Finally sprung for a FWC

[longhorn1]

That makes sense. I like idea of marking the legs. I just use a tape. Wish I had room in my garage and a level drive way
Have to store it at a storage place
Probably need to raise the roof once or twice over the winter.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Wander The West mobile app

 

[DesertDave]

I just measured my Grandby which I just opened in the garage. Hooked the tape on the rear awning rail, it measured 82" down to the bottom of the camper. Need to add 2 -2.5" to that to allow for the height of the roof vent, I think. Factory says closed height is 59" and adding the 24" of the popup to that gives you 83", so it's somewhere in the 83-84.5" height range.

I have an F350 4x4, with the camper on I clear the 95" door opening by one inch, with the racks removed. Depending on your vehicle height you may not need to remove the racks to drive into the garage with it on your truck.

FYI I raised a light fixture in order to have it be a couple inches above the camper when raised up (while on the truck). Floor to light tubes in 115", so that's about the inside height needed to open it on a truck with the bed sitting about 36" off the ground.

 

[TrapperMike]

DesertDave - Thanks for the info. Looks like I might be able to raise the height of the dolly if I choose to and still be able to open the camper. I'll see how much of a pain it is to raise and lower. But right now, when the dolly is not in use, it is short enough to store out of the way under my boat trailer.
Really looking forward to getting this new FWC Hawk Shell!

 

[Timothy McGowen]

Looks like someone else is tired of waiting too.

 

[Oly Bill]

Not Necessary But Nice if you have SHOREPOWER! 1) Get the smallest Microwave Oven for about $70, 2) Bread Toaster for EGGOS w/syrup & margarine, 3) Mini Keurig for your favorite single cups of Coffee or Carmel Cappuccino, 4) Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker $25, 5) Ready-Set-Go Cooker for most Fish, Oysters, Scallops, Hamburger Paddies...6) Small George Foreman Grill, 7) 8x8 inch wide by about 1 inch + deep oven bake pans to be used as food plates >see your local Dollar Store. 8) Chinet 12" x 10" HD Paper Plates (at Costco), 9) 2 Aluminum or Iron 8" Square Dutch Ovens, 10) Maybe a Sandwich/Waffle (Panini) Maker. Then resolve to go on many strenuous hikes to neutralize the the many flavorable calories gained (or not).

 

[Ace!]

I don't know that I've never seen a square dutch oven.

 

[TrapperMike]

Oly Bill - Thanks for the suggestions, but I don't plan on using shore power for the majority of places I go. Minimalist camping is what I try to achieve plus keeping the weight down.

One thing I have to add to the budget is E rated tires. But no hurry on that until next spring. I only plan on a few short trips early winter to work out the system and see what I need to add to the shell. Won't think about taking it out when the below zero (F) weather arrives!

 

[Oly Bill]

Ace! On 9-5-1997, I ordered two 9" x 9" Cast Aluminum Dutch Ovens for $50 each & an Aluminum "Gripper" Pliers. My Dutch Ovens weigh 6 pounds each. See their products & colorful family history at: http://woodydutchoven.com/

18 years later, they costs about twice as much but are very durable & useful.

 

[Oly Bill]

TrapperMike, In January 2003, I flattened my 2 passenger side 4 Ply Tires on a narrow logging road. This was very troubling because I only had one Jack & 1 Spare Tire!!! These "wimpy" tires came w/my new 2003 GMC 1500 Sierra. I quickly replaced these w/4 Les Schwab LT245/75R-16/6 108/104S Open Country AT 6 PLY Tires. These tires worked well & I replaced them in January 2015, after 53,000 miles w/the very same tires. HOWEVER, I now wish I would have chosen an "E" Rated 10 PLY Tire instead of 6 ply. I get very nervous & cautious when driving on logging roads such as : 1) Gold Hills gravel road at the Crystal Mtn Ski Resort, & 2) the very steep gravel USFS Road #74 to Corral Pass. Both roads are in WA State.

 

[snuffy]

yes 10ply tires are great but if you are mounting them on a half ton be aware of the weight of the tire that you buy , some can be very heavy..

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Mike ,
Adding my congrats also and welcome to the family

Assuming your a Packer fan...So are we......Go Pack.

Going from a tent to the Hawk will have you downsizing your gear. We use a 10" Teflon fry pan and paper plates. And a portable propane barbecue. We eat a lot of salads and light meals. Advice : Don,t cook anything with a lot of heavy aroma because it will permeate the fabric and you will be smelling it for weeks. Wind permitting we cook most meals outside.

Ice cubes: Place them in a quart container. The "Engle" fridge will keep them 4-6 days

Click on the link under my signature. Lot of good ideas with prices and links by others and myself.

 

[TrapperMike]

Jim: Thanks for the suggestions and Yes I am a Packer fan! (even though not a native Wisconsinite) My first stint in Wisconsin was in Green Bay and I couldn't help but get hooked on the Packers (even before the Favre era when they were less than successful).

I had previously come across your post "Our Basic Shell Build" and it contains a lot of good information. Thanks for posting that! I plan on doing something similar when I decide what my build needs to be. Getting the camper in Nov-Dec will allow me to try it out a few times and work out my build over the cold winter while it sits in the garage.

I really only purchased the stove option to be able to heat water and warm up food inside when the weather isn't cooperative. Most meals will be cooked outside on the Coleman stove or Weber grill.

 

[TrapperMike]

Update: Picked up my brand new FWC Hawk shell (with lots of added options) yesterday from Sean Dempsey at Go Anywhere LLC in Eagle, WI. They even filled one of the propane tanks for me. Great folks to deal with.
Truck handled the 300 mile trip back just great, other than the expected 2.5 mpg less than on the trip down. Only mods I made to the truck were Super Springs. It's off the truck for now and in the garage. I didn't even have to remove the Yakima racks to fit in through the garage door.
Not sure on what mods I'm going to make to the camper until I have a chance to use it a few time, other than install the trimetric 2030 battery monitor and maybe some level bubbles.
Attached are a few pics. - Mike

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Nice looking rig Mike. Snow looks good too.
Thanks for the pictures, Lots of good choices that you made in your extras.

 

[unka dirt]

Nice rig Mike! You should have a lot of fun with it . Does it have a water system ?

 

[longhorn1]

Nice. We got our camper from Sean also. Super great folks. jd

 

[TrapperMike]

unka dirt - No water system. Plan on using 6 gallon jugs which I used for tenting. Wanted more interior room and less hassle when using the rig in cold weather.

 

[unka dirt]

Our last FWC didn,t have water and we got by fine with a Gott cooler . Maybe I will see you at the state WTA in Marshfield if you go .

 

[whitedog9]

Greetings Trapper Mike, Welcome to the Hawk Club! We are about to pick up our new Hawk as well. Hey I was looking at your pictures and see the Engle. Is it a cooler or frig-freezer model? Would you mind telling me what that capacity and length are?

Reggie

 

[TrapperMike]

Reggie - The Engel is model MR040F-U1 (40 quarts). Had to take the right handle off so it would fit where it is. Just enough room to access the left front turnbuckle hatch when it is pushed all the way forward. Need to move it out an inch or 2 to open the lid. Here are the specs on it Engel MR040. I plan on building a small platform with storage underneath to raise it up a few inches.
Congrats on the new Hawk.
Mike