John Lee On: Cargo Drawers

John doens't like cargo drawers very much. Personally I think it's because they tend to be build at home systems, and John is jealous because he seems to have zero ability to do anything by himself. That's why he likes Genuine Land Rover parts so much, they're pre-engineered and come with easy to follow instructions to bolt them on. Also, since they are typically built and not sold, he can't make any money off them. He would prefer to sell you Pelican cases to store your gear. In fact, he'd love to sell you one of the most expensive Pelican cases made, the Pelican 0450 7 drawer tool chest for $565.

Unfortunately, I don't have the pictures that go with this. If anybody has a spare login for their forum, you could help us make this Blog even better. ;)

John Lee:

Hey guys, check out my sweet cargo drawer system:

The factory cargo area sucks. It just didn't meet my specific needs. So I decided to build a drawer system. It took time, but I built it myself. It was very rewarding. I even used hardwood veneer for that little classy touch.

The two pics above are just after completion, so the drawers are empty. The pics below show the capability of my drawer system.

Left drawer:

Let's see. There's so much there that an inventory would be difficult. But we have a Rand impact, an inflator, a hose, a Safety Seal kit, and something else in a blow-molded case.

You can see just how efficient these drawers are. The right drawer is even nicer:

What do we have here? Some channel locks, some dikes, electronic pliers, needlenose pliers, a circuit testers, nine sockets, and some miscellaneous junk in the rear. I'm especially proud of my carpet job and the rubber tie-downs. These rubber tie-downs are rated for a 50 lb. capacity. So you know they're the real deal.

I designed a clever two-level system for this drawer because I'm all about maximizing the usable space I have. Here's the right-hand drawer with the top level removed:

Just look at that assortment of tools. I have an entire ratchet there, plus eight wrenches, four screwdrivers, and seven (!) nut drivers.

As you can see, I maximized the usable space in my already-small FJ Cruiser. The hours of time and effort to build these drawers was well worth it. I could have put all of this stuff into two small duffel bags, but I much prefer the drawers.


What does John's $565, 45 lbs empty, waterproof, drop proof, dust proof, lockable Pelican tool box look like?

Well, first of all, it takes up half of his rear storage space:



But, I'm sure he's got a whole lotta super awesome tools in there right, since he's an expedition badass. Let's see:



Hmmm. He's got an air hose. That's rubber, prone to impact damage. Good thing it's in a Pelican case. He's got a funnel. You don't want those to get wet. And, he's got some other junk inside another Pelican case!



Now this one has a lot of inventory. He has a couple wratchets, and some sockets. Look how efficiently they are packed. Also notice the rich patina of use on all of John's tool. As you can see, he prefers Snap-On tools, not because they're a fancy name brand, but because a professional must be able to rely on his tools for years and years of hard use!



Check this drawer. This is where he keeps his salt and pepper shaker. And his Snow Peak titanium utensils. They're titanium for light weight. That's very important when travelling Fast and Light. They're stored inside a HD nylon pouch that weighs more than they do, because a fork failure in the field would be devastating. Then they are stored inside a 45 lb tool box. Fast and light!



This drawer holds a fragile rubber hammer. And another wratchet. I think he should label the contets of these drawers so he can find everything.



This drawer has the goods. This has the most important items of all. Worm Screw clamps from Home Depot! These are very important when trying to slow down the leaks on a Land Rover. Also note the Knipex pliers. Snap On pliers are for white trash. These are the real deal. Again, check out the patina of use.



And in the top drawer, the backup HT radio. To call for help should his Land Rover break down halfway between his shop and his house in suburbia.