Hondo Garage's New Thing

yep, that's primarily what it's for as we'll be making this available as just an RTT in the future. I always close up the tailgate behind me when using the floor entry though. Any water that pools up on the tailgate drains outside when you close it, and the rear hatch provides a bit of an awning over it as well. Having just spent 27 consecutive days sleeping in it, I can say I never once used the rear door as a door We will be making a bolt-on interior handle for the tailgate to make it easier to close from the inside.

 

I'll have to measure a truck for that, but I can say that the cargo space extends 22" above the bed sides. I think the bed depth is 19", so approximately 41".

 

Any more updates on the timeline?

I'm planning trips for this spring and I'm getting excited. Also trying to figure out if I can toss my topper for sale here soon.

 

We're building the first two production units the first week of March. These are slated for a rental company we've been working with, but the remainder of the raw material arrives March 15 so that's when order production will begin. We're going to start taking full payment this month (Graeme will be sending out emails with the details soon) and we'll build in the order we receive full payment sorted by the order deposits were placed. That means we won't build any units that aren't paid for, but for all paid for units, we'll build in the order deposits were placed. So if you're early in the deposit line and one of the first to pay, there's a chance you'd have it in late March.

 

So if I am order number 52 on the waitlist and one of the first to pay it off completely, when do you think I could expect to come up to Montana to pick it up??

 

So your absolute worst case scenario would be that everyone with a deposit pays right away, making yours the 52nd (technically 54th) unit to be manufactured. In that case, we'd hope to have it built in May, but it might be as late as June. For folks wanting to pick up, if you're fully paid we can bump you down the line if you're not ready to pick up when you're unit would be built. As it stands now we can build 4 units per week. By the end of March we'll be able to build 10 per week.

 

Thanks you for letting me know! If it’s around that late May time frame, I would love to come up from Southern California during the long Memorial Day weekend! If not sooner

Glad to at least have an estimated time frame though! Looking forward to visiting Montana and picking it up!

 

I have a feeling there's going to be a huge influx of toppers for sale soon! Might be bad for us trying to sell them. Good for those trying to buy one haha

 

I'm #27, and would be ecstatic to have it in April, and sounds like that's a definite possibility. Also, have you ironed out the price for pickup?


I've got a couple questions/concerns about your payment terms though. Previous you mentioned full payments would be made weeks, not months, before production. Is that still the case, because that doesn't seem to line up with taking full payment this month, aside from the first few you would be building in March. Also, if building in the order of deposits, not payments, what's to prevent someone from not paying until just before production? More simply put, when will invoices be sent and how long after that will payments be due in order to keep your spot in the production line?

 

Graeme is working out the pickup discount now. Invoices will be sent on the 15th of this month. We’ll be locking in the build queue in blocks of 15 units. So the first 15 to pay will lock in in the order of deposits, then the next 15 and so on. This strikes a balance between fairness and our ability to manage complex material and manufacturing lead times.

 

By any chance is this rental company located in Oregon (jason @ droptopcampers)?

 

I’m a retired mechanical engineer and used to design stuff for heavy-duty over-the-road trucks. 5052 aluminum, usually in an H32 temper, was used almost exclusively for fabricated (not extruded) parts. It’s the right choice ... but there’s no question these guys know what they’re doing.

 

I'm pretty sure many of them (including the one I have) can. I can take a look after I get back from my business trip.

 

Not really. It wouldn't save us much and it would add quite a bit of hassle for us trying to coordinate that. The free shipping is just a one-time deal for our early customers and we can't discount that any further. And keep in mind that these need to be shipped to a commercial address with a forklift. We're working on a network of installers we can ship to as well. Any installation charges or unloading fees would be between you and the installer though.

 

Any pics of how the round tube is used to attach to the truck box? I'm interested from a perspective of vibrating loose and ingress of dust, snow, rain/road spray.

 

Oh for sure. And we have a forklift, so we can set it right on and help install it. And I can definitely tell you about some good nearby biking

 

Ships with this gasket material:



Round tube sits in the gasket trough and gets clamped down to the utility track using brackets we'll provide. In the photo linked to in the other reply, you can see how we do it. Keep in mind that shows a prototype so the l-brackets will actually be a formed part with more bracing, and those holes in the tube won't be there. I put about 2000 Baja dirt miles on it and can say that despite my best attempts at rattling it loose, the camper didn't budge.

 

For vehicles without utility track, I assume there are different clamps correct? I'll be installing on a 15+ Colorado without a utility track.

Progress looks great! Major kudos for being so responsive with everyone given how much work is surely on your plate!

 

GPS antenna is under the dash, many Toyota’s have XM under the dash as well, but looking at the shark fin antenna connectors online, seems that’s for Radio and XM, as there are two separate antenna connections. Unless there is a cell receiver in the shark fin for some shit like onstar (which I very much doubt), the two connections would mean Radio & XM.

 

Correct. Each lower frame will be truck specific where needed, so the fit kit will be designed for a specific truck model.