The TARDIS - A Four Wheel Camper Build

[pods8]

The steel brackets are 2.8 pounds each.

The aluminum brackets are 1.15 pounds each.

So I would be saving 6.6 pounds by going with the aluminum. It is splitting hairs, but that is 6.6 pounds of something else I could take.

Little bit more than I would have expected. Assuming the same "foot print" of the bracket it looks like they cut the strength on the aluminum ones a bit compared to the steel potentially. General rule of thumb is assume 50% more plate thickness to get the aluminum in the same ballpark. Steel generally is 275% heavier but with the 50% increase it would be corrected to 184% heavier. So comparable brackets should weigh more like 1.52lb. Anyways enough rambling, let us know what you think when you get them and what thickness material they used for reference.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Congrats! How long until its ready to be picked up/delivered?

Well this is pretty crazy, but I am picking it up next week! FWC had their truck headed east and it had one empty spot, so of course they wanted to get another camper on it to offset the travel costs. So I will be heading 500 miles south to pick up the camper along I-80.

And here I was ready to wait about three months.

Enough planning, time to start building!

 

[pods8]

That is sweet! Looking forward the this next stage for you!

 

[Overland Hadley]

That is sweet! Looking forward the this next stage for you!

Thanks!

My evenings for the next few months just got booked.

 

[Overland Hadley]

I just love this description on a FWC, ''.....this is a dinky little camper with a ton of capability crammed into it and built to handle the worst roads possible....''

 

[washington taco]

Its seams like I have been following this thread forever! Glad to see it come to fruition and looking forward to the real build!

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Well this is pretty crazy, but I am picking it up next week! FWC had their truck headed east and it had one empty spot, so of course they wanted to get another camper on it to offset the travel costs. So I will be heading 500 miles south to pick up the camper along I-80.

And here I was ready to wait about three months.

Enough planning, time to start building!

That's great news. It seems to be working out nicely.

 

[Overland Hadley]

If you keep your head down you could enoy a full tilt season out of her. (or will it be a him?)

Interesting question, not sure if I will name the camper, time will decide. At this point it is simply Hadley's backpack, and I kind of like that. So I guess I might end giving Hadley's backpack a name.

I have a spring trip planned, just a matter of how built out it will be. We are having a ''warm'' winter, most days the high is above zero, so I might get a lot of work done.

 

[NothingClever]

Are we there yet?

Are we there yet?

Are we there yet?

 

[Overland Hadley]

Are we there yet?

Are we there yet?

Are we there yet?

92 more hours and I will be a ''FWC-Owning Human''.

 

[Valkiera]

WOW This is just wayyy exciting. Can't wait to see Hadley and his backpack (to be named later, maybe).

 

[Overland Hadley]

WOW This is just wayyy exciting. Can't wait to see Hadley and his backpack (to be named later, maybe).

Thanks Val.

p.s. Hadley is a her. Just like boats, my rig is a female. :ylsmoke:

 

[Capt. REDBEARD]

nate -

I too will be ordering a finch shell in the near future.
I was wondering if you wouldn't mind telling us exactly what options you ordered.......... and if it's not too personal what the total price was?
I appreciate all the leg work you have done here and the resource you've created for all us shell homebuilders.

 

[Overland Hadley]

nate -

I too will be ordering a finch shell in the near future.
I was wondering if you wouldn't mind telling us exactly what options you ordered.......... and if it's not too personal what the total price was?
I appreciate all the leg work you have done here and the resource you've created for all us shell homebuilders.

I will detail all the details of the camper early next week.

Glad this thread has been helpful, you even call it a resource, thanks.

 

[Boggie]

Too heavy

I have a 2010 Tacoma Extra cab TRD, ARB bull bar and a 9000 Warn winch, Old Man Emu suspension and I was closing in on purchasing my Eagle. At a gross vehicle weight of 1360 lbs. (probably less) my Tacoma was apparently not up to the task. This is one of the clincher emails I got from the Canadian dealer for FWC.
"I hate to say it, but the 725 lbs. Eagle weight is to low. That doesn't allow for any options. I let customers know that a standard outfitted Eagle (seven options - extended cabover, jack brackets, fridge, furnace, power vent, screen door, battery system) might weigh about 820 - 850 lbs.
I should note that the bed bars and box mat add some weight as well as the options noted. The extended cabover is standard now but the listed weights on the webpage do not include it in the base weight.
Most customers decide they want the unit even if it is a bit overweight and add airbags to make the truck ride level."

With myself my wife two cattle dogs and gear I am over the GVW by 200lbs. Even at the max weight one should consider a few things to keep safety in mind like bigger brakes.
I am totally bummed, I could see my life being a lot better in the FWC but now I am back looking at roof top tents and a trailer. How do you guys manage with what seems like a camper that is geared toward the Tacoma size and rated trucks?
This is one of the threads that have inspired me over the past year while saving and planning for the big day, but the big day looks like a long ways away.
Good luck on your FWC I await the continuation of this thread AFTER you have it on your truck.
Bill