2019 F350 4x4 custom HPI flatbed/AT Atlas topper

[mk216v]

So with the switch from the service body to the flatbed with custom boxes, is the 'Dortal' (Dogs+Portal=Dortal) still going to be between the cab rear window and Atlas topper? Are you just building a front wall for the flatbed/custom boxes out of a sheet of aluminum or something fancier? And how about the rear access door(s)? Liftgate/tailgate, liftgate/ half barn doors, or full height barn or single door?

Did you see this F250/350 rear swing-out bumper for sale on the portal at $400?

Canine Condo/Chateau/Casita/etc will not be present. That would have been employed if we went with a 6.5' FWC Hawk or the like, but staying with an 8' "bed" means the dogs will stay in the front/lower section of the flatbed/boxes' cargo floor, under a custom 5-sided "mesh dog box net"(needs to be crafted) with loop rig tie-downs to the L-track rails on the cargo floor/interior walls of topper. This mesh (think Raingler) "crate" will allow us to roll it up and more conveniently store it vs a hard sided crate apparatus.
The dogs will get HVAC from the truck via the truck cab-topper pass-thru. The idea for the pass-thru interface on the truck cab side is still replacing the factory rear window glass (non-passthru) with a custom aluminum framework, designed in CAD by MG Metalworks, that is the same size as the cab slider window hole on the AT Atlas topper. Then a bellow in between.

Rear access door for the topper will be their standard aluminum/composite upper/rear liftgate (like on a canopy); no other possible options here from AT. Working through options for a lower hinge-down tailgate from HPI, that seals very well to the AT upper liftgate.

Thx for the rear swingout bumper link, will check it out.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Canine Condo/Chateau/Casita/etc will not be present. That would have been employed if we went with a 6.5' FWC Hawk or the like, but staying with an 8' "bed" means the dogs will stay in the front/lower section of the flatbed/boxes' cargo floor, under a custom 5-sided "mesh dog box net"(needs to be crafted) with loop rig tie-downs to the L-track rails on the cargo floor/interior walls of topper. This mesh (think Raingler) "crate" will allow us to roll it up and more conveniently store it vs a hard sided crate apparatus.
The dogs will get HVAC from the truck via the truck cab-topper pass-thru. The idea for the pass-thru interface on the truck cab side is still replacing the factory rear window glass (non-passthru) with a custom aluminum framework, designed in CAD by MG Metalworks, that is the same size as the cab slider window hole on the AT Atlas topper. Then a bellow in between.

Rear access door for the topper will be their standard aluminum/composite upper/rear liftgate (like on a canopy); no other possible options here from AT. Working through options for a lower hinge-down tailgate from HPI, that seals very well to the AT upper liftgate.

Thx for the rear swingout bumper link, will check it out.

But will it have a sick lightbar?

 

[mk216v]

But will it have a sick lightbar?

No it won't have any Baja Design lights. Only Rigid's.

 

[mk216v]

For sale; https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...iles-perfect-roundtheworld-overlander.221185/
Moving to a different F350...

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

For sale; https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...iles-perfect-roundtheworld-overlander.221185/
Moving to a different F350...

But what about that 4 gallons of additional fuel you wouldn’t shut up about? ?

 

[mk216v]

But what about that 4 gallons of additional fuel you wouldn’t shut up about? ?

Well buddy ol' pal, I'm glad you didn't forget the extra fuel (but it's 6gal, not 4gal LOL).
"New" F350 will be provisioned with an extra 16gal of the special sauce, so 34gal mid-ship + 16gal extra = 50gal (10gal more than the chassis cab). ?
And don't even ask about the cost to keep the dogs out of the aluminum oven, it was a hefty price to pay.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

You going to another Cab and Chassis, or you moving the the “pickup” model?

Guessing pickup.... curious thoughts on why

 

[rruff]

Guessing pickup.... curious thoughts on why

Stiff frame and no subframe needed would be a good reason...

 

[mk216v]

You going to another Cab and Chassis, or you moving the the “pickup” model?

Guessing pickup.... curious thoughts on why

Well, I initially considered a SuperCab 6.75'bed (just as I did originally in chassis cab form, before I decided to go regular cab for the shortest overall truck. If I would have originally gone with SuperCab chassis cab then we'd be keeping it now for the new camper.) vs CrewCab 6.75'bed to keep the OAL shorter, but in the end we decided to go CrewCab to give the pups more room, and us more storage under them. Yeah, an expensive revised version of the canine condo.

Going with a CrewCab Pickup;
--Shorter dimensions (you know how I like my nimbleness ) at 159.8"WB/250"OAL, vs a CrewCab chassis cab is 179.8"WB/265.2"OAL). Having driven a 176"WB Crew Cab 8'bed pickup of ours, that's much too long for us off-pavement.
--Easiest to find (already found one); every damn truck seems to be a CrewCab now. Rarely see SuperCab's or RegularCab's. And especially easier to find in Lariat trim (had this on my '15 F150 and loved it). Very difficult to find a chassis cab in Lariat trim, mainly all are bare bones XL.
--Fully boxed frame (vs chassis cab's c-channel aft of cab). Not the biggest deal to many, but some cabin/subframe builders wanted to build a 3pt subframe. With the pickup, I can just easily put a flatbed on.
--I was originally wanting a cool color vs plain jane white, and thus colors are so much easier to find in pickup's vs chassis cab's, however there are now complications with the color coordinating (more to share later), so it's back to plain white.

I will miss out on the chassis cab's inset framerails to allow for deeper under-flatbed boxes, so I'm not thrilled with that. Can't have everything as we know.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Well, I initially considered a SuperCab 6.75'bed (just as I did originally in chassis cab form, before I decided to go regular cab for the shortest overall truck. If I would have originally gone with SuperCab chassis cab then we'd be keeping it now for the new camper.) vs CrewCab 6.75'bed to keep the OAL shorter, but in the end we decided to go CrewCab to give the pups more room, and us more storage under them. Yeah, an expensive revised version of the canine condo.

Going with a CrewCab Pickup;
--Shorter dimensions (you know how I like my nimbleness ) at 159.8"WB/250"OAL, vs a CrewCab chassis cab is 179.8"WB/265.2"OAL). Having driven a 176"WB Crew Cab 8'bed pickup of ours, that's much too long for us off-pavement.
--Easiest to find (already found one); every damn truck seems to be a CrewCab now. Rarely see SuperCab's or RegularCab's. And especially easier to find in Lariat trim (had this on my '15 F150 and loved it). Very difficult to find a chassis cab in Lariat trim, mainly all are bare bones XL.
--Fully boxed frame (vs chassis cab's c-channel). Not the biggest deal to many, but some cabin/subframe builders wanted to build a 3pt subframe. With the pickup, I can just easily put a flatbed on.
--I was originally wanting a cool color vs plain jane white, and thus colors are so much easier to find in pickup's vs chassis cab's, however there are now complications with the color coordinating (more to share later), so it's back to plain white.

I will miss out on the chassis cab's inset framerails to allow for deeper under-flatbed boxes, so I'm not thrilled with that. Can't have everything as we know.

Sounds like some good, well thought out logic! Stoked to follow the build.

p.s. I’m glad the dogs won’t be cooked in an oven anymore ??

 

[mk216v]

Sounds like some good, well thought out logic! Stoked to follow the build.

p.s. I’m glad the dogs won’t be cooked in an oven anymore ??

Did you hit your head on something? You're never this polite.
PS--I bet they are too!

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Did you hit your head on something? You're never this polite.
PS--I bet they are too!

Well, I was using some adhesive earlier, so I’ll blame it on the fumes ?

But all jokes aside, I think the pickup, super cab is a 10x better platform for what you’re building! Stoked to watch the progress

Still a lack luster 50 gallons (compared to my heroic 74) and if we travel together i guess I’ll make all the additional stops with you to refuel, but it won’t be as terrible as before [insert middle finger laughing emoji here]

I’ll just get gas station burritos during all your fill ups

 

[McCarthy]

Can't wait!!! Also, the adhesive fumes must have wore off, R5500CT is back to his usual charming self! ? ?

 

[mk216v]

Well, I was using some adhesive earlier, so I’ll blame it on the fumes ?

But all jokes aside, I think the pickup, super cab is a 10x better platform for what you’re building! Stoked to watch the progress

Still a lack luster 50 gallons (compared to my heroic 74) and if we travel together i guess I’ll make all the additional stops with you to refuel, but it won’t be as terrible as before [insert middle finger laughing emoji here]

I’ll just get gas station burritos during all your fill ups

LOL.

SuperCab--maybe you mean [SuperDuper]CrewCab? I'll link to a new build thread from here once I get the "new" truck.

I agree that RAM definitely has Ford beat on the diesel fuel capacity (26.5gal midship + 40gal aft-axle = only 66.5gal total for the Ford. Not an option for my petrol V8 however; 40gal aft of rear axle on the chassis cab, or 34gal on the pickup, is the largest available from Ford).
If you promise to be patient with me while I fill with fuel, I promise to be patient while we pull out the code reader to check fault codes/CEL from all of your complicated emissions equipment.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Can't wait!!! Also, the adhesive fumes must have wore off, R5500CT is back to his usual charming self! ? ?

New Meds