Toms Camper

[Thomas-E]

I just uploaded a few more pictures of my camper project to the Yahoo Pinzgauer Group. Photos are in the "Photos" section and in the "Toms Camper" album.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pinzgauer ... 6/pic/list

I still need to finish the interior paneling (fiberglass reinforced plastic, textured), electrical system (2 - AGM 55 amp/hr batteries, 110 to 12 volt converter/charger, 2 - 25 watt solar panels, and a 24v to 12v battery charger) and some overhead lights will be installed when the ceiling panel goes up.

The last item will be a homebrew poptop to give me about 5 feet of standing room, hinged towards the front and lifts up at the rear.
(I'm putting it off till last, partly because this has given me the most trouble in the planning and design)

Anyway, I can finally see the end in sight!

Tom E.
Sonora, CA 95370

[milesdzyn]

Looking good Tom, thats a lot of work building all those built-ins. Thanks for posting those pictures.

Is that setup removable as a unit? I've seen the units with lifts on the sides that you can lift to drive away and leave the camper unit at a camp site while you play with the truck offroad.

Can't wait to get started on my camper interior now that it's getting colder out.

Miles

[Thomas-E]

Miles,

I found 4 hydraulic camper jacks and some other parts from a rotted out pickup camper listed in a "Buy n Sell" magazine, $60.00 !!:shock:

Looking on the sides of the camper box you can see reinforcement plates near the rear and towards the front. They are riveted on top of the skin where the original rivets to the interior structure is. I then drilled two holes through all the metal at each plate and inserted Riv-Nuts for attach points that match the jacks. Right now the camper is in my garage, a little more comfortable temperature here in the Sierra foothills. Also I finished mounting my heater and attaching an exhaust pipe for it.

If anybody knows/has one installed... did the heater get too hot for the ducting that you used if you used any ducting. I will try some 4" Scat or Sceet for ducting into the camper.

Tom

[Andre]

I had daydreamed of a removable camper with the cab over bed. What did you use for framing media. I had considered aluminum square tube for the frame, and the entire assembly fastened together with rivits as in air frames. Just cant justify the material cost for minimal weight gains.

[ABSOLUTSECURITY]

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glynn

[David Dunn]

In my earlier days of Pinz ownership, I had bounced a bunch of slide-in camper designs around, but decided against it since I had a self contained Hallmark PopUp camper for my truck.
But with the Pinz, I would base the design off of a 4 Wheel camper design and layout because of the light weight and layout. Welded aluminum frame and basic amenities.
http://www.fourwheelcampers.com/

Years ago, both 4Wheel Camper and Hallmark RV made popup campers that retrofitted the Full size Blazers and Broncos

Dave

[Thomas-E]

Andre & Jim,

I didn't have the capability to build the camper box, so I hired a local Truck builder to make the box. It is standard Semi-Trailer construction using steel "hat sections" for the inner framework with the aluminum skin riveted to it. The rounded front corners used standard castings the you would find on most semi-trailers.

It was basically hand fit to the 712's bed, fenders (seat) and over the frame rail. Extended the width a total of six inches and the length ten inches. The width was primarily to give a little more room inside and the length extension was to include the interior step within the camper door (did pickup some space on either side of the walkway).

My two primary requirements were that I could walk around on the top (roof strength) and it should not leak! So far those needs were met. Base weight is about 800 lbs. I weighed my truck without the box and it is 5090 lbs with about 10 gallons of fuel.
After I finish and reinstall it I'll go and weigh it again.

My greatest problem has been the amount of hand fitting for the interior items. That Takes A Lot Of Time!!

Not a Motor Home, but a minimal camper with some conveniences.
2 burner cooktop, refrigerator, sink with fresh water and holding tanks. All interior lighting is LED to reduce the electrical requirements. FRS/GRS, CB, VHF transceivers, Laptop operated GPS (larger map size)and plans for 15" tv. A portable potti is on a slide out drawer (a convenience for my better half).

Anyway... Got to get Back to Work