Custom Shell Interiors

[NWCamper]

Long time lurker of this forum but first time poster. After a long search for a FWC I finally scored on a 2005 Granby Shell for $1000.00 and it was only 45-minutes away! The original owner added a cabinet with a hand pump sink and it has a factory ice box/cabinet. Some additional cabinetry was also added for a seating area/lower bed setup. Overall, he did a nice job but I was wondering if others have made custom interiors and if so could share their ideas and layouts since I would like to make it my own.

I am hoping to add a heat source (probably wave 3) and a cooktop so I will need to add a propane tank, regulator etc. Also, the water tank is a one gallon jug so I would like to add a tank with a greater holding capacity. I have lots of other questions but will save these for another thread.

Thanks!

 

[pods8]

Can we get some pictures of your current interior and some idea from you of what you hope to accomplish (and how much you're willing to change)? Is this a solo rig, for a couple? Do you want a lower bed or it doesn't matter? Dinette? Etc.

Sounds like you got a great deal by the way.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Where did you find such a good deal?

I have a planned shell build out thread, linked in my signature below. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[davinski]

Welcome NWCamper. You got a great find.

I have a 2001 hawk shell and made all the interior. I just realized I don't have any inside photos.....

I made custom cabinets that hold all my stuff. Gets all the gear off the floor for more useable space. I have no built in sink, water, kitchen, fridge. Rather, I have portable water, camp stove I can use in or out of the camper (prefer to cook outside as much as possible), and I have an ARB fridge. I designed it after another FWC users on this board. I also like to use the camper in stealth mode and with top up so designed it to work both ways. KISS is a good rule that I like to follow.

No heat yet, but after this winter, I think something like a wave would be nice. The portable just was not cutting it lately.

I am in Seattle. If you are near, we could meet up and talk shop.

Dave

 

[pods8]

I am in Seattle. If you are near, we could meet up and talk shop.

Dave


He lies, he's really a ghost, I've never seen him.

 

[NWCamper]

pods 8. I took some interior pics yesterday but am having difficulty uploading them from home. I live in the hills and have a poor cellular internet connection. I will post them in town later today. To answer your question, I am not opposed to completely changing the interior layout. It would not be difficult to pull out the existing build and reuse a lot of it. The camper will be used by my wife and I and our newborn son so we will need some sort of lower bed.

overland. I enjoyed your link and got a lot of good ideas from it. Thanks. As for the camper, I totally got lucky. Id been using searchtempest.com to scour craigslist from here (Bellingham, Washington) to northern California. I have wanted a FWC for a long time but really started searching these last nine months. The pending family addition really helped me convince my wife that a camper was necessary. I got the camper the day before he was born so I think it was fate. I thought he must have misprinted the add for $1000 instead of $10000 and I just kept calling. When he confirmed the price I was out the door to get it. He bought the camper new from FWC so I know he knew what he had. He just kept saying he wanted it to go to someone who would appreciate and use it.

davinski. Would love to see pics of your hawk setup. Im in Seattle all the time and if you are ever in Bellingham we should grab a beer at Boundary Bay and talk shop.



He lies, he's really a ghost, I've never seen him.

 

[pods8]

Im in Seattle all the time and if you are ever in Bellingham we should grab a beer at Boundary Bay and talk shop.

I'm in S. Everett near the Boeing plant (near Hwy 526, exit 189) and not too far of I-5 if you're rolling past and want to duck in at some point. I can rattle off a variety of ideas depending on what you're shooting for.

I've currently got a hawk I've done some modifications to (king size slide out bed, converted some cabinets to drawers, moved the stove over the fridge, built new countertops and installed pyrex covered SMEV sink/stove). The link in my signature goes to the thread on my rig that has pictures, might not be too good for your cellular service though.

I'm also currently working out a design and deciding whether I'll build a foam core fiberglass camper for a flatbed. [I've got an 8mo old son now and will likely add one more kid to the mix so I'm looking for a bit better suited design/layout] Thread here: http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/4199/

 

[Skeeter]

Boundry Bay, great place. If you go Everett/Mukilteo, you should go to Diamond knot and Scuttlebutts. Miss those watering holes during those winter nights.

 

[NWCamper]

Enjoyed the thread. Love the SMEV stove and sink setup. Are you still happy with them? Also like the stove over fridge layout. Great use of the space.

 

[pods8]

Enjoyed the thread. Love the SMEV stove and sink setup. Are you still happy with them? Also like the stove over fridge layout. Great use of the space.


I definitely like them, esp. for campers with limited counter space.

I wouldn't even bat an eye about putting them in the new camper, if I build it, aside from them being expensive and hard to source now. So I might get creative instead but I have time to figure that part out even if I do build the new camper since it doesn't matter till I get to the counter top stage.

 

[NWCamper]

OK. Here we go with some pics of the interior with the roof closed.

 

[pods8]

The cabinet set you have isn't bad so I might try and leave that unless you really like to tinker. Dinettes are pretty popular these days. You could either do one along the front and leave a whole bench on the side for a single lower bed that doesn't need to be converted. Or do one along the side and leave a bed along the front. If you want to start converting things you can open up even more ideas.

There used to be a link to an eagle camper that had the table off the front wall for a dinette across the front but the pics are broken, hopefully you can picture that. Check out robs eagle in this thread to show a dinette along the side and envision a bed across the front of yours: http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/2741/

If you wanted to rip out parts of the cabinets in yours you could do a double width dinette (to seat 4) across the front of yours and have it turn into a twin sized bed. Then have cabinets on each side of the rear of the rig, you probably could fit about 4' long cabinets on each side.

Let me know if you want me to expand on any of those thoughts.

 

[davinski]

NWCamper and Pods8

Maybe we should meet somewhere one day and talk campers. I am in West seattle. Pods is in the middle. Maybe one day we can drive to some parking lot, look at campers, then drink some beers in a fine establishment.....

Always wanted to meed that mythical Pods8 character. He always has so many good ideas.....

Besides, my batteries need charging.

Dave

 

[NWCamper]

The cabinet set you have isn't bad so I might try and leave that unless you really like to tinker. Dinettes are pretty popular these days. You could either do one along the front and leave a whole bench on the side for a single lower bed that doesn't need to be converted. Or do one along the side and leave a bed along the front. If you want to start converting things you can open up even more ideas.

I like the dinette idea across the front of the camper. Originally i thought I might expand the counter space up to the front but Im not sure I need it if I copy your idea of placing a cooktop over the ice box. I do plan to redo the existing tops and adding a smaller sink. If I do those things I think the counter space would be adequate. The camper came with a table that has a portable base. Its a bit big for use inside the camper. Im thinking I will eliminate the existing collapsable bed support and replace it with a table that coverts to a bed across the front. Im assuuming this is what you have in mind I would then leave the bench on the side.

 

[pods8]

NWCamper and Pods8

Maybe we should meet somewhere one day and talk campers. I am in West seattle. Pods is in the middle. Maybe one day we can drive to some parking lot, look at campers, then drink some beers in a fine establishment.....

Always wanted to meed that mythical Pods8 character. He always has so many good ideas.....

Besides, my batteries need charging.

Dave


I'm down. Some decent brew pubs in Everett/Mukilteo area or up in Mt. Vernon area for middle grounds. But I'd be fine going all the way either way one of these weekends.

Could also think about camping out around anacortes, deception pass, etc. or something of that nature at some point. However if NWCamper doesn't have a heater yet that might not be the best for the little one.

I like the dinette idea across the front of the camper. Originally i thought I might expand the counter space up to the front but Im not sure I need it if I copy your idea of placing a cooktop over the ice box. I do plan to redo the existing tops and adding a smaller sink. If I do those things I think the counter space would be adequate. The camper came with a table that has a portable base. Its a bit big for use inside the camper. Im thinking I will eliminate the existing collapsable bed support and replace it with a table that coverts to a bed across the front. Im assuuming this is what you have in mind I would then leave the bench on the side.


I really wish the pictures of the eagle that was in this link were still live: http://homepage.mac.com/rasti/PhotoAlbum3.html It had a setup like that. Anyone able to recover anything or find a cache of these?

Edit: Also Dave Johnson did something like that in his bobcat (eagle sized). In the grandby you'll have more room to work with though which is nice:
http://home.comcast.net/~david.johnson11/FinishedPassSide.html

http://home.comcast.net/~david.johnson11/FinishedCabinetDriver.html

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

Are these the pictures you were looking for ??

I have a few more save that I can post if this was the camper pics you were looking for


=============================================================


I really wish the pictures of the eagle that was in this link were still live:
http://home.comcast.net/~david.johnson11/FinishedCabinetDriver.html



.


.

 

[NWCamper]

I was thinking the same thing regarding a camping trip on Whidbey. Even more limiting than the lack of heater at this point is my lack of a carseat-friendly truck. Im on the hunt for an extended cab 1/2 ton 4X4 so if you guys come across one locally let me know. My current truck is a single-cab.

Thanks for the links. Im a bit humbled after checking out that build. Wish I had the time to launch into something like that.

pods. Do you have the model numbers of the SMEV units you have?

 

[NWCamper]

Are these the pictures you were looking for ??

I have a few more save that I can post if this was the camper pics you were looking for


=============================================================


Thanks Stan. More pics please if you got em.


.


.

 

[pods8]

Are these the pictures you were looking for ??


Yes sir!

pods. Do you have the model numbers of the SMEV units you have?


The stove is the 2 burner 8000 series, like this one: http://www.leisureshopdirect.com/caravan/home/product_30121/smev_series_8000_2-burner_build-in_hob_and_black_glass_lid_with_piezo_ignition.aspx

The stove is just their round covered sink, I don't see it at the liesure shopped but this rectangular one is the same deal basically: http://www.leisureshopdirect.com/caravan/home/product_34075/smev_8006_stainless_steel_sink_with_lid.aspx

 

[Overland Hadley]

I have a few more save that I can post if this was the camper pics you were looking for


I would be interested in seeing some more pictures from this camper. Thanks Stan!