I traveled a lot during my military career and even took a few trips with my first civilian job as a contractor. My next job, though, was purely “in-house” and had no travel. The adventurer in me was beginning to stagnate. Coincidentally, I had been exposed to some overlanding videos on YouTube, a favorite being “Lifestyle Overland.” I enjoyed watching the family’s adventures and appreciated the technical work that they had done to their 4x4s. By 2019, I had been out of the military for over two years and felt a call to adventure. I began to plan.
Then 2020 happened: the country and perhaps most of the developed world was all but shutdown and distracted; all plans came to a halt for reassessment. Life took my wife and me on two necessary road trips from Virginia to California and back. With many restaurants closed or drive-thru only (with LONG lines), we knew that we’d need to carry and prepare our own food for the sake of speed and convenience. Inspired by the overlanding videos, yet realizing that we wouldn’t be driving to CA on dirt roads, I listed some items that could make our trip easier or more convenient.
Several items quickly came to mind: 1) A 12V refrigerator/freezer, 2) a battery pack to power the fridge when the car was parked, 3) supplies in case of roadside trouble, and 4) a Weboost cellular signal amplifier (the “tiki torch” in this photo). Okay, the Weboost was a bit overkill, but I knew that our travels would take us through desolate areas. My wife and I love the Internet more than we should; so, I wanted to maximize our ability to surf the web, either on our smartphones or on laptop computers. This initial list set the stage for more overlanding-inspired projects in the following years, even if my adventures never left the road.
In 2021, I began to go a little overboard with the ham radio projects. 😉 Even then, I knew that I’d eventually expand my capabilities and benefit from having a secondary battery. The project paired well with the “rear seat delete“ that I had already built. I’ve shared details about my 12V distribution on its own page. All of this “overlanding stuff” is way out of place in a GTI, but awesome to have while still having a fun little 400-hp rocket to drive! Refreshments? Check. Enhanced communications? Check! Plenty of battery and power generation to make it work? Check CHECK! It eventually occurred to me that I was building a tiny RV, but without a kitchen, bathroom, or sleeping area; “Everything except for the essentials!” 😀 I decided to refer to my compact driving adventures as “microlanding.” 😉 What could be next?
I have been a fiercely independent traveler for a very long time, both in vehicles and on my bicycles. I often carry more tools or parts than necessary. I bought my first Build-Out tool cases by Husky in 2024 to support my side job as a bicycle tour mechanic. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the Build-Out boxes are a great fit for my in-car use. More than just stacking, the boxes latch together with their own built-in hardware. I like that the boxes come in different sizes and have different features. I load whichever boxes I need for the mission at hand. Using a drawer box allows me to slide contents toward me for easy viewing and retrieval. I can access the lower boxes by simply opening the appropriate latches and then swinging the remainder of the stacked boxes as I open the lid that I need.
The photo above shows the boxes stacked on a lid that I had screwed to the wooden platform created with my rear seat delete. It was an intuitive choice. Later, I discovered Boco Custom mounts. I opted for the lockable mount in black powder coat finish. Instead of wood screws, the Boco mount bolts through the mounting deck with 5/16″ carriage bolts. It’s VERY secure! I’ve said it often and will share it here: Anything can be stolen with enough time, tools, and privacy. With that said, this mount makes the job much more difficult!
Eventually, I reconfigured my setup to move the refrigerator to behind the driver’s seat and the stacked boxes to behind the passenger seat. It was part of a house battery upgrade project in 2025. The new arrangement is more convenient for loading groceries into the fridge on “my side” of the car while having toolbox access away from traffic if I’m at the curb. The only drawback is a substantial blind spot to my right. I take a long, sweeping look through my right side mirror before committing to a lane change!
A pair of drawer boxes is a great fit in the trunk without being too tall to fit under the parcel shelf. I can substitute a crate or large box in their place. See some examples in the photo album below. I made one trip where I needed tool storage more than I needed a refrigerator. A drawer box and a small toolbox fits very well behind the inverter, though I will admit that the boxes are difficult to unlatch and remove since they ride “sideways.” See the photo album below for more photos. 🙂
Built-Out!
Scott
