Basin Deranged
Senior Member
Yes, Sir Francis Drake from Lagunitas to Olema is one of those roads that seems to bring out the throttle twister in some and the looky-loo in others: Highway 1 too.billharr said:
A Little Different Camper Build
Basin Deranged
Senior Member
We Interrupt This Program...
N and I just got word that we have 10 days in front of us with no obligations. We're taking off on a spur-of-the-moment camping trip to Nevada! This will be the first chance we've had to spend more than two nights in a row in our new camper.
So I will not be posting the next installment until after Sept. 19.
Thanks again for all the nice comments, questions, and suggestions. Keep 'em coming: I'll reply upon our return.
N and I just got word that we have 10 days in front of us with no obligations. We're taking off on a spur-of-the-moment camping trip to Nevada! This will be the first chance we've had to spend more than two nights in a row in our new camper.
So I will not be posting the next installment until after Sept. 19.
Thanks again for all the nice comments, questions, and suggestions. Keep 'em coming: I'll reply upon our return.
Have fun in Nevada. Travel safe and happy camping! 
jackattack
Advanced Member
This is fantastic. My wife and I are sold on the slide-in campers, but not at all interested in the American style finishes. I may contact you in the future for information regarding your parts supplier.
-Kai
-Kai
Basin Deranged
Senior Member
Thanks for the good wishes ski3pin. We had a fine trip! I'll post a trip report after I finish this build thread.
Thanks Kai. Feel free to ask any questions.
Thanks Kai. Feel free to ask any questions.
Basin Deranged
Senior Member
Interior Layout
We went with a forward dinette with large benches on both sides. As mentioned earlier we often camp with friends, so it's nice to be able to accommodate a couple others around the table. Also this allows us to have the option of a "grandchild bed."
The narrow storage beneath the sliding bed is a benefit of the taller area above the cab. We store the slide-out bed cushions, auxiliary solar panel, and table in there.
The table mounts to a home-made swiveling aluminum bracket.
With the table bracket removed the table drops onto two ledges built into the benches and the seat-back cushion is put on top for the aforementioned "grandchild bed."
A tall storage cabinet, a tiny storage cabinet, and the galley are at the rear of the camper.
We went with a forward dinette with large benches on both sides. As mentioned earlier we often camp with friends, so it's nice to be able to accommodate a couple others around the table. Also this allows us to have the option of a "grandchild bed."
The narrow storage beneath the sliding bed is a benefit of the taller area above the cab. We store the slide-out bed cushions, auxiliary solar panel, and table in there.
The table mounts to a home-made swiveling aluminum bracket.
With the table bracket removed the table drops onto two ledges built into the benches and the seat-back cushion is put on top for the aforementioned "grandchild bed."
A tall storage cabinet, a tiny storage cabinet, and the galley are at the rear of the camper.
Basin Deranged
Senior Member
Various Fixtures
The Renogy flexible solar panel is attached to the roof with 3M tape and a second panel, with a 30-foot detachable cord, resides below the bed when not in use. The solar controller, water level indicator, Propex heater controls, and 12v outlets are mounted to the tall storage cabinet.
The Blue Seas fuse panel lives under the passenger-side bench.
The Propex heater is installed under a false floor in the same cabinet. We chose the Propex because it is relatively quiet and quite efficient. It came from another of my Vanagon sources, Westy Ventures.
Combustion air comes from the outside and the exhaust gasses are vented to the outside. Two vents on either end of the bench provide the hot air source and the cold air return. The false floor allows us to use the area above for storage.
Spring loaded "toy-chest" hinges keep the bench lid up or down.
The 12 volt fridge installed in the galley cabinet is a Truckfridge also from Westy Ventures. I should mention here that the customer service from Westy Ventures is first rate.
The galley cabinet top swings up to reveal the stovetop and sink. The stovetop is from ENO and available through West Marine and other marine suppliers. Nice hot burners! (Though the lowest setting is not quite low enough to keep a small pot of rice from burning when cooked in a thin-walled stainless pot. I'll need to either get a thicker pot or a flame diffuser.)
The sink is one that I purchased from All Terrain and the faucet is a Shurflo purchased from GoWesty.
The Renogy flexible solar panel is attached to the roof with 3M tape and a second panel, with a 30-foot detachable cord, resides below the bed when not in use. The solar controller, water level indicator, Propex heater controls, and 12v outlets are mounted to the tall storage cabinet.
The Blue Seas fuse panel lives under the passenger-side bench.
The Propex heater is installed under a false floor in the same cabinet. We chose the Propex because it is relatively quiet and quite efficient. It came from another of my Vanagon sources, Westy Ventures.
Combustion air comes from the outside and the exhaust gasses are vented to the outside. Two vents on either end of the bench provide the hot air source and the cold air return. The false floor allows us to use the area above for storage.
Spring loaded "toy-chest" hinges keep the bench lid up or down.
The 12 volt fridge installed in the galley cabinet is a Truckfridge also from Westy Ventures. I should mention here that the customer service from Westy Ventures is first rate.
The galley cabinet top swings up to reveal the stovetop and sink. The stovetop is from ENO and available through West Marine and other marine suppliers. Nice hot burners! (Though the lowest setting is not quite low enough to keep a small pot of rice from burning when cooked in a thin-walled stainless pot. I'll need to either get a thicker pot or a flame diffuser.)
The sink is one that I purchased from All Terrain and the faucet is a Shurflo purchased from GoWesty.
Basin Deranged
Senior Member
Curtains
The curtain fabric is a Japanese cotton from the local fabric store. The curtain hardware is from Curtaintracks.com.
First I cut the curtains to size, double-folded the edges, and seamed all the way around. Next I sewed on the shirring tape and installed the curtain hooks into every other loop in the tape.
Next I cut the plastic curtain track to length and installed the gliders and end stops.
I attached the hooks to the gliders...
and installed the tracks.
Snaps and curtain ties were next.
This makes for a nice low profile installation that even fits with room to spare between the door and the screen door.
The curtain fabric is a Japanese cotton from the local fabric store. The curtain hardware is from Curtaintracks.com.
First I cut the curtains to size, double-folded the edges, and seamed all the way around. Next I sewed on the shirring tape and installed the curtain hooks into every other loop in the tape.
Next I cut the plastic curtain track to length and installed the gliders and end stops.
I attached the hooks to the gliders...
and installed the tracks.
Snaps and curtain ties were next.
This makes for a nice low profile installation that even fits with room to spare between the door and the screen door.
takesiteasy
Senior Member
Professional looking result- nice work!
Basin Deranged
Senior Member
Finishing Touches
Once the camper was completed I weighed the truck so I could replace the hopelessly overloaded rear springs with something more stout. The camper will seldom if ever come off the truck. I contacted Deaver Spring in Southern California for a set of their heavier springs. This photo shows the stock spring on the left and the new spring on the Right.
I also installed taller tires with an E load rating for increased load range and ground clearance. The tires are Cooper Discover AT3 in size 235/85 R16 which fits very nicely into the Tacoma front wheelwells without rubbing on full compression.
On the left side of the photo above you can see the base of the hi-lift jack hanging from the brackets that I built for it.
I attached the bracket for the Brophy folding aluminum steps to an angle iron which I mounted to the bottom of the camper shell.
I was happy to discover the zero-cost, zero-effort, guitar mount modification. It holds the instrument nice and snug.
I made a pair of strap brackets to attach to the passenger seat mounting bolts for strapping the removable winch into the back of the cab.
The existing child-seat attachment points that you can see protruding between the seat cushion and backrest in the photo below worked perfectly for holding the straps at the rear of the cab.
That wraps it up for now. I'll report back in the future as we find out how this all works out and make the inevitable modifications and additions.
See you on the road...
Once the camper was completed I weighed the truck so I could replace the hopelessly overloaded rear springs with something more stout. The camper will seldom if ever come off the truck. I contacted Deaver Spring in Southern California for a set of their heavier springs. This photo shows the stock spring on the left and the new spring on the Right.
I also installed taller tires with an E load rating for increased load range and ground clearance. The tires are Cooper Discover AT3 in size 235/85 R16 which fits very nicely into the Tacoma front wheelwells without rubbing on full compression.
On the left side of the photo above you can see the base of the hi-lift jack hanging from the brackets that I built for it.
I attached the bracket for the Brophy folding aluminum steps to an angle iron which I mounted to the bottom of the camper shell.
I was happy to discover the zero-cost, zero-effort, guitar mount modification. It holds the instrument nice and snug.
I made a pair of strap brackets to attach to the passenger seat mounting bolts for strapping the removable winch into the back of the cab.
The existing child-seat attachment points that you can see protruding between the seat cushion and backrest in the photo below worked perfectly for holding the straps at the rear of the cab.
That wraps it up for now. I'll report back in the future as we find out how this all works out and make the inevitable modifications and additions.
See you on the road...
So, what is in the guitar case?
Basin Deranged
Senior Member
That's my camping guitar. A 10-year-old Martin 00016 RGT: A very nice sounding instrument but not so expensive that I feel the need to shelter it from the vagaries of temperature and humidity that camping entails.
pvstoy
Senior Member
Get a inexpensive receiver hitch from Harbor Freight a small one and mounted to the floor board with bolts going all the way through on the other side back it up with metal . now slide your winch into the receiver and put a locking pin on it . it is now secured in you don't need straps and it won't fly all over the place when you're in an accident . painlessly typed out on a cheap phone .
triple 0 is a nice size.Basin Deranged said:
A fantastic build! I really like your camper. Thanks for sharing with us.
Basin Deranged
Senior Member
Thanks for all the good comments folks. It's nice to have one's work appreciated!
brianjwilson
Senior Member
Very cool build!
There is a lot to like about the flat bed campers. I really would love to have my fleet with a flat bed instead, but the extra height bothered me as it would make it questionable for fitting in the garage. Had I anticipated the second kid on the way now, the extra 10" of interior length and extra storage would be really helpful!
There is a lot to like about the flat bed campers. I really would love to have my fleet with a flat bed instead, but the extra height bothered me as it would make it questionable for fitting in the garage. Had I anticipated the second kid on the way now, the extra 10" of interior length and extra storage would be really helpful!
wuck
Senior Member
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