"Exo Egg" Fiberglass Camper Build

[WV Jeeper]

I've been reading on this forum for awhile so thought I would get around to sharing the build my husband and I have been working on together. It all started with the purchase of my new 2016 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited last September. We have several offroad vehicles and enjoy camping and trail riding. We have a large fifth wheel camper which is great for the big family outings but my jeep can't pull it and it just takes more work and planning to use it. One day I came across this little 1985 fiberglass u-haul camper and thought "hey my jeep could pull that"! It weighs in around 1200lbs. It has a 2 person bed in the back and 2 single bunks in the front for our 2 younger kids. So, anyway, we scooped it up for a deal as it was in pretty rough shape from sitting in the woods. We have since cleaned and stripped it down to a shell and started our rebuild. Since my jeep is what inspired me to buy this little egg camper, we have tried to add some jeep related things along the way. First off we had to give it a lift for some larger BFG tires and hubby switched out the hubs to accept matching wheels to my jeep. Next we switched out the factory bumper for a jeep bumper with water tank mod. The rear also got a jeep tire carrier and 3rd brake light, as well as jeep tail lights. Jerry can mounts were also added, in addition to a hitch receiver for a bike carrier. One of my favorite little mods was the fuel tank door we added for the camper cord when electric is available. The largest and most obvious modification to date is the roof rack/exo cage. The cage has 4 quick disconnects and is completely removable with the help of 2 others (usually our kids). Besides adding storage, we hope it will provide some protection from branches or rubbing trees when accessing more off the grid locations. The rack also provided a sturdy surface to mount an ARB awning on one side. On the opposite side, there is a detachable shower pole to provide a private shower/potty stall for off grid camping. On the front we mounted a rock guard/awning over the window. On the back we mounted a 100w solar panel to power a group 29 marine battery. We also added a double propane tank holder on the front for cooking and heat. All interior lights will be replaced with led to save on power consumption. We are almost done with the exterior fabrication and will start sanding and painting it next. We are going with a fresh coat of white paint to keep with the "egg" theme and to match my white jeep. The interior will be fitted with custom diamond plate cabinet doors, new propane cooktop, refrigerator, maxx fan and air conditioner/heat unit. I will also have to make new cushions, covers and curtains as the originals were missing or damaged beyond use. We hope to have this build complete by June and start using her this summer. Fingers crossed!

 

[WV Jeeper]

Some more pics....we added a larger water fill/hook up area that had room for an outdoor shower fixture. A couple interior pics of what we plan to do with the floor and cabinets.

 

[OldGreen]

This is really cool. Can't wait to see pictures of it on a trail or on top of a mountain. Love the innovation.

 

[fortel]

Outstanding!

 

[canucksBJ43]

Love it! I'm sure your family will enjoy the little camper for years to come.

Share some camping pics of your first outing.

Thanks for sharing

 

[Sikocycles]

That is really cool

 

[tlbeach]

Very cool!

 

[IdaSHO]

camper with an exo :sombrero:

Cool project!

 

[wvtradbow]

That's awesome,I had one of those and sold it (biggest mistake) in favor of a Scamp…Those don't look like U Haul wheels,was it difficult to find bolt pattern an offset ?? Those are VERY well built campers...

 

[WV Jeeper]

That's awesome,I had one of those and sold it (biggest mistake) in favor of a Scamp…Those don't look like U Haul wheels,was it difficult to find bolt pattern an offset ?? Those are VERY well built campers...

You are correct, they are not the uhaul wheels. The originals did come on it but we switched them out for wheels that match my jk (I still have to paint the inserts red like mine). There is quite the little following it turns out for these little uhaul campers so we were lucky to find a facebook group of knowledgable owners and they already had some replacement hub options found for those that wanted to switch out the original hubs. If I recall correctly the ones we used were hubs for a 2000 model chevy lumina....which ended up being the same bolt pattern as an older jeep (TJ I think) and lucky for me they made a matching wheel to mine for a TJ as well so it all worked out nicely.

We are still considering switching out the uhaul torsion axle for something heavier duty and equipped with brakes which is something we are currently lacking. I think the plan is to give her a test run and make the decision from there.

 

[WV Jeeper]

Thanks everyone for your positive comments. I'll update here as we go

 

[Semi-Hex]

i like the fact that when most people would have sent that trailer to the scrap yard, you saw potential in what you needed for some cool outdoor adventures.

 

[DanCooper]

I'm loving that exo-skeleton. A few hinges here, a few hydraulic rams there, an Arduino board, a little code, the thing could walk over to the trailer and attach itself.

Beautiful job, look forward to the rest of the build.

 

[Martyn]

Nice build, I love this style of trailer.

 

[mdmead]

Sweet!