Meet the Man Who Travels the World In His Jeep
A Dan Grec’s insatiable taste for adventure inspired him to travel the world out of a Jeep.
From Alaska and Argentina to the Australian outback, Dan Grec has made a living exploring remote parts of the world out of his Jeep in order to disconnect and “have a big adventure.” Grec’s first adventure was a 4,000-mile drive to Alaska after he quit his job, sold his possessions, and decided to rough it out in his Wrangler. This followed an epiphany Grec had at work after being an engineer for a decade.
“I was sitting at a desk every day of my life and it sort of scared me into action,” Grec told Gone-Gpn. “I realized that if nothing changed, I would be sitting at that same desk for 40 years and nothing exciting would happen in the meantime. It scared me enough to convince myself to quit my job, sell all my stuff, and I’m just going to go for it.”
He then climbed into his Wrangler and hoofed it to Alaska for his first adventure. From there, he was hooked – and proceeded to build and modify Jeeps in order to handle otherwise inaccessible terrain while still being comfortable.
Ten Years & Three Jeeps Later
Grec has more than met his goal by traveling a combined 130,000 miles since he left the corporate world, having written three books with another in the works. One of his most major adventures was driving through the African continent in a 2011 Wrangler, specifically with the four-door setup to allow him to sleep on the roof.
He removed the roof and built folding wooden slats underneath a rooftop tent, so he could open the slats, pop up the tent and have a place to stand. With them folded, he then had a place to sleep under the protection of the tent. With hippos, lions, jaguars and hyenas roaming about, sleeping on the roof was essential.
Grec prefers to keep modifications to his Jeep on the lighter side, by beefing up the suspension and adding taller tires and sturdier wheels. Engine modifications are even slimmer – the most extreme being a snorkel.
Then he roamed the Australian outback in a Jeep Gladiator that was equipped with solar panels to power his devices, a slight lift, tires and updated suspension. When he tried to import it, though, he ran into some troubles and ended up selling it in Australia before going back home to British Columbia.
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Now, he’s building out a 2021 Jeep Wrangler with the six-cylinder EcoDiesel motor, of which Grec was very excited to test out on his next adventure.
“I’m genuinely excited about the EcoDiesel engine,” Grec told JK-Forum. “It drives better than any Jeep I’ve ever driven. There’s so much torque and if I want to overtake, it just overtakes. I put my foot on the pedal and it just goes.”
The only concern Grec has is the availability of low sulfur diesel, as the EcoDiesel is very choosy about what kind of diesel it runs. Though, with the high-mileage and extra fuel tank, he doesn’t see it being too much of an issue.
He hasn’t officially announced the location of his next adventure, but he hinted that it will be a “part of the world he’s never been before.” Since he’s been to 39 countries over the last 10 years, the next location is anyone’s guess.
Jeep FTW
Clearly, Grec choose a Jeep for reason. Wrangler or Gladiator, he said that from the very beginning, a Jeep was a “very practical decision.”
“Jeeps are everywhere,” said Grec. “There’s no country in the world that isn’t familiar with a Jeep. There’s always someone who could fix it, parts are easy to get, and they’re reliable and incredibly capable vehicles. They just make sense.”
With his engineering knowledge coming into play when modifications are on the table, he also notes that aftermarket parts are another component that makes Jeep a wise choice.
When he’s not traveling the remote parts of the globe, Grec is still a working engineer. The book on his Australian venture is set to be released early next year, and his new Wrangler will be on display during this year’s SEMA trade show October 31 – November 3.
Check out his Instagram to follow along with his adventures and learn more about his builds!
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