How I built my Subaru Impreza for off-grid adventures!
2006 Subaru Impreza Outback - Named Lolo I bought my used car from an independent seller who was on Facebook Marketplace. I am lucky because I was able to bring a friend with me. He looked at the car and was able to check everything out and make sure the car was sound mechanically. It has been an amazing car and with a manual transmission and snow tires (Blizzak) it handles amazingly, even in Montana in the winter. I have taken this thing on dirt roads, 4X4 roads, and driven it across many states. My only complaints are about the low clearance and minimal space in the car. I have bottomed out a few times trying to reach the best boondocking destinations - I quickly learned how to pick the right lines! The other difficulty I have faced is just the minimal living space on the inside, I can't even sit up in my bed. This is great for short journeys, and logging highway miles (you can't beat 30 MPG!) but not for me for the long term. Yakima Rocketbox This has been my favorite addition to the crew. This Yakima rocket box fits perfectly on top of Lolo. I bought it used, from someone on craigslist. It's about 3x5 feet and has so much great space for storage. I have had no problems with it rattling around, it actually helped so the crossbars don’t make a whistling sound anymore when I am on the highway. Right now I store all of my outdoor gear up there - helmets, winter gear, climbing gear, backpacking gear, slackline, and more. My skis are kept in my car next to my bed. If I were to be doing this again I would definitely buy a longer box that could fit my skis. I have spent many nights cuddling with ski bindings. The Bed The mattress I got for the back of the car I bought at Joann Fabrics. It's 2 inches of high density foam that I cut to fit around the wheel well. This is nice because the bed is 24 inches wide in most places and therefore not too incredibly narrow for one small person. Under the bed I have a piece of plywood that acts as support over the seats that I folded down, creating a flat surface. Storage There are two main types of storage units that I have in the car. I have some plastic store bought boxes that I have had for years that just happen to fit perfectly in the car and stack nicely. They are also waterproof which is nice for when I leave them outside in the rain. One is for all of my food, and the other two have all my clothes. I also built three 14”x14”x14” boxes to stack in the back which form my kitchen, library, and art supplies storage. These took me three or four days to finish I made them from ⅜ inch birch ply because I knew I wanted them to be light and look nice. I used nails and wood glue to put these together and coated them in a water based polycrylic finish. Water For water, I carry a 6 gallon jerrycan and a 2.5 gallon collapsible square container with a spigot for everyday use. The larger 6 gallon fits behind my passenger seat perfectly on the floor and I use that to refill the smaller container. The smaller container I place on a tripod chair to have easy access to “running” water. Kitchen I use a piece of birch plywood cut to fit over the box in the back that also extends over my bed. I sealed this piece of plywood with the polycrylic protective finish. To cook, I have a mini coleman 2-burner stove. I also have a small cutting board, coffee press, cast iron, and pot. Cooler I gave up on a cooler. I don't want to buy ice and I do not have enough space to fit one inside the car. Lights I have fairy lights tacked up inside my car that run on batteries. I also bought a Luci light that is solar powered that I like to hang outside the car for when I am cooking or just hanging out.
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AUTHOR: MiaCategories
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"Live in the sunshine,
swim in the sea, drink the wild air." -Ralph Waldo Emerson |