Building Camper for Small Pickups

Goober

Adventurer
I can move the small cushion over to the front where the black trunk organizer is sitting and cook from there or leave the bed out and sit on that to cook. Other change would be to make the closet a cabinet instead, with shelves and the opening on the side that's got the paper towel rack, not have cabinet doors on that and have 1x2 "lips" to keep stuff sliding off the shelves or bungees across the openings. I may make that change. Compared to the back of the truck with the shell this is very roomy. I don't feel like I'm crawling around in it.
 

Goober

Adventurer
No other place to put it in this design. If I'd built the box like this one I would've put it in the rear corner instead of up at the cab end.

floor2.jpg
 

Goober

Adventurer
Trying to workout how I'm going to mount this solar panel on the roof. The mounting holes don't line up with the roof framing so I'm thinking of using two 1x4's to span the roof framing and using T nuts under those so I can screw the panel on with machine screws. Photo shows the panel upside down with a 1x2 and T nut on one corner. I'll need 1x4's for this because the center feet/supports on the panel aren't inline with the mounting holes on the ends. I'm going to run the cord down the corner molding on the rear and under the wing as that's where my power connector is now. This is a Sunforce 50123 20W Kit which comes with a charge controller.

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Goober

Adventurer
Painted the top. Used an etching primer and 2-part urethane top coat. That bare aluminum was getting hot in the sun.

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Had some leftover primer from painting this steel building which was a virtual oven before it was painted.

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GLTHFJ60

New member
I absolutely love this build.

Question from a couple pages back, to "Launch Day". What type of system is that to lift the camper up to the truck without attaching anything to the trailer? Does the cable system go underneath the camper?
 

Goober

Adventurer
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Goober

Adventurer
Made my first solo trip in the camper this weekend. Went to Bear Lake on the Utah/Idaho border Everything works great, don't think I used enough power to run the batteries down even if I didn't have the solar panel. I did have a lack of cabinet space though as I haven't had to carry cooking gear before. I'm going to add a cabinet to the right of the sink and change the closet to shelves. I'm going to install the water pump and tank, so I've been searching for components for that. I used a 2 gallon water jug which was plenty for the weekend, but inconvenient to use. Got 19 mpg.

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terjr

New member
Where did you get your interior panelling from? I'm working on a similar build for my 86' Ram. Yours looks nice and thing & light.
 

Goober

Adventurer
I went to Lowes looking for paneling. This is standard wall paneling about 1/8" thick. I got lucky on this, the only pattern I liked was damaged on the corner. As I was walking out of the store an employee ask if I'd found what I wanted. I said no and explained the paneling was damaged, the whole stack had a corner smashed. He asked if I needed the full sheets, I said yes. Then he asked if I could work with it if they sold it for 90% off. I bought 5 sheets for $10 bucks. Saved me $180. But the paneling on top of the 1/4" plywood added 40 lbs. to the camper, but it looks great.
 

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