FWC Keystone Full Rebuild Project
- Thread starter Colorado CJ
- Start date
Mighty Dodge Ram
Explorer
Great (re)build! Looking forward to more progress. :sombrero:
Colorado CJ
Observer
Thanks everyone! I'm starting in on Chalk Painting the cabinetry. It is kind of time consuming since you need to wax and buff everything after the paint dries. I should be able to get the cabinetry completed and chalk painted by the weeekend.
BTW, does anyone know of a good, and CHEAP place to order some memory foam?
Thanks. The camper is just over 2" above the roof of the cab. Should be plenty for flex.
BTW, does anyone know of a good, and CHEAP place to order some memory foam?
Thanks. The camper is just over 2" above the roof of the cab. Should be plenty for flex.
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Is this for the bed? The space you have to work with when the top is down is limited. I bought some memory foam mattress covers. They were about three inches thick and had two densities of foam. I think they were on Amazon, I will check.
*edit. Found some at Sam's club that are reasonably priced. http://www.samsclub.com/sams/mattress-toppers/2590113.cp
sunchaser365
New member
New landing Idea for my Keystone camper
I have just installed a rear landing on my keystone . I used a used hitch from my Jeep cherokee mounted upside down attached to the existing receiver hitch. with two back to back attachments. Then i purchased a 2x10 board and bolted to the top of the hitch with skid tape. Then I keep a plastic two step stool in the camper that I place in front of the landing when needed. I use turn buckles at each end to stabilize the landing. The landing is 36x10 inches and can be disassembled in 5 minutes. The landing is 6 inches lower than than the camper floor.
Jerry
I have just installed a rear landing on my keystone . I used a used hitch from my Jeep cherokee mounted upside down attached to the existing receiver hitch. with two back to back attachments. Then i purchased a 2x10 board and bolted to the top of the hitch with skid tape. Then I keep a plastic two step stool in the camper that I place in front of the landing when needed. I use turn buckles at each end to stabilize the landing. The landing is 36x10 inches and can be disassembled in 5 minutes. The landing is 6 inches lower than than the camper floor.
Jerry
sunchaser365
New member
Thanks for inspiring me to upgrade my keystone
Your article inspired me to refurbish my 1988 keystone i bought new and start using it again. If the 97 f 250 does not work out I will attempt to change the width like you did, putting it on a new truck. The keystone is a great camper because of its size, giving you a decent amount of floor space as you know. I did remove the bath room walls to give me more open space while still keeping the potty close by.
thanks again, and nice job.
Sunchaser365
Your article inspired me to refurbish my 1988 keystone i bought new and start using it again. If the 97 f 250 does not work out I will attempt to change the width like you did, putting it on a new truck. The keystone is a great camper because of its size, giving you a decent amount of floor space as you know. I did remove the bath room walls to give me more open space while still keeping the potty close by.
thanks again, and nice job.
Sunchaser365
Attachments
Colorado CJ
Observer
Looks like mine! Except mine didn't come with a bathroom, I think I got the base model.
Colorado CJ
Observer
Time for a little update.
I finished up the chalk painting and waxing (no finished photos as it is still a mess).
Next on the list was to build the seat cushions.
I am using 3/4" ply for the cushion bases because the seating will convert to a third bed. I didn't take photos while I made all the seat cushions since I forgot my camera at home, so I'll show photos of me building the seat backs.
Here I'm building the bench seat back. Since this will serve a dual purpose, both as a seat back and part of a third bed, I used the folding legs that were originally on the cabover bed and cut them down to size.
I started with a base layer of 3/4" laytex like foam. I cut these from some exercise mats I bought from Walmart. A little 3M 77 for bonding to the ply.
Next I used a hotwire cutter to cut down the 3" foam blocks down to size. I found these 3" x 24" x 72" dense polyurethane foam blocks at Home Depot for $25.00 each, a quarter of the cost than you can buy them for at fabric stores.
More 3M77 and the foam is attached to the seat back.
Since this bench seat back will be able to convert to a bed, I had to make a way for it to attach to the front side of the bench seat. I took some 1 x 2 poplar and dadoed 1/4 slots in two sides, then attached this to the front of the bench seat. I then cut some aluminum angle and attached it to the back of the seat back. These will hook into the dadoed slots and hold the seat back in place when it is used as a bed.
Here they are inside the camper. Sorry for the bad photos and the mess. The inside is still under construction and I didn't clean it for the photos. I'll be sure to take some decent photos as the inside is more finished.
The bench back in its normal place (I still need to fab up some mounts so it stays in this position, yet can detach to turn into a bed.
And set up in the bed position. This is about the size of a regular twin bed and is VERY comfortable and sturdy.
Tonight I asked my mom to come out with me to a fabric shop and picked up some nice upolstery fabric. My sister will probably have the time some time this week to sew up the cushion covers. (I could try it, but I never sewed before and my sister volunteered [
] )
For the cabover, I'll be buying a 3-4" queen sized memory foam topper.
Next up, installing the heater and wiring, then finishing up the cabinet doors and drawer, then it is all finished!
I finished up the chalk painting and waxing (no finished photos as it is still a mess).
Next on the list was to build the seat cushions.
I am using 3/4" ply for the cushion bases because the seating will convert to a third bed. I didn't take photos while I made all the seat cushions since I forgot my camera at home, so I'll show photos of me building the seat backs.
Here I'm building the bench seat back. Since this will serve a dual purpose, both as a seat back and part of a third bed, I used the folding legs that were originally on the cabover bed and cut them down to size.
I started with a base layer of 3/4" laytex like foam. I cut these from some exercise mats I bought from Walmart. A little 3M 77 for bonding to the ply.
Next I used a hotwire cutter to cut down the 3" foam blocks down to size. I found these 3" x 24" x 72" dense polyurethane foam blocks at Home Depot for $25.00 each, a quarter of the cost than you can buy them for at fabric stores.
More 3M77 and the foam is attached to the seat back.
Since this bench seat back will be able to convert to a bed, I had to make a way for it to attach to the front side of the bench seat. I took some 1 x 2 poplar and dadoed 1/4 slots in two sides, then attached this to the front of the bench seat. I then cut some aluminum angle and attached it to the back of the seat back. These will hook into the dadoed slots and hold the seat back in place when it is used as a bed.
Here they are inside the camper. Sorry for the bad photos and the mess. The inside is still under construction and I didn't clean it for the photos. I'll be sure to take some decent photos as the inside is more finished.
The bench back in its normal place (I still need to fab up some mounts so it stays in this position, yet can detach to turn into a bed.
And set up in the bed position. This is about the size of a regular twin bed and is VERY comfortable and sturdy.
Tonight I asked my mom to come out with me to a fabric shop and picked up some nice upolstery fabric. My sister will probably have the time some time this week to sew up the cushion covers. (I could try it, but I never sewed before and my sister volunteered [
] )For the cabover, I'll be buying a 3-4" queen sized memory foam topper.
Next up, installing the heater and wiring, then finishing up the cabinet doors and drawer, then it is all finished!
Colorado CJ
Observer
Thanks! I think I'll make a short video showing how fast it is to go from couch to bed and back and post it here.
Colorado CJ
Observer
Well, I got the memory foam mattress and CO/Propane alarm ordered.
Also, after doing a lot of research, I picked up a 120 qt. Xtreme Marine 6 day cooler for $68.00. I figured for right now, I'll use the cooler and save up for the engle fridge and solar setup (which will cost roughly $1,000.00). I can live with buying ice every 4-5 days or so.
I might try sewing up my cushion covers tomorrow. My sister said she'd do it, but I would like to see if I can do it myself, and they are ready and waiting to be covered. How hard can sewing be anyway?
I also started in on the wiring and finished installing my heater and stove and all the propane lines.
I figure I should have the camper finished my the end of the week!
Also, after doing a lot of research, I picked up a 120 qt. Xtreme Marine 6 day cooler for $68.00. I figured for right now, I'll use the cooler and save up for the engle fridge and solar setup (which will cost roughly $1,000.00). I can live with buying ice every 4-5 days or so.
I might try sewing up my cushion covers tomorrow. My sister said she'd do it, but I would like to see if I can do it myself, and they are ready and waiting to be covered. How hard can sewing be anyway?
I also started in on the wiring and finished installing my heater and stove and all the propane lines.
I figure I should have the camper finished my the end of the week!