Hi all, looking to modify the boot space a little as I have LPG which has stolen the spare wheel well but want to carry a spare. Also want to carry few tools, spares, add an aux battery, additional compressor etc. Thinking a custom ply box with drawers which I can also mount my dog guard too (from a diff vehicle but physically fits).

If anyone has gone this route would appreciate a photo or two please for inspiration.

I mounted the spare wheel standing upright beside the subwoofer. It's temporarily lashed in with rope but I plan to make a proper bracket for it.

The CD changer was knackered so I fitted a VHF radio with remote head there and a 500W inverter, powered off a 24Ah battery tucked into the spare wheel well beside the gas tank.

Isn't there a design for an external spare wheel carrier on a hinged and quick detachable bracket floating around on the internet. As I recall it the originator said he was only going to fit the bracket and carry a spare wheel on longer trips as it might get in the way on shopping runs et al where full boot space isn't needed.

Assuming you go all modern and dump the CD player for a tablet or memory based music player I guess something could be crafted to fit in place of the rear quarter trim panels for storage. Doesn't seem impossible to make one side capable of holding the spare wheel upright as Gordon plans.

That two pronged strategy was more or less my plan when I looked into going LPG but I don't do the miles to justify it and nearest supplier is 12 miles away so it never got any further than concept sketches.

Clive

Probably not what you want to see but I've always found if you make a box for things, you don't manage to fit everything in or don't manage to fill it fully. Like you, I've got a wheel well full of gas tank so the spare sits in the boot, hollow side up so it can be filled with a blanket, rolls of tape, jump leads, gasket goo, spare bulbs, spare CPS, length of climbing rope, steel binding wire, electrical wire, tyre pump, magnetic amber beacon, weatherproof jacket, big torch and other assorted bits (including a spare starter motor and alternator when I do my cross Europe runs). Down the side of it is 4 litre container of oil, bottle of ATF, 10 litres of water, squirty bottle full of washing up liquid and water, and a couple of small ratchet straps. All held in place by a 3 tonne trolley jack with small magnetic LED torch stuck to it.

On the left side there's toolbox, fire extinguisher, wheelbrace and an additional power socket run from the connector intended for the extra power socket if you have dual trailer electrics.

Then in the space that once had the OE jack and wheelbrace, there's warning triangle, tow rope, set of Schrader valve adapters for the EAS, set of ignition coils and assorted lengths of coolant hose in different sizes with Jubilee clips.

Then under the rear seat there's an old Panasonic Toughbook laptop with RAVE, EASUnlock and LPG software loaded on it and in the front seat back pockets the Nanocom, cable for EASUnlock, and a bag of spare fuses. Under the from passenger seat there's a 300W inverter that can be plugged into an additional power socket under the back of the centre console.

As my car never had the CD changer, sub or sat nav taking up boot space, I've got the full width of the boot available. Plod had an axillary battery on the RHS (cables to the front are still there) where I now keep my bottles of liquids and the toolbox fits nicely in the space where the sub would be if I had one. Toolbox contains just about everything I need about the only things that stay in the garage rather than travelling with me everywhere are specialist stuff like the big torque wrench, axle stands and angle grinder. In fact, if the torque wrench was in the car I'd have everything I needed to change head gaskets at the side of the road if I needed to.

I appreciate not everyone carries their entire workshop around with them all the time but I'd far rather be in the position to be able to fix something at the side of the road when I'm 2,000 miles away from home. My view is there's no point in having something you might need only for it to have been left behind.

Jesus H christ..

You are prepared!

Wish i could trust mine on a 2000+ miles journey!

Pity there isn't quite enough room to slot the spare wheel in one rear quarter almost tight up against the outer skin after removing the trim panel and shelf. Need to re-work the parcel shelf of course.

If memory serves me right I reckoned 2" more behind the seat would have been plenty!

Clive

I've got two runs to do in the next 5 weeks, the first a 4,000 mile round trip, the second a mere 1,800 miles. Like I say, there's no point in standing next to it at the side of the road thinking, "bugger, if only I hadn't left xxxxxx in the garage, I could fix this in minutes".

I have once stood the spare upright on one side when I needed all of the boot (and back seat) space. By leaving the stuff that lives inside the wheel in it against the side, I gained more space but I wouldn't want to leave it there all the time as it is taller than the boot meaning the cover can't be put on. But is was fairly full......

That was with the rear seats and rear footwells filled up too.

What would I put in the boot for a long trip?
Nothing!
I would just be sure to bring Gilbert along! All problems solved!

Over the last 25+ years of traveling to Oz for long drives in the Outback, and beyond into Whoop whoop,
I have always maintained that the only thing needed to get you out of any mechanical breakdown, was my Mate, Russell!
He is engineer and bush mechanic extraordinaire!
The 85 Classic, when we do go bush carries enough tools and spares to recover from anything short of a thrown rod!
Including Mig welder powered by 3500watt inverter, which is in turn powered by dual 120 amp alternators
and a pair of 100 ah agm batts. Good thing too, as I have had to weld up a cracked diff case in literally the middle of nowhere, with NO chance of a tow out. We have also had to have parts (Timing gear) air dropped to us by a pilot friend
who thinks that kind of thing is great fun! They practice air drops by using bags of flour.......
Also carry Uhf / Vhf / Hf radio gear as well as an air band transceiver, and if we are with a group, there will also be a sat phone (rented) Great fun!
To carry the extra weight, Classic has stock Boge strut, and coils with ARB air bags fitted inside. The strut is magic!
Wallows like a drunken hippo, but rides and handles beautifully off road.

I've had P38's on LPG for 10 years or more now, they've all had the tank under boot floor and not once have I carried the spare in the car.

Occasionally, if I'm going on a long trip with the trailer I'll throw it on the trailer bed but other then that, I just fill the boot with the luggage I'm likely to need for my trip.

Most modern cars don't have spare wheels anyway. A mate of mine won't travel without his spare but it's never bothered me to be honest.

David.

I used to carry a can of gloop with the pump (as well as the spare) but, after using it on a trailer tyre, didn't bother to replace it. On the two occasions I've needed to use the spare the tyre was in such a state that the can of gloop wouldn't have done anything anyway. I'd rather have to change a wheel than wait hours for a foreign speaking breakdown man only to have him tell me he can't do anything as he can't find a local tyre supplier with one in the correct size in stock. Once I had to buy a tyre for a trailer when in France and could only find one place with the correct one in stock and at a price that was at least twice what it would have cost me here.