I have a '78Pickupper too. I like the pics of your interior/galley. I was planning on getting a 12 volt refrigerator chest too and putting it in the same place. Instead of the microwave though I see a big water storage area because I want to hang a shower off the back of my camper. I agree these campers are pretty sweet. Good to know about the side windows, I'll have to cut some boards soon. Keep rockin the Bethany!
My latest project...
- Thread starter Prybry
- Start date
Prybry
Adventurer
my idea for water storage
I pulled out the hand pump faucet and put in a small bar faucet plumbed to a 12v pump mounted at the rear of the camper. I use 7gal water jugs with a pickup hose which connects to a hose bung that connects to the pump inlet. I carry the jug in the camper when traveling and then when camped I move the jug out onto the ground and hook up the hose. Works great, I even have a faucet at the outside rear wall that I can use for a shower. I just leave the jug in the sun and it gets plenty warm enough for a quick shower.
Brian
I pulled out the hand pump faucet and put in a small bar faucet plumbed to a 12v pump mounted at the rear of the camper. I use 7gal water jugs with a pickup hose which connects to a hose bung that connects to the pump inlet. I carry the jug in the camper when traveling and then when camped I move the jug out onto the ground and hook up the hose. Works great, I even have a faucet at the outside rear wall that I can use for a shower. I just leave the jug in the sun and it gets plenty warm enough for a quick shower.
Brian
GermanInBC
New member
I have one of those in need of a lot of work , could you send me some more detailed pictures?
GermanInBC
New member
pm'ed
Thanks for the link with pictures. I am starting to like the idea of a camper with sides that fold out for beds. Since the pickupper hasn't been made for about 30 years I was thinking of building one myself but I if I find one close by I might buy it for the lift mechanism and construction ideas. Can you tell me the inside standing room/roof height, what kind of hinges are used on the side fold outs (continuous "piano" or other type), what kind of latches are used to hold the sides up. Pictures would be great if you have some.
As some background I have built a FWC clone and I think I was the first person who posted using gas struts on the roof, FWC inside lift assist is nearly the same of what I had posted almost 10 years ago. I had also used outside lift struts which others have also done since. So I have some experience in building something that actually was completed and still works. I also have a flippac that I bought thinking I would like a truck cap anyway. What I have learned is that I don't like a full time truck cap and climbing up into an over the cab bed gets old after a while and a longer floor would be better than the 6.5ft bed
. Since I don't want a full time cap anymore I was thinking that an 8 foot pickupper type camper on only when camping might work the best for me.By the way my wife went to Bethany College in Mankato in the '70s, she never heard of the Bethany camper but I wonder if there is some connection.
Prybry
Adventurer
homemade...
The inside height is 6'4", I'm 6'2" and can touch my head if I stretch... What I really like is the full height door! I couldn't stand going in and out through one of those "mini" doors.
The side wings are hinged on piano hinges that run the entire length of the panel. Also the side panels are solid 1" plywood with a skin of aluminum outside and wood grain inside.
The side latches are something very different... they are like cams with tongues... you put a hex key wench into the cam from the outside and twist until it grabs the panel. It both pulls the panel flush to the outside of the camper body and pulls the panel tight to the corner at the same time. This latch is key to the whole camper not shaking itself apart while offroading. The panels hang from chains on each end which are tied to the camper end frame panels with eye bolts.
There are two other secrets to the way this camper works... first is the door opening, which has a "U" shaped piece of 3/8" plate steel around the bottom of the door on the outside. The door end is also reinforced with framed book shelf/cabinets on the inside to keep the end walls from flexing.This is what supports the door opening and keeps the camper sides from just flopping outward when the top is up.
Second is way the top actually overlaps the sides and ends when lowered.. this also keeps the camper tight when offroading. The tricky part is making sure the canvas is all pulled in away from the roof joint so it doesn't get pinched.
Much easier to do from the outside... I use a heavy wooden yard stick to carefully push any canvas in while I walk around and latch the corners.
I also made a couple window panels to cover the side windows when the sides are down... I found it hard to believe they intended for you to lay directly on the window glass?!? I'm a big guy and wouldn't trust it...
Everyone who enters my camper can't believe the floor space and roomy feel it has. With the galley running across the front it leaves the entire floor open 4' by 6'. As you said, the beds are nice and easy to get to... no climbing.
They are like huge couches on either side of the camper. With the table mounted to the front edge of the galley counter, I can seat 4 people comfortably for dinner.
I look forward to seeing your progress on your home built version.
FYI, I see them in the MSP craigs list nearly every month, less than $1000 in most cases.
Prybry
The inside height is 6'4", I'm 6'2" and can touch my head if I stretch... What I really like is the full height door! I couldn't stand going in and out through one of those "mini" doors.
The side wings are hinged on piano hinges that run the entire length of the panel. Also the side panels are solid 1" plywood with a skin of aluminum outside and wood grain inside.
The side latches are something very different... they are like cams with tongues... you put a hex key wench into the cam from the outside and twist until it grabs the panel. It both pulls the panel flush to the outside of the camper body and pulls the panel tight to the corner at the same time. This latch is key to the whole camper not shaking itself apart while offroading. The panels hang from chains on each end which are tied to the camper end frame panels with eye bolts.
There are two other secrets to the way this camper works... first is the door opening, which has a "U" shaped piece of 3/8" plate steel around the bottom of the door on the outside. The door end is also reinforced with framed book shelf/cabinets on the inside to keep the end walls from flexing.This is what supports the door opening and keeps the camper sides from just flopping outward when the top is up.
Second is way the top actually overlaps the sides and ends when lowered.. this also keeps the camper tight when offroading. The tricky part is making sure the canvas is all pulled in away from the roof joint so it doesn't get pinched.
Much easier to do from the outside... I use a heavy wooden yard stick to carefully push any canvas in while I walk around and latch the corners.
I also made a couple window panels to cover the side windows when the sides are down... I found it hard to believe they intended for you to lay directly on the window glass?!? I'm a big guy and wouldn't trust it...
Everyone who enters my camper can't believe the floor space and roomy feel it has. With the galley running across the front it leaves the entire floor open 4' by 6'. As you said, the beds are nice and easy to get to... no climbing.
They are like huge couches on either side of the camper. With the table mounted to the front edge of the galley counter, I can seat 4 people comfortably for dinner.
I look forward to seeing your progress on your home built version.
FYI, I see them in the MSP craigs list nearly every month, less than $1000 in most cases.
Prybry
Thanks for the details. It might have too many specialty features for a build from scratch, maybe a used one in good shape or one that I could rebuild would be a better idea. I have been checking MSP craigslist but have only seen pull behind Bethany campers so far. I live on the west coast but daughter and son in law live near MSP so I'll ask them to keep a watch out for one. I really like the beds that fold out from the side at bedrail height. I would like to use Yakima racks that I have for the truck cab and neither the flippac nor my slide in camper allow that. I only need a camper for two anymore.
The FWC clone was a super easy build because there are no really unique or complex design features the only real challange was the lift mechanism that I redid a couple times (and it looks like FWC returned the clone favor and has been using my idea for their assist lift). The Bethany appears to have a lot more engineered into it that wouldn't lend itself to a quick and easy build.
The FWC clone was a super easy build because there are no really unique or complex design features the only real challange was the lift mechanism that I redid a couple times (and it looks like FWC returned the clone favor and has been using my idea for their assist lift). The Bethany appears to have a lot more engineered into it that wouldn't lend itself to a quick and easy build.
Prybry
Adventurer
One more place to look...
One more place to watch for Bethany Pickupper campers is the Bethany Camper group on Yahoo Groups....
There was even one listed for sale in Reno NV a while back...
On craigslist you almost need to search for "pop up truck camper" and look at those listed for $2000 or less... they don't always list "bethany" or "pickupper" in the title...
One word of warning... unless you have a short box truck these campers won't fit modern pickup beds... with a short box, the widest part can hang outside on the tailgate.
I had to trim mine at the bottom to just fit between the tailgate cables.
Prybry
One more place to watch for Bethany Pickupper campers is the Bethany Camper group on Yahoo Groups....
There was even one listed for sale in Reno NV a while back...
On craigslist you almost need to search for "pop up truck camper" and look at those listed for $2000 or less... they don't always list "bethany" or "pickupper" in the title...
One word of warning... unless you have a short box truck these campers won't fit modern pickup beds... with a short box, the widest part can hang outside on the tailgate.
I had to trim mine at the bottom to just fit between the tailgate cables.
Prybry
Thanks!
I have been checking under pickupper and Bethany, I'll have to scan the "pop up" listings also.
My truck is a F350 short bed so hopefully it would fit but I wouldn't be put off if I had to make a new lower tub for the camper, that was the easiest part of slide in popup camper that I built.
One good thing about my homemade camper is that I already got my money and times worth of use out of it so I don't need to try to sell it to recoup $. The most expensive things in it are the windows and the camper jacks and I am sure I could sell the jacks if they wouldn't work on a pickupper.
Do you use Brophy type cable jacks to load your camper?
Prybry
Adventurer
Jacks
I dumped the cable/winch jack stands for four corner gear driven style stands....
My wife insisted I get rid of the old two stand system after I scared her to death loading the camper the first time!
My Power Wagon is pretty high so I needed to run the camper to the very top of the stands and needless to say it was less than steady.
So now I just us a rechargeable drill to spin the four corner jacks up...
I also drilled the bottom of the stands and installed scaffolding casters with quick release pins.
This allows me to load the camper by myself... I roll the camper onto the truck rather than back the truck under the camper... so easy!
I dumped the cable/winch jack stands for four corner gear driven style stands....
My wife insisted I get rid of the old two stand system after I scared her to death loading the camper the first time!
My Power Wagon is pretty high so I needed to run the camper to the very top of the stands and needless to say it was less than steady.
So now I just us a rechargeable drill to spin the four corner jacks up...
I also drilled the bottom of the stands and installed scaffolding casters with quick release pins.
This allows me to load the camper by myself... I roll the camper onto the truck rather than back the truck under the camper... so easy!
rotti
Adventurer
It does look like the perfect solution but I know FWC recommends not putting casters on the jacks unless you have perfectly smooth and flat surface.
Here is a link to a thread over on WTW:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/6471-wheeling-the-camper-into-the-truck/page-2?hl=+wheels%20+jacks
Here is a link to a thread over on WTW:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/6471-wheeling-the-camper-into-the-truck/page-2?hl=+wheels%20+jacks
Prybry
Adventurer
I agree completely! Casters on the jacks WARNING
rotti,
I completely agree... any amount of slant to the surface is going to be a huge issue. I happen to have a nice flat shop floor to work on, also my driveway is also pretty level.
Any amount of incline and your camper could be out in the street mixing with traffic :Wow1:
I have also noted in earlier posts on this idea, that the camper needs to be very light weight... my Bethany only weights 900 lbs. The jacks are rated at 1000 a piece so I have plenty of safety factor.
Others with larger heavier campers WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH SAFETY FACTOR!
You also have to be careful when lifting or lowering the jack stands with casters, since any tip angle imparted during uneven jacking could cause the jack to see a side load it was never intended to see.
Common sense needs to apply... :ylsmoke:
I mention it on this posting to a fellow looking at the same camper as I have.. I do need to remember that my ramblings can be read by many others...
rotti,
I completely agree... any amount of slant to the surface is going to be a huge issue. I happen to have a nice flat shop floor to work on, also my driveway is also pretty level.
Any amount of incline and your camper could be out in the street mixing with traffic :Wow1:
I have also noted in earlier posts on this idea, that the camper needs to be very light weight... my Bethany only weights 900 lbs. The jacks are rated at 1000 a piece so I have plenty of safety factor.
Others with larger heavier campers WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH SAFETY FACTOR!
You also have to be careful when lifting or lowering the jack stands with casters, since any tip angle imparted during uneven jacking could cause the jack to see a side load it was never intended to see.
Common sense needs to apply... :ylsmoke:
I mention it on this posting to a fellow looking at the same camper as I have.. I do need to remember that my ramblings can be read by many others...
Prybry
Adventurer
I'll be using the camper all next week along the North shore of MN... I'm covering communications for the John Beargrease sled dog race again..
I can take some pictures during the week and post them when I get back to the office on the following Monday.
It's going to to cold... forecast for the area is showing temps anywhere from -5 to -25... My kerosene heater will be cranking...!
Anything else besides the door?
Brian
I can take some pictures during the week and post them when I get back to the office on the following Monday.
It's going to to cold... forecast for the area is showing temps anywhere from -5 to -25... My kerosene heater will be cranking...!
Anything else besides the door?
Brian
Ok, kinda off subject but I must say I got curious while looking for "canvas" for another job and found that you can still get a full canvas set for a Pickupper ready to install from Bear Cr. Canvas. Pretty good I thought for a unit that's been out of production for over a decade.