Lumber Rack Made Into A Pop-Up Camper?

[chazjwest]

I have this idea which led me to this great forum. I want to take a lumber/ladder rack and use it as a frame to build a camper shell with a Westfalia style pop-up. Has anyone done this? What are your thoughts?

My plan is to locate a one piece cabover rack and use the windows and rear hatch out of my current shell. Flat strips and angle iron will be welded onto the rack to allow fiberglass or aluminum or?? panels to be bolted into place. The top will be fiberglass (I have experience making it) with canvas. I plan on the top opening on the rear side only. I figure there will be plenty of sleeping room up top because the rack would extend over the cab of the truck.

This will be going on a 2005 Toyota Tundra double cab. I don't need anything besides a place to store my camping gear and surfing equipment but I've found that sleeping in the back of the truck with all that stuff gets pretty tight. That's why I want to enclose the rack and make a pop-up top.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

My advice, search craigslist and get a "truck camper". I have seen them for a couple hundred bucks that are not in too bad of shape

 

[tanglefoot]

I've envisioned those truck racks as a camper frame as well...the only downsides I could see is that they might be a little on the heavy side for just the frame, and the width is the same as the distance between the bedsides, which doesn't provide for the space of most campers. It sure should have enough strength though.

If you take it on, I'm sure you'll have a highly-visited build thread here on the forum.

Welcome!

 

[haven]

Here's a related idea, borrowed from Dan T. Cook, who drove a rig like this around the world on a quest for the best flyfishing. Dan had a flatbed carrying his gear enclosed with an expanded metal mesh for security, and covered the sides with canvas to keep out (most of) the dust.

Dan needed the space on top of the truck for a boat, so he towed a Campa trailer with rooftop tent for his living quarters. But since you don't have a boat, you could put a rooftop tent on top of the lumber rack.

Dan has returned home to Colorado, but you can still read about his trip here
http://www.flyfishingtheglobe.net/

 

[chazjwest]

Thanks for the advice! I want to stick to the width of the truck for better mpg and add an air dam on the front to help with that. I think a camper is more than I need. I want this thing to look clean and be sturdy. Now, to find a lumber rack and start welding!

 

[pods8]

Thanks for the advice! I want to stick to the width of the truck for better mpg and add an air dam on the front to help with that. I think a camper is more than I need. I want this thing to look clean and be sturdy. Now, to find a lumber rack and start welding!

If you can weld I'd think just starting from scratch would likely be easier, cheaper, and get you the exact sizing/weight you want out of things rather than trying to repurpose a lumber rack.

 

[eugene]

Or for that matter buying a used truck cap will probably be about the same price as a used lumber rack.
Seems to me you could skin the lumber rack in thin plywood then 'paint' with fiberglass to get it good and waterproof.

 

[TacomaJack09]

Hey OP,

any updates on this idea? Did you get it started? I'm in the same boat!

http://i1353.photobucket.com/albums/q669/TacomaJack09/POPTOP_zps9efe4f0f.jpg

Here's another members version. I'd like to enclose the whole bed though.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/79292-DIY-Pop-up-Camper-Build