Jeeps have been around forever… Jeep campers not so… Earthroamer (.com) builds expedition vehicles… Rumor was Jeep would come out with a diesel motor, and to Earthroamer that would make it suitable for an expedition vehicle… So they made eleven XV-JP… Then the rumor of diesel was squashed, and Earthroamer moved their focus to BIG campers…
XV-JP #03 was purchased second hand by Mike Hiscox who hired good people to improve #03… I was one of those people… From the stock Earthroamer it was changed radically… It’s a long story, too long for here… Mike had it for over a year when he sent it off for a major rear cabin modification that went horribly wrong… It’s another long story, but eventually he had to trailer it back home where it sat, in pieces, without a roof… Mike could have sold it as is, part it out or have it rebuilt… Instead Mike gifted it to me and I took a year setting it up as you see it…
Imagine almost any outdoor activity, this vehicle can get you there, and with the 40 gallon fuel capacity you can really get out there and back… The systems are compact, efficient and low maintenance… The interior finishes are zebrawood cabinetry, teak countertop, cork and hammered copper walls, baltic birch ceiling with box-joint cedar shelving… The side and rear windows, combined with the roof wall windows, keep it bright and spacious… With the awnings and screen room extended, a long term base camp is easily set up… Cooking can be done either inside or out… There is a single burner cooktop built into the teak countertop, and the drop down table on the inside the rear door holds another compact propane stove… Under the bench seat/bed is a 35 liter solar powered pull out fridge… Come bedtime, the bench seat turns into a bed, and the wall cushion rests on the removable redwood table top (stored under the bench seat) that is supported by three plywood legs that magnetically attach to the extended lower drawer guides… Takes a minute to set up… In the upper nose cone is a pull out bed, 48” x 84” that extends on 300# drawer guides… That pull out is also the main storage area when driving… Mostly sleeping bags and clothes… The food and kitchenware are kept in a pair of drawers under the bench seat… On the passenger side of the cabin is the countertop with stove and sink, two drawers for cutlery and small person items, and a smaller bench seat with an 18 gallon water tank underneath… The cabin is small (25 sq. ft.) but feels spacious and there is ample room for two adults to hang out and relax even in the worst weather… If the weather gets cold, there is a gasoline fired air heater…Dimmable LED rope lighting is concealed behind a cedar valance… Hot showers are done outdoors with a portable propane water heater… The one thing we don’t carry most of the time is cassette toilet… We have one, but if we are out camping, we find ways to do it outside the vehicle…
XV-JP #03 gets a lot of attention… Almost everywhere we go, at every stop, we have people come over and want to know what it is… It’s predictable that when the rear door opens and they see in, their jaws drop and there is a half minute of silence while they process what they are seeing… It’s fun sharing the story and hopefully give some inspiration...
Vital Statstics: 2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited - Earthroamer Model: XV-JP #003 - Rear cabin: balsa core fiberglass sandwich construction -
Sleeping - Two down below - Two in “nose cone” pull-out bed on 300# drawer slides -
2 or 4-wheel drive - 4 WD - Automatic transmission - Air Lockers - Sway bar disconnect -
Suspension modification - Nth Degree Suspension - 3.5” Front Spring - 4.5” Rear Springs - 5.13 Gearing - Superchips Trail-Dash Performance Tuner - Earthroamer Skid Plates - LongRanger supplemental fuel tank that provides 40 gallons total fuel storage (500+ mile range)
Water - 18 Gallons fresh water - Stainless steel sink in Teak countertop with faucet & water filter - Water Pump on spring wound timer - Outside cold water shower in propane locker -
Cooking, Refrigerator - Princess single burner propane stove - 2.5# propane tank in outside propane locker - 35 liter Dometic slide-out fridge - Drop down cooking table on inside or rear door -
Awning - Diver side: Foxwing 270 degree awning - Passenger side: ARB 8’ x 8’ Awning with zip-on Screen Room -
Camping chairs, tables - Redwood dining table with screw-on legs (Table doubles as part of the lower sleeping platform) - Pico folding chairs -
Jumper cables, tow ropes, tire pumps, traction pads - Jumper cables (stored in side mount spare tire) - AEV front bumper with Warn 9.0 R.C. winch - Viair 88P compressor - Maxtrax traction pads (mount on engine compartment hood) - Hi Lift Jack - Shovel - Axe -
Solar panels - Renogy 100 watt solar panel - Morningstar solar controller - (2) 105 a.h. AGM batteries - Xantrex Prosine 1800 watt inverter - Xantrex charge controller -
Air Heater - Espar 7,500 BTU gasoline fired -
Ventilation Fan - 3 speed Fan-tastic fan -
Shower / Water Heater - Zodi propane fired portable-
Dometic dual pane rear window with built in screen and privacy shade -
AlumaBox storage on outside of rear door -
Rhino roof rack -
Firetruck steps to access roof -
50” Heise off road LED front light bar -
HID Driving lights -
Audio, Nav & Alarm systems
