DIY Composite Camper T100 Expedition Vehicle Build

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

UPDATE

Yes, this project is back in action.

This update is progress on the pop-up!


I started by building each of the pop-up wall panels. 4 of the 6 walls are just basic insulated panels like you've seen me make throughout this build with 1x2 wood frames, 5mm plywood skins, polyurethane foam core, and glassed with 6oz fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin.
The 2 walls with windows are a bit different. I'm reusing some windows from an old camper shell, so they are designed to be mounted in a 1/4" thick wall. which works out perfect for me to just cut it out of some 5mm plywood and glass both sides. The height of the window didn't leave much room in the short walls, so I ripped down some 1x2 with a 45degree angle for the framing around the window to save a little space and make it easier to glass.


I clamped the wall panels in place on the camper for assembly. The panels are joined with exterior grade wood glue and pocket screws or countersunk deck screws depending on the angle of the joint.



The edges on the rear wall were rounded off with a 1 inch radius router bit to match the lower wall sections. The corners on the front panel don't meet at a 90 degree angle so I couldn't use the router on those. Instead I roughed them out with an angle grinder, then cleaned them up with a palm sander and then a sanding block.


All the screw holes were filled with epoxy/fumed silica past and then each joint was glassed with 6oz cloth and epoxy resin.

 

[BajaSurfRig]

Looking so good!!! Really digging the exterior board locker idea. Helps to keep the camper cleaner/ less sand inside. Keep us updated!!

 

[ITTOG]

We definitely need the details on the slides you are using along with the actuators.

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

We definitely need the details on the slides you are using along with the actuators.

More info will be coming soon, but here is a link to the drawer slides: https://amzn.to/3Yo7iPq
I used 5 of them.

And I used 4 gas struts (AKA air struts or lift supports) from this website: https://www.liftsupportsdepot.com
They have a bunch to choose from depending on the amount of force you need and the length of the stroke. I used a set of ST360M80 and a set of ST360P60S10. The difference being one set has 80lbs of force and the other has 60 lbs. The amount of vertical force the gas struts exert can also be manipulated by altering the angle at which they are mounted. The more vertical the struts are mounted, the more vertical force they exert. Conversely, mounting the struts more horizontally results in less vertical force.

 

[ITTOG]

Not sure I would have thought of drawer slides????

Unfortunately I know all about the reduction in upward force when the gas struts are at an angle. I failed to take that into account on my build.

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

Update

The roof was built in 3 sections. Each section is my standard 1x2 wood frame, 5mm plywood skins, and filled with polyurethane pour foam. The sections were put in place and attached to the walls and to each other with wood glue and pocket screws.



I rounded off the top edge around the roof with a 1" router bit and glassed the roof and the roof/wall seams with 6oz fiberglass and epoxy.


Then I pulled the pop-up off of the camper so I could glass the ceiling, all the inner seams, and the bottom edge of the walls.



That concludes the construction of the pop-up structure. I shuffled it back up onto the camper and started trying to figure out how to make it go up and down...

 

[mangymarmot]

Nice work!

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

UPDATE

I used 5 drawer slides mounted in-between the inner and outer pop-up walls to help guide the roof/outer walls as they are lifted or lowered. The slides weren't thick enough to fill the 5/8" gap between the inner and outer walls, so I used a piece of 1.5"x 1/16" aluminum flat bar as a spacer and attached them with construction adhesive and pancake head screws.


Then I installed some lift supports (gas struts) to help me lift the pop-up. I used 4. The forward pair are rated for 80 pounds of lift each and the rear pair are rated for 60 pounds of lift each. These are strong enough to hold the pop-up in an up position once raised and only require a little help to get the upward motion started.
Next I installed some handles on the ceiling so I could get the pop-up back down and some toggle latches to keep it down.



My next puzzle was to create a seal between the inner and outer walls. I attached a piece of 1.5"x1/16" aluminum flat bar to the bottom edge of the outer pop-up wall with countersunk flat head screws and construction adhesive. The walls are 1 inch thick and the aluminum is mounted flush to the outer edge so that it left a 1/2" overhang off the inner edge of the wall. Then I applied a D-shaped foam rubber seal to the top of this aluminum overhang.


Then I attached a piece of 1.5"x 1/16" aluminum flat bar to the top edge of the inner wall so that it is flush along the inner edge and left a 1/2" overhang off of the outer edge of this wall. I wouldn't have access to the underside of the aluminum after it was attached, so I wouldn't be able to clean up the excess adhesive, so I opted to use 3M VHB tape. I've never used VHB tape before, but it was super easy and seems to be working well so far.


The result is a foam rubber seal that gets compressed between the two aluminum flat bars when the pop-up is in it's full up position. Its a bit tough to explain, but I feel like I was able to illustrate it pretty well in the video.

 

[ITTOG]

The drawer slides looked like they work perfectly. Great job.

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

The drawer slides looked like they work perfectly. Great job.

Thanks. The slides are working well at the moment. They feel like they could prove to be the weak link in the system, but only time will tell. Cant wait to get this thing rolling so I can start the trial runs

 

[ITTOG]

Thanks. The slides are working well at the moment. They feel like they could prove to be the weak link in the system, but only time will tell. Cant wait to get this thing rolling so I can start the trial runs

I hear you. I have been working on my pop top for 3 years now. Like you, I'm getting close and should have it ready by the end of the summer.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[Traveling 2gether Journal]

I hear you. I have been working on my pop top for 3 years now. Like you, I'm getting close and should have it ready by the end of the summer.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

Yeah, Ive been at it for 2 years, but hoping to get it usable by the end of the summer. "usable" is the goal for me right now. Ive got too many ideas for little storage compartments and awnings and such to believe it will really be DONE anytime soon?

 

[mangymarmot]

I'm excited to see this build finished and on more adventures! Keep at it!

 

[rruff]

I hear you. I have been working on my pop top for 3 years now. Like you, I'm getting close and should have it ready by the end of the summer.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'm shocked at how fast time has been flying. I'm a little concerned that I'll go to sleep and wake up a decade later... and the unfinished camper will still be sitting in the driveway... ?

 

[trackhead]

Great work on the seal design, that part was the crux on my build. Are you sticking with gas struts, or going to use electric actuators for lift?