Herbie
Rendezvous Conspirator
So I probably should have started this thread a month ago. The kiddo claimed naming rights for the rig, but hasn't exercised the option yet, so I wasn't sure how to name things - I'll leave it as descriptivist for now.
I'm already behind on documenting the work on this package, so I need to get on this thread, lest I miss something!
The plot goeth thusly:
Vandalf the Beige, our 2003 Astro Van with a self-transplanted GTRV Pop Top, has been in the family since my daughter was only 3 months old. I purchased the van with the specific intent of converting it to a pop-top 4WD camper, and making sure that my daughter grew up knowing how much fun family adventure could be. On that score, mission-accomplished. That said, while a mini-van (or as the Astro/Safari folks generously dub them: "Midi-Vans") has proven to be a tidy package for fitting into tight places and narrow trails, the fact is that things are getting cozy now that daughter is almost a teen. An upgrade in size was in-order.
Furthermore, Vandalf was 99.999% DIY (and I don't mean "Built not bought" the way the Jeep guys say it ) - I literally did everything myself, from the Pop-Top and 4WD conversion to the upholstery. The only work not done by my own hands was the re-gear and setup on the axles and the replacement of a seized brake caliper that happened en-route to Mountain Rendezvous. I'm proud of that build, but the truth is that I don't have it in me to tackle that kind of project again. I have a lot of thoughts and feelings on that subject that I'll get into at some later point. I will still get my hands dirty on the new rig, but frankly I don't have enough weekends left with my kiddo to spend them scratch-building a truck before she leaves for college.
Given all of that, 2021-2022 sounds like a perfect time to shop for a new camper, right? Nobody else is buying stuff like that right now, right? Some members here have been witness to me checking out rigs at events, and cyber-stalking various truck and van owners for quite a while. Well, the diligence paid off - when this truck and camper hit the ExPo classifieds, I was on it in a flash. Is she a perfect fit for our needs? Not 100%, but damned close, and the price was right to enable me to get the rig purchased and dialed with enough time for a big summer 2022 family adventure. The Mrs. had long-since settled on the Hawk Flatbed as her preferred solution to the camper-question, and our somewhat-short (22') suburban SoCal driveway limits us to Extended-cab shortbed style trucks - No quad cabs need apply, so package-wise, this was pretty spot-on. On paper, the F150 might be slightly underspec'ed for the load, but I'm taking a wait-and-see approach - so far it seems like the previous owner did a great job with suspension upgrades, etc. and the truck handles great.
The basics:
2018 F-150 XLT 4x4
5.0 V8, 10-speed
3.73 axle w/ rear locker
36gal fuel tank
7050gvwr (2200lb payload before all the goodies)
Ute Ltd Flatbed Tray
Falcon Tow/Haul adjustable shocks
Custom Rear Leaf Pack From Boise Spring Works
2020 Hawk Flatbed
Aside from a few tasteful cosmetic updates from the original owners, this is pretty standard FWC kit for now.
These photos courtesy of previous owner @dalday and I thank him for building such a nice rig!