Gladiator Build & Adventure - 18 months around Australia with The Road Chose Me

[Dan Grec]

Hi all,

What do you think is the most essential feature on an overland vehicle?
After 5 years and 100,000 miles through 56 countries, I feel very strongly it is living space.
Where you hangout when its pouring rain, when the bugs are bad or when you just want some down time will have a bigger impact on your enjoyment than anything else.

In this video I talk through what I've done with my past vehicles, and what I'm doing on my Gladiator to get living space.


-Dan

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[GrimmKnight]

Let me know if you have any questions, I'm happy to help if I can

-Dan

Looks like the only one I can find in USA is oddly another Australian Company called Long Range America. The design is different for sure. Curious if you had a list anywhere or other brands/versions you found to see if I could find them in USA.

 

[Dan Grec]

Let me know if you have any questions, I'm happy to help if I can

-Dan

Looks like the only one I can find in USA is oddly another Australian Company called Long Range America. The design is different for sure. Curious if you had a list anywhere or other brands/versions you found to see if I could find them in USA.

That is a totally different tank from a different company.
It doesn't have the second evap cannister (so it's not emissions legal) & it doesn't have the dual filler, that's why I didn't get it.

I got "The Long Ranger", and I'm told these guys do a group buy from time to time for the North American Market. Contact them and see how you go.
https://westcoastoffroaders.com/

-Dan

 

[Dan Grec]

Hi all,

For my South-American adventure the Southern tip of the continent was the end point of the expedition.
For my African adventure the Southern tip of the continent was the mid point of the expedition.
Now in Australia the Southern tip of the continent is the start point!

In my latest adventure I set out hiking in Wilsons Prom National Park, reaching the Southern tip of mainland Australia to kick-off my Australian adventure the right way!



-Dan

 

[Dan Grec]

Hi Everyone,

I've driven way over to the South-East corner of Victoria, a place I've never been before.
With a huge storm coming in I got a good chance to really put the new batwing awning to the test, and get the Jeep dirty in some deep-enough-to-make-you-squirm mud puddles.

I'm working hard on my filming, editing, music choice and pacing, and I really want to document this adventure on YouTube better than I ever have before.
I'd love to hear any and all feedback on this video - improving is the goal!



-Dan

 

[DanW]

Hi Everyone,

I've driven way over to the South-East corner of Victoria, a place I've never been before.
With a huge storm coming in I got a good chance to really put the new batwing awning to the test, and get the Jeep dirty in some deep-enough-to-make-you-squirm mud puddles.

I'm working hard on my filming, editing, music choice and pacing, and I really want to document this adventure on YouTube better than I ever have before.
I'd love to hear any and all feedback on this video - improving is the goal!



-Dan

Great video! Wow, the story of that forest fire is incredible!

Love the video. Unfortunately I can't give you much feedback on editing and such, as that's not something I know much about. But I enoyed it greatly, so that's all that really matters.

Stay safe and keep the videos coming!

 

[Hank_]

Great videos Dan. I loved your first book too. A lot of fun to read. The Gladiator build is awesome. Really like the mods you chose. It will be fun following along on your adventure. Be safe and have fun.

Hank

 

[Dan Grec]

Hi all,

For my latest adventure I'm out exploring Big & Little Desert National Parks, learning how to drive my Gladiator in deep sand in preparation for the huge deserts I plan to cross later in the journey.

I've never had an automatic before, so it's a learning process to figure out the right combination of settings, speed and gear.
It's nice not to worry about the clutch getting it off the line in the sand, though it strange not to be in control of the gear once I'm actually climbing the dune.
Manual mode is great, though I was surprised it holds the gear I've chosen and won't go lower, so it's up to me to bump it down gears before it starts to bog in the sand.

Clearly, I need to air down more (I was at 19psi), but this was more about learning about the Gladiator than it was about getting to the top.

In the adventure video I tackle sand dunes & water, find remote and isolated campsites and even have a few great animal encounters!



-Dan

 

[Dan Grec]

Hi All,

After the desert sand and heat I have driven over to the "High Country" of Victoria, and I've been exploring on foot for a few days.
I went hiking in the stunning alpine, exploring a trail that crosses from one ski resort to another.
And yes, that is actual snow in Australia!!



Now I'm adding one of the final pieces of the build before I continue exploring the High Country with the Jeep!

-Dan

 

[Dan Grec]

Hi all,

My new kitchen is here and fully installed, and I couldn't be happier!!

I love to eat, therefore cooking is a huge part of my expeditions. Not only do I save money cooking my own meals, I also get to spend more time out in the wild rather than in a diner or drivethu lineup.
Here I have installed the all new Truck Bed Expedition Kitchen from Overland Kitchen into the bed of my Gladiator.
From Al the genius behind Overland Kitchen, it has so many features and well thought out design ideas I'm so extremely happy with all the new storage, keeping my fridge out of the way, down low and forward, the cutting board area, the integrated stove drawer and so, so much more.

In my latest YouTube video I run though all the details of the new kitchen.


If you'd like to pickup one yourself (or any of the other stainless steel vehicle kitchens they offer), use discount code 'theroadchoseme' at checkout for a $200 discount on the store https://overlandkitchen.com

Massive thanks to my friends Pete and Kathy for all the help installing it and making the custom wooden cutting board.

-Dan

 

[Dan Grec]

Hi All,

For as long as I can remember I'm dreamed about exploring the Victorian High Country in a 4x4 - and it absolutely did not disappoint!

Over a week we had absolutely epic adventures in the mountains - crossing rivers, exploring remote tracks and wild camping after seeing nobody for days on end.
The Jeep did great, though I quickly found the Gladiator's Achilles Heel with the breakover angle on the steep mountain tracks!

Checkout the latest adventure video, with more to come!



After a quick family Christmas I'm off to Tasmania, another huge part of Australia I've never seen and can't wait to roam around.

-Dan

 

[Dan Grec]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I just drove a couple of the most iconic tracks in the Victorian High Country - and WOW!!
Billy Goat's Bluff and Blue Rag Ridge are both ridge line track that go directly up into the alpine and do not disappoint.
In my latest video I show you what the stunning scenery looked liked, explore the break over angle of the Gladiator a bit more (i.e. scrape the belly) and get the most out of the High Country.

Jump over to YouTube to see the whole episode:


-Dan

 

[Dan Grec]

Hi all,

I've always felt that when looking at an overland vehicle build and trying to learn from it, the actual WHAT of a given modification is not really that helpful. Sure someone decided to add product X, but the really useful bit is WHY they added that - what is the benefit? How does it improve the vehicle? What are the tradeoffs and why that one instead of another brand or another way to solve the problem or meet the need?

So for that reason I've posted a video with all of the WHYS of my Gladiator build - not just WHAT I did, but getting into the WHYS.
Hopefully you can learn from what I've done, and apply your own reasoning to meet your own needs.

Obviously what I've done is good for me here in Australia, but I fully expect people to adjust accordingly for their own needs and to travel where they want to!



-Dan

 

[Dan Grec]

Hi All,

A couple of weeks ago we hopped a ferry down to Tasmnaia - the huge island state that is 40% UNESCO world herritage wilderness and National Park.
This place is incredible, and to really kick things off we just spent nine days in the wilderness completely self-supported.
I honestly had no idea Tasmania had wilderness and mountains like this, and it was utterly breathtaking!

In my latest video I show off the scenery, our camp and cooking setup, the food we cooked, the facilities along the way and a bunch of other random stuff!



-Dan

 

[Dan Grec]

Hi Everyone,

In my latest video I showcase the stunning Tasmanaian wilderness as we finish off our 100km (60 mile) wilderness hike over nine days on the Overland Track.

People often ask why I built an "Overland Rig" to then spend so much time on foot.

For me, an overland vehicle is just the delivery method to get into the adventures I want to have. Maybe it's hiking, hunting, fishing or surfing. Maybe it's even wandering a street market in the Congo, or poking lava with a stick in Guatemala.
Whatever the adventure, my vehicles take me there, and I continue to explore and enjoy myself as I jump out of the drivers seat and explore the world around me.

We all have a different goal in our Overland Journeys, and mine is usually to explore as far and wide as possible. When there are no roads, that means going on foot!



-Dan

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