Old camper, same gameplan, let the mods begin!

[VicHanson]

Nice idea on the folding step! I'm hoping for a side door on mine, wondering if a similar idea might work but have it fold the other way so that it could fold up inside the camper. I'll have to give it some thought. Too bad I don't still have my Erector set to practice with!
Vic

 

[IdaSHO]

An erector set is great, but I strongly suggest trying out Google Sketchup.. Fantastic, and FREE program

Anywho...

On with the show.

As it would seem, I found a structural fault in the camper. After re-sealing the lower cabover trims, I found that the sleeping area plywood was not so stable, and was using the strength of the siding to hold itself in place. So I tore into it, and used a simple angle iron fix. This also provided a sweet location to mount struts to help support the weight of the sleeping area, and it's occupants.

So, using 1/2 all-thread, 1/2 turnbuckles, a couple of pins, and some scrap steel I had laying around, I went to work.

All of this required a little bit of metal fab. My favorite!

I was also able to get the camper tie-downs fabricated and mounted.

Simple and effective. Notice the turn-buckles. All steel. I REALLY didnt trust aluminum for this particular job.

This camper is old enough that it doesnt have a fridge, it has a true ice-box. And adding the sides onto this camper required the drain to be extended. So I replaced the entire hose.

I give it 2 days before it freezes up

Working wont he compartment doors. For now, they will be simple plywood doors, primed and painted. Bolts are fastened to the aluminum trim, and the doors are held on by wing-nuts. Simple, and effective.

 

[IdaSHO]

New lenses all the way around. Dont let the photo fool you, the lights are not operational yet.

Propane compartment done, awaiting the door.

Furnace cover re-painted to blend in a bit better

Thats all for now:snorkel:

 

[IdaSHO]

The camper is out of the shop....

THE CAMPER IS OUT OF THE SHOP! :wings:

Still a few things to work on, but at least I have my shop back!

Getting the camper out introduced an interesting dilemma. With the camper on the truck, it is too tall for even my 9' tall door opening. When I put the camper into the shop, I used a small trailer borrowed from work. Naturally, I figured it would come out just as easily.

Wrong.

When I backed the camper into the shop on the trailer, the floor of the camper was on the deck of the trailer. Now the camper has a flat bottom, and has to sit above the fenders.

Talk about CLOSE. Using pallets as blocking, and various scrap lumber, the camper was set on the trailer as low as it could go. Right to the fenders. Even then, I was 3 inches too tall.

So I let the air out of the tires

It came out... barely. Any tighter and I would have had to grease the ceiling vent.

But at least it is out!

here it is, getting removed from the trailer, my wife re-inflating the tires.

Duke, our new puppy approves of the cabover sleeping area.

Finding its way onto the truck for the night. Tomorrow the tie-downs will be finished.

And a quick mock-up of another issue I must address.

The camper ties down to the bed just fine. But what about the bed to the chassis???

I dont trust the mounts that much. So chains and binders will serve as a safe-guard. I would hate to leave the camper on it's side, with the bed attached, along side the road somewhere :Wow1:

 

[IdaSHO]

Shake-down run today!

This morning I braved the cold and got the remainder of the tie-downs done. They just need paint, which will happen after the camper is removed, and the truck is in the shop.

Getting closer though!

The camper settles the suspension on this truck just an inch-and-a-half. After 10+ miles on dirt roads, improved and unimproved, and 15+ miles on the highway at 60+ mph, I can say that I dont even need air bags to haul this camper. The sway is very slight. Interesting enough, I cannot even hear the camper at highway speeds. I was expecting a nice howl. None at all.

This shows how narrow it really is. Even being as tall as it is, I should be able to squeeze into some interesting places. The upper portion of the camper is just slightly narrower than the truck body.

Still have the propane door to install.

 

[VicHanson]

Sorry if I missed it, but what kind of aluminum siding did you use? What is the cost? It looks good!
Vic

 

[IdaSHO]

It is an aluminum "trim coil" that we stock at work.

Traditionally used for residential home construction.

18 gauge, comes i a few colors, textured and smooth, and very cheap. Less than 50cents a square foot.

At work I have the tools to rip, cut, and break this stuff in any which way I need.

Although, the next go around for this camper will be a steel siding. For now this will work just fine :sombrero:

 

[IdaSHO]

Little side note.....

I just ordered new treads today!! :wings:

Dropped some coin on some BFG Commercial Traction tires.

Ive heard some awesome reviews for these tires, and I hope they work out. From what Ive read, they should be perfect for this rig.

Went with 235/85r16. Nice and skinny!

Im so excited! They should be be delivered second week in Dec.

:smiley_drive:

 

[Bugetexpedition]

do you need any more parts? I have a 77 Mitchell that I am stripping down. shoot me a message on this board if you want. If I still have it, its yours just cover shipping. I have been working on my flatbed camper and really like what you have accomplished with yours.

Scott

 

[IdaSHO]

I dont think I do Scott. This camper, while being old and worn, was 100% complete.

Only thing I think I might want would be windows, but I do not imagine the windows in your '77 are any better that the ones Ive got.

Thanks for the offer though.

 

[IdaSHO]

A few pics from the other day, installed some cheap carpet, and the interior is good to go, minus curtains.

And the section of the camper I opened up. There will be a bench/shelf here, with enough room under it for the dog crate. Paneling is temporary.

I also got some more testing today.

With the camper outside in the cold, I fired up the furnace for a test run. Placed the remote temp sensor I use for outside temp monitoring form the house inside the camper, and watched the temp rise.

With the temps at 28 degrees outside, the furnace was able to bring the camper up to 60 degrees in less than 2 hrs. Thats with nobody in it. Two adults, a dog, and two cats should change that formula dramatically.

Either way, the furnace is working great.

 

[VicHanson]

The BF Goodrich tires look nice. I was debating between those and Goodyear Wrangler Dura Tracs. Will be putting them on an Isuzu NPR (so will actually need 6 of them).

I found a couple of prices, four BF Goodrich235 85R 16E Commercial TA Traction tires with shipping and mounting from Tire Rack cost $705, shipped to the tire mounter. Not sure if I would have to pay state sales tax.

They would cost $676 at the Sam's club, with a much better service deal, free repairs, life time balancing, and 2 year road service incl.
Which is $169 each, plus state sales tax!

Did you find something better than that?
Hope you get everything ready for your Christmas trip.

 

[IdaSHO]

At that price, I wish I had a sams club!

I got them from tire-rack.

For 4 of them, shipped to my work from their Indiana warehouse (Nevada one was "special order") cost me a bit less than $700.

So, add on mounting and balancing here in town at $15 a tire, and Ive got a killer set of treads for less than $800.



Best I could get locally in anything similar (no BFG dealer here) was over $1k out the door.

 

[IdaSHO]

Yay!

They get fitted tomorrow! :victory:

 

[lstzephyr]

Very cool. I like how you are building it well but still on a budget.

I've definetly got some ideas from this and I'm liking the flat bed truck camper builds I've been seeing lately.

Does that bed have a wood "floor"? It also looks like you don't trust your straps to hold your tires on either. I don't trust anything to stay on my truck so I can't blame you.