Safari Cab "Overland Camper" Trailer Build

[jscherb]

You may have seen the Safari Cab hardtop project in another thread (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/46300-How-would-you-outfit-this-custom-LJ), but if you haven't, the Safari Cab is a custom modular fiberglass hardtop I designed to fit Jeeps including CJ-7's, CJ-8's, YJ's, TJ's and LJ's, and I built the molds for it, and using those molds, I built a prototype top for my LJ. Here it is on "Mean Hill" at Moab this year:

I have licensed the design of the Safari Cab to a hardtop company, which is preparing to bring these tops to market.

On of the alternate configurations I designed for the Safari Cab is to be used as a camper top for a trail trailer. One possible outfitting of it as a camper could look like this:

I've recently finished building a trailer to serve as a base for the camper, so now up I'm going to build a Safari Cab camper top for it. Here's the trailer:

Last week I was visiting the hardtop company, helping them with a few engineering details to prepare the hardtops for production, and while I was there, I picked up a bunch of extra engineering prototype parts, enough to build a camper top. I got a roof panel, four side panels, and two upper tailgate door panels.

The modifications to these panels for use as a trailer camper top are fairly minimal, in fact the camper parts could be made directly from the LJ hardtop molds with no changes to the molds. Since these parts were made as LJ hardtop parts, though, I'll have to make those mods myself (like shortening the side panels so two of them match the length of the trailer.)

I plan to document the build here; I've committed to the company that I would have the basic camper shell completed and in primer in time for the PA All Breeds Jeep show in York PA in about 3 weeks.

As I proceed with the build, I'd really appreciate your input because I'm a complete novice when it comes to outfitting campers of any kind, especially those intended for overland use.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

wow... now thats cool!

 

[Doctor W]

This is a great idea, BUT........

I'm sorry but I have a "minor" point to make:

If this was your personal project then it's all well and good to ask for input from others, however when it's a commercial venture which will finacially benefit you then I have qualms and reservations about giving my input for free (I assume - or do you intend to make some sort of payment for the intellectual property of others, which is the usual norm in commercial dealings like this).

 

[That One Guy]

This is a great idea, BUT........

I'm sorry but I have a "minor" point to make:

If this was your personal project then it's all well and good to ask for input from others, however when it's a commercial venture which will finacially benefit you then I have qualms and reservations about giving my input for free (I assume - or do you intend to make some sort of payment for the intellectual property of others, which is the usual norm in commercial dealings like this).

Come on man, do you have to make a few bucks on EVERYTHING? We're here to help others, that is the main purpose of a forum. Let's just help a guy out, who's doing a cool thing.

 

[jscherb]

This is a great idea, BUT........

I'm sorry but I have a "minor" point to make:

If this was your personal project then it's all well and good to ask for input from others, however when it's a commercial venture which will finacially benefit you then I have qualms and reservations about giving my input for free (I assume - or do you intend to make some sort of payment for the intellectual property of others, which is the usual norm in commercial dealings like this).

This camper top is a personal project. It may end up being shown as a "concept demo" by the company that's building the Safari Cab hardtops, but that's not really any different than custom vehicles built by private individuals that get shown in vendor booths at shows like SEMA. But if anyone doesn't want to give input, that's fine.

And if people aren't interested in seeing this build at all, I'll be happy to close the thread. I started the thread hoping people would have some good ideas to make my personal project better, but if that's not what's going to happen here, it's ok and I'll post the project elsewhere.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

That red pickup is cute!! And retro it is, I'm picturing a couple in their 70's putting along some dusty trail with a water can in their laps.

 

[jscherb]

That red pickup is cute!!

Thanks! That was my first attempt at building a custom Jeep, it's been one of my daily drivers now for almost three years. Here it is at Moab a couple of years ago:

I call it the Retro Wrangler because I tried to make it a modern version of the classic Willys pickup:

 

[ROKTAXI]

Don't let one nay-sayer dictate or speak for the forum. Flame throwers are just that, flame throwers. Commercial or otherwise, you have a great idea that others may give some positive input. Of course, I expect a significant discount if I decide to purchase one from you!! ;-)

Back to the design, I personally think it's a GREAT design. I would seriously consider it for my use depending on $$ and final configuration.

 

[JKDetonator]

I sure hope you continue with this thread!! I'd like to see this project come to fruition! That would be great behind my JK Unlimited. Please keep us in the loop with more pictures of this neat idea!:ylsmoke:

 

[jscherb]

The first modification to the LJ Safari Cab parts is to shorten the side panels to the proper length so they join in the middle of the trailer. I cut about 10" off the end of each panel, here's a couple of photos of them being test fitted:

Since I cut the end off of the panels, I need to add a new flange for bolting the panel to the other panels. To do that, I put the panel in my side panel mold, and then built a new flange with fiberglass as if I were molding the side panel:

It's always fun to pop fiberglass parts out of the mold - what starts as a gooey, sticky mess cures into a hardened, useful part. Here's the side panel just out of the mold with the new flange in place, haven't trimmed the new flange yet:

I 'glassed a new flange onto the second one already this morning, two more to go. Should be able to pop the second one out of the mold after lunch and get the third one done. There are four altogether that need to be shortened.

 

[stomperxj]

Glad to see you moving forward with this Jeff... can't wait to see the end result. You do amazing work...

 

[That One Guy]

Yep, this is gonna be cool.

 

[jscherb]

This is what I plan for phase 1 of the build, which is the basic structure:

This drawing shows the changes necessary to adapt the LJ Safari Cab panels to the Overland Camper design. The changes are really very minimal, I've almost finished them. Today I got all four side panels shortened to the correct length for the camper, and I've also got the drip rail 'glassed on to the front of the roof panel. I should be fitting all of the panels within a day or two.

Phase 1 does not include mounting the windows, even though I have all of the necessary windows already. The interior plan needs to be finalized before I cut the window holes because the interior layout may affect the size, shape and location of windows.

 

[bob91yj]

This is a great idea, BUT........

I'm sorry but I have a "minor" point to make:

If this was your personal project then it's all well and good to ask for input from others, however when it's a commercial venture which will finacially benefit you then I have qualms and reservations about giving my input for free (I assume - or do you intend to make some sort of payment for the intellectual property of others, which is the usual norm in commercial dealings like this).

Really, that's all you've got?

Awesome workmanship once again! All of your projects seem well thought out and the end result is well executed.

 

[catfish]

I had a similar thought,
I wanted to take a couple XJ bodies.
Something like this but it would be a single axle. Using a pair of two door donor bodies.