Hondo Garage's New Thing

TRIP REPORT/Denver to Bozeman-test

 

Is it a secret?

 

COPY that flynorth - LOUD and CLEAR - please proceed with actual trip report - OVER

 

Today I made up some rather crude mounts to attach my short ARB awning on the rear of the GFC. I’m still sorta homeless and staying with family so my tools and equipment are limited. Should be good enough to hold up to weekend rain at the Appalachian Rendezvous.

I started with 1/8 x 3 mild steel and cut the shape out.


Next I bent each brackets 90 degrees and drilled 4 holes to mount to the lower side extrusion and 2 for the awning.


Test mounted for clearance check.

Just enough clearance to work the latches and not interefere with the back hatch.


Now paint and final install. Really need my welder to reinforce the bends!

 

Awesome!!!! @wileydavis take a note. This needs to be built for sure! Be excellent to have a rear cover. Nice work man!!! Ten thumbs up!

 

Thanks!

 

OK. First warning, I'm not a tech guy. Oh, you already figured that out

Finally got the word, camper was done. Yah baby! Sunday worked best for me. Where else but GFC would they come in on sunday for your convenience. About 8.5 from Denver. I got there a little early-Wiley was already there working on a project (heater system). Graeme arrived soon after. First I had seen a GFC, except for pictures. Wow. In a world of cheaper, thinner, and crappier--my initial impression was of QUALITY. The GFC is really done well-better than I expected. For those on the fence-do it.



Install was easy with a roof hoist. Brought Pacifico to celebrate and off I went. What a great bunch of guys at GFC. Overnight south of Livingston overlooking Paradise Valley. It was cold though-25degrees. Frost on inside and outside when I got up. Jet Boil coffee, dropped the sleeping bag into bed, close it up, and I was out of there in about 8 minutes. Now that just doesn't happen.

I wanted to comment on the ride. Its like the GFC isn't there. Unless I looked in a mirror. It rides really well.
Mileage: Freeway 75 mph on the way up 17mpg. Stock 2012 tacoma TRD access with KO2's. I did put Suma springs in prep for GFC. Coming back I ran 75 for a tank-15.5mpg. That was just letting the cruise control cycle. Next tank I ran 70mph-17mpg. Not too bad for a camper. Didn't notice a difference with acceleration or getting blown by wind or semis. A totally good experience. Made good time home.
Just so you know up front, I like everything about it so far.

Lets talk bed design philosophy. Everybody likes something different. Some go for the Goose Gear route, others throw an ice chest in the back and call it good. I think a good bed design will really enhance your experience. I'll show you what I did:


I got a polyethelene 1/2 " panel UV stabilized normally used to build playground equipment. I had it cut 16 x 57 and 25 x 57. That makes an L configuration. 4 Wolf packs for support. A couple of 9" legs if the Wolf packs aren't being used. The packs are pricey but they are really nice and fit perfectly under the panels. I use one for tools/recovery, pantry, cook stuff, and misc. The panels I use aren't ideal, they warp a little bit. I think Graeme and Wiley may have a much better idea(future GoLite Bed Deck) using their upper panels and line x. However, for a knucklehead like me with a drill, it works.
Oh yeah, I have a smaller panel (16 x 25) when I'm running in stealth bike mode. When Im not using a panel, I can just throw it under the deck. Sometimes after mountain biking, I like to open the bar and relax. Ok, I think that's the best part of a GFC.
That side panel was the panel in front (16x57) of the bed. Oh yeah, I can put 27" legs on the other panel for a table (25x57) if I need one. Tacomas are so small, I used a design philosophy of multiple uses, keep it light, and keep the bed open so you can use it and hang out in it. I want to be able to have everything out of my bed in a couple minutes to haul hay or whatever and then spray it out afterwards. Built ins just don't work for me. A couple more pics:




How I roll up front:


Hondo iPad mount-way good




So now the not so good (kinda). If you get a GFC expect to be stopped constantly by Tacoma owners asking to check it out. In parking lots, driving down the road, etc. "How does it work" Ive only had it a couple days and its already started.

So thats about it. This is payback to the community for me following this thread since the beginning, always checking for new pics and new ideas. Trying to figure out if I should pull the trigger, and after the bed build.
Finally, you can't find a better group of folks than the GFC guys. To Graeme and Wiley--OUTSTANDING!

 

I actually ordered the gfc awning brackets with the plan to install the same awning on the rear. do you think they will work, didn't even think about clearance back there or difficulty of accessing the handles....

 

What he said.

 

haha, well crap, i may have two awning brackets for sale then....

 

@Flynorth - Can you advise where you ordered the polyethelene 1/2 " panel UV stabilized panels? Nice set up and like you I have been following this thread for a long time and I'm on the leaderboard and just going through build and setups in my head. Ordered the ARB 2500 and cannot wait to meet the crew from GFC when instal day comes. Thx

 

You can also send them back to us and we'll refund you. Not a big deal. We should have rear brackets toward the end of November.

 

sounds awesome, i'm hoping that's when i'll be picking up my camper (currently in production) and maybe i can grab some of the rear brackets when i'm there. either way i will just bring the current one's back when i come up there!

 

thogan831. I got it from Colorado Plastics in Louisville co. Local and did the cuts for free. I think about 200 for a 4x8. I had enough for all the panels plus the back seat bench and a piece for the bike mount (3x57). Easy to work with. I cut in the hand holds. However, in hindsight I don't think its the ideal product. It tends to warp slightly and its a little heavy (about the same as 3/4 ply). I think using panels like up above the bed is actually the right answer. Lighter and no flex or warp. Still needs a little design and prototype work though.

 

ace7196.Not great pic, I'll great to do better mañana. A rocky mount fork mount in a 3x57 strip that sits in the front of the bed (loose). I also have a track mounted below the upper track (its hard to see). I then use that track to tie down the forks. It is super stable and fast. It'll make a lot more sense when I take a better picture.

 

I'll take them lol

 

For the shelf, I just did a loop through frame down to a beaner in the carry cutout. Then a bungie to the tire to stabilize. Works great, took about a minute to figure out.

Heres a pic of my access shelf. I like it cause the seats are still there if I need, but its super stable. It also comes out in about 30 seconds to access storage compartments if I need.

 

@rocket_scientist, which ARB model did you install? I really like the idea of a rear awning to keep rain away from the cooking area.

 

ace7196.Here's a followup pic. Tie down from one cleat over the bars to the other cleat.



Did I mention Wolf packs make a great step into the bed. They also stack well if you need a 2/1 configuration to get into the back. Why carry a stepladder

 

Was just checking if Wileydavis had any update or pictures of the Propex heater the guys at GFC have been working on - winter just around the corner, eh?