Custom camper project part 1: spec and design

[DirtyDog]

So I'm going to be designing a custom camper for a flatbed. As mentioned over in my FWC for sale thread, I feel that a camper built for a flatbed solves a lot of problems with the traditional slide-in truck camper. My main goal is to maximize and optimize storage space, so that I can carry gear, wood, bikes, and whatever else I need for a week or two on the road without piling everything up right in the middle of the camper.

I have a lot of ideas but just drawing them on paper left me with a lot of doubts as to whether it would all work. So I decided to build a mockup and play around with some layouts. Advantage #1 to a flatbed camper - lots of floor space! Just over 50 square feet for a shortbed truck:

 

[Overland Hadley]

This is going to be good!

 

[pods8]

Good times. Yeah I'm starting in CAD to iron out some ideas but will likely mock some stuff up with cardboard to verify a few spacial things.

 

[ski3pin]

This is going to be good!


We're watching too!

 

[chnlisle]

In plywood!!! Y'gotta love this guy.

 

[Ted]

I like what you have done so far. It looks very open and has good visibility for looking outside.

Not sure how easy it would be to get custom rotomold work done, but this idea from Livin Lite shows potential:

The dinette bases in the QUICKSILVER are constructed of roto-cast ABS which is both lightweight and waterproof - allowing the bases to be easily removed from the unit - or to serve as coolers! The seat cushions are constructed out of marine-grade vinyl, making them both durable and weather-proof.

Otherwise, would it be possible to make lightweight cabinets like those in the XP camper and put them in yours?

 

[jmodge]

DD,

I had thought about something similar. Also taking a plasma cutter to the back of a cab and opening it up. Then using a gasket such as they use when attaching a van body to a box truck bed for fleet vehicles. Thus having a walk through pop up camper. My thought were to do this to a Suburban with a pop up and keeping the rear seat because they fold down to floor level.
At that point I did not know four wheel pop ups existed, much less a Blazer model. I found my Blazer while looking for campers. It is pretty cramped, but I am am 52 and my body has less energy than my mind, so it is a good thing I found the Blazer because I would probably be overwhelmed with such a project.
I like your Idea and wish you the best of luck. What chassis do you plan on using?

 

[craig333]

I'm daunted at the prospect of installing my new refer and building a cabinet for the microwave and simple projects like that. I can't imagine building a camper from scratch. Wow. Sure hope it all comes together.

 

[DirtyDog]

I'm daunted at the prospect of installing my new refer and building a cabinet for the microwave and simple projects like that. I can't imagine building a camper from scratch. Wow. Sure hope it all comes together.


Never said I was building it

Another advantage of the flatbed platform is that the door doesn't need to go in the back of the camper. Putting the door on the side has many advantages: the door can be under the awning, the back of the camper is open to store all the gear you want (like hanging bikes off the back), and the door can be wider.

I thought about using a wider door but in my drawings I was losing a fair amount of cabinet space with the 34 inch door I had planned to use. I looked again at the FWC and concluded that the 28 inch FWC door feels a lot smaller than it is because the bench seat protrudes so far into the entrance. I think that if the door were unobstructed it would be plenty big at 28 inches.

 

[Marc]

If your wood working skills are as good as your fire making skills, we should be in for a treat.

marc

PS looking forward to seeing what U come up with.

 

[pods8]

DD,

I had thought about something similar. Also taking a plasma cutter to the back of a cab and opening it up. Then using a gasket such as they use when attaching a van body to a box truck bed for fleet vehicles. Thus having a walk through pop up camper.


I always thought that'd be cool too but at that point you're really dedicating the rig to being a camper only unless you figure out a good removable door for the cutout on the truck.

Never said I was building it

I thought about using a wider door but in my drawings I was losing a fair amount of cabinet space with the 34 inch door I had planned to use. I looked again at the FWC and concluded that the 28 inch FWC door feels a lot smaller than it is because the bench seat protrudes so far into the entrance. I think that if the door were unobstructed it would be plenty big at 28 inches.


I suspected you weren't building based on your lack of interest (perceived on my part) towards in depth building projects in the past but I previously didn't say it as to not take any wind out of your sails if that was the case.

Going on the limb should I'm assume we're talking sliding wall hard side campers like XP and alaskan for the doorway which would be full height (that is what I'm looking at myself)? If so I was thinking 24" on the lower would likely be plenty, esp. without any obstructions like a couch in the way. The upper would need to be wider to work the hinge layout anyways which is where you could have some more width to accommodate the upper body. But if you got the room for the 28" roll with it.

 

[jcfly]

DD: Maybe some ideas can be found here. http://www.talvor.com/rv-vehicles.aspx

Take a look at the adventure camper. Good luck.

 

[DirtyDog]

DD: Maybe some ideas can be found here. http://www.talvor.com/rv-vehicles.aspx

Take a look at the adventure camper. Good luck.


Interesting stuff there thanks Jim!

 

[MarkBC]

Doesn't a flat-bed as base make the whole thing -- with camper -- higher profile -- compared to a pickup? Isn't that at least somewhat of a downside?
I guess you could decide that the higher elevation is acceptable...but I don't see why higher would be preferable.
I'm sure this must have been addressed in the XPcamper context, but since pickup-vs-flatbed was mentioned in this thread...just wondering.

 

[pods8]

Doesn't a flat-bed as base make the whole thing -- with camper -- higher profile -- compared to a pickup? Isn't that at least somewhat of a downside?
I guess you could decide that the higher elevation is acceptable...but I don't see why higher would be preferable.
I'm sure this must have been addressed in the XPcamper context, but since pickup-vs-flatbed was mentioned in this thread...just wondering.

Depends on the flatbed, if you want to lift the bed up to the top of the stock wheel wells the bed would be notably higher (but you can then have a drawer between the frame rails. However most fender wells are far taller than they need to be. Sounds like you can get away with 2-4" higher than the original bed for the manufacturer I was talking to. So from there you'd just need to adjust the height of the cab over in the design (if there is one) and go from there. With a pop-up there really isn't any reason the profile has to be taller. That is more driven by how thick the cab-over profile is and how much headroom you want in the down position.

 

[DirtyDog]

Doesn't a flat-bed as base make the whole thing -- with camper -- higher profile -- compared to a pickup? Isn't that at least somewhat of a downside?
I guess you could decide that the higher elevation is acceptable...but I don't see why higher would be preferable.
I'm sure this must have been addressed in the XPcamper context, but since pickup-vs-flatbed was mentioned in this thread...just wondering.

Yes you are correct that is a downside. The whole thing is going to be about 8 inches taller. COG isn't affected though because appliances are mounted closer to the floor rather than above the bed walls. Also since the back wall will be for gear, I won't put a rack on top or store any gear on top so for those that use rocket boxes or racks the height will be less if gear is transferred to the back.

 

[Cort]

I think that we should all remember that compared to traditional hard sided campers popups have a very low center of gravity. The 8" inches of height gained due to the flatbed is easily offset, as DD has stated, by being able to mount appliances lower. In my opinion, I have not actually worked out any numbers, being able to mount the propane and water tank at bed level will more than offset the increase in height.

Cort

 

[MarkBC]

Yes you are correct that is a downside. The whole thing is going to be about 8 inches taller. COG isn't affected though because appliances are mounted closer to the floor rather than above the bed walls. Also since the back wall will be for gear, I won't put a rack on top or store any gear on top so for those that use rocket boxes or racks the height will be less if gear is transferred to the back.


OK, that makes sense. A couple guys drive flat-bed F350s to work (because they have acreage with little "ranches", I guess), so I've seen them a lot, and I've seen plenty around town, and I've noticed that their beds are noticeably higher than mine...maybe 8".
But yeah, having the extra floorspace, etc, would be a great thing...something to think about when I have $10,000+ that I don't want to spend on other things...

It'll be great to follow your project, DD.

 

[pods8]

Yes you are correct that is a downside. The whole thing is going to be about 8 inches taller. COG isn't affected though because appliances are mounted closer to the floor rather than above the bed walls. Also since the back wall will be for gear, I won't put a rack on top or store any gear on top so for those that use rocket boxes or racks the height will be less if gear is transferred to the back.


DD, just an FYI if you're not wanting to have a center drawer between the bed rails a flatbed like the one from UTE supposidely only sits 2-4" higher than the stock bed. I still need to head down to their distributor (its located near me) and check them out first hand.

 

[DirtyDog]

DD, just an FYI if you're not wanting to have a center drawer between the bed rails a flatbed like the one from UTE supposidely only sits 2-4" higher than the stock bed. I still need to head down to their distributor (its located near me) and check them out first hand.


If that is the case i will be stoked! I did order the UTE. The guy told me the rear drawer won't fit on the shortbed model i ordered.