Planning Isuzu NPS Build Preliminary GAs

[fastrhino]

Hi
After lots of research I am looking to build an overland vehicle to live and travel Australia in.

I have opted for a new NPS single cab with All Terrain Warriors super singles.

The living box is going to be 4600 long by 2300 wide.

Construction will be aluminium space frame with aluminium outer skin, closed cell foam insulation and composite inside skin.

The sub frame will be steel RHS and SHS with spring mounts to the Isuzu Chassis.

I am toying with the idea of fully documenting the build on YouTube with the whole process from fabrication and welding and fit out of the living accommodation.

Have a look at the preliminary auto-cad general arrangement drawings.

Feel fit to comment on my plans and watch this space.

Hopefully I will start construction in the next few months once I have sourced the vehicle and purchased the batch of materials for the sub-frame.

 

[trackadda]

hi mate, will be watching with interest, have just started my own build all be it on an older [2007] model nps. you have obviously done a lot of home work to get to this stage but just to lob a few things at you, have a look at www.styromax.com for fibreglass composite panels, very light and very strong. also with the size ie the width and height have you considered getting into some of the more off road places with a vehicle of that size, maybe a pop top and stay close to the cab size. just my thoughts and feel free to ignore them as i know that we all have our own reason for doing things as we do. if you are buying new it would be worth talking to atw re purchasing the vehicle and components direct from them, their new vehicle prices are very keen. the fun begins lol, Gary

 

[Tourboy]

Hi Mate,
You can always buy ours when we get back from the Kimberley in July. Internal is 6m x 2.4m. Kitchen and sink is already fitted on the outside so the inside can be a blank canvas. You can leave the queen bed, remove the 4 seats and the 3 other beds and 2 fridges and go to town.

 

[fastrhino]

hi mate, will be watching with interest, have just started my own build all be it on an older [2007] model nps. you have obviously done a lot of home work to get to this stage but just to lob a few things at you, have a look at www.styromax.com for fibreglass composite panels, very light and very strong. also with the size ie the width and height have you considered getting into some of the more off road places with a vehicle of that size, maybe a pop top and stay close to the cab size. just my thoughts and feel free to ignore them as i know that we all have our own reason for doing things as we do. if you are buying new it would be worth talking to atw re purchasing the vehicle and components direct from them, their new vehicle prices are very keen. the fun begins lol, Gary

I looked at styromax. They quoted me £12,000 plus a further £2000 transport costs for panels. I believe I can build the box for under $5000 in aluminium.

As I am going to live in it as well I am concerned that a pop top will be cold during the winter months.

Mike

 

[Fugly]

Watching this with interest....
let the fun begin.......

cheers Fugly

 

[SkiFreak]

if you are buying new it would be worth talking to atw re purchasing the vehicle and components direct from them, their new vehicle prices are very keen.

I can confirm this, as I bought my truck through them, as well as getting some modifications done.
Another big plus if you go down the SWR conversion route is that you will get a second stage manufactures plate for the conversion, opposed to needing an engineer's report. The SSM is also DOTARS approved, so it is legal in every state, unlike an engineer's report, which is only legally valid in the state of issue. Having a SSM plate can be a big plus at the time of sale too.

I also agree that going down the full composite route is a better option, for many reasons.
Here is a scenario for you... buy the truck from ATW, get it cheaper and have a SSM for the SRW conversion, go to Styromax and pick up the panels and drive home.

I know that this would still be more expensive than building an aluminium frame/skinned camper, but it would probably be a more thermally efficient option and, in my opinion, a better box to "live in".
Another plus for the composite CNC option is the speed and simplicity of assembly, which should not be taken lightly.

 

[fastrhino]

Hi Mate,
You can always buy ours when we get back from the Kimberley in July. Internal is 6m x 2.4m. Kitchen and sink is already fitted on the outside so the inside can be a blank canvas. You can leave the queen bed, remove the 4 seats and the 3 other beds and 2 fridges and go to town.

PM me some details and maybe a link to photos please, I will take a look :sombrero:

 

[fastrhino]

I can confirm this, as I bought my truck through them, as well as getting some modifications done.
Another big plus if you go down the SWR conversion route is that you will get a second stage manufactures plate for the conversion, opposed to needing an engineer's report. The SSM is also DOTARS approved, so it is legal in every state, unlike an engineer's report, which is only legally valid in the state of issue. Having a SSM plate can be a big plus at the time of sale too.

I also agree that going down the full composite route is a better option, for many reasons.
Here is a scenario for you... buy the truck from ATW, get it cheaper and have a SSM for the SRW conversion, go to Styromax and pick up the panels and drive home.

I know that this would still be more expensive than building an aluminium frame/skinned camper, but it would probably be a more thermally efficient option and, in my opinion, a better box to "live in".
Another plus for the composite CNC option is the speed and simplicity of assembly, which should not be taken lightly.

Some great points Skifreak, my local Isuzu dealer can do the conversation as a SSM conversion the only thing they cant do is the additional fuel tank configuration offered by ATW.

I have considered Thermal Bridging of aluminium structural members and have a strategy to overcome this by insulating both the cavity's between the members and then another layer of insulation over the the whole lot before the interior skins is applied.

With lead times from Styro-max I could probably build the box and being a Fabricator / Welder by trade I know the product will be of high quality. :victory:

 

[steve66]

Hey Fastrhino,

I bought my truck thru ATW, Isuzu Aust delivered it straight to them but it was worked out so that my local dealer was credited with the sale, makes it better for after care etc, They got me a price thousands below what my dealer could do, had ATW do all the usual mods, we flew down picked it up and strapped a heap of gear to the back and drove it home.

I used Vanglass panels, located around the corner from ATW. They have done heaps of panels for all types of RV's, very good product and reputation. If you look at Leishannon's build on here he did a full comparison of the various panels and picked vanglass.

Good Luck Cheers Steve

 

[fastrhino]

I used Vanglass panels, located around the corner from ATW. They have done heaps of panels for all types of RV's, very good product and reputation. If you look at Leishannon's build on here he did a full comparison of the various panels and picked vanglass.

I have asked Vanglass to give me a budget estimate for the panels based on the dimensions I am planning to build. admittedly it would be a much quicker build using composite panels but cost is a consideration, but then again my labor would be considerable if I build my own to the standard I require. :Wow1:

 

[steve66]

I reckon if you buy the truck via ATW then the extra discount will more than pay for the difference in cost for the Vanglass panels, just saying

 

[trackadda]

i know that atw use styromax and not vanglass that are just around the corner, reason unknown?

 

[steve66]

They use their own in house moulds for the Global Warriors.

I know they offer FRP panels in their custom builds. No idea what panel it is. Vanglass are not the cheapest so that may be the issue.

Vanglass do all of Australian Offroad Campers bodies, 1 every 4 days last time I was there.

no connection, just a happy customer.

cheers steve

 

[steve66]

Hi Again,

I had a look at Styromax again, they appear to be a bit more corporate than Vanglass, which is really a Father/Son setup, if I remember back to Shan's testing, the PU core used by Vanglass has superior insulation properties to other cores, but more expensive to make, and the panels were the hardest to break.

He bought samples of available composite panels, propped them up on a brick and drove his truck up them, whilst being a rustic testing method the differences between various panels was clear.

Good Luck with whatever you decide.

Cheers Steve

 

[Maninga]

I liked what Styromax did for me, had them build both the subframe and body and mount it for me. Everything designed in CAD and cut on the CNC means everything fits tight, no thermal bridges either (potential exceptions being door jam and windows). Price for what I had done seemed quite fair, know they've done some quite large projects of late including a big MAN TGM I crawled over around Christmas.

Have a spare panel offcut if you want me to take a hammer to it or drive over it.

Will be following this build