Ok people here's a quick update of our progress on the Blazer FWC. My buddies and I have spent 3 different weekends on teardown and the beginning of the reassembly process. Word to those squeamish. We tore this thing up.
Here's the two worst parts of the camper. Coincidentally, they are the only parts in the structure FWC used particleboard on.
IMG_20170826_135322625_HDR by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Teardown in progress.
IMG_20170826_135341609 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Wide open.
IMG_20170826_135353249_HDR by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Other side.
IMG_20170826_135357066_HDR by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Fridge area.
IMG_20170826_135401086_HDR by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
At this point a stage of "might as well" set in. After brainstorming, knowing my intended use and what I want in here we decided to gut the cabinet. Sink, water tank and stove got pulled. My rear bumper setup will include room to carry 4 Scepter cans (2 fuel, 2 water) so carrying water inside is not a priority. This also kills the required maintenance of Winterizing the water system and gains valuable storage space. The stove isn't a necessity inside for me. When camping I'm more inclined to cook outside. I'll have a camp stove to use outside that will tie into the camper's onboard propane tank for the furnace. The goal here is freeing up space for a modern 12v chest fridge and allow my driver's seat to go fully back and recline for my driving comfort.
IMG_20170827_122533857 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
The Cab-over floor has been replaced here. We doubled up 5/8" and 1/2". Overall thickness is just a 1/16th of an inch more than the original floor. They were joined with PL400 and zinc plated flush mount screws. We also had to repair/replace the forward lift panel and you can see we went with a different setup than stock. We had perfectly replicated the stock panels, cleaned up the hinges, but when we went to rivet the parts together we discovered the FWC rivets are a flush mount/thin design that I couldn't find that day. This is just a single panel hinged at the bottom as a proof of concept. This will probably change.
IMG_20170827_122542713 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
We did find some factory ID marks on the bottom of the countertop in our teardown..
IMG_20170827_153850750 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Some of the distruction.
IMG_20170827_153854990 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Clean slate.
IMG_20170827_154418120_HDR by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Rebuilding begins.
IMG_20170827_162619748 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Passenger side wood was completely replaced.
IMG_20170909_172350175 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Rather than replacing the driver's side we doubled up and tied it into the wall.
IMG_20170909_172354905 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Front cab wall installed. We added an oak block to gusset the joint between the cab-over floor and front wall. This tied the sides together and really brought the rigdity back to the structure. It's solid now.
IMG_20170909_191516905 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
From the inside.
IMG_20170909_191559917 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Passenger front corner. We will be adding oak blocking to gusset the horizontile and vertical corners here.
IMG_20170909_191608145 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Drivers side front corner. This area is altered from stock. The front cab wall in stock form had a smaller asymetric opening that went all the way to the inside edge of the cabinet floor. Problem for me is it blocks the seat back from reclining to a comfortable angle for me with the seat all the way back. So we cut the opening to match the other side the corner of the floor might have to come out, but we need to get the camper back in the truck to know for sure. Really the vertical wall was the biggest issue. We'll see when it's back on the truck.
IMG_20170909_191613533 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Beginning of the cabinet.
IMG_20170909_191620794 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
We got a lot done so far. Still need to stain and seal the wood. Need to fix the roof, reseal and install the new roof vent.
Here's the two worst parts of the camper. Coincidentally, they are the only parts in the structure FWC used particleboard on.
IMG_20170826_135322625_HDR by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Teardown in progress.
IMG_20170826_135341609 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Wide open.
IMG_20170826_135353249_HDR by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Other side.
IMG_20170826_135357066_HDR by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Fridge area.
IMG_20170826_135401086_HDR by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
At this point a stage of "might as well" set in. After brainstorming, knowing my intended use and what I want in here we decided to gut the cabinet. Sink, water tank and stove got pulled. My rear bumper setup will include room to carry 4 Scepter cans (2 fuel, 2 water) so carrying water inside is not a priority. This also kills the required maintenance of Winterizing the water system and gains valuable storage space. The stove isn't a necessity inside for me. When camping I'm more inclined to cook outside. I'll have a camp stove to use outside that will tie into the camper's onboard propane tank for the furnace. The goal here is freeing up space for a modern 12v chest fridge and allow my driver's seat to go fully back and recline for my driving comfort.
IMG_20170827_122533857 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
The Cab-over floor has been replaced here. We doubled up 5/8" and 1/2". Overall thickness is just a 1/16th of an inch more than the original floor. They were joined with PL400 and zinc plated flush mount screws. We also had to repair/replace the forward lift panel and you can see we went with a different setup than stock. We had perfectly replicated the stock panels, cleaned up the hinges, but when we went to rivet the parts together we discovered the FWC rivets are a flush mount/thin design that I couldn't find that day. This is just a single panel hinged at the bottom as a proof of concept. This will probably change.
IMG_20170827_122542713 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
We did find some factory ID marks on the bottom of the countertop in our teardown..
IMG_20170827_153850750 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Some of the distruction.
IMG_20170827_153854990 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Clean slate.
IMG_20170827_154418120_HDR by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Rebuilding begins.
IMG_20170827_162619748 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Passenger side wood was completely replaced.
IMG_20170909_172350175 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Rather than replacing the driver's side we doubled up and tied it into the wall.
IMG_20170909_172354905 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Front cab wall installed. We added an oak block to gusset the joint between the cab-over floor and front wall. This tied the sides together and really brought the rigdity back to the structure. It's solid now.
IMG_20170909_191516905 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
From the inside.
IMG_20170909_191559917 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Passenger front corner. We will be adding oak blocking to gusset the horizontile and vertical corners here.
IMG_20170909_191608145 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Drivers side front corner. This area is altered from stock. The front cab wall in stock form had a smaller asymetric opening that went all the way to the inside edge of the cabinet floor. Problem for me is it blocks the seat back from reclining to a comfortable angle for me with the seat all the way back. So we cut the opening to match the other side the corner of the floor might have to come out, but we need to get the camper back in the truck to know for sure. Really the vertical wall was the biggest issue. We'll see when it's back on the truck.
IMG_20170909_191613533 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Beginning of the cabinet.
IMG_20170909_191620794 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
We got a lot done so far. Still need to stain and seal the wood. Need to fix the roof, reseal and install the new roof vent.