Great work, these things are definitely not as easy as they seem first time around are they! I used the same tape to hold the siding on my F-700 camper, all aluminum framed too, works very well. The only guy that's ever going to notice the 1/4" variance is you, wouldn't it be nice if you could go to your RV dealer and buy something half as good?
The Dirt Sherpa Build
- Thread starter GCecchetto
- Start date
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Thanks. Where can I see photos of your F700? I have always been a Dodge turbo diesel guy but just couldn't justify the cost this time around. My dream build would use Ram 5500 or Chevy/GMC 4500 (4x4 of course) as the platform. Believe it or not, that 1/4" is going to make getting the old roof to fit a pan in the butt, and will make a bunch of work for me matching the new roof to it. It was just a stupid, unforgivable mistake on my part.
You can pretty much see my complete build here
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/expedition-vehicles/933305-f-700-4x4-camper.html
Make a new roof cap? It's more work but your work is nicer than the factory stuff and sometimes by the time you are done fiddle farting around and it's not making you happy you will be done a new part with the correct fit. Make it 1/8" cock eyed the right way and all is good! There is a great build on this forum on Mike Hiscox' Earthroamer, the renovator did not use a tape measure or square to fit any of the components and it turned out pretty nice considering they were taking somebody else's problems and making it right, looked to be the process when the world isn't perfect.
My truck is equipped with a 5.9 Cummins, great little motors that can! I have had a lot of interest regarding building custom campers stem from my build, I did a frame up on a newer Peterbilt for one fellow already, quite a few requests from the Dodge 5500/Ford F-550 camp, lots of people identify the shortcoming in the RV market. Might make a nice little retirement business or maybe even a semi retirement expansion of my current business.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/expedition-vehicles/933305-f-700-4x4-camper.html
Make a new roof cap? It's more work but your work is nicer than the factory stuff and sometimes by the time you are done fiddle farting around and it's not making you happy you will be done a new part with the correct fit. Make it 1/8" cock eyed the right way and all is good! There is a great build on this forum on Mike Hiscox' Earthroamer, the renovator did not use a tape measure or square to fit any of the components and it turned out pretty nice considering they were taking somebody else's problems and making it right, looked to be the process when the world isn't perfect.
My truck is equipped with a 5.9 Cummins, great little motors that can! I have had a lot of interest regarding building custom campers stem from my build, I did a frame up on a newer Peterbilt for one fellow already, quite a few requests from the Dodge 5500/Ford F-550 camp, lots of people identify the shortcoming in the RV market. Might make a nice little retirement business or maybe even a semi retirement expansion of my current business.
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Yes, I will build a new roof, that's been the plan from the beginning. You're thinking the same way I am on the retirement business.
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Nice build. You're playing in a whole different budget realm than I am.
Regardless, you are doing a great job and it's about workmanship, as far as budget goes I am getting a lot for my investment and it has take 4 years of buying, selling, swapping, and hunting down deals!
GCecchetto
Adventurer
I can totally relate to the hunting down deals part!
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Here are a few photos from this weekends effort. I had a major setback mid week when the second teak panel that wraps the cabover broke during installation. I cut two more this weekend so I have a spare if another one breaks. I figure the best way to make sure the new one doesn't break on install is to spend the time making a spare. Didn't take any photos of the replacement pieces.
Here is a finished corner detail.
Here's a look at the teak panel at the cabover that didn't break. Unfortunately it darkened up more than the side panel when the finish was applied.
Here's a look at the front wall. I have some misery still ahead of me trimming out this wall but I'm not going to worry about that until the roof is back on.
The aluminum wall cap being installed. The top of the wall will have 3/16" closed cell foam on top of the aluminum to prevent damage to the softwall when in the down position.
All in all it was a weekend of waning motivation, seems I was more interested in shopping for a new camera than working on the camper.
Here is a finished corner detail.
Here's a look at the teak panel at the cabover that didn't break. Unfortunately it darkened up more than the side panel when the finish was applied.
Here's a look at the front wall. I have some misery still ahead of me trimming out this wall but I'm not going to worry about that until the roof is back on.
The aluminum wall cap being installed. The top of the wall will have 3/16" closed cell foam on top of the aluminum to prevent damage to the softwall when in the down position.
All in all it was a weekend of waning motivation, seems I was more interested in shopping for a new camera than working on the camper.
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Got the other teak panel at the cabover installed today so I should be set to get everything completed this weekend that needs to be done to be ready to install the roof. Hopefully the weather will cooperate with me.
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Here are some photos of this weekends efforts. The wall cap is on and the lift panels are installed on the camper body. It's hard to imagine anyone being able to come up with something more miserable to install than these lift panels, and the hard part is yet to come. Thanks to SLO F-250 for the ratchet strap idea.
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AeroNautiCal
Explorer
Absolutely outstanding work!
And getting closer to when you'll be able to enjoy it rather than work on it.
Thanks for sharing.
And getting closer to when you'll be able to enjoy it rather than work on it.
Thanks for sharing.
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Thanks. I must admit, I'm starting to get a little excited about getting the roof on and seeing what she looks like as a complete camper. I'm a big fan of the topless look, but not in a camper:ylsmoke:
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Well, suffered a critical setback today. The old roof just isn't going to work, so, looks like I'm building the new roof this winter.
SLO_F-250
Explorer
Looks like you are making progress! Hope the ratchet strap's worked out. Sorry to hear about the roof. Why wont it work? Can you strip it down to the aluminum frame, tweak it, and make it work? Keep it up! :victory:
GCecchetto
Adventurer
The roof isn't going to work due to a combination of me brain farting on squaring the cabover and the roof having some out of square issues. Unfortunately the are out in the opposite direction so the fit of the roof to the body is really bad.
After giving away the last day of day light savings to a futile effort to get a roof over my head, I followed up today by installing the tankless water heater. Got to stay busy while I get setup to build the roof!
I have to say, while the Girard tankless water heater is very nice, the door design sucks.
The heater was pretty solid just mounted by the front flange but I'm building this thing for extended off road use and am installing a top of the line King suspension so I can move at a good pace on secondary roads. Wanted to make sure the water heater can handle nasty washboard ridden secondary roads without worry. With the rear mount in place the water heater is rock solid.
