Copycat Suzuki Samurai Custom Camper

[deepmud]

Trackhead has a head start on the Suzuki's with campers - tho' I've been a "track head" since I was about 6 ( this would be a LONG time ago lol) , but I wanted to post up my version too. I built it over the past couple weeks to get out and view the Iditarod as the mushers went by in Willow, but my repair on my high pressure steering failed (again - something I should have resolved before ) just as I loaded it on the trailer. Still, it looks pretty cool.

it's heavier than I would like, but I started with 5/8 plywood that I had on hand, and finished up with 3/8 - so I hope the total is less than 200 pounds. For a Samurai, it's huge - nearly king-size bed in there if I made it level.

 

[deepmud]

It's sort of backwards but here it is at an earlier stage:

I attatched the the side boards on first, with self-tapping screws on the bedrails. The fenders are heavy gauge steel, more than strong enough for me to stand on, so they support the side boards, which will act as seats when in "snow cat" mode.

I then built the front cabover - started with a 1" piece of angle-aluminum, tweeked into a bend to match the Samurai front window by just sticking it into the roll bar and giving it a bend at several points. All but the very top was 5/8, as it was on hand. After this point, I had to buy some 3/8 for the rest of the top/sides, and one more of 5/8 for the back door as it is also a ladder to climb up.

 

[deepmud]

at this point, it's got the shape. the glass by the front tire there is a rear-glass from a 97 Ford F150 - I plan to use it on the front cabover for a sunroof. I ran out of time for now.

Oh - I should mention I ripped 2x4's to into 2x2's for th e plywood to screw into (of course 2x2's are 1.5x1.5 really). 2x4's are the cheapest wood at the big box stores. I had to hand pick to avoid the worst knotted wood, but ended up with about 1/2 the cost of my other option, clear 3/4x1's. This is my "beta" version anyway - to quickly check out how I like it, what I hate (can't see out the back!) etc.

 

[deepmud]

Interior

Front

You might worry the Samurai can't move this much of a sail down the road, but the vw turbo-diesel can put made to produce a lot of torque. I had my samurai up to 100mph before, it has more than enough power to maintain 65 even with the new top. However - it's a trailer queen for the time being - no lights, no reasonable street tires.

 

[deepmud]

I think I could do it with a similar shape, out of high-density foam, for 1/2 the weight. I've been reading the "foamie" thread on http://www.tnttt.com/ - they have had some good success with very light, simple construction. I'd put some more angles on the top/back, make it less "square" for aesthetics' sake.

My attempt at sketchup(before the build):

 

[jdc215]

i really like this do you have any more pictures of it?

 

[k9lestat]

that is very cool?:ylsmoke:

 

[AeroNautiCal]

I'm liking this a lot!

 

[Raredog]

I like it too considered making a camperbed for my tintop samurai, but there was some issues with the Danish rules so i just made a rooftent.. - Looking forward to see it when its done

 

[trackhead]

Just saw this.

THAT THING RULES! NICE WORK!

 

[deepmud]

I just pulled it off last weekend to go thrash the rig in "ultra light" mode so it's off and standing on end in the yard. I got a weight for it too - 190 pounds of rain soaked untreated plywood .
I can see errors better now that it is off so I will good pics so you can avoid the same mistakes. Nothing that makes it less useful thank goodness and it will look fine painted up/finished.

 

[deepmud]

finally have pics up

The gaping hole is where the truck window went in - but since I am cutting it up to bevel the angles on the top it won't work anymore. I'll get to it later . Let me know if we need to see other angles, otherwise I'll just post up in a few weeks when I get around to the new shape, at which time it gets painted!! :safari-rig:

 

[zukrider]

Love it!

 

[deepmud]

thanks.

Some more Sketchup. I seem to have some trouble with Sketchup still - sometimes I can't full in an area unless I draw a line from corner to corner, which tells me that section isn't quite "right" - but it gives a idea of what it will look like with beveled corners - I may not go as far as I've modeled here, just bevel the top of the sides to keep it a little simpler while still improving brush/tight quarters clearance.

 

[Ford Prefect]

Well that looks like a great idea Deepmud.

Is the sami a long wheel base, or did you do the stretch yourself? We can not get the longer ones over here in the USA, but it sure looks nice!