When we started this project we had a pretty good plan and idea of what it should look like when we were done. However, plans change and due to reconsidered design decisions we changed how the pop up canvas part of the camper operates. Our current configuration is just to have the roof pop straight up vertically. This will give us a lot of space at our feet in the bed too, which is handy. While I was eating breakfast this morning, I did another shitty MS Paint rendering of what it should look like when we’re done. I need opinions on the orange canvas vs a more subtle silver color…
We were still struggling with the actual pop up mechanism until we found this Youtube video.
He took the already pretty easy 4 wheel camper lift and made it even easier. We were already considering something using electrical conduit, but since we’re boat people, we modified it a little bit to use bimini cover pieces.
We overengineer everything, so Jason cut out some fancy backing plates out of scrap marine plywood.
On a more random note, back when we had a fishing boat parked in the backyard (because who doesn’t park shit in their backyard?) we had a nice waterproof cover for it. Once we sold the boat, it ended up underneath the patio. I think it could be useful to be turned into a similar waterproof cover for the camper once it gets a permanent spot outside.
We still keep finding little repair spots on the roof and shell, so I mixed up some filler and made those go away.
While waiting for the epoxy to set up, we sanded the bondo on the roof from a few days ago. I like Bondo, it’s not itchy!
While waiting for the epoxy and other stuff to dry, I started working on a little piece to support the pull-out bed piece when it’s out. This will go on the forward bulkhead just to support the middle. I was digging around in the garage trying to find something and came across a thin strip of wood. Apparently it’s actually mahogany that was cut off the bottom of one of the new planks we used to repair our boat! Might as well use it for this!
Now on a completely random note… we’ve started letting the cats out on the back patio. Mostly my black cat… who is obsessed with me. He will just lay there and cry until I come back over to pet him. It’s so sad. I want to get one of those portable dog enclosures to bring him out into the shed to hang out with me.
and yeah, he has a single white whisker on both sides. 😉
Back to work! We needed a spacer to put between the window and the bolting flange because it’s meant for people building plywood teardrop trailers and our 1/2″ thick foam wasn’t big enough.
Last night we got home fairly late and it turns out that it was Christmas!!!!! A week or so ago we ordered a bunch of stuff that we needed to keep working on the camper… and it all showed up at once!
The big long package is our mattress! We went with a 5″ thick memory foam mattress off amazon. I hope it’s comfy!
We also got new wheels for our truck! So she’s going to be as trick as the camper when it’s done! (More on that later…)
The sink came in, so we can start cutting holes in our nice countertop!
…and we got our battery!!! It’s super heavy, but the size is perfect to shove in the kitchen counter. It’s also 200 amp hours, which should be a great size to run all of our stuff!
We’re still not done with sanding… After spending so much time on the outside of the camper shell, I’m pretty much over sanding the roof. No one will ever see anything but the sides of it, so the top is still pretty wavy. I figure the only part anyone will really ever see and silently judge my bodywork stills on is the back of the roof… which is why it got a coat of Bondo.
Just like I thought I was done sanding… I’m not actually done fiberglassing either… There were two spots up on the front of the cabover that didn’t get fiberglass due to design changes for the nose cone piece. That’s all fixed now. I also added another layer of glass to reinforce the structure for the backing plates we will install for the turnbuckles that hold the camper into the truck. (I figure it deserved another layer… because reasons!)
Time to take a short break and then keep working! 🙂