over in a few minutes. You'd be surprised just how much gear we got in that tray with that cover on. We could have spent a bit of time making it look prettier but it did the job.
As for the camera's underneath, to be perfectly honest, it's just an idea. I haven't done any research into the camera's and how they perform yet. maybe they are all quite rubbish? at least the reverse cam would be good. I'm getting real good at backing the tow bar to within 2" of the hitch but you always have to get out and run round the back to check how much further. Here's a couple more pics of the ute performing another regular duty and some of the dual battery install

 

[tweak'e]

nice battery setup.

cameras, big problem with camera underneath is they get dirty real quick and that most cmos (the cheaper ones) don't work to well in low light especially fast changing light. proberly have to go to CCD camera which costs more.

 

[STRbutts]

Cheers Tweak'e
I spent a lot of time getting the battery set up to look as factory as possible. As for the camera's, I am still thinking bout how to over come the problems you suggest. this is probably why I haven't done it yet. My theory has too many flaws. maybe a centrally mounted wide view camera behind some perspex in the front bar. where the vertical slots are in the factory alloy bar? Dunno...me like's to think too much!

 

[joshy]

one in the factory bar slot and then get one of those european car headlight wipers and hook it up, if its wired to the dvd player you can see when it gets to dirty and turn the wiper on.

 

[Adrian]

Nice looking truck mate, I like the tonnau cover idea.

 

[Navara_cruz]

Mate great thread! Congrats on the ute as well. well set up and LOVE the boat.

All the best with the setting up of the camera.....