Newbie from Overseas looking for Alaskan

M

Manfred65

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2013
Messages
230
Location
near Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany
Hello,

i first posted the following in another "Newbie"-Thread. But i think it´s better to start my own:


I am from Bavaria/Germany, 48 years, Coach-Driver, and looking for truckcampers for half a year now. Today i am nearly 100% on the way to an Alaskan.

Our choice leans towards an 8 or 8.5 ft AlaskanCO to fit on a ExtCabSB 3/4 or 1-ton-Truck.
1/2 tons provide less payload and with Japanese-Pickups and Volkswagen Amarok Double-Cab the COG is not where i like to have it with nearly any camper.

Shortbed is prefered because our roads and cities are much more narrow than in the USA. I hope a Chevy2500 or Ford F-250 will work well with these campers. May be i will need a Roadmaster-Kit (1st choice) or Airbags ?

Regards

Manfred
 
Welcome
I have an older 8ft. (1965) and an older Ford F250 (1978) and no air bags are needed. The truck actullay seems to ride better with the camper on it.
 
Welcome Manfred....wow, Bavaria

The shortbed will work with the 8 or 8.5 footer nicely...you're going to find, as has been posted, the truck will ride better with the load and any one of the 2500 series trucks will be the ticket (go diesel). However, with the road structure you're dealing with and the tight turns you encounter....a suspension upgrade of one sort or another will add to the "anti-sway" when cornering, Bags or Roadmaster...depending on your 4 wheeling preferences....Roadmaster is the more durable but bags work fine. I've had bags for going on 10 years...makes for a much more enjoyable ride.

go cabover....you'll never regret it. Especially with the 8 footer

Being a Ford guy, I'll pitch them, but as for the more recent diesels....no experience...stay away from 6.0, if you can find an older 7.3...in the 2001 to early 2003 years you'll be happy...as for the newer ones, I've heard nothing...but Ford seem to be struggling to match the older 7.3 liter power strokes performance.
 
Hello All,

Thanks for the welcome.
i think it will take a long time to post some trips here. First it will take its time to figure out what is the best for our needs,
then waiting for the money which is free in summer/fall next year. Sometimes i will come up with questions on my plans.

I am already in contact with Bryan at Alaskan. I feel its a good contact and we will find our way to do this business.
I have to think about changes to make the camper ready for europe in different things: the propane system, Electricity (220Volts)

@Rusty: My trucks choice goes in direction F-250 SuperCab or Silverado ExtCab2500. Ram 2500 is a little in the background because there is no ExtCab available.
Offroading is not necessary. Only approaching some camp-sites on bad roads in eastern europe. I´d prefer Roadmaster. Less installations, less possibility for problems and no air to leak.
To register a diesel Truck in Europe the first time it has to be relatively new. ( 2008/9 and younger ). No chance for an older 7.3. :(
We have also problems with emission certificates. Main Difference: In the States they have a look on NoX and in Germany they check the CO² . Other measurement, other certificates.> Higher fares to get such "exotic" Trucks registered.

They all want only our "best" : Our money !!

For Example: the Emission-certificate to register the 6.7 Powerstroke is 5600,- $. For the Duramax it is around 2000,-$ , the 6.4 Powerstroke somewhere between them and i would have to check if the VIN of the truck i´d like to buy is matching to one of the certificates some companies own!!

And you all read about the expensive issues on the new diesels. I am a little afraid of this!

I love big Diesels but i think i have to go for a gasser! No probs while registering and then installing an LPG-System ( half the price of Gasoline in Germany) so it will work well.

Lets see what is going on this year

Manfred
 
bryan Is great to work with, You'll be very glad you went with an ALASKAN for many year's to come over anything else on the market,AFTER ALL ALASKAN'S BEEN AROUND 54 YEAR'S OR MORE, I am working with them building a new MINI ALASKAN for a toyota tacoma for south america should be completed sometime april 2014
 
Two thoughts in my "Custom-Alaskan"-Plans:

First: we don´t do winter camping. May be one or two nights at the CMT (Caravanning and travelling Fair in Stuttgart ) in January.
I am thinking about ordering without the original furnace and adding a Catalytic heater ( Cat 6P12 or Olympian Wave 6 or 8 ) with a quick connect plug.
I think the Oly3 or Cat3 are too small ?

Do you have any suggestions how and where to install these heaters without baking our legs? I love Cheese cake, but not this way :oops:
I think beneath the fridge is not enough room and in the rear is the door to the toilette compartment moving.....

The second plan: a "wet bath" like a Northstar 850 SC has doesn´t work here.
Yes, we know the problem with moisture and others. And we allready cancelled it a few weeks ago, but the idea came up again watching a friends Outfitter Apex.
 
you don't need too much heat to warm things...Typically I don't have any heat...but I've been known to start some tea or soup when it's snowing outside. As for the shower...I've been without one and do well...but about the third day in....it becomes time to look for a campground with a shower..

It would be nice to have one in the camper together with the porta poti...for my situation...a new camper would be on the table....

Bryan is flexible and they know their stuff at Alaskan...I'm sure you will come up with a floor plan to suit....the "Manfred"...floor plan ;)

keep us updated
 
...good to hear that there is not too much heat necessary to get the camper warm. I think a Canvas Popup needs much more power.

Biggest question is where to fix an Catalytic heater: The big plus of an Alaskan is that you find doors an drawers everywhere to
use the smallest storage available. But unfortunately there is no place left for a wall mounted heater...

About the "bathroom"
Bryan gives me an idea for a solution with a flexible shower: A shower pan with integrated shower curtain which we have to attach to the ceiling. Similar to the FWC Self-Contained-Option but without a fix mounted shower tray.
For showering we can use a combinated faucet/shower hose from the sink + an outside shower (may be showering outside with this hose)
Best of it is that you take the water and most of the moisture out of the camper in seconds .
My thoughts went in direction of a sit in shower like on PhoenixCampers first.With the Thetford C400 over the bed walls.
But the bottom of the Alaskan is too tall for this , Bryan said. This part is only 11" and the toilette needs 15-16".
May be i will order only the "empty corner" instead of toilette and furnace + additional doors for this compartment and find a solution here in Germany.

Every idea is welcome. Hope to use the "Brain-Power" of this forum :D
 
i will do so. But it will last it´s time until we fix it. I´ll get you update by the time.
But if we build this wet bath by our own we will need some Fiberglass-laminating or a specialist to do this for us.

I have some practice from the model-flight-hobby but this is another dimension of laminating.
 
Thinking about room for a bath and browsing the neighbour-universes (forums) Thread about Carl Isners 2 Alaskans i think it could be possible to switch over to a flatbed-Version on a 7x7ft or 7 x7,5ft UTE-Bed.

This idea will give me the option to register the Pickup to be taxed as a "truck" which can save me lots of money.
Normally most shortbed trucks in Germany are taxed as car, which is very expensive: Gasser 800,-$/year / Big Diesels 1.800,- $/year. Taxed as Truck with 11.000 lbs GVWR we pay only 240,- $/year. But this depends on length of truckbed vs. drivers cab.

The bed conversion is payed from the savings in 3 years and the benefits of these bed are everywhere. (incl. Sidewalls).

Now i only have to convince Bryan to build a 7,5 or 8ft Alaskan on a SWB/ExtCab Truck.
I know his concerns about COG very well and work on a floorplan to get nearly all the heavy parts on the front half of the camper!

Like this:
- standard fresh water tank in the very front moved to the passengers-side
- propane, on drivers side in the seat-box. 35 lbsTank or 24 lbs tank-bottle matching to european regulations .This place brings the propane out off the crash Zone in the rear-drivers-side
- 2x 12V- AGM-batteries approx. 75-85Ah each, in under dinette floor-storage + CTEK 250DualS + smartpass chargers,
+ 1000W 12V > 220V Inverter
- propane forced air furnaceTRUMA E2400 next to the propane tank or as an option Diesel forced air furnace WEBASTO Airtop 2000 or 3900
- Elgena Electric hotWaterheater 10 l. This heater allows 12V and 220V (also available in 120V i think) and a connection to the engine cooling system which provides free hot water while the engine is running. This boiler is well insulated and covers the heat for 20hrs. I only have to think about high qualitiy connectors and shut-off valves to be be save not to lose the water from the cooling system and killing the engine. This part will also be fitted between Propane Tank and furnace or along the batterie box.
- may be some outside storage in the passengers-side underseat-box,
- An Engel 40 ltrs. fridge box on a drawer next to the pass-side- seat. Small Wardrobe over the fridge. 27´x 32´Bath in the right rear corner with C-403 cassette toilette

- Kitchen Block on drivers side is standard ., additional outside shower and propane-connection
- foxwing awning with Alaskan canoe rack

Sounds interesting ?
 
Sounds like you're well on your way....and........you've got some "discussing" to do with Bryan.....

This should be interesting, can't wait to see the progress pics

Happy New Year to you and yours Manfred
 
Happy New Year Rusty !

First i have to do some more renovating work on our old farmhouse until we get the money,
then i think i will make a trip with a rental Truckcamper travelling a few states starting or ending
at Seattle, meet Bryan himself and speak to him personally.
May be he thinks i am only dreaming "Alaskan" but i fixed it as my first choice. Yes, other brands
are also working with good ideas and more "Up to date" frame and building technology. So i have my eyes everywhere.

But to get a hardwall-popup there are only three choices:
- Alaskan
- XP-Camper ( much to expensive and too strong for our needs in my opinion )
- a 100% custom made hier in Germany. A hard to calculate adventure with open end

My first choice is Alaskan.
 
Hi Guys,
don´t be afraid i leave the Alaskan "Community" but i pulled the trigger on a 22 Year old 8ft Jayco sportster camper last week.
500 Euros / 690$ are worth to start the hobby of rebuilding a camper which can be unique in Europe.

I don´t know if there are much more Jayco Campers out there. The rebuild will last it´s time but i started it here:


http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/8779-jayco-sportster-8ft-renovation/

Stay tuned if you are interested. I think the experience of the Alaskan-rebuilders in this forum can be a great help also for my Jayco.


Manfred
 
Thank you!

If this rebuild is well completed i can think about building my alaskan copy :D by my own......
Unfortunately there is not enough time and money for all the projects we think about!
 
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