2005 F150 Exploration Project Build ! HELP !

[tom]

I'm a vet too, glad your home safe!
I have an F150 also. I wanted a light slide in as i don't like folding up wet tents or waiting for them to dry. I also did not want to spend alot of $. I found a trashed 8 ft. slide in. Built a aluninum frame same size as the trashed slide in ,$1000.00. If you shop around you can probebly get the aluminum whole sale. $500.00 to $600.00. Used the outside skin, windows, door, lights, electrical, water tank, jacks, you get the picture. I paid $500 for the trashed TC. Jacks alone are around $500.00. I like it simple so I use a 2 burner colman propane stove and a fold up potty with wag bags. Kept the small sink. I do not like roof airs, another story, so I sold it for $250.00 and got a window unit for $100.00. Finished the inside with aluminum. My dry weight with the jacks removed is around 350 lbs. the old trashed TC weighed in at the dump at 760 lbs. This might give you more food for thought.

Enjoy the build !

Tom

 

[Terrainist]

Tom - any chance you could post a couple photo's of your camper that you made? I know I would like to see it. Maybe mid construction and finished product. If you can't post them, maybe email them to someone who can? I don't know that I would know how to post a photo from an email. Thanks.

 

[WVF150]

I would like to see as well Tom by the way, I plan to use the flippac topper on my truck, so I wont be sleeping in the bed, it will be for storage.

 

[tom]

I will post some pics as soon as figure out how. I'm not very computer literate.
%#@+* I'm working on it.

Tom

 

[WVF150]

Anyone ever consider t-ing off the heater core lines to heat the water for bathing, and keeping your water tank from freezing on winter exploration trips? I mean not use it for drinking, but wrap your tank in these lines and then run it back to the engine for for a quick heating method, or do you think it would be easier to use 12v heat tapes and solar to do this with in the winter?

 

[Outback]

for me my water tanks will have to be drained during winter. We get as low as -40 here and average about -16. When I go on a winter road trip I will just throw in one of my 7 gallon blue portable tanks.

 

[tom]

Here's a few pics, hope they help!

 

[SuperCal]

Here's a few pics, hope they help!

Awesome job!!!

 

[WVF150]

Man, you did a great job reconstructing that. WOW..

 

[WVF150]

So I have been thinking about a water storage tank for my F150 for fresh potable water. I measured the inside of the bed of my truck and right behind the back glass in the bed, if I would have a custom made water tank made to 5 feet wide, by 22 inches tall, by 7 inches thick out of plastic the tank would hold 33 gallons of water and would fit tight in the bed.

http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?item=629 197.00 at this link <--

http://www.panner.com/calc.htm <-- volume calculator if you wanted to design one.

Then I could run plumbing to something like this to fill the tank:
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/hatch-with-key-lock/21924



and then run plumbing also to something like this to take showers and install this and the item above in the side of the flippac

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/exterior-shower-white/22260

What do you guys think? It would be 264 lbs of water when full.

I could then build something like this to use for taking a shower for the side of my truck.

 

[Terrainist]

Tom - Thank you for dealing with the difficulty of posting those photos. That camper is something. 350 lbs dry, aluminum framed (highly durable) ..... a lot to be desired there - light, large, a durable. That seems like a very good way to do things.

If you ever wanted to do a build thread, I would be reading it with a keen eye. Thanks again for posting.

 

[rdraider]

Tom x2!

I would very much like to know what construction technique you used. That's a great job. If you can do it, i'm sure it would be a popular thread.


WV150 - I like the shower idea, I thought about using the same type setup. Except using one of those propane shower units you can get at cabela's.

 

[WVF150]

rdraider, which one are you talking about from cabelas, they sell several propaned showers.

 

[WVF150]

Anyone consider using the space for a spare tire under a truck as a place for a water tank with baffles? and then put a pump in it to get the water whereever you want it.

 

[rdraider]

SC Hot water shower.


http://images.cabelas.com/is/image/cabelas/s7_512343_imageset_01?$main-Large$

You pump it up by hand like an old fire extinguisher. Simple, but effective. Their website has better info and prices.