Found a very nice Sunlight pop up

[Silvertip47]

Very clean 07 8' designed for a 6' box. $7K.

I got some tin torn off the old Northstar and it is real ugly!!! Showed it to my wife and got the green light for a better camper!!

Just wondering if they are any good especially for off road.

The day I got back from Black Rock I Emailed Four Wheel Camper and asked what I needed to send them to start a new Hawk. Once I had the figures I could present it to the boss. Figured the payments would be the same for new (longer) as used (shorter term) but they are too busy to talk to me I guess.

I'm hoping if I advertise the old camper "free to good home" I can get someone to haul it off for me!!!!

 

[Cort]

Very clean 07 8' designed for a 6' box. $7K.

I got some tin torn off the old Northstar and it is real ugly!!! Showed it to my wife and got the green light for a better camper!!

if you are thinking new why not give ATC a call? They will answer the phone........

Cort

Just wondering if they are any good especially for off road.

The day I got back from Black Rock I Emailed Four Wheel Camper and asked what I needed to send them to start a new Hawk. Once I had the figures I could present it to the boss. Figured the payments would be the same for new (longer) as used (shorter term) but they are too busy to talk to me I guess.

I'm hoping if I advertise the old camper "free to good home" I can get someone to haul it off for me!!!!



if you are thinking new why not give ATC a call? They will answer the phone........and you will save some money

Cort

 

[Marc]

if you are thinking new why not give ATC a call? They will answer the phone........and you will save some money

Cort



Ditto. You owe it to yourself. These guy's make a GREAT camper.

marc

 

[ski3pin]

Ditto. You owe it to yourself. These guy's make a GREAT camper.

marc


Ditto x 2

 

[K6ON]

Ditto. You owe it to yourself. These guy's make a GREAT camper.

marc



Ditto X3

And if you get to Sacramento, the Jack is on me

 

[Vic]

Hey - Sunlite campers - a topic I actually know something about - I bought our 2000 Sunlite new in the fall of that year and have loved it - for what it is. It is a stick and tin RV-type camper for sure, and doesn't have a lot of the fancy off-road features a true offroad camper would have. And its a mass production camper as well as an orphan now (Sunlite went under a couple years back). With those disclaimers out of the way, ours has held up great and I would buy another one. I keep mine in the garage and am pretty religious about preventative maintenance, and with a little love it has been a great unit. The HECO lift system has performed flawlessly all of these years, and I have no complaints with the quality of the canvas. Vent was pre-wired for a 12v so it was easy to install a fantastic fan. Appliances are standard RV type, which is my only major complaint. Dometic 3 way fridge and furnace would be something I would consider upgrading. Mine had plenty of room for a second 12v deep cycle. All of the other construction work is pretty standard truck camper and with periodic screw tightening and caulking no problems. Roof is a 2 piece molded affair which seems solid when I get up there to caulk the vent, etc. 25 gallon fresh water tank is great.

The massive under bed storage is great for long trips with the family. Trade off is its a little taller. Other storage is adequate (I have two overheads but that probably varies with plan) and a couple of cabinets.

Mine is about 6' 9" long so I might have a slightly smaller model then you are looking at. Regarding weight, the tag says 1050lbs dry and from various weigh-ins over the past 11 years I would say that is about right. It is heavier on the drivers side then the passenger side which is an annoyance on a 3/4 truck but could be an issue on a smaller rig.

Anyway I love mine and the only reason I would consider replacing it is that I'm sorry I didn't buy a larger model as we are somewhat outgrowing this camper (and truck) combo. But if they were still around I would be shopping for the larger model right now.

Regarding price - I keep an eye on the used market around Reno and the twin for my camper but a 2001 model was up and sold on craiglist last fall for $4,000, so $7,000 on a much newer one isn't that far out, but if you could get it closer to $6 now that hunting season is drawing to a close and winter is setting in, you would have lots of money for upgrades.

They also sold them under the name Apache the last few years they were in business.

Again, its more of a pop-up RV then a true offroad camper. All depends on what you are going to use it for and your budget. Hope there is something useful in all this rambling - let me know if you have any questions. -Vic

 

[Vic]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[Silvertip47]

Vic, thanks so much for the very detailed reply!!!

I contacted ATC when I got back from the rally. They just do not offer the options I want like the FWC.

I am also worried that this Sunlite will not hold up to the abuse I'd give it. I'd have another pile of kindling in a couple years. I guess the main drive now is I could have it now and get back out. I really wanted to do some SW stuff this winter.

Maybe a couple cans of expanding foam in the old one for this winter and a serious talk with ATC.

Thanks guys!!!!!!!!

 

[Vic]

Could the SunLite work for you? Probably, but considering some of your trip reports I've seen, if you can swing the true offroad camper you'll probably be happier in the long wrong. Its much cheaper to buy what you really want in the beginning then save a few bucks initially but end up going out and buying what you really want later (voice of experience here...) There are so many great options out there right now for off-road campers it would be a lot of fun to spec exactly what you want and keep it forever.

Good luck in your hunt.

-Vic

 

[home skillet]

Ditto. You owe it to yourself. These guy's make a GREAT camper.

marc


X4.

And, consider selling your old camper. It's worth anywhere from 500-1000. You'd be surprised what you can sell on Craig's list. It would make a good down payment anyway.

Home Skillet

 

[DobleTraccion]

Silvertip, I'm an ex-FWC owner, now running a 1999 Sunlite Eagle SB.

The Sunlite has been put through the same twisting, off-camber arroyo crossings, diamond-cutter lava fields, "bottomless" silt beds, and bowel-slackening washboard that my FWC endured.
Repeatedly.
For over a decade. (My pal sold it to me, traveled off road the same places I go.)
No Rubicon boulder climbing, but everything short of that.

No popped rivets, frame failure, or wall rippling.
From my experience, the Sunlite easily hangs with both the FWC and the ATC.

Common sense tells me that the welded aluminum campers are superior, but my anecdotal, long-term experience shows similar performance.
Weight comparison doesn't amount to any real difference. Similarly equipped, I think it's about 150 lbs.

Comparing both?

FWC Likes: aluminum frame, bolt-mounting to bed, slighter lighter weight, durable, killer new folding couch.
FWC dislikes: weird "coat-hanger" lift design in the old model I had, veneer wood lift support fore and aft, roof won't support me, roof nearly impossible to lift with anything on racks. Cult following leads to unrealistic resale pricing. Nickel and dime-ing of every possible "option" when ordering new: "Oh, you wanted a window?".

Sunlite Likes: Long-wearing. Realistic resale pricing. Superior lift system. Weight-bearing roof. Full queen bed mattress with no pull-out tray needed. Crazy storage under bed.
Sunlite dislikes: Out of business. Wooden frame. Works best with ugly tie-downs. Hideous, "Granny's RV" upholstery and curtains. Slightly taller unit.

I would happily buy another FWC or try ATC.
But I would not fear any perceived lack of toughness from the Sunlite, Northstar or Phoenix brands.
I had operated under the assumption that for off road applications, the FWC and the ATC were the only game in town.
From my experience, that's far from the case.

 

[Silvertip47]

Silvertip, I'm an ex-FWC owner, now running a 1999 Sunlite Eagle SB.

The Sunlite has been put through the same twisting, off-camber arroyo crossings, diamond-cutter lava fields, "bottomless" silt beds, and bowel-slackening washboard that my FWC endured.
Repeatedly.
For over a decade. (My pal sold it to me, traveled off road the same places I go.)
No Rubicon boulder climbing, but everything short of that.

No popped rivets, frame failure, or wall rippling.
From my experience, the Sunlite easily hangs with both the FWC and the ATC.

Common sense tells me that the welded aluminum campers are superior, but my anecdotal, long-term experience shows similar performance.
Weight comparison doesn't amount to any real difference. Similarly equipped, I think it's about 150 lbs.

Comparing both?

FWC Likes: aluminum frame, bolt-mounting to bed, slighter lighter weight, durable, killer new folding couch.
FWC dislikes: weird "coat-hanger" lift design in the old model I had, veneer wood lift support fore and aft, roof won't support me, roof nearly impossible to lift with anything on racks. Cult following leads to unrealistic resale pricing. Nickel and dime-ing of every possible "option" when ordering new: "Oh, you wanted a window?".

Sunlite Likes: Long-wearing. Realistic resale pricing. Superior lift system. Weight-bearing roof. Full queen bed mattress with no pull-out tray needed. Crazy storage under bed.
Sunlite dislikes: Out of business. Wooden frame. Works best with ugly tie-downs. Hideous, "Granny's RV" upholstery and curtains. Slightly taller unit.

I would happily buy another FWC or try ATC.
But I would not fear any perceived lack of toughness from the Sunlite, Northstar or Phoenix brands.
I had operated under the assumption that for off road applications, the FWC and the ATC were the only game in town.
From my experience, that's far from the case.


Thanks for the great post and great news. I bought the SunLite, have done a few mods to it and looks to be a well built unit. Very anxious to try it out but my back is acting up again.

 

[DobleTraccion]

Oh, that rig is just SWEET.
Que vaya bien.

 

[Gormley Green]

Thanks for the great post and great news. I bought the SunLite, have done a few mods to it and looks to be a well built unit. Very anxious to try it out but my back is acting up again.

Your rig is awesome. And you're parked illegally on the sidewalk