Alright, here we go. I guess I can call it officially started since I've got OME's on now!

So far:

1. An extremely difficult install of the ScanGauge trip computer!
2. Thule roof rack  SD Roof Rack!
3. OME shocks all around.
4. OME 2" MD lift -- I've got the springs used from Columbia.
5. Tires (235/85r16 BFG AT's)
6. Cobra 75 WX CB,  Yeasu FT-2900
7. Rear cargo box/drawers. Cargo shelf and cubbies

To come:

1. Diff Gards
2. Sliders
3. Bumper
4. Winch
5. Rear Bumper
6. Lights (to be installed)

This will be the end of Phase 1. I may have enough in the budget to pick up an X-Jack. I drew this up this morning. With the seats in the back, the cargo room is very limited. So partitioning it like this to allow for drawers below, a stuff shelf on the left, and then a tie down area for the fridge on the open right hand side, I think I can really pack tools and all sorts of other things in that I wouldn't be able to do otherwise. It is drawn to scale with actual measurements for the fridge and for fitting in the truck. It would be held in place by bolting it to the floor where the rear seats latch. Thanks for the ideas, Craig and others.

A respectful stance, nothing dramatic, but it looks as if it has purpose now!

Before -- During -- After rear lift, new tires -- After -- Before -- After:

 Nice looking rig! It is amazing the difference a slight lift and the right tires can make. 

the other Craig

Thanks!

Looking good! What a difference a simple lift + tires makes.

OK, just finished up the shelf project. I'm pretty happy with it since it looks OK, and it serves my needs even better than I had originally designed.

I protoyped the lower half of the idea I drew up before, because prototype is a cool word to use, and it's a cool thing to do.  But it turns out the simple shelf with was perfect for my existing tool box and Pelican case, making it possible to access both of these without having to tie them down and untie them every time I wanted to.  The original design also smacked of being too heavy and difficlut to remove when I wanted to go trolling at the mall. 

I used the test shelf this last week, and decided to modify it a bit by lowering it, bracing up the back end of it, then I covered it with plushness, and installed the tiedowns (no pics yet).  The turnbukles make for real good latches to the existing Rover tie downs, and they are very quick to undo, faster than straps.  I also left the back end open so I could stuff my semi-soft gear and bags back there. Everything fits in a spot.  Everything is easy to get to.

In the end, including putting the shelf in and securing it, I can literally get everything for camping into this part of the vehicle in about 5 minutes.  It cost me a total of about $30 (if you only count one half the plywood board you have to buy) and it took about 3 hours of work.  If you want to give it a go, I have the measurments, and I can tell you what I would do different.  It makes the SE7 cargo area very much more usable.

OK, so a good tool for getting the radio out of a DII is the metal strip at the top of a hanging file folder. (Pic 1) Cut it in half, one for each side, made for the occasion.  I wanted the install to be such that I could have as little impact as possible on the stock look of the dash when the radio is removed.

(Pic 2) What you are looking at in the second shot is the finished project.... well, five minutes before the radio is installed.  I imbedded the mounts into the vent as you can see on the next shot. (Pic 3)  This is the slit vent on top of the dash, the heat vent for the stereo system.  The "nuts" were in there pretty good, they are threaded on the outside so that they embbed themselves into the plastic, especially when you screw them tight from above and force them to dig in. These are actually the type of thing you use on furniture to imbed a threaded hole in wood.  Think Ikea.

However, I also used an epoxy (I tested it on the plastic and metal of the nuts the day before to see that it would work) and very carefully cemented them into place.  Unless I am totally miss judging how much this weighs, and how much bouncing around it will do, I don't see these coming out, it is pretty solid.  The piece of plastic that I used in the test is still stuck to the nut, and I've been trying to wiggle it around quite a bit.

The rubber feet on the front of the radio moun, sitting in the tray on top of the dash, are home made as well.  The radio's hand-set clips down below, and the coiled wire hangs just so as not to get in the way of the stereo or climate control buttons. 

Next will be to wire the antenna and power supply.

Sweet, Ben!! Very clean install.

Dustin

Looks very good, nice job so far.