Overland XJ Project:
 

I've been looking at having some vehicles as short term rentals. Turo lets you rent out vehicles just as a vehicle rental, and there are some other sites that let you rent out campers and such.

Some of these things are pretty big money, but in purchase and in rental fees a day. I've decided I want to test the waters of this business with a low upfront cost vehicle setup.

For this I'm going to build an XJ with a Roof Top Tent and misc camping gear. The goal is to provide all the gear someone needs for an overlanding vacation in Colorado, just pick up the vehicle, stop at the grocery store, and head for the hills.

So I picked up this super clean XJ that needs a motor. Its been really really well taken care of, not a spot of rust on it, its hard to believe it has 270k on it. It has a 3-4 inch RE lift on it, a 231 with SYE, and some new stock rear springs(needs rear lift!).

https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2643.jpg
https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2644.jpg
https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2657.jpg

I need to finish up my cousins Jeep before I tear into it:
https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2660.jpg
https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2667.jpg

It's making a terrible racket, I was hoping it was top end in the head, but nothing seems off in the head, so I'm thinking its a rod knock even though it sounds much higher, maybe its a problem in a piston/wrist pin? Who knock but ill figure it out when I tear down the engine and rebuild it.

https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2670.jpg
https://www.colorado4wheel.com/image...e/IMG_2671.jpg

Awesome...I've seen trailers recently, some newer vehicles as well...but to do the Turo and others you'll likely need to use a newer vehicle, so you'll probably have to self market this, like on CL or FB or something, make your own page, etc.

Interesting, I like it!!! Insurance will be tricky, I'm sure...but keep it simple on the needs stuff and people will love that thing!

So besides the XJ side of the project there is the overlanding side of the project. I'm going in a little different direction than what I would do personally, because I'm trying to think like the masses that go overlanding/glamping (Cobound?). So I picked up this lightly used, reportedly 6 times, Thule Tepui Roof Top Tent. It also came with a couple of extras. Sum together this would be about $2700 new, I bought it for $1500. Not cheap, but I'm pleased with the price, I think its depreciated enough I could always break even on reselling the tent if I needed to.

Currently it is installed on my dads Jeep for testing before moving to the XJ permanently.

https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2614.jpg
https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2616.jpg
https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2621.jpg
https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2622.jpg
https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2623.jpg

Very spacious inside:
https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2624.jpg
https://colorado4wheel.com/images/Si...e/IMG_2626.jpg

This is not a Turo vehicle, Turo is max 12 years old 130,000 miles. The Land Rover could be a Turo vehicle since its older than 1990 and fall under specialty/Classic.

Overlanding XJ might fall under specialty/classic if it were under 130k miles on Turo.

However I can list a 2000 MY and newer on outdoorsy, which is where I am planning to list the XJ. Talking to another person doing similar with Turo he does direct bookings on his website and just pays for search engine optimization.

Several newer JKs or other vehicles setup might warrant a different business model with a more comprehensive website, but this model is just really the getting started and trying out the business with low upfront cost. I'm also tossing around the idea of some overlanding trailer builds. Awhile back a family friend had a tent trailer that he robbed from stuff to build a van, I was thinking about modifying it for an overland trailer with lift and tires, but he sold it for like $500 before I could move on it.

If it seems like a reasonable side gig I'd invest more into more expensive vehicles like a JK or a Sprinter campervan, the campervan could be a decent cashflow but I'd be taking out a 60k loan to buy a used one just for the purpose of listing it for rent. My old VW campers could also qualify, but I don't want to rent out a personal camper, and they are old and mechanically iffy no matter what one you rent out.

super jealous of ceiling height!

It's pretty freakin sweet.

Sam is cornering the beatup engineless XJ market.

:squint: you custom built your house.




You keep finding clean xjs. I need to get going on my flip one.

Right :roflmao:

house, not shop ... yet.

i could like quad stack some cars in the living room, but there's basically no way i'm going to try and build a shop with pricing the way it is right now. :eek:

NO SHYT!!! :eek:

InFukingSane!

after seeing the Moab camping pics ... i call 1st rental to pop this projects cherry!

Ha, yep...I might even have to put dibs down on a fly in and rent deal ;)

The Jeep has brand new dorman rear springs, but no lift in the back!

So I’ve decided to install the 755lb rear springs with a shackle lift. The brand new dorman springs will get installed on my yellow XJ with its original springs.

Heavy duty rear springs arrived, rear lift shackles arrived.

Engine pulled and disassembled last night. Found a piston skirt on #6 had broken apart. Engine was in amazing condition inside. Bearings looked great. Cam had very minimal wear. It’s hard to believe it can be so clean at 270k, but I also don’t see evidence it was ever replaced before. I’ll check the date code on the block and see how it compares to the build date.

Cool build and business idea for it!

I too an envious of the garage situation. I can't even fit my JK through our garage door. :lol: :cry:

Original engine rebuilt and running and installed finally. Passed emissions test today so I'm going to try and go grab my plates this afternoon for it.

https://youtu.be/FdiOIkO864s

ever get rentals on this?

Secondededededdddd....

I kinda doubt it...he just got his cabin set up and rent ready - looks pimp as hell, BTW - but maybe this is around the corner :dunno:

It got soldeded.