Side lockers accessible from top?

[Filbee]

This may seem like an odd question, but does anyone supply side lockers for a 110 hardtop that you access from inside the vehicle?

I don't mean getting some "normal" side lockers and cutting a hole in the top so that you can access the contents from inside as well as the outside. I was thinking more along the lines of fitting a locker each side that can be accessed from inside only. So externally there would be no visible signs there are lockers fitted. Internally there would be an access hatch in the top of the wheel box/bench.

I didn't find anything when I searched t'interweb so if anyone knows of anything suitable, please let me know!

[miketomcat]

Some early 110's had a tool box/locker behind the rear wheel on the left. I was accessed from an Ali lid inside on the wheelbox. 

Mike

[Filbee]

Thanks Mike, I didn't know that. I'll have a look and see what I can find out 👍

 

[miketomcat]

It would be relatively easy to fold up a box to fit under the wheelbox. If you can't a fabrication firm should be able to. Then cut a hole through the top and make or buy a hatch (look up marine inspection hatches).

Mike

[Filbee]

That's my plan B!

I'm looking at plastic storage boxes for lorries at the moment to see if there's anything suitable out there...

[David Sparkes]

In general it might be helpful to read through an earlier thread on 'rear storage'. There are several ideas mentioned over the two pages, hopefully one will lead you to your answer.

Regards.

[Filbee]

Thanks for the link David.

I need my storage to be underneath the wheel boxes so I don't loose any space in back, but there are some good ideas there all the same.

The plastic lorry boxes are looking promising at the moment. I just need to take some measurements under the wheel boxes to see if any might fit!

 

[Snagger]

I think you’ll have to fabricate them yourself, as all the aftermarket types have external access (though one company made a type with internal access too, Landie Box if I remember their name correctly, also made lightweight tents that lean to the side of LRs).  Should be simple to make up.  You can bond the flanges of the panels to the inside of the wings with PU adhesive or panel bond to avoid rivets or fasteners; as long as the surfaces are very clean and keyed, you’ll have an extremely strong joint.

[Anderzander]

109’s had them. I don’t think they are available, but they were a very straightforward construction.

[Snagger]

They did, both side at the back if no rear fuel tank was installed, or just one on the left if it did have a rear tank.  Construction was comparable to the battery box in the seat base up front, but made from foldead aluminium instead of steel.

[Arjan]

I made 2 for the 109" a long long time ago. Basically it is a box with angle iron on the top that sits in that void.

 

I suggest aluminium / steel as stuff flies around under there..

[Filbee]

10 hours ago, Snagger said:

I think you’ll have to fabricate them yourself, as all the aftermarket types have external access (though one company made a type with internal access too, Landie Box if I remember their name correctly, also made lightweight tents that lean to the side of LRs).  Should be simple to make up.  You can bond the flanges of the panels to the inside of the wings with PU adhesive or panel bond to avoid rivets or fasteners; as long as the surfaces are very clean and keyed, you’ll have an extremely strong joint.

Hmm, I hadn't thought of bonding to the inner and outer panels of the wheel box. Good thinking!

If I did that I'd only have to fold up a U-shaped piece of ally sheet with some flanges, cut a hole in the top of the wheel box and fit a door/hatch.

Am I likely to have any issues with strength by removing the rib under the top panel of the wheel box?

[Anderzander]

No / because you’d be replacing it with a box 📦 

[Snagger]

That’s right - the box sides will replace the structure of the rib, so you won’t lose any strength.

The 109 box lids were quite thin and lay over the aperture edges with an overlap.  That is the easiest way of making them, but you could have flush lids if you fit a lip to the underside of the wheel arch top for the lid to rest against.  Just make sure to add a decent handle or even a finger hole if you recess the lid as they’re a pig to open otherwise (learned that the hard way).

[David Sparkes]

On 5/24/2021 at 10:44 PM, Filbee said:

Thanks for the link David.

I need my storage to be underneath the wheel boxes so I don't loose any space in back, but there are some good ideas there all the same....

It's probable I don't fully understand the requirements, but the phrase 'so I don't loose any space in back' suggests access to the boxes is going to be restricted on occasion because you have something else above them, so any benefit is lost.

An alternative might be to make a box small in area, but extending all the way from the bottom of the wheel box to the capping. Dependent on what you want to store in the box, you may need one or two storage trays, sitting one on top of the other, to separate all the contents. Yes, you still have to lift out the upper trays to access the lowest, but as the whole storage box reaches up to capping level there is minimal chance of other 'stuff' totally preventing access.

Regards.

[mmgemini]

Yes I have lockers fitted in the back. they should be easy enought to make. Now it's 18 years since I did mine so memory isn't that good. I aquired two lockers from an MOD 109 tub. I was lucky enought to be able to measure a Land Rover 110' The lids I soursed from a civvy 109 and cut down . I don't think I managed to get the MOD lids. If you make your own box, Then leave a gap betwwen the box and the rear of the tub to be able to get at the reversing lights etc.

The other storage I use is three aluminium boxes that sit on the side of the wheel box in the tub, again useful for small items that you need. Mine still carry spares for the truck I used on my second trip. I THINK I still have the drawings for those boxes, ask if you would like them

[Filbee]

Thank you for the kind offer to look for the drawings of the boxes you made for the back of your truck, but I'm going to stick with the plan to keep the inside of the rear tub as clear as possible and put the lockers under the wheel boxes in front of the back wheels. Like the MOD ones, but accessible from the inside only.

[Snagger]

Nathan Morrison on the “Land Rover Campers” Facebook group is building these:

[Filbee]

Now we're talking! I'll have a look at that group if I can find it 👍

[Snagger]

To be honest, I’d bond some aluminium angle strips vertically to the mating faces of the wheel arch undersides and have full width walls from tub floor sides to wing sides, like the original tool boxes at the back of 109s.  They’re more similar to the seat base battery boxes on Defenders, and not only will they have more space, but they’ll avoid the mud traps between the wing and cargo floor sides and the exterior of the boxes.  I modified my tub to have a widened front floor and slimmed down MoD Jerry can lockers for single cans.  While you need something with an open top and sealed all around the sides and base, the construction method would be similar to what I did.