Camper shell conundrum....

[Metcalf]

I have been running a normal cab-high fiberglass camper shell on my Dodge for a few years now....

What I like...

-Enclosed dry space to store gear, dogs, or whatever
-Large hard sided dry place to sleep in stealth mode on long trips or while camping

What I don't like....

-Loading things in the back of the truck like an engine or an axle is almost impossible with an engine hoist because of the limited height of the shell and the rear window.
-You can't stick a motorcycle or 4wheeler in the back because of the limited height.
-The visibility sucks
-Hauling full 20' sticks of material is nearly impossible.

So what to do? I want something that is basically a hard side 'convertable' shell system that gives me the best of both worlds....
Anyone have any ideas or seen anything like that?

 

[Martinjmpr]

I've never heard of that but how about some kind of 'hoist' arrangement in your garage so that you can remove the shell when you don't need it? If you google a little you can find some folks who've done that. Some use a hand crank, others use an electric motor. Just unbolt the shell, attach 4 hooks to the corners and crank it up. When you need the shell again, reverse the process.

I agree that the utility of a truck is compromised with a shell. OTOH, I've never owned a truck without a shell, because to me a truck without a shell is like a 2 seat sports car with a really big trunk you can't lock!

 

[postalWagon]

How about one of the locking bed covers with the camper sides acting like the bed rail.

In my mind the best of both worlds, you keep the hard top and gain hight only when you need it.

 

[Metcalf]

Both good solutions.

Removing the shell really isn't an option. I have tried that in the past and always ended up with a situation where I needed the opposite configuration then I had at the time...

My rough idea....

-Have a tubular frame with panels that could be folded/rolled up out of the way. Then make the rear most upper spreader above the tailgate removeable with a few pins, or a bolt or two, to allow taller objects to be loaded or stored in the bed when needed. The tubular frame could also act like a lumber or tube/pipe rack if designed right.

-The side panels would basically fold up onto the top panel. This also allows access deeper in the bed area without having the crawl through the back. I think the side panels would need to be on a piano style hinge that was somehow sealed so that the top pivot point didn't leak and was fully supported.

In order to be fairly functional in the closed position I think the passenger side panel would need a window...but then again maybe not. I drove a LOT of fire engines in TIGHT places with just mirrors for a lot of years. With the side panels folded up onto the top panel the visibility would be GREAT compared to a canopy with windows. Maybe make them out of lexan and have the best of both worlds?

-The top panel would be split side to side at about 1/2 the length of the bed. This would let you fold the rear portion of the top panel up over the front portion. The rear spreader bar would be removable so this would allow you to load things in the bed area with an overhead hoist or forklift. If something was REALLY long and tall perhaps the entire top panel could be removed and stored in the bed alongside the cargo.

The issues....

-What to do with the front 'window'? I generally HATE looking through 2 panes of glass out the rear. It always gets dirty, is hard to see through in general, etc. I have talked about it in other posts. What I would really like is a single window that would tilt into the bed area ( hinged at the top ) so that a person could access the bed storage, or sleeping area, from the truck cab without having to go outside. With a regular cab truck things like heavy winter coats could be thrown into a storage basket at the front of the bed with the camper in the closed configuration.

-What to do with the rear 'window'? This basically needs to disappear when not needed such as when the sides are folded up or the top is removed or reconfigured. Taking it off a quick connect hinge system is probably the most feasible. Maybe have it so it can swing both ways and store up against the top panel when you have the sides folded up? Just don't know on that one.

-Everything also needs to seal the bed area when in the closed configuration. That will probably be the hardest thing of all!

-I would like to be able to convert from open ( sides and rear window up ) to fully closed up in just a few minutes or less.....

Anyways.....

Fun Fun

 

[goodtimes]

All I can say is "good luck"!

Well, that and I'd really like to see what you come up with.

There are several systems out there that can make it easy to remove/install a shell - and if you incorporate a contractor rack you'll have a simple solution to the 20' stick of steel problem. The downside is that you still either have the shell, or you don't.

Of course - if you add a trailer to the mix . . . then you still don't have what you want. And what fun is that??????

curiously waiting to see where this goes . . . :coffeedrink:

 

[Metcalf]

This probably isn't going to go anywhere soon, but it might make it onto the list. I am more thinking about this idea for a 'new' version of my current truck based off a 3rd gen dodge truck.

 

[7Lbar]

I'm having the same problem. I want to keep the functionality of the pickup bed, but also have a weather resistant area for supplies and sleeping and be able to be removed by one person. Right now I'm toying with jscherb's modular hard top and trailer ideas, and modifying them to build a modular camper shell for my 2nd generation Dodge. I guess I need to start reading up on build molds to form fiberglass.

 

[Metcalf]

I had a few ideas this afternoon.....

-If the rear window was only as wide as the top portion of the shell it could fold up/forward against the roof without having to be too complex. A simple piano type hinge would allow it to go either direction, but I think it would still have to be detachable. The rear pillars of the cage would have to be a little wider than I would like, but I don't think that would be that bad for visibility to the direct rear.

-What about making the side and top panels out of a honeycomb composite like nidacore. That stuff is super light and stiff. The panels don't HAVE to be flat with that stuff but flat panels would probably be much easier to have fold up or whatever.

-The rear top section could slide up under the top half. I have seem some utility beds with covers like this.

-Maybe the sides and top could just roll up like storm shutters......

 

[UnfrozenCaveman]

Buddy and I bought a very lightly used Haulmark enclosed car trailer recently.

Wheel engines on the stand right in there.

Just over 32' on the floor inside too.

Not particularly "handy" but man when you need it...its hard to beat.

 

[Metcalf]

That is another solution but not the one for me. I have a car trailer but I never seem to have it when I stumble across things I 'need' to drag home....

 

[UnfrozenCaveman]

Welll, yeah

The older I get, the more stuff looks interesting too

Maybe it's a good thing that it's not terribly handy!

 

[redthies]

Metcalf, with your fab skills you could do this from scratch, but maybe look at an aluminum contractors canopy like spencinator bought for his 2nd gen. Most of them have side doors that flip up too. Since they are aluminum framed, and skinned, you could do the mods quite easily. I have built a couple of racks that had the rear crossmember removable. It is simple and handy.

 

[motorhead]

I've been lurking here for a while, and I'd like to put something (two somethings, actually) out there for thought...first, you could have the sides hinged at the bottom and again at the top of each side, and have them meet and attach at the top. Then you could swing the sides down and fold the top against them, kinda like an old Power Wagon hood, only in reverse. Or, make/cut/stretch 4 two-foot sections of an old cap (or caps) that can nest together (widest at the front, narrowest at the end of the box, rubber seal each end, and put them on tracks so they can telescope in when you need the open bed and pull closed when you need it closed. You could put a flexible gasket at the cab and only have one window. The explorer sport-tracs have a roll-down window you could graft in, sort of like the person on the Toyota section who made a roll-down window for his T100...my imagination far exceeds my fab abilities.

My .01 (Don't have enough gray matter to spend the extra cent)

 

[Metcalf]

neat idea with the double hinges.

I am not a big fan of just having a boot rubbing up against the cab. It always wears through the paint eventually.

 

[Heavy44TRT]

First of all, your number one priority should be to finish you center mounted winch idea. Ha. Ha. I would really like to put one on my 2nd gen Dodge. Second, I feel your pain on the camper shell/ no camper shell problem. I have had several years with and without camper shells. At this time I have a Contractor type shell like Spencinator's. So far I really like it. With your fab skills, I am sure you can make whatever you come up with. For the front window, I had a fiberglass camper where the front window folded down so you could clean both the truck window and the camper window. You could make a rear window that rolled down like some of the new trucks have. I am not sure what makes have them. Like someone else suggested, a light weight contractor shell that you modify. I really like the side opening doors. You could have the top with sliding panels like some of the truck utility bodies do. The sides would have to be sturdy enough to withstand wind and vibrations when the top is opened up. The other idea would be to make a very small and lightweight foldable trailer. If there is a chance you might be picking something up, then throw it in the back of the truck. If the item is small enough to fit in the back of the truck, then it should fit on a small trailer.

Just some ideas.
Keep up your posts.