dustboy
Explorer
I wonder why people keep saying that. Especially my wife. :ylsmoke:
dustboy wants to build a camper...
- Thread starter dustboy
- Start date
I wonder why people keep saying that. Especially my wife. :ylsmoke:
Every Miles A Memory
Expedition Leader
Are you planning on making this thing a Zombie Hunter? You sure are building it Bullet Proof
psychohawk
Observer
Looks great and man, you waste no time!
Am curious, how are you going to attach the exterior siding to the frame? Mostly curious about how much space between the truck cab and camper frame you have to work with ... seems only an inch or two, not near enough to squeeze tools into ... are you planning to remove camper for exterior siding?
Carl
Am curious, how are you going to attach the exterior siding to the frame? Mostly curious about how much space between the truck cab and camper frame you have to work with ... seems only an inch or two, not near enough to squeeze tools into ... are you planning to remove camper for exterior siding?
Carl
dustboy
Explorer
The skin gets glued and riveted. I can slide the camper back enough to get tools in there, there are some welds that I haven't been able to reach yet too. It would be nice to pull the whole thing off to do siding and spray, but the harness for the lights is pretty well attached.
dustboy
Explorer
The skin is going on. Got the front wall painted while I had the camper slid back on the frame:
It's a time consuming process. First I made a cutlist for all the sheet parts and cut them on my table saw. Then I ran a bead of Sikabond adhesive on the frame, and held the aluminum sheet in place with clamps. This is where it got frustrating, because if I drilled all the holes at once, the panel would slide around and the holes wouldn't align perfectly. So I had to drill the first hole, rivet, drill the second hole, rivet, then I could drill the rest.
At one point my neighbor came by to chat (the old guys on my street love this project, my other neighbors, not so much) and loaned me his pneumatic pop-rivet gun. Man, that thing made everything easier.
I found some 1.25" rubber spacers at Autozone, (actually coil spring spacers for saggy springs) and drilled them to use as body spacers. The lift appears to add a lot of space for the wheel, so when I get a chance I'll flex it to see if it's enough.
It's a time consuming process. First I made a cutlist for all the sheet parts and cut them on my table saw. Then I ran a bead of Sikabond adhesive on the frame, and held the aluminum sheet in place with clamps. This is where it got frustrating, because if I drilled all the holes at once, the panel would slide around and the holes wouldn't align perfectly. So I had to drill the first hole, rivet, drill the second hole, rivet, then I could drill the rest.
At one point my neighbor came by to chat (the old guys on my street love this project, my other neighbors, not so much) and loaned me his pneumatic pop-rivet gun. Man, that thing made everything easier.
I found some 1.25" rubber spacers at Autozone, (actually coil spring spacers for saggy springs) and drilled them to use as body spacers. The lift appears to add a lot of space for the wheel, so when I get a chance I'll flex it to see if it's enough.
dustboy
Explorer
More progress. Got the rear door put together, and hung on the hinges.
Glued the window to the back of the aluminum skin, held it in with some 3/4" angle, screwed to the frame.
Detail of the stops, and my 'modified' In-N-Out sticker that survived the transplant (sadly my other stickers did not):
The rear door hung on the hinges. I wasn't stoked on the trapezoidal glass I salvaged from the old shell, so the outer skin masks the shape I really wanted:
I cut holes in the flatbed frame for the paddle latches, it closes with a solid thump. I'll fab some strike plates for the latches once the weatherstrip is on. Next I need to figure out the lift struts for the door before I bang my head.
Glued the window to the back of the aluminum skin, held it in with some 3/4" angle, screwed to the frame.
Detail of the stops, and my 'modified' In-N-Out sticker that survived the transplant (sadly my other stickers did not):
The rear door hung on the hinges. I wasn't stoked on the trapezoidal glass I salvaged from the old shell, so the outer skin masks the shape I really wanted:
I cut holes in the flatbed frame for the paddle latches, it closes with a solid thump. I'll fab some strike plates for the latches once the weatherstrip is on. Next I need to figure out the lift struts for the door before I bang my head.
rynosurf
Adventurer
Great build!
It is probably too late now but they make these things called clecos http://www.lowbucktools.com/clecos.html that hold material together so you can align it before permanently joining it.
It is probably too late now but they make these things called clecos http://www.lowbucktools.com/clecos.html that hold material together so you can align it before permanently joining it.
dustboy
Explorer
Never heard of them, but yeah, they would have been useful! Thanks anyway.
Today I got the right side skinned and window installed, and got the rear half of the roof on. That was done by attaching the lower edge of the sheet to the side, then folding it over the top. My method was less than elegant since I don't have a sheetmetal brake, so I sort of, er, coerced it with a rubber mallet along the place where I wanted it to crease. I wanted to get the top done today, but it started to rain.
It worked out okay, but getting the edges to land square was a shot in the dark. The seams on top look like crap, they are way out of alignment, but they still overlap and nobody will ever see them anyhow, right?
Oh yeah, I took it out on the freeway today, is it just me or does the big box make a lot of wind drag?
Edit: without the roof on, I basically had a big parachute in the back. Roof is now complete, and it doesn't drag nearly as much. It is heavy, you can feel that the COG is higher, but overall it doesn't feel much different than before.
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Cabrito
I come in Peace
Sure Evan, but I know it and I'll never let you live it down.
Just kidding. It's looking awesome!! I hope we can join you for the maiden voyage.
Cabrito
I come in Peace
I was just showing your project to Katherine she thinks it's pretty cool, and she had a few questions.
She remembers that you were too tall to fit in the old truck bed. I hope after all this work you fit in this one. :Wow1:
Also, how easy is it going to be to get out in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom? Would it be wise to have a smaller door built into the larger rear door that you can get in and out of in a pinch?
What about a doggy door for Scout?
She remembers that you were too tall to fit in the old truck bed. I hope after all this work you fit in this one. :Wow1:
Also, how easy is it going to be to get out in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom? Would it be wise to have a smaller door built into the larger rear door that you can get in and out of in a pinch?
What about a doggy door for Scout?
dustboy
Explorer
I was just showing your project to Katherine she thinks it's pretty cool, and she had a few questions.
She remembers that you were too tall to fit in the old truck bed. I hope after all this work you fit in this one. :Wow1:
Also, how easy is it going to be to get out in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom? Would it be wise to have a smaller door built into the larger rear door that you can get in and out of in a pinch?
What about a doggy door for Scout?
One of the main reasons I started this project was to gain a few inches of sleeping space, so yes I can stretch out now. Internal length is 6' 6", I'm 6' 3".
Getting in and out has some issues, yes there is only the one big door, and the paddle latches aren't that easy to open from the inside. Gonna have to fix that. Also, if the rear pull-out is extended for cooking, will be tricky to get in and out. So, I'm open to suggestions!
I thought about making one of the side panels openable, but at this point I'm trying to keep it simple. That's a possible addition later.
dustboy
Explorer
The box is closed up, and I got lift struts on the rear door. It's very leaky, but there are as many holes in the bottom as the top, so the water just runs right through! A little caulk will take care of it, I think I will use some RV roof sealer for the top.
Lift struts in place, they work very well and could probably support some extra weight (jerry can, etc) hung on the door. I set them up so when the door is open, the outboard end is slightly lower, so water doesn't drain forward into the camper (my pet peeve with my old camper shell).
Detail of the lift strut (woah, my old camera is bugging out):
Here's an important question: What should I do with all of this space over the rear axle? Some Rotopax cans could slide in there, supported with some angle iron.
Lift struts in place, they work very well and could probably support some extra weight (jerry can, etc) hung on the door. I set them up so when the door is open, the outboard end is slightly lower, so water doesn't drain forward into the camper (my pet peeve with my old camper shell).
Detail of the lift strut (woah, my old camera is bugging out):
Here's an important question: What should I do with all of this space over the rear axle? Some Rotopax cans could slide in there, supported with some angle iron.
southpier
Expedition Leader
when i went from a Passat sedan to wagon i could feel the difference
Regcabguy
Oil eater.
The lack of sound insulation is a valid pt. on the popup campers. We have been parked next to a noisy bunch. Wind flap is not a factor though. I've had mine in 35-40 mph winds and no problema. The surfboards remain upstairs also.