The Open Air Camper build - Callen on Dodge Short Bed

[theMec]

Having recently received my custom built Callen Camper, I'm finally at the modification stage! First a few pics, then I'll mention why I ended up with the Callen.
Clicking on an image should display a larger picture.









Specs:
To fit the Dodge short bed - 75" bed
Sidewall Height: 40"
Cabover: 36" overhang, 13" interior height
Double rear doors with standard windows 15"x29"
2- Windoors: Door dim:60"x30" Window: 90 degree 54"x15" Black, horiz. sliders w/ screens
Paneling
Insulation
1 Porch Light, 3 Dome Lights, 4 Clearance Lights
Roof mounted crank ventilation dome
weight: approx 550lbs


Here's our (my wife's & my) criteria for a camper. One thing for sure, my criteria will not be your criteria.
In no particular order:
- Able to feel nature as much as possible (big windows and/or windoors/ large opening in rear). That's why we go camping, right? Privacy is not an issue where we camp but I could see it might be in the Eastern US.
- 4x4able: not extreme roads but getting up Elephant Hill in Canyonlands shouldn't stop me. I routinely drag my hitch when crossing washes so I didn't want a camper extending past the back of my shortbed.
- Able to pack up and leave within 10 minutes.
- Fuel mileage has to be a consideration these days.
- Need to have adequate headroom to situp - in bed or otherwise. Need to be able to lean comfortably against the side of the camper. Fiberglass toppers are angled inward making this difficult.
- Room for 3 to comfortably sleep.
- The more storage inside the better. Need room for camping gear and an extensive selection of climbing and canyoneering gear. Gear on the roof leads to a reduction in mileage.


I strongly considered (and spent a lot of research on) the following:
- Aluminum flatbed w/ some kind of custom camper. Something like this from Alumline ( http://alumline.com/cgi-bin/csvsearch.pl?mydb=db7&mytp=tp3&method=perfect&ID=1 ) might have worked out ok and the pricing was decent. I could had Alumline customize as needed but it would have required too much long distance interaction without visual inspection.
- I talked extensively with Stan Kennedy at Four Wheel Campers. They couldn't do the windoors or double rear doors but they could build a shell model w/ a 36" wide rear door and big windows on EACH side for the Hawk model (which fits my short bed). Problem w/ a popup is that you lose storage over the cab and we don't want to sleep above the cab anyway because of no headroom. Despite this, we ALMOST went with the Hawk. Thanks for working w/ me on this, Stan!
I also talked w/ A.R.E. & All Terrain Campers and visited the local popup companies: Litecraft, Outfitter and Hallmark.
Briefly I considered a trailer but I do too much seaching for the perfect camp. Sometimes it's hard enough to back a truck out of a narrow forested road that's dead ended. I'd be hosed w/ a trailer.


Cons:
I tried to find someone to build a lighter aluminum frame custom camper but couldn't. In the end, my wife can't tell the difference driving w/ the Callen - at 80mph or on 4x4 terrain. So it's not a bad compromise.
Also it's not a slide-in so it's not a slide out. I could remove it but I probably won't due to the hassle. I can get 4'x8's sheets of plywood inside so I'm good.
Low tree limbs will catch on the rack. Luckily, the rack can be removed w/ 4 bolts per piece.

So that's why I decided on a Callen Camper. Time will tell if it's a good choice. With 4 weekend trips under my belt, it's looking pretty good.

Upcoming:
bench / sleeping / storage platform build
cargo net for cabover section (to keeps stuff from falling out)
awning
outside table
inside table
etc

 

[UHAULER]

I like it. Your requirements are about the same as mine. Very nice.

 

[adrenaline503]

Wow, thats REALLY nice. I love the lift up sides. I hate the cramped feeling of smaller campers and yours defiantely doesnt give that vibe. I have a flatbed and was considering a camper with the same requirements that you have. I look forward to seeing how it works out for you.

 

[kcowyo]

Very unique... You certainly did your homework. Good to hear you found something to work for your family.

I like the open-ness. Looking forward to seeing more of this one.


:beer:
.

 

[theMec]

Bench / Sleeping Platform setup

Thanks guys!

Here's some pics of my benches / sleeping platform setup. This is nowhere near as cool as Sönke's hard-side popup camper setup but it's functional enough. I'll probably drill some holes at some point to save weight but I'm going camping this weekend and don't have time now.

1st two pics show the setup outside the camper. It takes 5 minutes to put it in. Note the free-standing bench can easily be pulled outside for a table.

Click on pics to display a larger size.





And after clipping the side benches in place w/ 6 quicklinks (3 per side). The quicklinks are attached to a predrilled strap that I bent and screwed to the existing bolts (which attach the bed to the camper).



This last pic has the board in place for sleeping. When not in place, this board can be a backrest for lounging. Also I anticipate using this board for an inside table - after I figure out the best way to do it.
Covering all this are a number of 3" thick green foam slabs. Once I have everything dialed in, I'll get the foam pieces covered w/ fabric - like the professionals do. :ylsmoke:



Also in the above pic is a 66 qt. Sterilte container for size. There is 14" space from the floor to the bottom of the benches.

 

[Desert Dan]

Wow that looks great. Very versatile and practicle!!

You could add some roll down screen side windows for buggy nights.

If you put a 45 degree angle plate on the leading edge or your rack maybe some of the branches wouldn't get hung up??

Maybe I should get a Power Wagon

 

[theMec]

You could add some roll down screen side windows for buggy nights.

If you put a 45 degree angle plate on the leading edge or your rack maybe some of the branches wouldn't get hung up??

Thanks Dan! Good idea about the roll down screen. I'll probably do something like that for the back doors. For the sides, I'll just close the windoors and slide open the screen window (in the windoors).

I think I'll just pull the racks unless I have boats up there.

I'll get some pics of my outside table and awning this weekend - when I'm camping!

Any ideas are welcome.

 

[T.Low]

Great deal, Mec. You gotta lv it when a plan comes together. Luv the open air also.

What type of "boats" do you refer too?

Joaquin; seen your Jeep around Expo and dig it.

 

[Capt Sport]

That pull out drawer, canvas set-up on that Land Rover in the last post is very cool!

 

[RedDog]

I love it! Sensible size; sensible weight; high and dry accommodations; rapid set-up and departure. I can just imagine sitting there on a rainy night in the middle of nowhere with the windows cranked open playing cards and sipping whiskey listening to the rain and plotting the next days plans.

 

[Scott39]

Nice camper. I like it, because I`am one that doesnt need all the amenities, you add what you need as you go.

 

[theMec]

Everyone, thanks for the ideas and encouragement!

you add what you need as you go.

Scott39: and I've got a lot to go ..

sipping whiskey listening to the rain and plotting the next days plans

Reddog: That's what it's about, isn't it? A good day, fun night and plotting the next one and repeat .. I hear you on the whisky - actually I'm partial to Single Malt or Bourbon (no ice, please)

T.Low: I have a couple of old school (40years old) aluminum canoes from my days growing up (like 35-40years ago). Actually my Dad is keeping them until I pick them up. Now, w/ a rack I can get them.

Joaquin: What can I say? You have great ideas! Not that they fit in w/ my current set of ideas but they are great. In the future, I may make use of them. And yes, definitely steal the portable table idea. Thanks.

 

[theMec]

Making a Cargo Net for the cab over section

Although my daughter wants to and probably will sleep up in the cab over section ( once! ), it's really meant for three duffel bags, sleeping bags, pillows and camp chairs.

The gear kept sliding out when driving off pavement so I looked for a cargo net. I could have pieced together 2 cargo nets to fit but it seemed like a cleaner idea to make my own. I wasn't about to tie a cargo net together though.

Down to my local hardware store - McGuckins, where they have everthing and great customer service (but a tacky web site). One clerk asked a 2nd. The 2nd said hog rings should do it to clamp the ropes togegther.

As usual w/ this thread, clicking on the pic will display a larger version of the picture - not that you need a larger pic of hog rings .



I had to rebend the hog rings to square them out a bit. Otherwise they wouldn't fit around my retired fat climbing rope. Note the hog ring wrench above. This saved a lot of frustration. As usual w/ this kind of thing, if I know at the beginning what I learned by the end, I could have made it much nicer. Here's the end result:


For the top ring brackets, I used self tapping screws. I had never used these before but it worked out fine.

 

[theMec]

You might want to look at the bed nets that are made to replace pickup tailgates. Thats what we us as a safety net for the upper bedroom in Casa.

I did look at the bed nets. They were too narrow. I'd need to jury rig either one side or both sides to make it long enough. So I decided to jury rig the whole thing!

 

[theMec]

Hanging Table

The hanging table setup consists of a couple of ropes clipped into drilled holes in the side of the camper. The drilling was done in the "flanges" which extend below the bed rails. Angled slots, for the ropes, were cut into the 3/4" plywood make for a secure setup. The four overhand knots underneath the board allowed for leveling adjustment.

Here's the hanging table in action (clicking on pics should display a larger view):



Here's a couple of detail shots: