1980 Granby Rebuild for 2nd Gen Tacoma

[a8ksh4]

The window panels are basically complete as originally designed. I'm going to add removable storm flaps, similarly to what I've read atc uses, and also glue a patch over the bottom exterior corner of each window opening, as that's the one easy spot for water to wick in. Also I'll probably use a bit of vinyl cement to seal all of the stitching...

Once the storm flaps are done, I can glue and stitch the panels together one at a time so that I never have more than one panel rolled up and moving through the sewing machine at a time.

I'm thinking about calling atc this week to see if they can sell me a new sheet of aluminum for my roof vs trying to patch up the old one, which has a number of cracks. TBD.

I'm starting to read more on glue types. I have a few spots in the siding and roof aluminum that I want to patch and I figure the best way would be to glue some scrap aluminum into the back.

Also I need to reinforce a couple spots on the frame around the door that have cracked. I think I can glue and rivet some flat bar aluminum across the cracked sections to add enough strength.

And I need to order headliner and lights and a fan so that I can actually assemble the top of this thing! I feel like now that the vinyl siding is worked out, I can more safely spend (just) a little money on this.

 

[a8ksh4]

More progress! All four windows are done with removable storm flaps on the outside, inspired by how atc does them.

I have to order another bucket of hh-66 glue to put all of the panels together.

I'm hoping to start cutting on the camper frame tomorrow and attach new plywood. The plan is to glue and use pocket screws for the plywood.

In the photo, an exclusive view into my sewing sweatshop and forced labor kitteh.

 

[a8ksh4]

A bit of structural stuff today. I flipped over the Shell of the old camper and built a new tub for it. I trimmed the aluminum frame to fit the bed of the taco.

I picked up a tool to do the pocket screws thing to hold it all together with wood glue. I really really like using pocket screws now. This feelt like a really simple build.


I haven't screwed the wood to the aluminum yet.... I'm kind of debating whether or not I should use some gorilla glue or just screw and be done.


Regarding squaring everything up... I cut the wood to be square and just sort of shift the aluminum frame around to line up with the wood. Hope this works!


The whole thing will get a heavy coat of primer and paint this next week. And the ribbing will be boxed in with holes cut on the interior to make storage boxes down the length of each side of the camper.


I think I mentioned that there were some cracks in the aluminum frame around the door. I'm planning to bond (3m 5200 and screws or rivets??) some reinforcing aluminum to the frame in those spots, and also to use a bit of plywood to help support and keep the whole door wall square.

 

[WyoIDI]

Wow cruising right along and looking good! Random question but how much do you think the bare frame of the camper weighs? I've seen in past builds on this site folks using L brackets and screws for frame repairs. I'm not sure how steel brackets would play with the aluminum (corrosion issues?) but maybe epoxy in there might help, I don't actually fully understand the potential issue honestly. Can't wait to see the final product.

 

[a8ksh4]

I haven't handled just the frame yet... my wife and I flipped it over the other day with the 4' x 8' x 5/8" plywood still attached to the bottom, and that felt like maybe 200 lbs. If I pull the new plywood off before gluing/screwing it to the frame, I'll weigh the frame.

When the heater was installed on this camper previously, someone had put a couple L brackets in to hold the tubing around the heater exhaust port. I didn't see any aluminum corrosion there and the bracket just had surface rust, presumably because it was in the wall and had stayed dry. There is a ton of corrosion at the front of the camper by the bed platform from water intrusion and interaction between the aluminum and the steel screws in the hinge for inside part of the bed platform. So I guess as long as they stay dry, they're great!

I can't wait to get this thing onto the truck for a test fit... next week some time.

 

[a8ksh4]

It's raining all week here, so work is at a standstill for now. The tub is pretty much done and attached to the frame. It'll still get some bits at the ends to attach the interior panels to and improve strength, especially around the front door to keep it from twisting or flexing.

 

[a8ksh4]

I flipped over the camper yesterday and finally am able to start figuring out how to do the inside. The camper is long for my truck; it sticks out 6" past the end of the tailgate, so I'm trying to keep weight forward as much as possible.

The cab overhang is 24", but in thinking I'll make the fixed part of the bed 34" and put 10 of shelving/storage at the very front of the camper. And a 24" extension for the bed will slide out or maybe fold up/down like it did originally from the factory, but I don't want to block any storage, do probably slide-out.

The platforms along the sides are 19", great sitting space. Well do the same across the front for wrap around seating and have some kind of take to go in there middle and fold down out of the way. This will give a bit more storage under the front bench.

Other priority right now is trying to clean up the old siding so I'll get good adhesion for new paint!

 

[BBZ]

Looking Good..
I spent a lot of time sitting in mine when it was like that trying to figure out the layout I wanted.

I am pretty confident we nailed it, very happy with our layout. Like you I put as much weight in the front as I have an 8 foot camper on a 6.5 bed. I also did the slide out bed, works great. Not sure what your lifter plans are? but, I really like the conduit lifters, especially for the back because you can put a window in...

Have fun.

my build thread if you are curious..

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/16057-picked-up-a-project-90s-granby/

 

[a8ksh4]

Slow and steady. I made a goal to paint the siding this week, so spent a couple evenings:
* Cleaning rest of the old butyl tape residue off with mineral spirits. The mineral spirits made supper easy work if this once the bulk was removed by scraping.
* Removing silicon crap from around where the old bed platform was. I soaked with gasket remover spray, scraped it off, and wiped the residue of with acetone.
* Brazed (poorly) up some of the patchy aluminum that supports the bed platform.
* Rough sanded any of the black paint the previous owner put it and anywhere there was corrosion.
* Wiped the whole thing down with wax and grease remover.
* Sprayed zinc primer on exposed metal and corroded spots.
* Scratched everything up with sanding pads
* Finally sprayed with Rust-Oleum white enamle paint.

Remarkably, I've had the thing in my driveway for months and I'm still occasionally finding effing staples sticking out randomly. I do believe I've finally pulled the last one that isn't actually holding something on now.

 

[CougarCouple]

Morning a8ksh4
Herd a saying long time ago " safe is slow, slow is smooth, smooth is fast " when I read your recap on painting the camper that came to mind. Winner makes the least mistakes, sometimes speed has nothing to do with it. Looking good!
Mr. Slow n Steady.

Russ

 

[a8ksh4]

We went a little further with the paint this week. And should have wiring in place for the marker lights tomorrow.

 

[CougarCouple]

Good morning a8khs4
Really like the storage pockets you built, those things are awesome. Thanks for sharing.

Russ

 

[So Cal Adventurer]

This is excellent! Great work! Following!

 

[a8ksh4]

Thanks both of ya'! I hope to have more updates soon. My wife is onboard for us trying to make more headway, but it's hard to make time...

Only thought with the cubbies is that maybe they'd be easier to clean out without the lip along the bottom. They were the best way I could think of to make a strong structure of the camper tub and get some usable space, though!

 

[a8ksh4]

Updates today!

Marker lights are on and soldered. We're using a 4 pin trailer harness to run the markers and a set of tail lights since this thing sticks out just past the end of the tailgate. We found some markers that fit the existing screw holes (2.5" apart)!



I used 3m 5200 to glue a heavy aluminum bar over the door where the frame was cracked. This was a learning experience... I should have used some aluminum angle to clamp it to hold it perfectly straight. I used clamps and screws to hold it while the adhesive set. I'll brace the corners with some brackets, and an thinking about attaching a piece of aluminum angle at the bottom along the floor...



Also cut some interior panels. I was able to modify the existing front panel to fit and then trace it onto new wood.

I screwed up one of the side panels and have to redo it... Lesson learned is that the windows and stuff are not square. The best way to do this if you are creating all new panels is to measure and cut the outside edge of the panel. Then put it in the camper and trace the windows and other openings into them, remove them, and then cut the openings.

 

[a8ksh4]

Little more progress today. Finished up trimming the inside panels and almost done with their paint. Going to add some stripped to one of the sides later.


And working on some parts for the conduit lifts. End caps that should fit smoothly between the angle brackets on the bottom and some clips to go above the pivot point. The printer is giving me a little grief right now, but hope to do the clips with a hole through the middle for a locking bolt thingy.

 

[a8ksh4]

More fancy paint work and insulation!

 

[a8ksh4]

I'm to the point where I really need to bend the conduit for the lifters. I'm not really sure on the math for the 90 degree corners to get just the right measurements, but if I mess up the first try, at least the conduit is cheap!

 

[CougarCouple]

Here ya go try this. I looked up “ how to bend 1/2 EMT” there are other reference.

Russ

 

[a8ksh4]

More progress! Haven't tackled the conduit lifters yet, but other stuff...

Finished wiring the marker and tail lights. We wired the marker lights and tail lights to a 4-pin trailer plug. I figured the tail lamps would be a good idea since the camper sticks out 2 ft past the truck lights, so the truck lights aren't visible from both sides @ the rear of the truck.

The lamp by the door is on a separate circuit that runs through the storage cubbies on the driver side to the front of the camper where we'll eventually have a battery and any other electronics. And two sets of wires were run to the driver side corner by the camper door to run up into the roof; one set for lights and the fan, and another for a solar panel eventually. We ran grounds for everything rather than just screwing into the camper frame.


Added reinforcement on the sides for the bed platform. I cut more of the plywood I used for the camper base and pocket-screwed/glued it to the bed platform up the sides and along the front, and screwed it to the aluminum frame toward the back of the camper to help cantilever the bed platform.


Installed the interior panels! And put a couple of windows back in! The panels by the camper door are definitely structural, helping to keep the door square, so they got lots of screws.