Since yesterday, I've also been very seriously considering just WHAT to do with the daala. There's a part of me that says this should be used PRIMARILY for aesthetics, and function should follow form. However, I also think that it SHOULD be put to practical use FIRST, and the resulting optics can follow that aspect.
Some ground realities are as under:-
1. The Phantom is going to have a huge, massive, enormous bloody stepni, which is going to take up a lot of space.
2. It's already a five-seater, so using the rear tub to seat 2-4 more people isn't really required.
3. For its adventures, there is going to be a requirement of a high-lift jack, additional fuel cans, towing straps and ropes, tools, some camping gear, etc.
4. The daala really ISN'T all that big to begin with.
Option 1. Apropos, I was thinking...the roll cage of the daala should be something like the angled cage of the FZJ79. The rear angled pipes should mount the stepni in an enclosed fibre/metal tyre cover. Thus, from the rear, the sight you get is of those enormous tyres mounted on the rear wheels, and a sight of the enormous stepni mounted in a sloping, rakish angle; staring down at you. Everything else, is fit under, or around this spare wheel. The disadvantage to this is obvious...the stepni occupies virtually all the space in the rear...and obscures everything else. It will also add to the weight of the beast...BUT, will add to the strength of the roll cage, by having an additional one in the rear.
Option 2. The other option is to mount the wheel flush against the leading edge of the daala in an upright position. This would economise on space occupied by the stepni, and allow a more neat, and orderly, and easily-accessible placement of the remaining items. Admittedly, though...it probably wouldn't look as hot as the former option.
Just to present this thought in pictorial fashion, are shots of the FZJ's roll cage, and spare tyre placement.
For option 1, the tyre is mounted atop the rear, sloping bars of the cage in the 1st picture.
For option 2, the tyre is mounted as shown in the 2nd picture, except in the middle of the bed.