In typical dangerdan fashion, I have bit off more than I can chew! After much research and consideration, and that time this summer that I saw a similar rig drive by on a four wheel drive road, I decided on the acquisition of a truck camper. Many nights have been spent under the stars, no tent, waking up covered in frost, in a drenched down bag, but no more! The only thing that will be missed is the regular sighting of the shooting stars.
It took awhile but I found a used fwc that wasn't a Grandby, I wanted a shorter model due to the vehicle. The truck platform is an old toyota longbed pickup with a 22r under the hood. There is a lot of work coming ahead on the truck itself. Probably gonna get some Alcans, regear the diffs to 5.29 to get over the passes, rebuild the flatbed, let alone other maintenance that she needs. Her name, Chipeta.
I ended up with a late 70's fwc, unnamed. I was planning on remodeling the interior, so all was removed, only to find broken welds. Rotten wood led to the floor being removed. The canvas is less than stellar, so that is next to be 86ed, I will likely stitch up a new one. Removing the roof should make installing the new floor pack easier as then I can just flip the whole camper over.
The plan is to have a permanently mounted camper on the flat bed of my truck, with additional storage compartments fabricated for the sides on the exterior of the camper. The exterior storage will be nice for truck stuff as the cab is a regular; tools, fluids, etc.
As for the interior of the rebuild, that feels so far off from this point, but I'm planning it out currently. Probably add roof struts, 240v in solar, the cabover will have storage under sleeping pad, gonna maximize storage potential, have rollover couch, wave 6 heater, homemade upholstery, jerry cans for water storage, coleman stove so I can cook outside and in.
And the scary part, trying to get all this done by April 15, and still have a life! Wish me luck, Ill try to post pics and entertaining stories when it all goes wrong.
It took awhile but I found a used fwc that wasn't a Grandby, I wanted a shorter model due to the vehicle. The truck platform is an old toyota longbed pickup with a 22r under the hood. There is a lot of work coming ahead on the truck itself. Probably gonna get some Alcans, regear the diffs to 5.29 to get over the passes, rebuild the flatbed, let alone other maintenance that she needs. Her name, Chipeta.
I ended up with a late 70's fwc, unnamed. I was planning on remodeling the interior, so all was removed, only to find broken welds. Rotten wood led to the floor being removed. The canvas is less than stellar, so that is next to be 86ed, I will likely stitch up a new one. Removing the roof should make installing the new floor pack easier as then I can just flip the whole camper over.
The plan is to have a permanently mounted camper on the flat bed of my truck, with additional storage compartments fabricated for the sides on the exterior of the camper. The exterior storage will be nice for truck stuff as the cab is a regular; tools, fluids, etc.
As for the interior of the rebuild, that feels so far off from this point, but I'm planning it out currently. Probably add roof struts, 240v in solar, the cabover will have storage under sleeping pad, gonna maximize storage potential, have rollover couch, wave 6 heater, homemade upholstery, jerry cans for water storage, coleman stove so I can cook outside and in.
And the scary part, trying to get all this done by April 15, and still have a life! Wish me luck, Ill try to post pics and entertaining stories when it all goes wrong.
