Tip-Top Troopy

2010 TOYOTA LC GXL TROOP CARRIER

JUST like the Kombi from the swinging ’60s, the Troopy is a vehicle you can custom-build into a mobile home. Ideally set-up for just two front seat passengers, the Troopy retains a cargo area long enough to allow adults to sleep inside and, with some clever design, space to accommodate all the comforts of home. Plus, that long roof will easily carry the longest Malibu surfboards.

Like many other global adventurers, West Australian Ryan Mikkelsen saw the Troopy’s potential as a home on the road and, with a lap of Australia in the planning stages, he set about building the perfect coastal tourer. This VDJ78 Troopy is a 2010 GXL model affectionately known as Bruce, and it’s been the subject of a comprehensive refit to make it the perfect tourer.

Central to accommodating Ryan and his partner Antonia on their lap of the map is the Alu-Cab rooftop conversion. This involves cutting the original roof off and fitting the Alu-Cab ‘tent’ as a full pop-up top – the conversion was done by Quick Pitch in WA. The pop-top opens up the space in the back to allow the users to stand up, while the bed above folds flat to create the sleeping space.