Has anyone tried this?

[6040]

There are several reasons that ATC/FWC has my intrest in purchasing thier camper. first and formost, aluminum framing. I have had a woody before and just not going there again.

Second, is the shell model they offer. I mean, how cool is that. Save's you a little dough, and you can customise it to your liking.

But for me, a family of 5 we need all the room we can get. So my question is how realistic are the sleeping capacity in say, a 6.5' long hawk model or equivalent? Only interior option I'm looking for is a heater. Is there anyone out there who needs the room as we do? I'm thinking the side couch on both sides of camper may meet in the middle(hopefully) and provide us ample room. Has anyone tried this?


Thanks Ryan....

 

[Simpleman (shanz3n5)]

i have down sized from a family of five. if u are using for sleeping only. its great. foul weather and 5 can get tight. i box trailer empty is cheapest way to go in my opinion. had that as well. 2-3 depending on size is max to me in our truck campers.

 

[llavaseur]

According to these pictures The side fold over couch folds out past center line of the camper, I doubt one on each side could work. plus the narrow isle way you would end up with when unfolded would be very small.

 

[LuckyDan]

I guess part of the question is size make up of the five in question. If it's 2 adults and 3 little children then it's a possibility for awhile, unpacking and repacking to move not withstanding. If it's you and 3 active teenagers with stuff then I'd think hard about if this the route for you. I have a Grandby, (the 8 footer) and two sons. The progression goes like this:

Me and the boys and a couple duffles/bags, great.
Me and the kids with some gear, tight but workable.
Me and two teenagers with a friend and everyone's gear, tight.
Me and two older teenagers with gear equivalent to mine and food for all, Grandby goes down the road with stuff on the top making it look like a circus wagon and if a friend comes along someone sleeps outside on a cot.

Luckily I'm coming full circle and my oldest son is starting to make his own way and while he still joins me when he can he usually transports himself and his stuff.

I'll propose that a lot of people who leave the FWC cult for something else is due to space needs for their family group. As Shanz3n5 indicated above, for RV floor square footage campers in general are more expensive than some other choices.

 

[6040]

Thanks for the pic llavaseur. Thats what i needed to see, to bad it's not showing me what i was hoping for.

Lucky Dan, we have one fat Daddy, one hot momma, and three back talking, scrawny little boy's, oldest being 12, youngest 4, all who I love dearly. It's just unfortunate that momma may have to sleep outside .

With the shell model, perhaps a customized couch bed turned the other way I might be able to pull this off. It almost looks like we could all fit from the pics above, that couch bed sure looks like it has some room to it.

What would be cool if these campers had that pop out room (whatever they call it) out the side of the camper, hint hint if anyone is listening....

Thanks guy's for the help, I hope to make my mind up soon and order, so we are ready for spring
Ryan...

 

[takesiteasy]

We've considered setting up our shell as you described with a bed between the benches for sleeping with the top down. It could work but it would not be convenient.

We used to tent camp as a family when the kids were little. Thinking back on our family camping days and imagining now with the camper, we would probably put the kids in a tent, Mom and Dad in the camper for sleeping. They didn't mind sleeping on the ground but eventually we did. Hence the camper. Ideal set up for two with maybe one or two little ones on the side benches.

 

[Argonaut20]

I think you could do an arrangement that would put wall to wall cushions for a bed on the lower level while using the extended bed above. No fold over arrangement, but the pull out bed idea that is used in travel trailers might work for you. It could be done, but is it a workable idea? If you and momma are up top and kids are down below, I see a problem if you have to get out of bed for a nature call in the middle of the night.

What about the heat output? Would it be below the lower bed? Toasty floor and freezing living quarters?

 

[billharr]

sized right it will work. look at a front dinette, that is what you would have only full length. bottom cushion plywood backed and lift out. I would just do the front dinette to stelff camp. note short back cushions

 

[ntsqd]

Put the two eldest in a tear-drop fort/trailer and tell the youngest that it's the box springs making all of that noise up there?

 

[Bseek]

Hang in with me please. Go to

http://desertjann.wix.com/four-wheel-camper#!

Click on Customizing the FWC on the left edge. It launches a funky slide show. About 5 slides in there is a picture of how they created a bed that stretches across the whole area.

I can't figure out how to copy the pictures for you, but the whole thing is worth looking at. They did an exterior reflectix mod that is very creative.

 

[Flyfisher]

Something to be aware of: The fold down (seat back) part of the bed feels different than the rest of the cushion because it is only half as thick as the seat cushion (due to the support for the backrest support taking up half of the backrest cushion depth).
Gregg

 

[6040]

Thanks for the link Bseek, now that's the kind of room I'm looking for.....

 

[6040]

sized right it will work. look at a front dinette, that is what you would have only full length. bottom cushion plywood backed and lift out. I would just do the front dinette to stelff camp. note short back cushions

Hi Bill,
So how does the front dinete work? it looks like the same set up as the side couch that i thought with one on each side folded out would not have enough room? are the backrests or something not used for the bed set up?

 

[billharr]

Hi Bill,
So how does the front dinete work? it looks like the same set up as the side couch that i thought with one on each side folded out would not have enough room? are the backrests or something not used for the bed set up?

that is the front dinette in a shell. seats are 34" wide, makes a good size bed. the seat backs are shorter than the side dinette. i am taking it out and putting a side dinette.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Ryan,
With 5 people how about a 4 door Dodge (or Ford or Chevy) an 8 foot bed and a Grandby shell. At 78 " wide (inside dimension) you sleep side-to-side- with two front Dinettes and the regular bed over (should sleep 6 side to side) and maybe still have room for a compressor fridge, sink, and stove in the back (24-36" wide).

Course if it was me I would buy a large tent trailer for the family for summer camping, and a Hawk for me and the boys to explore offroad in the desert in the wintertime.

Now its just me and ocassionally the wife so the Eagle works great for us (about the size of a large phone booth)