1 Bored Clerk's Garage Built Camper

Any updates? I've just been wondering.

 

The parts are ready for me to pick up but a last minute vacation opportunity popped up so we jumped on it.


I'll be back in a week and ready to work on those camper mounts!

 

Okay, got back on some camper work today. I think I hit project fatigue or something...I just didn't want to do anything on the camper for a while. Now I'm fighting my way back into it.


I test fit all of the baseplates for my camper mount system. Apparently, I'm pretty good with a tape measure because the holes seem to line up perfectly!


All of the base plates have these laser cut spacers under them. All of the bed bolts sit in the low parts of the bed so you have to space that up to be Level with the ribs of the bed.


The front mounts tie together the single front bed mount and the tie down loop mounting points.


The rear mounts tie together all three of the bed mounting locations.

I'm not fully convinced I'm going about this the right way but I've got to start somewhere before I can get anywhere!

 

So...I may throw this entire build a huge curve ball this week. I think I've had trouble fully engaging with this camper design because it felt like a ton of compromises, complexity, and weight for what I was going to end up with.

I will know tomorrow whether or not I'm going to buy a UTE flatbed. This would mean I would have a much simpler camper that could much more readily be removed. It would also mean I could build the storage under the flatbed lego-style as experience dictates. Unfortunately, this would mean building a new rear bumper, but that should be much simpler the second time around. I could use the existing bumper with the flatbed for a while and it would be fine...I think. The flatbed may stick out too far off the back...haven't measured that yet.

This also means that all of the work I've done so far will be scrap. But, I'd rather scrap that then be unhappy with the end result. I think my new thought process may be more compelling from a use case scenario for us anyway.

Thoughts?

 

I think that's a good idea! It'll make your life a heck of a lot easier in the long run.

 

I think so. Ute trays aren't quite as expensive as I thought so that helps the sting a little. I'm going to talk it over with my wife. She always has great input on this stuff and never steers it. Great support!

The biggest bummer? I'll have to spend my Honda Grom money on the flatbed. There goes my stunt training bike. Haha

 

good luck and projects never go as planned as long as your happy and it works that is a win in my book.

 

For sure! I just need to get better at figuring stuff out sooner!

 

@ChandlerDOOM has something in the works with ute beds

 

If you're happy with the end result, then it's totally worth it. I also like the idea of puzzling out the storage underneath as it evolves - gives you some flexibility, particularly when going camperless.

I wouldn't scrap the build, I would bet someone on TW would want to take the project off your hands.

 

I'm hoping someone would finish it off. It would probably work well on a trailer frame too.

 

Really? Does he have a thread started or is this a secret deal that he hopes to turn into a business? Either way is cool by me, just wonderin'.

 

Yup

@1 Bored Clerk I dont have a longbed version worked out yet, but if your interested send me a PM and I can get you details if your interested in heading towards a tray platform. Hopefully someone can finish off your work, your attention to detail is awesome to watch

 

So, I am getting a UTE tray. Sending in my payment tomorrow. So, if anyone out there is interested in picking up my partially done project as it sits (minus drawer slides and composite honeycomb panels) to finish as a Tacoma camper or make a sweet expo trailer out of it, please let me know. I'm not looking to make money or break even...some compensation would be nice but we can chat about that. I just don't want to scrap it. Also, this thread is NOT dead. I will be continuing with it until this camper situation is sorted! I'll also be selling my truck bed and recently completed rear bumper. I'll post legit for sale ads when I can. Thanks for hanging in there with me. It's always a journey in my build threads. Haha.

 

Thanks! I'll get in touch with you in a few days or less to chat.

 

Have you seen this build?

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/overlanerds-home-away-from-home.487366/

Is this the direction you're heading?

 

That's a nice build! No pop top for us. In the PNW, wet sides folded up can only lead to trouble. We want to camp any time of year...if it gets wet, it may take months to get a decent enough day to pop it up and dry it out (that's what she said!). I don't want to deal with that. Im also getting back into the idea (now that the camper might be light enough) of being able to easily take the camper off occasionally. This is also my first camper build so I'm trying to keep it to a smaller project. With the UTE tray, I can always build V 2.0 later as we evolve our camping destinations and durations.

 

Subbed for the inspiration!

 

A good idea might be to sell the bed and partial trailer together as a potential trailer build for one of the capable hands here on the forum or on expo. That would be a more attractive project for someone to take on. Some square tube as a frame, an axle and leafs and you're in business.
I'd buy something like that if I was in the market.

 

With my camper and @Overlanerd's we planned for extreme conditions. The fabric is called K-Tex and is actually a heavy 18oz vinyl coated. It's the same thing used for RTT covers, truck tarps, etc.

Excellent build by the way! I started following on Expo Portal. Glad you made one here.