POD: Homebuilt foam core fiberglass skin pop-up camper build thread

[pods8]

Very nice- must feel good to get it all mocked together and be able to really see what you've been doing. Do you have enough room in there to make the door open to the inside? That would solve any interferance problems while you're top-down.

Very nice but teasing as well since there is a bunch of fiberglass work to do before it's really a roof.

It had crossed my mind but standing space is a premium in these sized rigs and I think the swing/open door in nice weather would get tiresome. Plus in foul weather the door opening to the inside would likely shed off more rain/snow onto the floor than what would come in when opening outward in weather. It's not entirely off the table but I'm generally going along assuming my final design will swing out.

For top down access to the camper I was thinking of splitting the main door and have a short door that would open up below the overlap, I'd latch this short door into the upper door though so when that one opened they both did so in normal function I'd still just be working a single door verse the two overlapping doors if I had one in the roof half of the camper. I could fit a door that is about 22" tall I think, it's not huge but it's big enough to shove gear, a cooler, etc. in/out and allows a person to slip into there if they didn't want to put the top up or if there was some sort of malfunction with the lift system. Definitely not ideal in terms of sizing but it would be better than no access (or trying to come through the cab through window ).

 

[IdaSHO]

Yes, from a sealing standpoint, you do NOT want an in-swinging door.

Just think if it managed to open on the highway... in foul weather... :snorkel:



Looking great BTW. Im envious that you are so far along on your construction, when Im still int he planning stages. :ylsmoke:

 

[Boonie Buster]

Looking Good! I hope it's painted the same color as the foam... :shakin:

 

[pods8]

Looking great BTW. Im envious that you are so far along on your construction, when Im still int he planning stages. :ylsmoke:

Oh once you get started I'm sure you'll pass me at the rate I'm going. Should have started this project a couple years ago prior to the first kid, I used to knock out quite a few hours on projects each week at ease...

Looking Good! I hope it's painted the same color as the foam... :shakin:

The breast cancer supporters might sue me for trademark infringement. Probably going to be a light grey/silver color I think.

 

[eaglebear]

A great project. Just an idea for you. It has given me lots of ideas. Look at the old Hi-low trailer sites for top sealing ideas and doors. Their doors are two piece and still available at a fairly reasonable prices the same with their seals if they would work.

 

[shachagra]

Very nice! I haven't had time to study in detail, but the construction method looks great. Do you have to put 2" supports in the upper section? I think I could have done without them on the build of Shachagra, and it seems even more appropriate on your build. The epoxy will bond to the foam well (I think!!)
Nice project. In 16 years you can have the 10 month old out there sanding for you, makes it so much easier!

 

[pods8]

Very nice! I haven't had time to study in detail, but the construction method looks great. Do you have to put 2" supports in the upper section? I think I could have done without them on the build of Shachagra, and it seems even more appropriate on your build. The epoxy will bond to the foam well (I think!!)
Nice project. In 16 years you can have the 10 month old out there sanding for you, makes it so much easier!

I've got some wood in there because it also helps me form the shape and also stiffens the foam during the construction phase prior to getting glassed. Time flys the 10mo old is now 22mo old...

 

[MrBeast]

Man Pods, this is a neat build, I wish I had found it sooner.

Id say with your flexing issue on the front your best bet is going to be to do a carbon fiber skin on that whole corner, it looks to me as though it is the floor that is probably deflecting the most. you may even think about building up that front corner slightly on the bottom to pre-load it so as that when it deflects it will deflect less.

I think the bigger lesson is probably that the door would be better suited in the back, having it where it is does seem to create structural concerns.

Another thing you may consider is when you build the flat bed it will sit on build a headache rack onto it that has rubber bumpers that will butt solid up against the front of your camper thus giving the front more support.

Either way I will be watching to see how it turns out. I have been thinking about building something like this for a while to go on my M105A3

 

[pods8]

Yeah the flexing is in the floor (that would be of any concern anyways), if I wanted to keep a fullsize door and was doing it again I'd need to stiffen the floor via carbon or more glass. However I've decided to simplify the design to having a door in the lower portion only so life in the camper isn't opening/closing 2 door halves all the time, etc. Which means I'll be adding structure across the top of the current door opening which should eradicate the flexing issue.

Yes a side door can create some more structural considerations but I think its well worth dealing with them for the improved floor plan. :coffeedrink:

 

[MrBeast]

Yeah the flexing is in the floor (that would be of any concern anyways), if I wanted to keep a fullsize door and was doing it again I'd need to stiffen the floor via carbon or more glass. However I've decided to simplify the design to having a door in the lower portion only so life in the camper isn't opening/closing 2 door halves all the time, etc. Which means I'll be adding structure across the top of the current door opening which should eradicate the flexing issue.

Yes a side door can create some more structural considerations but I think its well worth dealing with them for the improved floor plan. :coffeedrink:

I really do think that is your best option right there.

As well you and the misses will enjoy having the curb side door, especially with the kiddos, as they get old enough to walk you will feel much safer getting them in and out of there any time you are stopped in an urban area and are using the camper like on a lunch break or when going to the store.

 

[MrBeast]

Any Updates? I have been thinking about this build a lot since I read it.

 

[pods8]

Any Updates? I have been thinking about this build a lot since I read it.

Not a ton, had family visiting, ill kids, and too much travel for work. But some progress is better than none: The wall panels were pulled down, glued together (they were just tapped together before to make sure I like the dims), and I've rehung them so I can fair out the transitions into each other. Also need to mark off hard point blocking required for an exterior porch light and some interior stuff, will probably mock up the folding walls in the cabover too. Then I'll pull them down, add the last blocking I need, and fair out the surfaces prior to fiberglassing. At that point they'll be not much visually satisfying progress for a while as each panel gets glassed up but it's all part of the evolution. This addresses the walls and generally the exterior of the roof. On the roof interior I need to figure out light placements and some other things then embed conduit runs into the foam before fiberglassing the interior surface. I'm thinking I may glass the outside before doing this so the piece is held together better during all that work.

Oh I'm going to add some more foam onto the front and shape/round that off so. Probably will help with aero some but it's aesthetics more than anything.

 

[MrBeast]

Since I have seen this I have been thinking about building one for my 72 K30 Chevy Cummins. If I do though I probably will do a fixed top.

If you don't mind my asking, how much are you into this thing so far?

 

[pods8]

Someone on WTW asked me on the cost of the shell so far and here is a copy/paste:
I've got numbers at home but generally off the top of my head I think I've got ~$650 of foam picked up locally, lets say $200 in wood (a guess), $1000 in fiberglass cloth shipped. I originally purchased 12.5gal of resin which cost $600 shipped, I'm down to about 1gal left of that now (the upper wall foam structures are glued together now as well) so I'll need to order in some more (it'll probably take about 20gal total if I had to guess).

The above foam/fiberglass cloth is enough to finish out the project, more resin is need as mentioned to finish the shell structure. Stuff like paint, actuators, hinges, water tank, stove, sink, windows, interior fabric, furnace, fridge lights, fans, wiring, etc. will all keep building that total... however much of that depends on what type of products an individual picks out.

 

[pods8]

Some pictures to add. I had pulled down the taped up side panels and actually glued them together, put them back together one last time to sand where they meet each other flush, I'll sand the rest of the rough glued panel on the floor since its easier and round off the various corners/edges to different degrees depending on where they are. Better to do it on the cores now so the glassed panels fit better later. I also mocked up the two side flip up cabover panels and marked where the top of them would meet the upper shell when flipped up because I need to make a recessed pocket to install part of the retaining latch that will hold them up, the recessed pocket is so the latch doesn't interfere when the upper shell drops down to overlap the lower shell.

Also I added on some more material to the front panel and rounded it out for aesthetics of the nose. Rough shape:

Not completely done rounding it out but I'll finish the rest off the camper so I'm not trying to round out the bottom of it from below: