Flatbed and composite panel build on Dodge 2500

Jeep

Supporting Sponsor: Overland Explorer Expedition V
Thanks guys, last day of the build, a little clean up, some latches for the tripod cabinets, and some proper photos tomorrow and it's off for a different kind of adventure!

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Jeep

Supporting Sponsor: Overland Explorer Expedition V
The trailer build

Got back on the trailer today, got the base extrusions cut and tacked in place, the rear door opening extrusions in place, hacked out a wall and stood it up, and realized after 20 years of fabricating conventionally what the first caveman to cook his kill over a fire felt like…..

Base extrusion, now that's a mitre! Bought a new saw, looks like you get what you pay for!

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Rear door framed in

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Stand the wall up.

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Jeep

Supporting Sponsor: Overland Explorer Expedition V
Yes, they are 1.5" thick aluminum/PP/glass, nice panels. I will be using the same material for the floor of my camper, the rest will be glass skins both sides. The camper design is kind of going a little more equipped than basic, just trying to figure out where to draw the line between needs and wants. Came up with a couple of really good ideas and every time I do so I find 10 more ways to manipulate the floor plan for more "free" features and room. Are you going to run propane or diesel appliances in yours Ward? I like the propane in the 650 but I'm leaning toward diesel in this unit for space and convenience, we move a lot of Espar stuff so the heating is a no brainer, just looking at cook top options.
 

Healeyjet

Explorer
All of the reading and research I did pointed to using the True Induction cook top instead of the Webasto. From my reading it appeared that the diesel cook tops are slower to heat up and can have issues at altitude. As well, no extra heat inside the camper in the summer will be a bonus with induction. I decided to go diesel heat for the camper, water and engine preheat loop. I do have a small Partner Steel Stove that we will use outside when able and it runs on a small propane tank. The fridge is a Vitrifrigo 12v.

Ward
 

Jeep

Supporting Sponsor: Overland Explorer Expedition V
It won't be ready unfortunately. We have a points race this weekend so 3 days are committed to that, gotta have some fun too. I am dragging my Jeep down with me though, going to hit the trail run on Friday, if we weren't on a bit of a short schedule we would take a few more days and enjoy the Cascades and a few other spots along the way but we will most likely grab a room and rip down with the mighty Dodge for a couple days. Anybody else reading going on the Nitro Gear ride?

I got the rest of the extrusions cut tonite, and the rest of the wall and ceiling panels, next week it comes apart, powder coat all of the extrusions, and glue it all together. The extrusions are awesome to work with and incredibly strong, really happy with the way everything works as a package, as rigid as everything is there is a lot of torsional flexibility with the design, everything can move nice and easily with basically no stress. Bulkheads will definitely make the box more rigid, and i was initially thinking that they would be necessary, but as things are going together there is no need for any extra support. I was walking around on the roof without a screw, rivet, or bolt holding anything together, just 2 clamps holding the extrusions to the door frame.

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