Camper Shell Build

Excellent job. Going to start on one of these cap projects this next spring myself.
Already have a line on a shell, just need to get a few other things finished up first. Like reassembling the truck from the bodywork and colorchange...

 

How is the headliner holding up @lukester78 ? I'm going to install some in my 180 Leer shell, and would like to know before I use the same adhesive.

Thanks,

 

This was taken a couple months ago:


Looks the same as the day I finished.

 

Do you mind sharing where you purchased all the material. I want to insulate my shell and want to do it right in the first try.

 

That there is a mighty fine insulation build son, you could build a side table with shelving up to the ceiling to store your food stuffs and fishing stuffs and live outta your truck for a long while.

Whats your plans now that you is got it all insulated n stuff ?

 

@MY1STGENTACO got everything at home depot

@BongoTheOneEyed I camped out of the truck a bunch back in Colorado, just brought it back home to Connecticut, life changes fast. Looking to get out for some wheeling here, and will definitely be exploring Vermont, upstate NY, etc after the winter. Want to keep the driver's side open for a bike, but might extend the drawer to full length at some point.

 

Lukester78, nice set up you came up with. What did you go for a width on the platform? And is it sufficient to accommodate turning over ....
I was thinking that mine will be 28" from the bedside ....I think it would be sufficient for me.‍♂️

 

Anyone have any tips for doing upholstery like this? I’m going to use some “outdoor carpet” from HD and adhesive similar to in the picture. A bit confused on how and where to start the upholstery

 

Don’t have any experience with that stuff. Have a bunch of experience with the 3M spray adhesives. If applied correctly, the super 90 is perfect for this job and probably a lot quicker to work with.

Spray both surfaces that will be glued, wait ~7 minutes (defer to the can) and stick them together.

I did have one can malfunction, looked more like silly string than a spray pattern. Didn’t stick.

 

I used that carpet glue to glue the carpet to my sleeping setup including the box running down the side. Assuming you're talking about using it to glue carpet to the interior of the fiberglass shell you are going to need more than that. It will fill in the uneven surface of the fiberglass and I'm not sure how well the v-notch trowel is going to spread it. Dry fit everything you can before you start gluing. Use a hard roller (like you'd use for installing sound deadening) to smooth it out well and you will probably need to somehow support it on non-horizontal surfaces or the carpet may sag before it adheres enough not to sag. Once it's on, it ought to be stuck well though. As already noted, an upholstery place is going to use contact adhesive and spray both sides then stick it together.

 

Great job @lukester78, sorry to revive old thread but did 3m super 90. Release any gases after project or did it not smell bad

 

It's a great write up, how is everything holding up? Is 3M super 90 still the product of choice for adhesive?

I'm about to add a carpet headliner on a fibreglass top I just picked up, this install was exactly I was looking for. Cheers.

 

Just saw these now. 3m super 90 has held up well. I didn’t notice any off gassing once things set up. Definitely worth wearing a respirator while spraying

@J_dog
@Tacomabaja12

 

I used a mixture of super 90 and 3m 80 Spray its been holding up great for 2 months or so

 

How's your long term experience been with the Reflectix insulation? Researching insulation solutions for my ARE commercial aluminum cap buildout.

 

Personally I wouldn't use reflectix as main source of insulation, I use it as curtains and it works great. I would use 1 inch foil faced insulation board.

 

That's what I used and theres definitely a temp difference.

 

Thanks for the feedback! I think the board would work fine for the roof and side doors. I may have to use a more malleable/bendable insulation to go over the support struts, which stick out underneath the roof of the shell. Perhaps I can just use the reflectix sparingly there.

 

send me pics of what you're referring to

 

I'm trying to maximize headroom so I can use the foil face board for the spaces in between the bars, but I'd want to insulate over the bars themselves. I think the reflectix might play well there. I've also considered using dynamat as well. Not ideal but better than nothing!.