(finally) Pulling the trigger - Magirus 170D11

[Neil]

Looks fantastic.
One small observation that I am sure you have already spotted.

If the link between the over cab pod and the cabin is flexible, it needs to have a huge amount of movement. Maybe half a meter or even more.

I am always amazed how much the top of my truck moves in each direction high up.

Great design and great choice of vehicle

Neil

 

[DarkBladeRunner]

Looks fantastic.
One small observation that I am sure you have already spotted.

If the link between the over cab pod and the cabin is flexible, it needs to have a huge amount of movement. Maybe half a meter or even more.

I am always amazed how much the top of my truck moves in each direction high up.

Great design and great choice of vehicle

Neil

I was actually thinking the exact same thing and I'm aware I'm going to have to do some serious testing to see what the actual movement at the top of the cab is at maximum frame twist.

By the way, input is SUPER appreciated, the entire reason for posting this here (apart from sharing the love and joy of such a project) is to be able to benefit from the experience and knowledge out there.

Cheers!

 

[DarkBladeRunner]

I still haven't finished revising/dimensioning my initial concept drawings but after discussions with my wife, We'll be changing our concept a bit. Instead of a passthrough connecting the camper box to the cabover bed, we are considering connecting the cab upwards into the cabover bed. Our thinking is that this will simplify construction and get rid of the aforementioned movement issue. We might still connect the cabover module and camper to share AC/Heating.

Tickets for Halifax are bought, truck arrives Jan 4th, I'll be flying out the following week with my 6 year old for a cross-country road trip in a Firetruck-Camper! (yeah, he's excited!)

Here are some bonus photos!

(P.S. Anyone know how to change this thread to the custom camper forum? I think it might be more appropriate there).

 

[DarkBladeRunner]

Looks fantastic.
One small observation that I am sure you have already spotted.

If the link between the over cab pod and the cabin is flexible, it needs to have a huge amount of movement. Maybe half a meter or even more.

I am always amazed how much the top of my truck moves in each direction high up.

Great design and great choice of vehicle

Neil

I've taken your advice to heart. Here is the revised design. V1.1

I've found the same model truck but with a shorter wheelbase that has the same camper configuration:



And I've found an army shelter that was extended in the same fashion as what I want to do:



I've got a few fab shops, metal shops and car shops submitting proposals to have the rough shell fabrication and cab restoration work done as I type this.

Also, bonus photo of the truck In my driveway in Canada. 2200km of driving through Germany and Canada along with a transatlantic boat ride and here she is all covered in glorious Canadian winter salt and grime. I think I'll christen her "Gros Mammouth" if I can convince the wife. Big Mammoth for you non-frenchies out there.

 

[DarkBladeRunner]

I'm still working on this project. We just got hit with bouts of -25C weather up in my part of the world with the windchill sometimes making it feel like -40C (for reference, that's the temperature that F and C are the same) so I haven't been driving or working on the truck. I have to get it road legal and I just purchased some 12v LEDs and mounting brackets to temporarily install dimensions and position lights on the truck box. Once the weather warms up to something closer to freezing I'll be able to install the lights and go get the truck inspected and hopefully register it!

In the meanting I've started roughing in interior layouts:




I'm quickly realizing that this is going to be difficult. I'm working with an existing layout (the plan) and would like to keep the shower/bathroom where it is to make it easy on myself. Does anyone have any good layouts to recommend? (plans to point me to?) Also, any idea what my aisle widths should be/cabinet depths/etc etc (any ressources for this?). I know interior specs really well but I know those don't really apply to a camper (otherwise nothing would fit!) I was hoping for all of the beds (2 adults, 2 kids) to be in the cabover box so we could run AC in a much smaller space at night but it's looking like I can't fit us all in there comfortably so I'm looking at options where I nix the cabover and the permanent beds in favour of convertible space in the back. Please also note that I intend for the dinette to be in the truck cab like so (credit to the guy who sold me the truck for this drawing):



Here's what it's shaping up to be so far (with 395/85r20 tyres installed to replace the 12.5r20 tyres I currently have).



This is all rough and a work in progress, of course. Here are some reference images that inspired some of my decisions:

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

Great project!
I would make the cab over the kids bedroom exclusively. Single bunks on either side (feet forward) with a small divider wall in between that has storage and shelves on either side, At the head of the bed (towards the back) have a 40" (+or-) for standing and dressing when top is up.
Them having their own space will be better for all of your sanities. Besides, doubtful you and Mrs. DarkBladeRunner will want to be crawling around up and down there.
With these dimensions you could likely scale down the length of the box so it is more streamlined keeping the front of it a little more behind the windscreen.

The rear sectional couch is a great idea for lounging, just put a drop down bed over it so you don't have to make and remake the bed and cushions everyday.
Cant remember (if you mentioned) what your travel intentions are but I would make space for a washing machine with 4 people full time and that much vehicle capacity.
Hope this helps, following along.
B

 

[DarkBladeRunner]

Great project!
I would make the cab over the kids bedroom exclusively. Single bunks on either side (feet forward) with a small divider wall in between that has storage and shelves on either side, At the head of the bed (towards the back) have a 40" (+or-) for standing and dressing when top is up.
Them having their own space will be better for all of your sanities. Besides, doubtful you and Mrs. DarkBladeRunner will want to be crawling around up and down there.
With these dimensions you could likely scale down the length of the box so it is more streamlined keeping the front of it a little more behind the windscreen.

The rear sectional couch is a great idea for lounging, just put a drop down bed over it so you don't have to make and remake the bed and cushions everyday.
Cant remember (if you mentioned) what your travel intentions are but I would make space for a washing machine with 4 people full time and that much vehicle capacity.
Hope this helps, following along.
B

It does help! The scope of this project is such that you can lose sight of the big picture focusing on the details. Thanks for the advice. I’ll try mocking it up ASAP.

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

Take a look at the Shachagra build if you haven't seen it.
Its a good puzzle to be in.

 

[DarkBladeRunner]

Take a look at the Shachagra build if you haven't seen it.
Its a good puzzle to be in.

Thanks for that link. Quite interesting and has given me plenty of ideas which I haven't been able to fully integrate yet.

Here's the current status of my design:

- 3'2" rear extension now.
- large flat floor space on the ground is a MUST so that kids can play with their toys. The area is based on what we had in our RV previously.
- Added a folding table in the flat ground space so that when it's hot, we can have informal meals and use the AC only for the camper and not in the CAB + it's a place for my kids to draw/do homework + extra workspace for the kitchen.
- Permanent kids beds in cabover
- Non-premanent adult bed/ikea hide-a-bed. Gonna need to use some industrial strength rails to support the slide-out ottoman OR a foldout leg system.
- I Like the kitchen layout with the wall-mounted washing machine
- Not sure I'm happy with the rear sofa/bed space. Something feels off about it.

Again, some feedback here would be great! I feel like the wife and I are going in circles trying things out here.

 

[DarkBladeRunner]

Ok...

We've decided to explore an alternative design for the time being because... we think it might actually be simpler in the end and more ergonomically pleasant to simply have permanent beds in a pop top on the roof.
We would eventually do a roof raise on the rear of the cab so that we could stand in the dinette that will be in there. Also... because we're having a hard time finding fabricators willing to do the cabover and rear extension.

Here is the latest version of the design.









On a side note, we took the truck for a spin with the kids in the snow and had a blast (we've gotten 1.15m of snow just in 2019 so far so there are snow banks EVERYWHERE to have fun with).

 

[DarkBladeRunner]

So I'm officially registered as an RV in Québec! Woo!

Also, got back from Cuba at 3AM and there was about 5 feet of snow in front of my driveway. Couldn't get my car out in the morning so I commuted in the truck! BRAAAA! right through the snow bank. god I love this thing.

Ok, serious questions: good sources for linear actuators or other popup roof lifting mechanisms?

 

[DarkBladeRunner]

Monday the 18th: I begin demolition inside the camper. I'll take pictures.

Latest plans:


For reference this is the current layout:

 

[DarkBladeRunner]

Started demolition today! Trying to keep the technical systems intact and improve them where possible. IE: ripping out the hot water baseboards and replacing them with radiant floor heating, reusing the diesel-electric water heating system.

I bought this truck because the former owner was technically very proficient and organized. I have access to most wiring diagrams and plans for how this was built. I knew I was never going to find a truck that fit my family’s needs in terms of ergonomics so I was always going to gut whichever truck I was going to purchase. Being able to build on top of a good base with all the systems already there will help me focus on finish and useability.

Here it is before demolition:



And here it is after the first day of demolition and some photos of the systems I’m trying to preserve and improve (need more water!).

 

[DarkBladeRunner]

I just ordered some 395/85r20 Goodyear MV/T tyres to give the truck a better top speed, better looks (mmmm) and a bit more ground clearance. I'll make sure to post photos when they get here in a few weeks.

Currently shopping for a 2000+ Watt alternator, roof ac, under bench ac, 12-24-110V refrigerator, etc etc.

 

[DarkBladeRunner]

Anyone have any leads on cheap major brand inner tubes? Looking for some 14.00r20 tubes from fireston, Michelin, Goodyear, etc. Trying to stay away from the no-name online "deals".