The Memorial F150 Craptor.

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Photos might make it easier for other members to offer suggestions.

They are coming, most likely tomorrow...

So this forum software does NOT like Google photos, so I get to clog up their paid for storage instead of linking to storage I pay for. That's, well not my decision but oh well...

This was last night when I got the camper shell slid over, I washed the glass / back wall of the truck and glass / front wall of the shell, and swapped out the brake light... Camper shell is now slid forward pretty far... The Inside lip of the shell follows the Ford bed perfectly, BUT the outside, well it tapers front to back, so front is basically about 1/2" or so sucked in, back is flush. Will post pics of the overhang after the tailgate, and the latches / lock mechanism tomorrow afternoon assuming it doesn't rain out.



I am not worried about cosmetics on the camper shell per se, more worried about the function of the cap itself as a means to provide weatherprotected shelter. If I get socked it, I will need to work so I can sit on the folded up trifold mattress and set up a little table to hold my laptop.

Those Hercules Trail Digger MT are no longer on the market, and the fronts are plenty worn. Time to get new tires and I think I am going to drop down to 33x12.50/17 LT load range E tires. Probably go back to BFG All Terrain TAs...

FWIW, Taillights are still OE with LED bulbs, heads are smoked with LEDs, and yes I have the LED flasher relay installed. Exhaust is currently stock, I was wanting to go with a 3" summit system, the Magnaflow cats ARE there...just need the cat back system...

 

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Okay, camper pics so far.

Camper Shell against the back of the cab. Apparently the Ford cab slopes more than the Chevy.


The bed rails on the Chevy must be straighter as the Ford tapers from front to back, and meets the line of the Chevy. This should pose no sealing issues on the front or sides...


There is a bit of an overhang at the tailgate. I am planning on making that up simply with some thcik weather sealant. Where this gets important though is on the divider for the AC. I can't get it in around the tailgate latch pins. I think I have an idea for that though...


The camper shell has these 2 T handle locks / knobs, one on each sie of the liftgate.


The inside / back side view of the liftgate and latches.


And a more close up view of the liftgate latch on one side.



My tasks for today are going to be kind of minimal. Swap out the headlights / bulbs, Seal the front and sides of the shell and clamp it down, and at the very least start the scrubbing of the inside of the truck bed. There was a mess of debris left in the bed for a VERY long time and there are bits and pieces of cardboard stuck to the metal. Going to clean that all up and at the least hit it with some primer and PTM paint... And if I have enough feel like it left, scrap the extra stickers off the windows of the cap before I get after scrubbing it down thoroughly.

 

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So the headlights and LEDs are in. I already had LED turns and markers, just swapped in some H13s.

If you have an '04-08 F-150 or Mark LT, and the headlights sprung a leak, here are the specs.

Headlight assemblies.
DNA Motoring HL-OH-F1504-BK-AM Black Amber Headlights. I got mine in blacked out, but you can get them in OEM chromed. I just didn't like the look as much.

https://amzn.to/3Qb0H6V

BEAMTECH H13 LED Bulb, S1 Series 10000LM 50W Quiet No Fan CSP Chips Conversion Kit Fanless Cool White All In One Plug N Play Halogen Replacement. These are a direct plug and play drop in replacement and DO NOT REQUIRE ADDED WIRING! The heat sinks on these things are pretty big too...

Amazon.com: BEAMTECH H13 LED Bulb, S1 Series 10000LM 50W Quiet No Fan CSP Chips Conversion Kit Fanless Cool White All In One Plug N Play Halogen Replacement : Automotive

Buy BEAMTECH H13 LED Bulb, S1 Series 10000LM 50W Quiet No Fan CSP Chips Conversion Kit Fanless Cool White All In One Plug N Play Halogen Replacement: Lighting - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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The turns are probably not this brand, but they are 3157A (Amber) LEDs.

https://amzn.to/3cuWfC3

The marker lights are Sylvania 194 LEDs

Amazon.com: SYLVANIA - 194 T10 W5W LED White Mini Bulb - Bright LED Bulb, Ideal for Interior Lighting - Map, Dome, Cargo and License Plate (Contains 2 Bulbs) : Automotive

Buy SYLVANIA - 194 T10 W5W LED White Mini Bulb - Bright LED Bulb, Ideal for Interior Lighting - Map, Dome, Cargo and License Plate (Contains 2 Bulbs): Headlight Bulbs - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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The fridge is an Aplicool APLT60 60 liter / 63 quart LG compressor 2 zone fridge. I can turn on half of it into a freezer, which is awesome as I tend to pre make meals and pack them for bake and eat stuff. Planning on putting the Coleman oven to good use...

I brought it in, and plugged into 110V to test it out. Runs great. Gets cold FAST and holds temp really well. Probably going to want one of those insulating covers for it though...

https://amzn.to/3e38Dts

My solar came in a day early. Dokio 300w kit complete with charge controller and all the cabling I could want. No pic as I just dragged it in the door...
Part of me wants to find out if I paired 2 of these up could I run the 5K BTU AC unit off of it... I kind of suspect that would be pushing it HARD... It would be nice however to not be required to have a generator and I doubt I am going to have enough space on the roof for say 1KW of solar...

https://amzn.to/3wE9S8W

 

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It has been gushing rain all day, and I left the windows in the cap open from yesterday. Oops... I found some bubbling rust yesterday. Need to strip back the rust, bubbling paint etc and find clean metal. Might need to patch. No biggie. Once patched will prime a LOT, and paint. Just going to use regular Rustoleum in a sand beige type color. Not going to factory match because...

I was able to find the order number and source for the Bedrug. So a full bedrug is on its way. I had one in my last truck, it evens out the ribs on the truck bed and tailgate making the inside of the truck bed smoothe and easy to walk / knee crawl on. The bedrug offers a MINISCULE amount of insulation, but it IS there, notably and maybe problematically it closes the gap between truck bed and tailgate. Where the divider for the AC is supposed to slot into. Need to figure out how to secure that, and I have an idea. T support using 1x6, so that the support spans the gap...

Need to figure out how to finish / dress the interior of the cap, including routing wiring for, and mounting a light. A friend is recommending some kind of self adhesive underhood insualtion that he says looks like Rat Fur carpeting but insulates from heat REALLY well... I think they used the stuff on RAM Cummins turbo models to keep from blistering the hood paint...

 

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So the rear suicide doors did what apparently all Ford rear suicide doors do and the collets for the cable being plastic disintegrated. I know the fix, and the aluminum collets should be here tomorrow.

 

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So I spent some time with the mechanic doing the engine swap today. Looks like he wants to pull the bed to get to the tank and empty it (been sitting for several years). This means do not install the bedrug, and pre-soak the bed bolts with penetrating oil I.E. Kroil and let it de-crust the threads so a little climbing under is in order. Trying to make this easy for him...

Still going to lay it all out and pre-build the cabinets and the electrical panel etc... so I am 100% ready when it is time to do the install / dress out...

Lots of stuff coming in over the next 2 days for the camper build. Still need to go to Home Depot to get some pieces to correct a pretty big screw up I did with the Camplux hot shower. Hope I didn't permanently ruin it...

 

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So pieces parts are coming in. I have the hot shower fixed from my screw up. Got the street elbows installed and need some sheet aluminum and a small piece of welders blanket to create a heat shield for mounting it in a plastic weatherproof box. Not a Pelican but a Harbor Freight Apache 4800. Looking for some thicker gauge Z channel to make a french cleat sort of rig so I can hang the box on the side of the camper shell and just plug in and go.

Fridge is here, testing out and working fantastically.

300w solar suitcase is here, as is a 25' extension cable. I am however not going to use the provided 20 amp charge controller, instead opting for a combination charge controller and DC to DC charger so I can charge off the alternator on the go

The trifold mattress is out for delivery today. That should be good.

Tires are on order. Amazon had BFG All Terrain TA KO2s in 33x12.50/17 for under $300.00 each. so I am going to drag my rims and these tires into the tire shop and get the swapped out. Know anyone that wants 3 decent Hercules Trail Digger MT 35x12.50/17? I am done with those...

Got the repair grommet things for the suicide door cables. Going to work on that while I wait for the engine to be built and shipped.

Bedrug is supposed to be here Friday. But need to leave it off the truck until the engine is done as we are talking about pulling the bed to get to the gas tank and insure that is clean, drained, etc... and fuel sock / pickup / pump are fine...

Still looking for my 110V pass through. It is in the shop SOMEWHERE...

I am going to grab my knee pads and get up in the bed of the truck and work on the seal some mor etoday I think...

 

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Trifold mattress is here! It is memory foam so it was sucked skinny and rolled up like a giant burrito. Unrolling it and letting it expand now. I got the Inofia withe the grippy bottom and bamboo cover, so it should be super comfy. Instructions say to let it "recover" for 3 days. I am in no hurry, it is just sitting there lofting up sitting on the floor in my wifes now unused office...

 

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So new items to get the job done. Bedrug is here. Had to go to a different site to oder one for my F150 but got it... Apparently Bedrug won't go back to earlier generation trucks on their website, but has a sister company site they use for older models. Go figure... Anyway it is here.

The Solar charge controller and DC to DC charger is likewise, here. Now the fun part. since my solar panels are a suitcase, and not mounted panels on the roof, if I unplug the suitcase will the charge from alternator still work? I hope so. OR I fold the solar panels up and just leave them plugged in and go...

 

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Spent way too much time today washing the cap, inside and out. It was FILTHY. I need to go over the windows again but that's okay, just break out the Windex and paper towels and get it done...

Looking for my painters tape, and I need to score some butcher paper. I am going to mask it off so only the roof is exposed, and roll on a healthy dose of Henry Tropicool to seal up any tiny cracks or pin holes in the topper, and the help with the thermal control of this thing... Under the direct sun with the windows closed it was honestly unbearable under that cap today!

I need to fashion some sort of 1/2" spacer at the lip of the hatch to hold a seal so I can seal it off. Likewise I will need to make the AC panel top the same thickness as the top of the tailgate so I can get a decent seal there as well...

I made the decision to go ahead and mount my electrical input on the drivers side. The bed will be on the passengers side, and I wanted the power input to be as close as possible to the AC unit itself, which will be on the left as close to the edge of the tailgate as I can get it...



The closest hole saw I had was 2", the hole needed to be 1-7/8" so there is a touch of a gap, that will be taken up with black RTV once I get the insulation and carpet installed.


The Camplux 5L is still broken, I manage to mangle the outlet water copper tubing, I need a couple of compression unions and a piece of tubing to fix it. I grabbed a 1.5L camplux, different model that is SUPPOSED to be shorter, it's not... Going to fix the 5L and see if I can get it installed in that Apache box, maybe this weekend while the rain chances are more or less 100% all day every day... However Home Depot did NOT have the compression unions I needed. So I am going to go to the Ace Hardware store I worked at in college to pick some up tomorrow during the workday...

The bedrug came in today, but the mechanic doing the engine swap wants to do and it makes sense due the age of the truck and how long it has been sitting, but he wants to empty the fuel tank replace the fuel pump, filters etc... and it is MUCH easier to do by pulling the bed than trying to do it under the truck...

I need to double check my electrical supplies box. I need to find my fuse holders... Need to hook up the DC to DC charger to the main battery / alternator power...

 

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Heading out to the hardware store to get plumbing bits and bobs. Hopefully won't take too long.

Tires started coming it, but full shipment will not be here until tomorrow at the soonest. So 1 of 5 tires is sitting there. It will be a good thing to get all 5 in, mounted and balanced...

 

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I need to figure out cable run from starting battery to DC to DC charger, which also means I need to figure out the final location of the house battery and the DC to DC charger. I have way more than enough cable to get where I need to go, the big issue for me is where will that be? Or more specifically how do I get from point A to point B. I need to get from the engine compartment, to the frame rails avoiding hot things that can melt the cabling. You know simple stuff like that...

The weather report showed it was going to be raining, like nasty thunderstorm raining all day last 2 days. So I have left the rust removal from the truck bed to wait, and I still wait. On the plus side, after last nights heavy rain, no sign of water intrusion into the cap. Still going to Tropicool the roof for my comfort cosmetics be darned. I need heat control! That thing gets HOT with the windows closed up!

Working on coming up with a bracket that will hold a piece of 3/4" conduit up about 4" from where it bolts to the mounting surface so I can have enough clearance from awning to truck doors, and I am still looking for 10' extending poles, although I am not dead set against modifying my Coleman extendible tent poles that go out 8', or starting with some Cabelas 9 footers. I need something that is basically an extendible pole with a metal end. Still digging. Again the end goal is to have a 10x10 awning coverage that will support the Ozark Trail sidewalls instead of hauling the weight of an EZ Up. Trying to keep weight in check.

I am 48 hours into the 72 hours wait and let it fluff period for the memory foam twin mattress. VERY happy with it with one exception. It squishes down too far when used as a folded up seat. So the trifold part is kind of pointless. Oh well. So the bed will have to double as a seating bench. That's fine.

Well. I need to go crawl under the truck and check out where things can go. More on the build later

 

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I haven't yet unboxed my house battery box mount and am a little concerned about it. Drivers side has the fuel tank outside of the frame rails, and if I recall correctly, passenger side has the exhaust system however that might actually be inboard of the rails need to look on that side. I MAY have space on the drivers side under the cab but not sure if that is tall enough. I need to pull the battery box out of its shiping box and take a look at how it goes together and works...

So at least for today, my plan is since it is too rainy for me to want to climb unde the truck, graft in the fuse holder and ring terminals on the battery end of the wires that will feed the DC to DC charger. And MAYBE just maybe climb into the truck bed and start sanding. I wish the weather was better for usre...

 

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So not a lot to report today. I got all the parts except for the batteries themselves for the starting battery and the house electrical. The house or camper electrical will feature.

Atempower 20 amp DC to DC charger / Solar charge controller.
Bestek 500w pure sine inverter. (ordered today).
Dokio 300w solar panels / suitcase folding style.
Ford E series cab & chassis battery box mount and lid. Pull offs froma coach builder. Not sure where they plan on mounting but not my problem.

Planned batteries for function and budget sake are going to be a matched pair of group 65 AGM batteries.

I need some foam board. But until the truck is fixed, that is going to be tough. Not sure what to do here. I want to build the foamie cabinets and I have an idea. Instead of a raised bed platform, just do a simple riser for the folded up mattress. Maybe 8" tall, that can stow aside at night. Mattress direct on floor / bedrug at night in the middle, cabinets on either sideThat leaves me LOTS of room to sit during the day, an aisle, plenty of space for my folding camp table for my laptop etc...

Oh FWIW, for those the weather totally sucks days, I have a larger than normal at 17" screen laptop, and a WinTV USB, not going to bother with a dedicated TV, I can stream, play from local drive, OR catch OTA TV should like I said weather totally suck.

Fussed at Amazon about the shippment delays on my tires, they fussed at UPS who promised they would be here tomorrow and Amazon kicked me some customer satisfaction credits for dealing with this stupidity.

 

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Almost all the electrical pieces parts are here. I need 8ga wire (ordered) and 8ga ring terminals to make the connection between house battery and inverter. The inverter itself is fused, so I am not sure if I should fuse the line, but it seems like a good idea to fuse the positive as close to the battery as I can. So a fuse holder that will do 8ga as well.

UPS FINALLY delivered my tires. They were supposed to have been delivered last Thursday but literally got lost in the warehouse. So I have a stack of 33x12.50/17 All Terrain TA KO2s in my living room for right now... I bet they would make a Cool end table with a glass top, say a stack of 2 of them...

Weather is looking a bit better, going to double check, but odds for rain have gone down quite a bit, so I will likely head out with the angle grinder and the Strip Eez disk and get after the bed rust today...

Once the rust / flaking paint has been dealt with / Naval Jellied etc... I am going to thoroughly clean the surface of the inside of the bed, mask off the cap etc... and spray it down with the tan paint / primer, let it cure.

Need to check with the mechanic on the progress of the engine build.

I need to get to Home Depot and pick up a couple of sheets fo XPS foam for the buildout, and to the thrift shops for a couple of sets of king size sheets. Gonna go foamie in here...

First things first though, lay out the water tank setup...