shellbackcva59
Observer
I have a 4 Wheel that I'm restoring. I'll take a close look at the roof trim. My son works in a commercial glas shop that does a lot of aluminum work. He has bent up various pieces of trim for me.
My attempt at a Pop-up........It begins....
- Thread starter lindy74
- Start date
Jeep or Tacoma
Explorer
looks good
I keep thinking about doing that or something like it for m y jeep
I keep thinking about doing that or something like it for m y jeep
When I built mine I looked around but couldn't find extrusions like these (top and bottom strips) so i just used a large "D" shaped rubber seal on the top lid and a high quality rubber (not the usual foam) camper seal on the lower camper top edge. It has never leaked and the camper is now 13 years old. the D seal compresses so it isn't that obvious but it doesn't have the finished look of the FWC extrusions.
lindy74
Member
Sorry for the long delay between......latest update
So here is the latest update to my build. I have made some great progress in the frame fabrication. Again please note this is my first time welding aluminum, but I am overall happy with the results. They are solid welds even though ugly. They did however become prettier as the project moved forward...
Lastly I acquired a command module that was being tossed from my work that was in one of our Chief officers command vehicles. It has nice drawers and such but weighed about 350 lbs. I cut it down repainted it and carpeted it to use in the front of the camper for storage. came out looking pretty nice!
So here is the latest update to my build. I have made some great progress in the frame fabrication. Again please note this is my first time welding aluminum, but I am overall happy with the results. They are solid welds even though ugly. They did however become prettier as the project moved forward...
Lastly I acquired a command module that was being tossed from my work that was in one of our Chief officers command vehicles. It has nice drawers and such but weighed about 350 lbs. I cut it down repainted it and carpeted it to use in the front of the camper for storage. came out looking pretty nice!
lindy74
Member
So next steps will be......
1. Finish the small amount of support framing within the current frame to bolster the strength.
2. Seal and paint the plywood decking for the cabover bed.
3. Weld up the roof frame.
I know that the standard practice is or was to have a slight convex bow to the roof. I am curious if I have a completely flat roof that is one piece aluminum if that would be ok or not. Trying to determine how I would bend the 1x1 square tube on the roof to accommodate a slope. Not sure if this practice was prior to having one piece roofs or not. I am also still torn on if I will use filon or aluminum for my siding. If i do use aluminum I really detest the corrugated stuff. Filon gives a cleaner look, but I'm not sure if using smooth aluminum siding would be acceptable or not. Also not sure on the minimum thickness for the siding/roofing if I go the aluminum route. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
I hope to update more as time permits!
Thanks!
1. Finish the small amount of support framing within the current frame to bolster the strength.
2. Seal and paint the plywood decking for the cabover bed.
3. Weld up the roof frame.
I know that the standard practice is or was to have a slight convex bow to the roof. I am curious if I have a completely flat roof that is one piece aluminum if that would be ok or not. Trying to determine how I would bend the 1x1 square tube on the roof to accommodate a slope. Not sure if this practice was prior to having one piece roofs or not. I am also still torn on if I will use filon or aluminum for my siding. If i do use aluminum I really detest the corrugated stuff. Filon gives a cleaner look, but I'm not sure if using smooth aluminum siding would be acceptable or not. Also not sure on the minimum thickness for the siding/roofing if I go the aluminum route. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
I hope to update more as time permits!
Thanks!
Hey Lindy74. Nice progress. I'm a couple months behind you on a very similar bid so it's cool to see how your doing it. What size tubing did you use, especially for the cab over section? looks like 1 x 4" ?
I've been searching out what to use for the siding, and all of the filon I can find is heavier and more expensive, so I am going to go with smooth, pre-painted trailer siding (white for me) that comes in a variety of sizes. It's .030 thickness. I've heard advice to go thicker or even thiner, but this thickness gets used on a bunch of enclosed trailer around here and seems to work. Also I think some airstreams are only slightly thicker. Here is one supplier, but there is a variety out there online. http://www.mirageinc.com/030-beveled-aluminum-full-skin-sheets The roof i'm going to use a rolled aluminium slightly thicker - more like .040.
I've been wondering about the curved roof too. It's definitely going to be stronger that way, but it means a complexity added to the project that I'm not sure I want to deal with. My current wood framed camper, and my buddies all have flat roofs, so it seems pretty reasonable to have one as well. The roof i'm going to use a rolled aluminium slightly thicker - more like .040.
I've been searching out what to use for the siding, and all of the filon I can find is heavier and more expensive, so I am going to go with smooth, pre-painted trailer siding (white for me) that comes in a variety of sizes. It's .030 thickness. I've heard advice to go thicker or even thiner, but this thickness gets used on a bunch of enclosed trailer around here and seems to work. Also I think some airstreams are only slightly thicker. Here is one supplier, but there is a variety out there online. http://www.mirageinc.com/030-beveled-aluminum-full-skin-sheets The roof i'm going to use a rolled aluminium slightly thicker - more like .040.
I've been wondering about the curved roof too. It's definitely going to be stronger that way, but it means a complexity added to the project that I'm not sure I want to deal with. My current wood framed camper, and my buddies all have flat roofs, so it seems pretty reasonable to have one as well. The roof i'm going to use a rolled aluminium slightly thicker - more like .040.
lindy74
Member
Good info, thanks Dweb. I might go with Aluminum as well. As for the sizes I used its all 6061 aluminum, 11gauge. I used 1x4 for the cabover and added an additional 1x2 to give me enough room for the bed and added strength. It's pretty damn tough. I will also most likely add some angle from the front of the bed portion of the camper up to the cabover as well for additional support.
lindy74
Member
Awesome thank you!
A way to make the bow yourself, well not really a bow, but to peak the roof. Just cut a slit in the center of your cross brace, cutting through except for the very top. An 1/8 inch cut would allow you to bend it enough to bow it. You would then weld up where you cut. I did that to make the beavertail on a trailer I built, although I needed more than 1/8 inch
Doc Foster
Adventurer
Looking good. Don't sweat the non-pretty welds, I am sure they are strong.
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