Custom Flatbed - Work Truck & Camper

First off - thanks everyone for your kind words and encouragement!

@Bajatacoma - Thanks man! As far as future pop top goes, I will probably repeat the process I'm doing now. Chop the top off and rebuild it. Ive been mulling it over the past week in the shop and aside from having a partial fabric pop up (which defeats the purpose of waiting to do a full fabric pop up later on for longer trips) there isnt a good way to incorporate sturdy permanent ribs + cargo rack + sealing some kind of removable roof panel.

As far as windows go, I decided that after getting a few REALLY high quotes for two long skinny slider windows (upwards of $750 each) to make my own. As a restoration carpenter I realized making a lockable plexi slider with a two piece frame (just like RV windows) wouldnt be that hard. If I make it out of compressed PVC (like the Azek trim available at Home Depot) it would be totally waterproof. I'm including some pics below.

@Styx2015 - I've been thinking about the shell height / drawer questions all week and played with some options. I'm raising the shell to be about 8" above cab height. I'm going to make my platform just flush to the top of the wheel wells. If i wasn't a contractor I would definitely delete the drawer system. I even played with some ideas of a single drawer with folding bed but I need that space to store tool and sheet goods. With not deleting it I realized I need to make it as weather resistant/waterproof as possible. I'm planning on doing a alu or steel frame with a marine ply top and marine ply drawers (or make these out of MDO, which may be more affordable.) I figure if I can seal them 3x or 4x times with spar urethane, they will last me a few years.

Anyway - on to an update!





I decided to raise the roof of the shell about 8" above the cab. Here you can see the shape in foam. Keeping it aerodynamic. You can also see where the new 6" window will go.
Mocked up a 2 piece sliding window frame that will attach just like a typical RV window.






The backside, drywall screws holding it the two pieces together for proof of concept.


Holding it in place.

Hope this week to get the old windows out and start to sand the shell in prep for glassing the windows in. I think I may try out a vaccum bag set up with my compressor to do the window panels and ensure they are strong.

I got some QST in the last couple of nights working a cab tool storage box. Here is what my initial idea looked like on paper:


I took the jump seats out and mocked up the side panel....


...And the rest:


I was at the DMV registering my Taco and xfering plates...so did a little sketching on a print out:


Realized the slanted front panel was a waste of space and material....so I deleted it!


I'm torn between making it from MDF and doing a combo of black and gray like my interior or doing it in birch ply and having the drawers be bedlined black....thoughts? Hope to get those shell windows out this week and do some final templating of the storage box.

- Jon

 

I tried to find two pictures I have of campers built by boatbuilders as they incorporate some neat ideas but I can't remember which file I put them in. Anyways, I would be worried about your wood window frames swelling/shrinking and causing problems such as not being able to slide open. Boats, especially sailboats, seem to have a wide variety of windows on them that may work- long, skinny rectangular windows are on a lot of boat cabins. If you have any boat places nearby, especially boat salvage/graveyards you may find some neat stuff you could use. Not sure why I didn't think of this before.

The way you have the rear sloping back towards the truck makes it stylish but you’re loosing a lot of vertical space that way; I’d be loath to give up space I was already fighting for i.e. going 8” over cab height. JMHO

I’m still thinking you may be better off in the long run building a frame that suits your needs instead of putting so much work into modifying an existing fiberglass frame to kind of fit what you want. I’m not saying you can’t- you certainly appear to have the skills- I just know that there have been far too many times now where I would have come out ahead if I had started out spending some cash up front. My tarp projects are evidence of that- I should have just bought an ARB awning to start with. I've been looking at the cost of aluminum sheets and they are less than I expected. Right now I'm still leaning towards something like the Tacoma Habitat- it just seems to make sense to me and allow for the max interior room. I prefer a full sized Westy style top with heavy hinges and gas struts to assit with lifting (So that I can leave boats or bikes on top). The design of the example I posted allowed for the top to nest on the frame so that the frame is carrying the weight. You will probably want to look into bedside braces though to keep them from spreading.

On your cabinet behind the seats, I like the idea of leaving the angled front off and I would add something like one of the seatback organizers, a shoe hanger thingy (whatever women call those- an organizer maybe?), molle panel- something where you could put stuff and keep it organizer. I would carpet or bedliner it to reduce noise but also to reduce visibility from the outside. Either way, despite how much I like nature wood, I’d want it to match my interior. I know that extending the drawer faces will help balance the look, but you’re just providing an extra surface to snag on things in my opinion. You could put a pouch there for documents/manuals, or something I guess.

 

Great ideas! keep em going!!!!

 

@Bajatacoma - Cant wait to see those pics - hope you find them!

RE: windows - I'm not sure if I mentioned it above but I think I'm going to make the frames out of compressed PVC - or some other material that is affordable and fairly UV/temp stable. I'm thinking the Azek plastic exterior trim thats available at Home Depot would prob do the trick. It's made to basically do the same thing.

I had the same thought about the rear slope - I'm not gonna mess with modifying it at all. Prob follow the existing slope of the back and and not touch it. If anything maybe go near 90* instead of sloping it, that could end up being a nice little compartment up there.

I really like the Tacoma Habitat - Im gonna spend some time looking at the roof structure. Wondering whether or not I should bite the bullet and do the Westy style top now and not fuck about reshaping all that fiberglass to just cut it out later. At the moment both are an equal amount of work! And it may be easier to build the Westy style top separately and attach it, rather than fiberglass a whole new roof in place...

After reading what you said abt the cab storage I think that's settled. Gonna do it to match the interior...a mix of color match paint and carpet most likely.
Your idea about seat back organizers are great....my friend just suggested these Smitybilt Tactical Seat Covers.


Now time to draw out the new Westy style roof! Damn you and you good ideas...

-Jon

 

You may want to cross post this in the "Pop up truck campers" section on Expedition Portal http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/forums/75-Pop-up-Truck-Campers Some of those guys have some really good experience and ideas on what works (and what doesn't) and may be able to save you some headaches.

 

Those seat covers are very nice. Not seeing them made for a Tacoma.
Came across this thread about them too.

Has @Crom been in here yet? This seems like his kind of thread.
and @DVexile ?

 

@Bajatacoma - I did some heavy research tonight on ExpPortal, I think I may have solved a few problems...namely having to glass the entire Westy roof. Somehow I discovered Filon - basically flexible FRP sheeting that's used to skin RV's and in particular teardrop trailers. It gets glue down with Sikaflex and can handle a 2" radius! And the best part...the price is $15-25 a foot off a 110" Roll! Hot damn! Edges can be sealed with traditional RV trim molding/sealants. This has really alleviated some worries for me...

If anyone's interested - here is the link:http://www.factoryrvsurplus.com/products.php?product_id=2122

So in light of this here is a new mock up. I hope to get some time on Sunday to mock this change in foam and then hopefully begin constructing a frame this week.




In response to the comments about the MOLLE seat covers...after some thread hopping I discovered this guys thread:http://www.jkowners.com/forum/write-up-dept-library/33062-home-brew-molle-seat-cover.html

Basically he took a $20 airsoft MOLLE vest and chopped it up, did a little sewing and strapped it on. Very creative and elegant solution IMHO. Much better looking and WAY more affordable than the Smittbuilt or Coverking alternatives. Some finished pics of his work:

 

I was actually thinking about mounting some sort of organizer system on the box behind the seats, not on the seats themselves. It would make it easier to access when you flip the seats forward.

If you want to mount them to the seat you could always buy some panels made for the Tacomas. http://www.blueridgeoverlandgear.com/MOLLE-Seat-Back-Panel-14-x22-p/21msb14.htm.
http://www.blueridgeoverlandgear.com/MOLLE-Seat-Back-Panel-18-x22-p/21msb20.htm
The guys from Blue Ridge have a Tacoma that as their main vehicle so they should be able to give yo usome info. They have some other cool products as well.

 

not sure if this is helpful for ideas. Not mine

 

They do make some great products. Have many of them in my truck.

 

I used a dark gray indoor/ outdoor carpet on mine.

 

Another one of those curiosity questions- why rear hinged/front opening instead of the other way around? I'm guessing because the front is more vertical than the rear?

 

http://buildcampexplore.tumblr.com/ <-- This guys work is worth looking at. A couple of pictures below...


Edit * A couple of additional words of advice look into bed supports if you're going to be rail mounting your camper/cap. Take a peek at these (there are others out there too) https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bentrodders-bed-supports.460266/ http://www.chaosfab.com/2005-2015-Tacoma-Rear-Channel-Bed-Stiffiners-48675

 

Nice looking work from the buildcampexplore guy. Certainly above my skill level, but I'm wondering what he's going to do about moisture with that fiberglass insulation. Cooking, propane heat and breathing give off a lot of moisture and the fiberglass will absorb it without a vapor barrier of some sort. Not an issue if it’s well ventilated but if it’s sealed up it can create problems. Using a non-porous, sealed or even bagged insulation helps prevent problems down the line.

 

Hope it all works out for you! cant wait to see it done.

 

@jon_beer here is another unique approach, again not mine. https://vimeo.com/17040378

 

Here is one if you are up for a drive https://tulsa.craigslist.org/pts/5994129394.html

 

https://vimeo.com/26094406 A good look at the almost finished product of this guy's.