WASURF63's New ATFlippac

[WASURF63]

this is my first post to the site, but I can't resist on this one.....I saw you driving home on highway 99 between Bakersfield and Visalia. I almost ran off the road as I saw you driving in the opposite direction because I have a 2008 white Taco crew cab long bed with black wheels......and an AT Flip Pac on order. I should be making the same trek to Prescott sometime at the end of June. I've started building the storage/sleeping platform for the bed....I started with a drawer that has 60" drawer slides. I should be at a point to take pictures and send along ideas by this weekend.

Right now I'm gearing up to ride in the Garmin-Transitions team car for tomorrow's stage of the Tour of California from Visalia to Bakersfield.....the ultimate dream for any cycling fan.

Brent

Welcome to ExPo!
I'm glad I motivated you to post up.The wealth of info/help and generosity amoungst the members here is unmatched.
What a trip that we crossed paths with similar rigs!
Good luck, have fun with your build, and don't forget to attach photos.

WASURF63

 

[suntinez]

That's about as nice a flippac setup as I've seen! If I were to do it again, I'd get the same options you got. Nice job.

 

[WASURF63]

That's about as nice a flippac setup as I've seen! If I were to do it again, I'd get the same options you got. Nice job.

Thanks. It's always a bit easier to follow the lead of others who have traveled the road ahead of you. I've been motivated in some way by every Flippac set up I've seen here on ExPo and elsewhere. Cheers to all of you!:sombrero:

 

[Bikeman71]

I'm continuing the sleeping/storage platform build in the back of my Tacoma as I wait for my AT Flip Pac to arrive in Prescott....Wasurf, I tried to PM you as to keep technical questions out of the mix, but I have a feeling not many people check their Personal Messages.

Would you be willing to measure the overlap on the inside of the shell? I need to know how far the shell sticks out past the sliding rails where it is bolted on. It looks to be about 2 inches, but I need a more exact measurement than I can get by looking at pictures. If you could check the side rails and the front rail (nearest the cab), I would be very grateful. Thank you in advance!

I have had a ton of fun planning and building the platform....I've spent hours on this site looking at storage solutions, kitchens, battery back-ups, suspension, drawer slides, etc. I'm addicted to my Flip Pac and it hasn't even come in yet. Forget the camping....I could spend the next year planning and building. My wife thinks I've lost my marbles.

Brent

 

[WASURF63]

I'm continuing the sleeping/storage platform build in the back of my Tacoma as I wait for my AT Flip Pac to arrive in Prescott....Wasurf, I tried to PM you as to keep technical questions out of the mix, but I have a feeling not many people check their Personal Messages.

Would you be willing to measure the overlap on the inside of the shell? I need to know how far the shell sticks out past the sliding rails where it is bolted on. It looks to be about 2 inches, but I need a more exact measurement than I can get by looking at pictures. If you could check the side rails and the front rail (nearest the cab), I would be very grateful. Thank you in advance!

I have had a ton of fun planning and building the platform....I've spent hours on this site looking at storage solutions, kitchens, battery back-ups, suspension, drawer slides, etc. I'm addicted to my Flip Pac and it hasn't even come in yet. Forget the camping....I could spend the next year planning and building. My wife thinks I've lost my marbles.

Brent

Brent,

Sorry, never got anything in my PM from you, but
here's the info your hopefully looking for...

Driver side /fr track rail inward = 1 3/4" overhang
Pssgr side /fr track rail inward = 2" overhang
or
Driver side /fr bed wall inward = 2 3/4" overhang
Pssgr side /fr bed wall inward = 3" overhang

Front of bed /fr track rail inward = 1 - 1 1/8" overhang
or
Front of bed /fr bed wall inward = 1 1/2 - 1 3/4" overhang

There appears to be some minor inconsistencies in my Flippac mold or maybe it's just sitting on the bed rails a little uneven. Either way it's minor and not really noticable to the naked eye. Also take into consideration that the '05+ Tacoma bed is wider up front than in the rear and the Flippac is basically a square shape.
Just my .02 , wouldn't you rather wait until you have it mounted to your rig before you build a custom platform?

BTW you havn't lost your marbles, but you need to break the news to your wife that you are addicted. It's like the mafia, "once your in you can't really get out".

The build "is" fun but don't forget about the use. Get out and enjoy your AT Flippac as soon as you get it! :smiley_drive:

Cheers, WASURF63

 

[Bikeman71]

Wasurf,

Many thanks for taking the time to take the measurements.

I understand what you are saying about waiting for the camper to show up before building the platform, but the design allows for two quick cuts that will let me customize the platform size in order to make the top fit snug up against the side rails.

Now the next step is to figure out how to finish it.....wood finish with spar varnish, cloth/carpet, or line-x.


Thanks again,
Brent

 

[ETAV8R]

Walt,

I didn't know the FP could have windoors. Very nice. Now you have me reconsidering the RTT option. I don't really care for shells/caps but who knows maybe I could get used to it. Your truck looks great. Looks more narrow than tacodoc's. Anymore pics of your interior setup and what it looks like when folded?

 

[WASURF63]

Walt,

I didn't know the FP could have windoors. Very nice. Now you have me reconsidering the RTT option. I don't really care for shells/caps but who knows maybe I could get used to it. Your truck looks great. Looks more narrow than tacodoc's. Anymore pics of your interior setup and what it looks like when folded?

My truck is a LB and TacoDocs is a SB. Width should be identical. (White has a slimming effect you know.)
Sorry, no new pics of the interior. I've hit a $$$ roadblock for a while. I've been spending what little extra cash I have on fuel for camp/surf trips in the ATFP.
I will post up more photos as I start the interior build.

 

[ETAV8R]

Walt you mentioned that when you were in Mojave with the brand new atfp the winds were blowing you ragged and you decided to sleep in the bed. What is the tent material made of for the atfp? Since you previously had a maggiolina how would you compare the tent material vs the atfp?

 

[ETAV8R]

Is there a weight limit for the FP when folded? Can you stand on top of it? The reason I ask is that I like to stand on my tonneau for photography. Thanks. I'm gonna give the guys at AT a call tomorrow for some ordering/pricing info.

 

[WASURF63]

Walt you mentioned that when you were in Mojave with the brand new atfp the winds were blowing you ragged and you decided to sleep in the bed. What is the tent material made of for the atfp? Since you previously had a maggiolina how would you compare the tent material vs the atfp?

I would say that the ATFP tent material is most similar to the Columbus "Airtex" material. It's mid-lightweight yet tough.

IIRC the Maggiolina "Dralon" material felt quite a bit tougher than the other two. That was the a very warm and stout RTT.

With steady winds in the 40mph+ range I just couldn't sleep. I think I would've bailed into the back of the truck bed/canopy in the case of the high profile Columbus RTT as well, but weathered the windstorm in the Maggiolina.

 

[WASURF63]

Is there a weight limit for the FP when folded? Can you stand on top of it? The reason I ask is that I like to stand on my tonneau for photography. Thanks. I'm gonna give the guys at AT a call tomorrow for some ordering/pricing info.

Just cut to the chase and order an ATFP. You know you want to.:drool:

 

[ETAV8R]

I would say that the ATFP tent material is most similar to the Columbus "Airtex" material. It's mid-lightweight yet tough.

So it isn't made of normal "tent" material? It looks similar. Any pics with the rainfly on? Or better yet get out there and take some pics with the new rig in use!

 

[ETAV8R]

Just cut to the chase and order an ATFP. You know you want to.:drool:

Wow you want me to join your club huh. Tacodoc started something here. Trust me I originally didn't like doc's ride. It just looks so boxy. But with windoors and the longer fit the cost may equal what I would have put in with a rack and Airtop yet with more usefulness.

FRP, the manufacture of the Flip Pac, can customize them any way you want. I recently visited their manufacturing facility and saw pictures of a bunch of their custom jobs. Windoors, custom hatches, custom windows, solid sides, all kinds of cool stuff. One customer had a hatch for an ac unit. Opening the hatch created a shelf for a typical window mount AC unit to slide out onto...pretty cool stuff. AT has a whole bunch of tricks they can do to customize a flip pac for you too.

So side windoors and cabside flipout window arent out of the picture? You guys really aren't making this easy. I still need to find a way to pay for all this and some suspension upgrades. Heck I want to get the rear suspension TSB taken care of before I hit 36k.

 

[ETAV8R]

So this is what it would look like on my truck since it is an access cab...