Pop up camper shells

**MakersTeleMark** · 08-07-2008, 04:28 PM

Drool:

4wd to boot.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MESE:IT&ih=012

**stevo** · 08-08-2008, 07:23 AM

^^^ That is definitely sweet. Makes you want to go on a road trip...

**khakis** · 08-08-2008, 02:22 PM

slightly slower version
http://denver.craigslist.org/rvs/786574311.html
somebody buy this before I do something stupid

**Name Redacted** · 08-09-2008, 03:08 PM

The only way to go if you have the $$$$$

http://www.earthroamer.com/tab_xpedi.../vehicles.html

**mc_roon** · 08-10-2008, 06:03 PM

^^one of those was in the Canyons parking lot for a few days last winter...

they are beastly in person

**wendigo** · 10-16-2008, 03:08 PM

anyone know anything about lite craft campers?

will be used almost exclusively as a winter camper...

**mntlion** · 10-16-2008, 04:21 PM

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=131680

mine is all set up and rocks....

**~mikey b** · 10-23-2008, 02:57 PM

ok - so I finally got around to taking the camper in to get the 2nd battery installed this week....

chaos ensues....

I pick the truck up on Monday afternoon. Shop owner says "I checked it out. Everything works great." $300 - about what he'd estimated. I get home too late to really check it out.

Tuesday morning, my wife goes to work, and Owen and I check out the new set-up. Everything works - heater, lights, fridge. Sweet. I take Owen to the library for toddler storytime, to the park and the skate park, and the bookstore and the market. (Mr. Mom) He's still alseep in the carseat when we get home, so I leave some tunes on for him, unload groceries, and go into the house. A bit later I peek outside to check on him and I think I see a cloud of dust in the air. We live on a dirt road, so that's not unusual, but I realize I haven't heard or seen a car to make the dust. I look again and realize it's smoke. OH SHIT! I look closer and I see that there are flames coming out from under the hood of the truck right where the new breaker box was installed. OH SHIT! I grabbed a fire extinguisher from the house, ran outside, and emptied it into the engine compartment. Then I grabbed Owen - who was still asleep - put him in the house, and put another fire extinguisher on it. The cab and camper were both starting to fill with smoke, but Owen was unhurt, and damage was minimal. I must have seen it immediately after the fire started.

I called the RV shop, told the guy what happened, and had him tow it back down to the shop. He immediately called and admitted that it was his shop's fault and offered to make it right. He's going to re-do the battery installation and do some random custom electrical work, fix the cosmetic damage to the truck, AND install some proper tie-downs for me. Right now I just have the thing bolted down, which makes it a pain in the ass to take it off and put it on. And he's going to pay for me to take the rig to another mechanic (probably the Ford dealership since the truck is still under Warranty) for an inspection just to be sure everything is ok. Protects him and protects me. He's going to do about $1000 worth of free work for me.

It could have been bad. I'm getting something good out of it.

Now I need to build a box to go under the camper. Anyone got any ideas for something I could store skis in?

**Crystal_Mt_Dreamin** · 10-23-2008, 03:54 PM

Damn, that's a crazy story telemike, good thing you caught that early! Also good to hear of someone *gasp* actually taking personal responsibility in this day and age!

**GeezerSteve** · 10-24-2008, 10:06 AM

Ouch, telemike. I gave up on trying to rig a RV cabin battery diode on my F150/FWC Hawk rig and opted for a hard switch. I seldom use the truck alternator to charge the cabin battery. A home charge of the cabin battery works fine for one or two nights, and I have a Honda EU1000i generator in case I need a charge at camp.

Enjoy your FWC! I love mine.

**RonSchon** · 05-26-2009, 11:00 AM

Ok, I'm kind of tall, so even though my camper shell is elevated about 10 inches above my trucks roof, I'm still not able to stand... I could live with that I think. Here is my idea.... A jack-knife type RV bed. Mount it along one of the edges of the truck bed, so when flat it takes up most of the bed, but then with a pull of a lever it scoots into a sofa. That way I'd be able to half stand and get dressed and put my shoes on sitting on the sofa, etc.

It seems like a semi-happy compromise.

Right now I have one of those air mattresses that fills out the entire bed, going over and around the wheel wells. For sleeping, it is great, very comfortable, but the logistics of getting dressed in the morning are very challenging. I say this because I sleep in the parking lot at work 2 nights a week, so that I just work back to back doubles and a single and have 4 days off. If I'm just out camping like at a trailhead, I don't mind getting dressed outside, but at work in a parking lot of about 1,000 other cars it might get me in trouble at some point.

A great solution would be the Four Wheel Hawk - but even if I can find one used I'm looking at $5k, and I know my wife doesn't think I need to be that comfortable. She might allow for $500 worth of comfort.

I don't want to have to sell a motorcycle to fund this odyssey, so I'd like to find a happy medium that would allow me keep doing what I'm doing and dress inside.

I'm a pretty decent googler, and I'm sure I may find what I'm thinking of at some point, but if there is somebody out there that has already went down this road and had some helpful advice, that'd be superb.

**Imz** · 05-26-2009, 03:17 PM

I'm a big fan of the pop-top conversion, but Gerome says they are seriously expensive...

**SuperChief** · 05-26-2009, 04:09 PM

Aftermarket pop top?

That Safari is sweet for a GM product.

**RonSchon** · 05-26-2009, 08:10 PM

I've thought about it all day long... I think i'm selling a bike. I need a little easier life.

**AlpiNord** · 05-27-2009, 07:06 AM

Probably just stating the obvious for many, but be sure to check your tires' rating and possibly add their cost to pop-up shopping. These Chevy tires weren't up to the task of an Alaskan, coupled with extra gear and a trailer's tonque weight:

**Platinum Pete** · 05-27-2009, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by RonSchon

I've thought about it all day long... I think i'm selling a bike. I need a little easier life.

Find a place close to work where you can park a cheaper camper - like an older VW. could save a few thou and be more comfy than the back of the truck.