Scenic WonderRunner said:
Did anyone ever make a slide in camper for the 1st Generation 4Runner's with the removeable top.......like the Chevy Blazer.......???????!!...in the above post.
My truck.......would it work?
(....KC.............I really like your T~100 with pop up camper...........it's really Kewl!.....and to heck with the guys on the trail that gave you funny looks!)
SWR - I've never seen or heard of a slide-in camper on a 1st gen 4Runner and I spend a lot of time online looking at Yotas and campers. I feel pretty sure if there were something available or a custom unit that someone had done, I would have at least seen it or a pic by now.
However that doesn't mean that this isn't an opportunity to be the first of your kind. The Eagle or Ranger model Four Wheel Camper would fit your 4Runner following the removal of the back seat and rollbar. The bed dimensions of the 1st gen 4Runners are the same from the B pillar back, as the 2nd gen ('84-'89) pick up trucks.
Here is a Ranger model on a 1st gen pick up, from the FWC website -
There is a small gap (3-4 inches) between the back of the cab and the front of the camper, so the main problem I foresee (and probably why it hasn't been done) is that the back of your entire cab would be open to the elements, curious hands, bugs, etc. Not sure how that would be overcome without modding the 'Runner to the point that it would be more pick up than 4Runner....?
Of course you would lose your rear speakers and storage too. IIRC, the factory jack is stored in the rear in a side cubby? I had an '89 4Runner (nearly identical to the SWR, but not as nice looking) with the 3.slo also and that would be my other concern, especially after your nightmare with Monsiuer Sucky. The suspension could be modified to handle the load but it is a big drain on the powertrain, especially in the higher altitudes and mountain passes that you seem to enjoy.
Not saying it can't be done but I am saying I haven't seen a first gen 4Runner with a camper on it and I'm not aware of anything that was ever offered from a conversion company.
Thanks for the kind words on my outfit. It's been a fun process (and frustrating) to put together something different, that will work well on the trail and last me a looooong time. The FWC has really enhanced my outdoor experiences and hasn't been a liability to where I can take the truck. That's often the tough part, finding a camping solution that will augment what you have and not restrict you from your favorite trails.
And I don't sweat the haters. I seem to make friends with Kalifornians quite easily.....:ylsmoke:
