Built for the Wild: The Jeep Wrangler That Circled Africa

Around Africa by Jeep

It can easily be argued that overland travel should be done in a reliable, durable, fuel-efficient vehicle that allows the traveler to worry less about their ride, and more about the cultural immersion and experiences unfolding around them.

One trap many North American overland travelers fall into is trying to improve upon a factory-proven vehicle with engine and driveline swaps, as we don’t get the small, torquey, fuel-efficient turbodiesels that are found in 4x4s throughout the rest of the world. The issue is that no matter the quality of the swap, it will never be as reliable as the factory-installed, tested and proven power plant. Dan Grec learned this lesson the hard way, but lucky for him, learned it early enough to make his second grand overland adventure dreams come true.

“the main focus was on added living space in a strong and reliable 4×4 that could fit in a standard shipping container and travel at least 500 miles without refueling.”

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First Adventure

Grec’s first big overland adventure was a 22-month, 17-country trip down the entirety of the Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Argentina. He made this trip in a stock two-door Jeep Wrangler TJ without a single breakdown and on an extremely low budget. He slept mostly in a ground tent at remote free-camp spots, and cooked most of his meals himself. The grand adventure and unique experiences had on the overland trail made the hardships of a shoestring budget and sleeping in a tent each night well worth it.

After spending 40,000+ adventurous miles in his trusty Wrangler, Grec became a truly passionate Jeep enthusiast. He spent those long solo nights in the tent dreaming up overland adventures around the globe and exactly how he’d like to outfit a vehicle to improve his lifestyle on the road.

Next Up

Grec was thinking on a grand scale when he put the pieces together for his next great overland adventure, a roughly two-year, 30-country, 80,000-mile driving circumnavigation of Africa. He of course decided to do the trip in a Jeep, but wanted something a little more tailored to his needs than the tiny two-door stock TJ he had used to travel the Americas.

He envisioned a modern Wrangler with interior living and sleeping space, which could also go just about anywhere and sip fuel sparingly for those truly remote adventures. He dove headfirst into this project, modifying a 2007 Jeep JKU Rubicon with some basic off-road accessories, a modified roll bar, some interior living components, and installing a Mercedes 6 cylinder 3.0L turbodiesel. Sadly, that vehicle never met its potential, as the engine swap created large time delays and ate up a good portion of the travel budget. After Grec finally had it all buttoned up, the new engine failed due to a diesel runaway after only 50 miles of use.

Reboot

Grec scrambled to save his Africa overland dreams, selling off the failed diesel conversion Jeep and buying a 2011 JKU Rubicon. The new project had the same build criteria, with the main focus on adding interior living space in a strong and reliable 4×4, which could fit in a standard 20-foot shipping container and travel at least 500 miles without refueling. Grec decided to stick with the proven stock engine and driveline, a 3.8L V6 with six-speed manual transmission, but added a Titan Trail Trekker Liquid Transfer Tank to obtain the range he desired.

Living Systems

Grec had a solid headstart on this new build since he was able to transfer many of the upgraded components he had installed on the ’07 JKU directly onto the ’11 JKU. Custom storage boxes for the rear of the vehicle, which are also used as interior seating, a desk/cooking space and a bed were a key components and luckily transferred directly to the new build.

A unique aspect of the project was the modification of the rear roll bar to create a good deal more usable interior space in the rear of the Jeep, especially when paired with the URSA Minor J30 Pop-Top. This replacement Jeep roof system creates a bed inside the roof and also creates standing and sitting room in the vehicle’s rear when modified with removable roof/mattress panels, a unique feature of Grec’s design. This system creates an interior living space that allows the user to escape the elements while on his overland adventures. It makes cooking, sleeping, and just lounging around so much more pleasant on the road because it provides a clean, dry, and private place to escape the ever-changing world outside.

“dan grec set out to create a vehicle that was perfectly suited for self-reliant solo overland travel to remote, off-the-beaten path locations.”

The living systems in Grec’s Jeep were further upgraded on a number of fronts. To help create that private and comfortable living space, the entire vehicle has been sound and heat insulated. With water being a scarce resource in many parts of Africa, and a key human necessity, a custom 12-gallon fresh water tank was installed under the vehicle, protected with a full custom bash plate. It is pumped to a faucet in the back of the living space with a 12v Sureflow pump, but only after it has run through a Pura .5 Micron Filter/UV Lamp system—twice.

A Dometic 35L 12v fridge was installed behind the passenger seat, allowing quick access from the driving position and the rear interior space. To secure his passport, camera gear, laptop, and other valuables, Grec installed a steel Tuffy Security Console and a Tuffy Security Glovebox. One nice feature of the console is the interior charging ports, allowing Grec to keep all his electronics’ batteries topped off while under lock and key. A final touch for added livable space is a rear outdoor cooking area, created with an ARB awning, flip-down tailgate table, and custom tailgate utensil storage/organizer system.

Power Up

To keep everything on and in the Jeep powered up, Grec had to make some considerable upgrades to the electrical systems. The first order of business was adding dual isolated Optima Yellow Top D34 batteries through the use of a Nemesis Industries dual battery tray and Painless Performance battery isolator. The batteries are kept topped off, even when the vehicle is parked at camp, with two 100W Renogy solar panels mounted to the roof, via a ViewStar Charge Controller. These panels are super-efficient, weigh less than 5 pounds each, and create very little wind resistance.

Grec mounted a Painless Performance fuse block under the glove box that has individual fused circuits for the fridge, water pump, lights, power outlets, and air compressor. This simple, efficient system keeps the main vehicle battery topped off, all auxiliary electrical components powered up and all portable electronics charged.

The Mechanicals

With the living systems sorted, Grec needed to make sure the vehicle could get to the remote places across Africa that he dreamed of exploring. The base vehicle was spec’d with the formidable Rubicon options package, which provides front and rear lockers, Dana 44 front axle, an electronic sway bar disconnect, and very low-range transfer case. Ground clearance was increased with a modest AEV 2.5” lift, while entry and exit angles were improved with AEV front and rear bumpers.

The front bumper houses a Warn Zeon 10-S winch with a Factor 55 Flat-Link thimble for those times when you’re truly stuck, while the rear bumper holds a spare tire, aux fuel tank, Hi-Lift, and Maxtrax. An AEV snorkel with pre-filter keeps dust, sand and water out of the engine, while a Rugged Ridge Steering Upgrade kit keeps the vehicle pointed where you tell it to go. A Rugged Ridge engine and trans skid plate is also fitted, just in case the modest lift isn’t enough to clear the terrain. Lighting has been upgraded all around with TruckLight LED Headlights and a full compliment of Rigid Industries driving, fog and area lights.

Reliable Rollers

Where the rubber meets the road, or lack thereof, is an actual thing. It is important to choose the right wheels and tires that are well suited for the variety of terrain you’re likely to encounter on your specific overland adventure, as well as handling the added load of your fully outfitted overland vehicle while also not badly impacting your fuel efficiency.

Grec chose one of the most well-respected, versatile and durable all terrain tires on the market, the BF Goodrich AT KO2, in a 34×10.4×17 size. He also chose to go with Mopar Winter Steel Wheels primarily because they can be beaten back into shape with a sledgehammer in the event of damage. Self-reliance is key! On that note, given that Grec experienced 16 flat tires on his Pan-American adventure, mounting an ARB air compressor under the hood was an easy choice.

On to Africa

After a 6,000-mile shakedown trip across the US and Canada, with final components being put on throughout the travels, the Jeep headed across the Atlantic. It shipped from Canada to Belgium, with a quick drive through Western Europe to kick off the African adventures in Morocco.

As we write this article, Grec is currently driving down the west coast of the African continent, generally in a counterclockwise rotation around the coast. You can follow his adventures in near-real time at his website listed below.

Dan Grec set out to create a vehicle that was perfectly suited for self-reliant solo overland travel to remote, off-the-beaten-path locations. This Jeep combines the correct quality mods to get the job done, while not compromising the reliability, durability, and serviceability of the stock vehicle.

A final and fitting touch is the painting of a map of Africa on the Jeep’s hood, similar to the one he had on his Pan-American TJ. He paints a yellow route line on the map as the trip unfolds, which instantly crosses language barriers and gets people to comprehend and appreciate his travels.

For more information on Dan Grec’s impressive overland Jeep build, and his ongoing travels around the African continent, check out his website TheRoadChoseMe.com.

UPGRADES

2011 Jeep Wrangler JKU Rubicon

Platform:
2011 Jeep Wrangler JKU Rubicon

Stock Setup:
3.8L V6, 6-speed manual transmission, front & rear lockers, electronic sway bar disconnect, 4.10 axle ratios, 4:1 transfer case ratio

Suspension:
AEV 2.5” lift with geometry correction brackets

Tires/Wheels:
BFG KO2 AT (34×10.4R17), 17” Mopar steel winter wheels

Armor:
AEV front bumper with skid plate, AEV rear bumper (tire carrier, Hi-Lift mount), Rugged Ridge engine/trans skid plate

Lighting:
TruckLight LED headlights, Rigid R2-46 LED driving lights, Rigid JK fog light replacement kit, 2x Rigid LED scene floodlights, 2x Rigid A Series High Strength LED Light

Accessories:
Warn Zeon 10-S Winch, AEV Snorkel, ARB CKMA12 Air Compressor, Titan Tire Carrier aux 13-gal transfer fuel tank, Rugged Ridge steering upgrade, Factor 55 Flat-Link, Maxtrax, Voodoo Offroad Kinetic Rope, ARB tire inflation kit, ARB puncture repair kit, J30 Pop-Up Roof Hard Top, Dometic 35L 12v Fridge, Fresh Water System (12-gal water tank, Sureflow Revolution 3.0 pump, Pura 0.5-micron filter/UV lamp), ARB awning, Tuffy Security Console, Tuffy Security Glovebox, custom storage  abinets

Electrical Systems:
Solar Power System (2x Renogy 100w Eclipse Solar Panels, 20A Renogy VeiwStar Solar Charge Controller), Dual Optima Yellow Top D34 Batteries (in Nemesis Industries Dual Battery Tray), Painless Performance Battery Isolator Kit