Show us your things that flip/fold/slide/pop or otherwise open out/up

[graynomad]

After reading many of the build threads here I realise that one of the most interesting areas is the unbelievable range "things" people have made to flip, fold, slide or pop out or up from their vehicle.

Maybe a showcase for these inventions would be nice so future builders can see a lot of them in one place. Anyway I'll start the ball rolling with the deck of Wothahellizat Mk1.

As seen when driving.

Unlatch the outer cover (this will become the roof), gas struts lift it high enough to clear the lowering deck.

Winch lowers the deck floor. The rear railing is just hanging there so it swings to stay vertical. Side rails can be seen laid on the deck. Chains will stop the deck at the right place, they are pretty strong but not meant to be load-bearing. You can walk out on the deck with just the chains but stay towards the hinge and only for erecting the side railings.

Side railings now up, they pin back to the body and are structural providing the strength. The deck is now strong enough to use.

Reach over and bring up the rear railing. That pins to the side railings. Then get the two roof stays and spin them into captive nuts in the roof and top of the railings. The stays have LH and RH threads and corresponding left and right hand captive nuts.

The structure is now very sturdy as it's fixed at all corners.

Get chairs, binoculars, drinks and relax watching the whales.

The deck was about 2M (6.5') off the ground (maybe more looking at this pic), made a really good vantage point and you could walk right under it. It also made a good shelter for the motorbikes.

Anybody else? Anything form a bi-fold table to a triple-nested slideout.

 

[Victorian]

Great topic

Even though I don't have a camper at the moment, together with a the great team at Unicat I have been involved in building several interesting designs:

http://www.unicat.com/en/pics/BL8FO-2.php

http://www.unicat.com/en/pics/BS6KD-2.php

http://www.unicat.com/en/pics/UXL17HD-2.php

The most complicated one:
http://www.unicat.com/en/pics/Maximog-Trailer-2.php

Cheers

 

[graynomad]

Jeez you gotta love the Unicat gear.

 

[AndrewClarke]

Rob Gray, you are in every way awesome. OK, I admit I've never met you, but I'm stoked to see you on Expedition Portal. I've been reading about Wothahellizat and your super list of "other WORTs" for years. I am pretty sure I saw http://www.robgray.com/graynomad/worts/wort_17/index.php on a Nevada or Utah interstate back in October 2005.

I don't have anything that flips, folds, slides, pops, or opens out/up, but I'm going to follow this thread with interest.

 

[graynomad]

Thanks Andrew.

I am pretty sure I saw http://www.robgray.com/graynomad/wor...t_17/index.php on a Nevada or Utah interstate back in October 2005.

Shahn spend 100s of $1000s on that rig, he sold it at some auction where you weren't allowed to set a reserve (******?), it went for a song, $45k IIRC. He was not a happy camper.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Shahn spend 100s of $1000s on that rig, he sold it at some auction where you weren't allowed to set a reserve (******?), it went for a song, $45k IIRC. He was not a happy camper.

It was at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale AZ.

If I recall correctly the camper had been for sale for some time before it went to the auction.

 

[graynomad]

the camper had been for sale for some time

That's the biggest problem with doing an "out there" custom rig, it may be your dream but it's probably not anyone else's.

 

[Ford Prefect]

Well I like this thread idea, so I am going to say something just to get it popped up to the top again in hopes that more people will contribute!

I fully agree with Rob, the fact is that we often build to our wants and then can not sell it for nearly what we put into it.

The one linked above, on your sight Rob, says it no longer exists. Are there other photos somewhere that I can search for? I am curious which truck you are speaking of.

Cheers

 

[Haf-E]

Here it is... I think the link was just bad...

http://www.robgray.com/graynomad/worts/wort_17/index.php

 

[Ford Prefect]

Oh, never mind, I found the link. Just did a search of your sight for his rather unique name...


Oh, Thanks Haf-e!

 

[motas]

I saw a van with a pop out shower. Had a solid floor pull out from under the body and then canvas sides. I have a picture somewhere but not very detailed. I would like something similar but don't have the height for it.

 

[SiliconTi]

Wow, that Wothahellizat reminds me of Ark II (remember that show? That started the Expedition thing for me as a kid).

 

[graynomad]

Our shower is in the entrance, but we can hang the head on the front door and shower out on the slide-out landing. So that's similar I guess.

I never saw Ark II so googled it, that's some truck.

So to maybe help keep the ball rolling, here's the under-truck storage for some of our "gardening" tools,

That's a pry bar, sledge hammer, axe, mattock handle and head all in custom cradles with clamps. (The garden gnome is a mate of mine). On the other side is a similar slide-out rack with long-handled shovel, spade and sliding bead breaker for changing tyres.

 

[Ford Prefect]

What do you mean about a "landing" Rob? I do not recall a slide-out landing in your build, but perhaps I am just not thinking of it in the same terms.

 

[graynomad]

I just looked and realised I don't really have a good photo of what I call the "landing". It's the small platform that slides out from under the truck in front of the door, the steps hang off it as well.



The arrow points to the landing, the the half rectangle drawn in white represents the front door if it was open. The shower head can hang off the door if we want to shower outside.