Buy FWC, Quit Jobs, Drive to Argentina

Here are a few other ideas to consider for going with the factory mounts for the Yakima tracks. They would give you the capability to attach a solar panel to the rack system when you are ready and give you the option to add a Rocket box for additional storage. Given the length of your journey, it seems like having as many storage options as possible would be a good thing.

Like many of the other posters, I am really anxious to follow your build and prep for this significant adventure and even more anxious to read your trip reports. Cheers!
 
steelhead said:
Here are a few other ideas to consider for going with the factory mounts for the Yakima tracks. They would give you the capability to attach a solar panel to the rack system when you are ready and give you the option to add a Rocket box for additional storage. Given the length of your journey, it seems like having as many storage options as possible would be a good thing.

Like many of the other posters, I am really anxious to follow your build and prep for this significant adventure and even more anxious to read your trip reports. Cheers!
Click to expand...
Thanks steelhead. We'll be putting together a blog at some point so we can document the prep part of the process and the trip. This week has been pretty insane. Good news to follow.....
 
After all the great feedback on WTW and our trip to Rocky Mountain FWC, we were in the final stages of choosing options for a FWC Hawk shell. Next was planning the best way to pick up the Hawk once it was complete. After a 2 hour discussion we had decided we would take a week off of work to drive our to CO, test out the camper, and drive it back. That's when it happened. On a whim, Jenna checked our local craigslist. We had previously set up CL alerts, and followed the used FWC threads, but had since settled on a new shell build. Especially since FWCs (for sale) are pretty much non-existent on the East Coast. Somehow the stars aligned and the first listing in the craigslist search was "2005 Four Wheel Camper - Hawk." More importantly, it was only 45 minutes from our house! The listing was less than 24 hours old. We sent an email, then another the following morning. After a reply from the seller I called and said "you can delete the emails from other's who are interested...I'll be taking that Hawk off your hands." 24 hours later we were sitting in our New/Used Hawk. Spent the whole weekend cleaning it and discussing mods...fridge, solar, roof maintenance, 2nd battery, LED lights, lift assists, awning(s), storage....let the fun begin!

2005 Hawk:
Standard Features +
Front Opening Window & Boot
Fantastic Roof Vent Fan
Aluminum Roof Racks (PITA to clean under)
Aux Battery System (new battery)
Forced Air Furnace
Mechanican Jacks w/brackets
Solar Plug on roof
 

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Thanks! Sorry about the terrible picture. I'll get some better pictures of the interior and exterior in a week or two. We currently have the camper stored at a separate location since we live in an apartment.

It was a long weekend of cleaning. The roof had a lot of build-up from being stored under some trees, and the aluminum roof racks made the task more difficult. So far we've scrubbed the roof and sides, wiped down the inside, vacuumed, took off the window shades to soak/wash, lubed the door/deadbolt/hinges, cleaned then sealed the vinyl with 303 aerospace protectant, cleaned the fantastic fan and screen, and applied some gray rustoleum to a couple exposed wood spots on the bottom of the camper. Really wishing we had the Hawk closer by...our "To Do" and "Mods" lists are growing fast. I'd be working on it 24/7 if I had the choice.

Has anyone installed flip-up or removeable screens for their turnbuckle access panels? Looking for bug/animal proof ventilation that we can leave open when away from the camper and not have to worry about rain.
 
My first FWC had the boot and front window. I never opened them. I still have the boot stored in the garage, but I find the front slider is great ventilation in any kind of weather on the new FWC. I am currently using a screen from the hardware store that is adjustable, intended I guess for double-hung windows. It happens to fit well in the front slider when I am camped. Better would be one that I make to fit exactly - but I haven't gotten around to it just yet.

I remember the aluminum rack from my first FWC - eventually I used it to mount solar panels. Anything mounted to the roof tends to collect water and dirt on the low side.
 
Congrats on the nice camper find!

TravelAmateurs said:
...
Has anyone installed flip-up or removeable screens for their turnbuckle access panels? Looking for bug/animal proof ventilation that we can leave open when away from the camper and not have to worry about rain.
Click to expand...
We have the Fantastic Fan roof vents with a rain sensor so we can leave them open when we leave and they close automatically if it rains. It's a nice feature.
 
Now that we’ve completed the first two items in this discussion's title, and are en route to the third, I figured I should provide a long overdue update. We’re currently in Denver, CO and a LOT has happened in the last year.

Here’s a quick summary of what we’ve done:

-Bought a 2005 FWC Hawk
-Bought a 2006 Toyota Tundra 4x4 DC
-Got engaged
-Started a blog: www.travelamateurs.com
-Quit our jobs
-Mods Mods Mods
-Moved out of apartment & into FWC
-Drove from Washington D.C. to Colorado

We’re currently trying to compile a list and pictures of all the mods we’ve completed. There is a lot of information on the blog/website but I’ll post them on here as well since 95% of the mods are ideas from the WTW community!

In the meantime, if anyone knows the good camping, hiking, and especially boondocking spots for CO let us know! There was a lot of flat land getting here and we’re excited to get into the mountains.
 
I looked at your blog and it looks like you took everything but the kitchen sink. I'd love to see a photo of all that gear packed up and inside your FWC.

I also have to wonder if you feel that you have enough or you have too much.

We used to be masters of tent camping and knew exactly what to bring and what not to bring. After 6 months of owning my loaded 2013 Hawk, I'm still trying to figure out what to bring and what not to bring.

In your case you abandoned everything in your day to day life. In my case I'm still transferring things from the house to the camper after each trip until I figure out what works and what does not and then appropriately equipping the camper with specialized items specifically for the camper, that will stay with the camper.

ie. I have a 12" cast iron frying pan, but I just purchased a 10" non stick pan as well. I was't sure whether a 6 or 8" pan would have been a better choice.

Sooooooo...... how are thing going for you? What works, what does not work?
 
Bill D said:
I looked at your blog and it looks like you took everything but the kitchen sink. I'd love to see a photo of all that gear packed up and inside your FWC.

I also have to wonder if you feel that you have enough or you have too much.

We used to be masters of tent camping and knew exactly what to bring and what not to bring. After 6 months of owning my loaded 2013 Hawk, I'm still trying to figure out what to bring and what not to bring.

In your case you abandoned everything in your day to day life. In my case I'm still transferring things from the house to the camper after each trip until I figure out what works and what does not and then appropriately equipping the camper with specialized items specifically for the camper, that will stay with the camper.

ie. I have a 12" cast iron frying pan, but I just purchased a 10" non stick pan as well. I was't sure whether a 6 or 8" pan would have been a better choice.

Sooooooo...... how are thing going for you? What works, what does not work?
Click to expand...
[SIZE=10.5pt]You're right, we brought what feels like a lot of stuff. We hadn't completed any extended trips in the FWC and I am used to hiking trips where everything I need for a couple weeks is on my back, so it was a guessing game for us when packing. Knowing that we will be traveling through nearly every climate along the 1.5 year trip (14+ countries) made it difficult to choose as well.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Tools, maintenance, and recovery gear for the Tundra took up space. We also have a complete set of hiking/camping gear for when we venture away from the FWC. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Surprisingly everything fits well so far. We have a plastic case (holds our outdoor stove and cooking setup), two chairs, and a fold up table that sit in the floor space of the Hawk. Other than those items, everything is tucked away nicely. I plan to put together a list of all of our gear and we'll post some pics of everything loaded. We’ve been on the road a little over a month so it’s a bit too early to know what will make the final cut. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We are loving life on the road. Slowly learning the best ways to camp for free, since we’ve found campsites to be a bit pricey for our budget. Our GSI Halilite kettle and collapsible java drip are some of our favorite items so far; probably because we use them every day for coffee. Our fantastic fan has been great as well...the badlands were hot![/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The 2x100w flexible Renogy panels + Bogart SC-2030 + Trimetric has worked great, but our single optima bluetop (55Ah) isn’t enough capacity. We knew this before departure but figured a solution could wait. I didn’t want to give up the space for two group 31s and my options are limited given the small battery box in a 05 Hawk with rollover couch. Any suggestions?[/SIZE]
 
Love it !

Sounds like the trip of a lifetime.


If you need any travel advice while going through Peru, you might consider contacting our FWC dealer / rental agency in Peru.

He has several routes mapped out with safe & private locations for his customer to stay throughout the country.

He is one of the nicest guys I have met and he knows all of the in's & out's of traveling safely in Peru.

Best of luck with your trip. Wish I could go !! :)


RV Peru (Four Wheel Camper Sales & Rentals)

Avenida Santa Cruz 1254, Lima 18, Peru

Phone: + (51) 981326375

E-mail: alberto@rvperu.com

Website: www.rvperu.com




.
 
Stan@FourWheel said:
Love it !

Sounds like the trip of a lifetime.


If you need any travel advice while going through Peru, you might consider contacting our FWC dealer / rental agency in Peru.

He has several routes mapped out with safe & private locations for his customer to stay throughout the country.

He is one of the nicest guys I have met and he knows all of the in's & out's of traveling safely in Peru.

Best of luck with your trip. Wish I could go !! :)


RV Peru (Four Wheel Camper Sales & Rentals)

Avenida Santa Cruz 1254, Lima 18, Peru

Phone: + (51) 981326375

E-mail: alberto@rvperu.com

Website: www.rvperu.com




.
Click to expand...
Thanks Stan! We will definitely reach out to RV Peru as we get closer. Having some routes mapped out by a local down there would be great.
 
Haven't been around internet much lately so we haven't had a chance to document our FWC maintenance and mods the way I wanted to. However, exploring the mountains of CO has been a blast! I've included a list of some of our projects below as well as links to a couple posts where we have pictures of the rig and mods. Feel free to ask ANY questions. WTW has been a great resource so we'd love to provide our experiences and help if possible.

http://www.travelamateurs.com/trip-prep-part-1-of-3-the-truck/

http://www.travelamateurs.com/trip-prep-part-2-of-3-the-camper/

Replaced icebox with an Isotherm CR-65 EL
Installed ventilation for fridge (marine exhaust vent + a computer fan wired to compressor)
Converted drawer above fridge to flip top cabinet
Bolted, Screwed & Glued an ARB 2000 Awning to passenger side
Installed 2x100w Renogy panels on roof (Used 3M VHB Tape & 3M 4000 Fast Cure)
Installed Bogart SC-2030 Solar Controller
Installed Bogart Trimetric TM-2030 RV
Reinforced Turnbuckle Tie-Down points with steel plates & grade 8 bolts
Created no-seeum screen cover for turnbuckle access door
Removed, replaced, and re-sealed roof screws.
Re-caulked 90% of camper using 3M 4000
Installed Eternabond along middle roof seam & roof vent perimeter
Re-painted roof
Re-painted grey underside (plywood)
Front & Rear Trim - removed, cleaned, and re-installed w/ new screws
Replaced CO2 & Propane Detectors w/ a 2-in-1 model
Replaced all lights w/ LEDs
Installed additional 12V accessory plugs (standard & USB combo)
Added IOTA IQ4 Smart Charger
Traced and labeled wires
Installed Water Filtration System (Everpure)
Covered exterior metal gromets on vinyl using sleeping pad repair patches. (gromets felt sharp)
Installed new front bumpers (lost old ones)
Heavy duty rubber backed rug for flooring/carpeting
Installed Screen Door Crossbar
Installed gas struts for flip top cabinet above fridge and flip top cabinets under couch.
Installed Reflectix in propane compartment, around shore power access box, and under bed cushions.
Created Reflectix covers for all windows
Installed 2nd group 34 AGM battery. (Standing on ends in battery compartment of 05 Hawk w/ rollover couch)
Wired camper to truck alternator w/ 8awg marine wire and MinnKota plug.
Installed Battery Isolator
...
 
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