Isuzu NPR Camper

[VicHanson]

I have been looking at Toyota motorhomes for my upcoming retirement but have just started considering buying an Isuzu NPR cab-over truck and custom building a motorhome box on it. I have seen the ones here that mount a trailer or truck camper on the truck, but I would rather go the custom built route. Has anyone had experience doing this? What kind of issues do I need to be aware of? I am experienced at woodworking but have never done a project of this magnitude.

Is a wood frame sufficient or is it better (and lighter) to use aluminum?

The only motorhome plans I have been able to find are at http://www.glen-l.com/campers/wildwood.html . Has anyone had experience using them?

I would like to have a walk-through opening from the cab to the camper.

Is the cab too high to use a cab-over bed?

I'm not really looking for an expedition vehicle, ie 4x4, but would like it to be able to handle forest service roads, fire roads and other moderate off-pavement routes for boondocking, hiking and exploring. I plan to travel and live in it as much as possible, so am looking for reliability and good fuel economy.

Would I have starting problems with a diesel in 20 to 30 degree winter weather?

Thanks for any help and advice anyone can offer.

Vic

[Hilldweller]

Check with member Doug Hackney:
http://www.hackneys.com/travel/
Especially his truck:
http://www.hackneys.com/mitsu/

See where he hangs out on the forum.

[whatcharterboat]

Hi Vic. Just wrote a really long reply to this and lost it, so this is the short version.

Check out the Mitsubishi Heavy Truck Threads

NPRs are very close to FEs although the threads there are mainly about the FG and some info on the NPS which are of course the 4x4 versions from Isuzu and Fuso.

I've had a '93 NPR and a '96 FE short wheelbase. Oh and a 8ton GVM FH which has the same cab from the FE. The NPR in that year had a narrow cab or a wide cab. If you intend to make a pass through then go the wide cab. Also the turbo models are much better performers on hills and at altitude. Go for a LSD upgrade if it doesn't already have one too..

Basically ( and I stress this is my opinion) the NPR is very strong, reliable. The FE is more comfortable and is usually lighter and therefore slightly more payload. I preferred to drive the FE but never had a bit of trouble with any of those 3 trucks except a power steering pump failure which was my own fault when I got stuck in some deep ruts and turned too hard on the steering wheel.

There are literally 1000's of NPR based motorhomes here which have a berth over the cab but no way I'd ever own a truck I couldn't tilt the cab.

Of course if you are looking at a new truck, then the "09 NPR is hands down the best truck by far. Traction control, ABS disc brakes, airbags, hill start assist, mutimedia, navigation, reverse cameras, sport shift auto transmission, variable nozzle turbo, blah, blah, blah.


Is a wood frame sufficient or is it better (and lighter) to use aluminum?


Check out Mickldo 's sig line. He does very good aluminum body work. You might get some ideas there. Wood is OK but it's all in how you fasten in. Plenty of Liquid Nails (that's what we call the glue anyway) . Used to build offroad caravans with full wood interiors and everything was stapled or screwed and glued but at the end of the day it's the type of glue that makes all the difference to how it stands up to the washboard roads.

Good luck with it. Hope this helps.

[VicHanson]

I've looked at the Fuso threads and read about the frame problems and pivot frame mount, guess I should have mentioned that. Is this a problem with the NPR as well?

Doug's FG/Bigfoot is beautiful and very impressive, but is way overkill for what I am needing. I should have also said that although I am living in the Andes mountains of Peru now, I will be retiring back in the U.S. I will probably pull my CRV for exploring on the back roads, canyons and mountains. If it is too rough for the CRV I will be walking or maybe riding a dirt bike.

I will be definitely looking for a used vehicle, 10 or more years old, new is not in the budget.

Oh, thanks much Mate for the reminder of the tilt cab! I had forgotten about that! How much clearance do they need to tilt? Sorry you lost the long version, I hate it when that happens! Thanks for redoing it!

I have a brother-in-law who is a CAT mechanic, and has restored everything from old CATs and tractors, to an old steam engine and a saw mill. So, I will be looking to him for advice, help and his well equipped shop!

Vic

[haven]

"I've looked at the Fuso threads and read about the frame problems"

Please note that the problems described are due to carrying loads beyond the specs for the truck, and by poor design of the subframe linking the camper to the truck frame rails. It's likely that any vehicle, not just the Fuso FG, would suffer damage under these conditions.

The reason we spend so much time talking about the Fuso FG is that it's the only cab-forward medium duty 4x4 sold in USA. The Isuzu NPS 250 and 300 4x4 models are very impressive. They're not imported to USA, unfortunately.

The truck I'd like to see is the Isuzu FSS 550, a 4x4 model with 6 cylinder diesel engine and GVWR up to 22,000 lbs (10,000 kg). The lucky folks in Australia buy these for off-road fire fighting and use in mining operations.

As to the question of wooden construction, it's certainly possible. Here's an example built by Hardy Hornberg from marine plywood:
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z241/expeditioncampers/fuso-102.jpg

[kerry]

Nobody's answered the 'starting in cold weather' question yet. No, there will not be a problem at those temperatures. My FG has glow plugs that actuate below xx degrees (40?). It starts right up. You may need a block heater at temperatures below about 10 degrees below zero. You'll also have to winterize your fuel. But I would not worry about cold start issues until you start using it at temperatures below 20 below zero.
I'll try to attach a picture which I believe I've attached somewhere else in the Mitsubishi forum of an FG with a truck box on the back that was converted to a camper by a guy in upstate NY. I was considering the purchase of the vehicle a few years ago. I think it is still for sale, or at least it was the last time I checked.

Ooops the forum won't let me attach them again since they are already in other threads. Search on my user name and look at threads with titles that are relevant to your interest and I think you'll find them

[VicHanson]

Thanks Chip and Kerry. I just finished reading about Doug's travels and frame problems, wow, quite an experience! Is a solid camper to frame attachment OK on the NPR if you stay well below the GVWR and stay off of the rough jeep tracks in the U.S.? The worst road I have been on with my CRV is the White Rim Road at Island in the Sky in Canyonlands NP. I suppose I would want to try it there, but very slowly.

I haven't found the the FG you mentioned yet, Kerry, got too distracted reading Doug's story. Will have to look again soon.

Vic

PS Don't know where else to ask so I will ask here. How do I put a title line below my name on my posts? I can't find any way to do it but I see you almost all have one. Thanks.

[whatcharterboat]

I've looked at the Fuso threads and read about the frame problems and pivot frame mount, guess I should have mentioned that. Is this a problem with the NPR as well?

Hi Vic, It was in the long version. Haha.

OK It is very doubtful that you would ever have an issue with an NPR chassis. For a start they are 6mm instead of 4.5mm like the FE and FG and they are straight. When Fuso decided to make a 4x4. They simply cut a an FE in half behind the gearbox and put a diff under the front. Then added a step in the chassis to get the extra hieght and then riveted the front half, step and rear back together. Isuzu made new rails when they made tyhe NPS from the NPR with the step shaped into the rails but they are still in one piece and as they are 6mm , they are so much stronger than the FG. So to sum up the NPR is stronger than all of them by a long way.

Interestingly the '09 NPS has altered suspension geometry so that it can have straight rails and they are 850mm apart instead of 750mm. Stronger again.

[QUOTE]I will be definitely looking for a used vehicle, 10 or more years old, new is not in the budget.[QUOTE]

No worries. Mechanical injection pump. No electronics to go wrong. Very reliable. Don't be afraid to get one with a few hundred thousand kays on the clock either. They'll do a lot of miles before they need attention if they've been maitained.

[whatcharterboat]

How much clearance do they need to tilt?

If you really want to know I'll measure it for you. We've got an old NPS around here which should be the same as the NPR but I wouldn't worry about it. Just run the camper body straight up behind the cab like in the pic Chip posted. Don't go over it at all. Keep all the weight as low as you can too.


The truck I'd like to see is the Isuzu FSS 550, a 4x4 model with 6 cylinder diesel engine and GVWR up to 22,000 lbs (10,000 kg). The lucky folks in Australia buy these for off-road fire fighting and use in mining operations.

Hi Chip. Get my PM??? If you ge a chance have a look at the specs for the new '09 FSS 550. They've ditched the old 6 and now run the new generation 4 cyclinder that's in all the N series. Shows you how much potential they have.They are all run different computers to give various power characteristics. The FSS has 205hp. The NPR 450 has 185 and the NPS's and NPR's have 155hp. We can swap 2 components and get the same power as the FSS in the NPS. 205hp. How cool is that? And the fuel consumpion is still virtually unaffected. In fact some of the guys are saying it's better because they aren't laboring the motor as much on the hills.

Also I've heard a rumour that we may see an NPS 450 (7.5 or 8 ton GVM) next year. The Prototype has been built but the problem has been in sourcing a suitable Nuffield diff.


Nobody's answered the 'starting in cold weather' question yet. No, there will not be a problem at those temperatures.

Hi Kerry. One thing Isuzu fall short of is the size of the battery banks> They are always too small compared too the FG for example which is probably an overkill. In cold you want overkill. Battery capacity drops away in cold weather. Maybe as much as 20% depending how cold. Now if the battery bank is small to start with , the cold could cause problems for sure. Have a look at what's on an FG. For cold , then definitely increase the size even if it means fabricating a new tray.

I don't know what cold is living where I do but the N series and F series even give us trouble here. If they don't start first click you've got a problem.

[Sleeping Dog]

Vic, wood would be fine as a material but how it is assembled and held together is critical. I've perused the the Glen-L plans you mentioned and that construction method would be fine for a pavement only camper but if your considering soft roads a stiffer box is desirable.

The typical way to accomplish this is using fiberglass to reinforce the plywood as most mechanical fastenings will eventually work loose. Off hand I can't think of a comprehensive source for info on building a camper, but in the boat building world, lots of ink has been spilled describing various techniques to build strong, light weight hulls. Google 'stich and glue' or wander over to woodenboat.com and join their forum and ask for suggested reading.

Good luck,

Jim

[VicHanson]

Thanks for you comments, John and Jim. I had a chance to look at and measure some on a Isuzu Elf today, it was parked in front of my house. It is smaller than an NPR but it gave me some ideas. The driver said the tilt cab needs about 15 to 20 cm of clearance (6-8"). I still want a cabover bed so am working on some ideas. I may post a link to my working file here so you can have a laugh at my crazy ideas and comment if you would like. I just read the "tilt camper" thread on the Fuso page. I haven't had time to check out the stitch and glue method yet for strong wood construction, but will soon. I was thinking today of the need for more insulation and a stronger construction, so thought about using 1x2s for framing, but turn them sideways just like 2x4s in normal building construction (at least normal in the U.S.), rather than flat like the Glen-L plans show. That would allow for twice as thick of insulation and also for using 2x4s flat for the corners for more strength. Then the walls could be nailed (or screwed) and glued, like regular construction.

I was trying to sketch up some plans but didn't have any graph paper so it wasn't coming out to scale. Then I noticed the 4x8 sheets of plywood against the wall (I have no storage room here) so laid 4 of them out on the floor as a 7 foot by 15 1/2 foot 'floor plan', and 'built' my camper on the floor using chairs, boxes, a mattress and various other things I have laying around, including a screen door. It gave me a feel for the size and how it will all fit together. It is bigger than I expected, which is great! Looking at the NPRs on Truckpaper.com I see that most of the boxes on them are 14' x 92" or 16' x 96". I was looking at an outside dimension of 16' x 90" so I could go another 6" wider, but maybe narrower is better in the wild.

Anyway, will try to post some pics of my living room camper model.

Vic

[kerry]

Here's the thread with the pictures of the Fuso cargo box camper:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22129&highlight=upstate

[VicHanson]

Thanks for the link, Kerry. Duh, I feel like an idiot! I have been spending lot's of time thinking about how to do a cabover bed and didn't even stop to think that the pass through to the cab is a bigger problem! I would like to see the one that ttravis mentioned.

I did draw up a floorplan today for a rear bed model. Would probably still put a storage unit above the cab if needed, with a top hinge to swing it out of the way to tilt the cab. Although by raising the bed up a bit, I can design quite a bit of storage below it.

[VicHanson]

Doing lots of thinking about the camper layout, here is a new floorplan, as well as my notes about how/what I want to build. Any comments or better ideas are most welcome.

Chassis mount on Isuzu NPR tilt cab truck, 133 in. WB, 175 hp diesel, 5-speed, dual fuel tanks, years 2000 – 2004, less than 150,000 miles.
1x2 wood construction, but placed sideways like normal 2x4 construction, 2x4 placed flat for corners and top of walls, Styrofoam insulation, aluminum skin, steel (or oak?) framed base. Outside dimensions are 7 ½' wide and 16' long, by 7 feet (84”) high .
All windows are sliding with screens, coach will not have air conditioning. Bath and galley roof vents, with fan.
Bathroom includes a shower, hot water provided by passive solar water heater on the roof above shower (also an outside shower).
Mattress will probably be an air mattress, maybe foam. Use a 1 foot filler board for table bed.
Refrigerator – an Energy Star model, 5 – 6 cu. ft., 2 door, manual defrost, 120 v. only, 2” Styrofoam on all surfaces except back.
120 W of solar panels on roof, fixed flat mount, 2000 W (4000 W surge) inverter, 4 deep cycle 6V batteries.
Backup/emergency power will be a Honda generator, as small as feasible (1500 – 2000 W?).
When needed, heat will be by a propane catalytic heater, (no fan), mounted under driver's side bench, or movable on feet, with CO detector.
Shelves will be a magazine/book rack unit on top, closed storage area on bottom.
Lighting will be LED, inside and out.
Fresh water – 40 gal., Gray water – 20 gal., Black water – 20 gal.?
2 burner gas grill on outside, tilt up or slide out, awning on refrigerator side, 20 lb. propane tank, use solar cooker when possible.
Pass through to cab if at all possible, find way to do it (working on this).
Motorcycle/bike rack on front of truck, storage boxes under camper on truck frame, air foil/deflector on roof of cab.

[VicHanson]

And here is what I really want, with a over cab bed.

Chassis mount on Isuzu NPR tilt cab truck, 133 in. WB, 175 hp diesel, 5-speed, dual fuel tanks, years 2000 – 2004, less than 150,000 miles.
1x2 wood construction, but placed sideways like normal 2x4 construction, 2x4 placed flat for corners and top of walls, Styrofoam insulation, aluminum skin, steel (or oak?) framed base. Outside dimensions are 7 ½' wide and 16' long, by 7 feet (84”) high .
All windows are sliding with screens, coach will not have air conditioning. Bath and galley roof vents, with fan.
Bathroom includes a shower, hot water provided by passive solar water heater on the roof above shower (also an outside shower).
Mattress will probably be an air mattress, maybe foam. Use a 1 foot filler board for table bed.
Refrigerator – an Energy Star model, 5 – 6 cu. ft., 2 door, manual defrost, 120 v. only, 2” Styrofoam on all surfaces except back.
120 W of solar panels on roof – fixed flat mount, 2000 W (4000 W surge) inverter, 4 deep cycle 6V batteries.
Backup/emergency power will be a Honda generator, as small as feasible (1500 – 2000 W?).
When needed, heat will be by a propane catalytic heater, (no fan), mounted under driver's side bench, or movable on feet, with CO detector.
Shelves will be a magazine/book rack unit on top, closed storage area on bottom.
Lighting will be LED, inside and out.
Fresh water – 40 gal., Gray water – 20 gal., Black water – 20 gal.?
2 burner gas grill on outside, tilt up or slide out, awning on refrigerator side, 20 lb. propane tank, use solar cooker when possible.
Pass through to cab if at all possible, find way to do it. Tilt up overcab bed with piano hinge on top, guides on bottom, rubber seal all around opening.
Motorcycle/bike rack on front of truck, storage boxes under camper on truck frame.

[haven]

Nice design! Looking at the diagram, the portion of the camper that sits behind the cab of the truck is about 17 feet long. The NPR is commonly used with an 18 foot box, so the camper should be OK on the chassis.

The cab-over section will not allow the cab of the truck to be tilted up for service, so

You should send your drawing to Alaskan Camper to get a ballpark quote for construction. They do custom work, and might be excited about building such a large camper! I suggest Alaskan because they will only work on designs that have the door at the rear, due to the design of their popup roof.

Chip Haven

[VicHanson]

Thanks, Chip. I'm sure there will be more changes to the design when I try to convert it from paper to wood and metal! Actually the exterior length of the camper is 16'. The 132.5" WB NPR is supposed to have no more than a 14' box, according to the Isuzu specs. I'm hoping if I keep the back end as light as possible, it will be OK. The 150" WB model can have up to an 18' box.

Here is my idea for allowing an over the cab bed on a tilt up cab.

For the over cab bed, I am thinking of a piano type hinge on top and having the whole over cab bed part swing up out of the way when the cab needs to be raised. There would need to be a good seal all the way around the opening something like a compression boot. Another idea I had is to use a tube frame on the bed opening edge and a rubber lined, half round channel on the camper opening. The compression fit when closed should provide a water tight seal, as well as a solid and secure closing.

On the bottom of the camper opening would be a full width metal 'lip' that would catch the lower edge of the bed portion as it swings down, to guide it into place as well as provide a sturdy support so that it doesn't sag down with weight on it.

When it is closed, it would be secured with 3 or 4 turnbuckles or quick release cam type latches (like those that hold down the lid of an expedition storage box or cooler).

As far as having Alaskan Camper design and build it, I could never afford to have them do it. This will be a labor of love, with the help of a couple of brothers-in-law.

Been having fun drawing up plans and profile views, only wish I still had Canvas, which I used to use at work. It was very powerful and could do so much more than the basic drawing program that comes with Sun's Open Office. Attached is a very rough drawing of the left side profile of the outside.

Some of the measurements came from the Isuzu spec sheet and others, like the cab, came from estimating from pictures on the web. So there are some minor discrepancies in trying to fit them all together.

If anyone could provide the following, I would really appreciate it.

1 - Height of the cab from the ground.
2 - Height of the top of the frame from the ground.
3 - Length of the cab proper, and also including the bumper.

If anyone is looking for a truck, a good site I have found is truckpaper.com

Thanks, Vic

[VicHanson]

Been having way too much fun planning and designing, hard to get to sleep at night! After looking at photos of the truck on the web, I had to make a few more changes to accommodate things like the batteries and air filter, etc. Here are the latest exterior views.

I am using Open Office, but saving as Word files, sometimes the conversion process isn't perfect, it moves a line or shape now and then. So is something looks a bit funny, that might be why. Also the files got to big to upload as .doc files so I converted them to pdf files.

[ColinTheCop]

Vic,

Stephen Stewarts site about his Unimog build from scratch is very good and might give you some ideas,

http://www.unimog.org.uk/mymog/

Including a bit about access from the truck into the camper body.

[mhiscox]

Vic,

Stephen Stewarts site about his Unimog build from scratch is very good and might give you some ideas,

http://www.unimog.org.uk/mymog/

Including a bit about access from the truck into the camper body.
Times 2 on Stephen's site, plus I always recommend that every cabin builder be alert to the information contained in John Speed's book, Travel Vans. It's a British book, but through the magic of the internet and PayPal, available easily and semi-quickly from http://www.travelvans.co.uk/.

[VicHanson]

Thanks guys for the great information, I will be ordering John Speed's book shortly, looks like it will be very helpful. Also will be looking at Stephen Stewart's site when I have more time. The Internet is really slow right now. I have tried to download the Izusu Bodybuilder's Guide about 4 times and it always times out after a few minutes. Will have to wait until I get to the big city and high speed Internet for that. Ahh, the joys of living in very rural Peru. At least I have Internet (most of the time!).

[Mickldo]

Thanks guys for the great information, I will be ordering John Speed's book shortly, looks like it will be very helpful. Also will be looking at Stephen Stewart's site when I have more time. The Internet is really slow right now. I have tried to download the Izusu Bodybuilder's Guide about 4 times and it always times out after a few minutes. Will have to wait until I get to the big city and high speed Internet for that. Ahh, the joys of living in very rural Peru. At least I have Internet (most of the time!).

If you use Mozilla Firefox as a browser there are some plugins available to help with these big downloads. You can start, stop, restart downloads without losing anything. The one I use is "Download-them-all".

[kerry]

Are Isuzu 4wd's available in Peru?

[VicHanson]

Are Isuzu 4wd's available in Peru?

I'm not sure, maybe in Lima. Until recently, many of the vehicles for sale here were used, from Japan, and then in Tacna (the port area) they would be converted to left hand drive. All types were available there, which is where I got my Mitsubishi 4x4 van. New laws are supposed to prohibit the conversions from what I have heard. I haven't seen an Isuzu dealer in Arequipa (2nd largest city) but there is a Mitsubishi dealer. I don't know what trucks they sell there. Parts are available for almost anything, or they will make or modify something!

[VicHanson]

Ahhh, reality bites sometimes. After spending many weeks planning, drawing, researching, and getting advice, I've finally decided that it will be too expensive for me to build a motorhome from scratch on a truck chassis. It's way over budget already, and I'm sure once I started would find that there would be a lot of additional costs I'm not aware of now. So I am looking in another direction now, and at least partially following Doug Hackney's advice - "don't build what you can buy", and am looking at mounting a camping trailer on the back of the Isuzu NPR.

That idea soon ran into problems too as the regular NPR has a GVWR of 12,000 lbs with cargo capacity of about 6200 lbs. The trailers I have been looking at weigh 3500 to 4000 lbs and by the time I add all the stuff I want/need, I would be about 1000 lbs over the weight limit! I also want a little longer trailer than my planned camper build to make up for not having an over the cab bed, so am looking at an 18' or 19' foot trailer, which is too long for the 132.5" wheelbase that I was looking at.

So, here is the latest plan, get a NPR HD, which has a GVWR of 14,500 lbs and a cargo capacity of 8,500 lbs, as well as move up to the 150" wheelbase length. Looking at used trucks, there over twice as many regular NPRs as HDs, so my choices will be limited some, but there are still quite a few for sale. The problem is finding a 5 spd manual transmission, there are very few of those in either model in the U.S., although I have found a few on line. I'm hoping there will be more when actually looking in person once I get back there.

I still plan on trying for self-sufficiency as much as possible, for boondocking, so am thinking about 600 to 660 W of solar panels (3 panels) and 3 deep cycle AGM batteries for a total of 735 AH. Man those batteries are expensive and heavy, $500 and 158 lbs each!

Do any of you have any recommendations/advice as far as mounting a trailer on a truck chassis? I have seen a few examples in the Fuso section but would like to hear from anyone who has done it. I am hoping it is fairly easy to take the trailer chassis off and mount it on a simpler (compared to building a motorhome) frame on the truck frame.

One final question for now, does anyone know how the HD is different from the regular NPR? Is it just heaver springs and shocks or are there other differences? It looks like the frame and axle are the same.

Thanks, Vic

[kerry]

Ahhh, reality bites sometimes. After spending many weeks planning, drawing, researching, and getting advice, I've finally decided that it will be too expensive for me to build a motorhome from scratch on a truck chassis. It's way over budget already, and I'm sure once I started would find that there would be a lot of additional costs I'm not aware of now. So I am looking in another direction now, and at least partially following Doug Hackney's advice - "don't build what you can buy", and am looking at mounting a camping trailer on the back of the Isuzu NPR.

That idea soon ran into problems too as the regular NPR has a GVWR of 12,000 lbs with cargo capacity of about 6200 lbs. The trailers I have been looking at weigh 3500 to 4000 lbs and by the time I add all the stuff I want/need, I would be about 1000 lbs over the weight limit! I also want a little longer trailer than my planned camper build to make up for not having an over the cab bed, so am looking at an 18' or 19' foot trailer, which is too long for the 132.5" wheelbase that I was looking at.

So, here is the latest plan, get a NPR HD, which has a GVWR of 14,500 lbs and a cargo capacity of 8,500 lbs, as well as move up to the 150" wheelbase length. Looking at used trucks, there over twice as many regular NPRs as HDs, so my choices will be limited some, but there are still quite a few for sale. The problem is finding a 5 spd manual transmission, there are very few of those in either model in the U.S., although I have found a few on line. I'm hoping there will be more when actually looking in person once I get back there.

I still plan on trying for self-sufficiency as much as possible, for boondocking, so am thinking about 600 to 660 W of solar panels (3 panels) and 3 deep cycle AGM batteries for a total of 735 AH. Man those batteries are expensive and heavy, $500 and 158 lbs each!

Do any of you have any recommendations/advice as far as mounting a trailer on a truck chassis? I have seen a few examples in the Fuso section but would like to hear from anyone who has done it. I am hoping it is fairly easy to take the trailer chassis off and mount it on a simpler (compared to building a motorhome) frame on the truck frame.

One final question for now, does anyone know how the HD is different from the regular NPR? Is it just heaver springs and shocks or are there other differences? It looks like the frame and axle are the same.

Thanks, Vic

Look at the pictures of my rig for one built using your principles. I chose a truck camper instead of a trailer because they are designed and built to fit on a truck already so no modifications are necessary. I chose a service body because of its cavernous storage capacity. A flat bed could also be used. Given the fact that 2wd Isuzu's with service bodies are considerably cheaper than FG's and used truck campers are readily available. I think a very respectable unit could be put together for about $10-12k.

[VicHanson]

The motorhome will be my only home, I will be living in it full time. I think a truck camper would be too small for that, which is why I want to use an 18' or 19' trailer. $10,000 to $12,000 sounds about right, which should be doable either way, not including the solar/battery upgrade.

[Lynn]

I don't know if Glen-L is still a question in your mind, but I thought I'd throw in my two cents worth...

My father build several slide-ins and motor homes using Glen-L plans back in the ‘70s. And at least one is still on the road today. They are really good for what they are.

And the plans are cheap enough. It wouldn’t hurt the first-time builder to buy a set (or two or three) to get ideas on layout, and even to get overall dimensions.

However, more modern construction techniques will yield a much lighter design. Especially using NidaCore like was used in the Turtle V (http://www.turtleexpedition.com/vehicles/turtle5.php) or the SuperCamper (http://www.thesupercamper.blogspot.com/).

Personally, I’m leaning toward framing up the camper in either wood or aluminum, and laminating filon sheets on the outside, construction foam insulation inside the walls, and thin plywood or paneling on the inside. Once you properly sandwich the filon/insulation/paneling together, it is really strong and light. Not as light as NidaCore, of course, but a whole lot cheaper.

In addition to foam/fiberglass RV and boat construction, you might take a look at SIP (structural insulating panel) construction techniques used in home and commercial construction.

There is also some info on the ‘net about making foam/fiberglass panels using a shop vacuum and bubble wrap to vacuum-bag the panel and get really good epoxy infusion. One site I’ve seen discuss this is Kelsal Catamarans KSS method (http://www.kelsall.com/methods.html). I haven’t seen any discussion on using this for a camper box, but it intrigues me.

[Rudy712]

My first advice is to get a very thorough inspection performed by an experience, reputable mechanic who is very familiar with NPR; pay the $150-200. if you have a sound and properly maintained NPR,NQR you have a vehicle that is bullet proof up to 300K-350K miles with no major repairs. I have heard some going as high as 500K miles. If you bought a lemon, it will cost you in repairs, more like break your bank!!! My first Advice in ownership of an NPR is to read the owner manual, lots of information that will save you money in long term unnecessary costly repairs. Most diesel motor are unforgiving when it comes to maintenance, so changing and maintaining the fluid level, filters and belts are key. For filters and belts stick with Isuzu.

Starting in the cold is like any other diesel, needs good glow plugs and a strong batteries; come stock with a pair of 750 CA, I recommend to go with a pair of 950 CA or better. In really cold weather like 0 degree F, I like to used my 1000 watt generator portable to warm up the oil pan, because it starts at an instance. In those temperature expect lots of white smoke. The diesel fuel does not completely burn when the motor is cold. Warming an NPR, NQR motor will take a while, so read the manual for cold weather starting. I usually like to warm the motor for a minimum of 8-10 minutes and then drive under 20mph until the temp is within the operating temp. Durning this time you will freeze your butt off in the cabin till the motor reaches operating temperature; Using an 12V electric vest helps a lot. Driving in the snow is no problem, meaning reasonable no problem. With my W4500 I went through 10" of dry snow, but that because I had decent tires for the task. Tire selection is important as it would for any vehicle. In Deep snow, carrying quality chains is also advisable, as with any other truck.

Isuzu are low cost maintenance and gets Excellent fuel milage. They are medium duty rated and tough. Make sure the Suspension and all the points are greased up, otherwise replacing those Kingpins are labour intensive, thus costly as I found out.

Driving an NPR/NQR is a joy with one default, your sitting on top of the front wheel; you will feel the bumps. I have taken my truck on logging roads and the road comfort was not a problem for me, as long I didn't drive aggressive over the potholes. There are some other weakness and the only one I can think of is the alternator which usually gives out at around 150k miles. The dog house will not work because of the cab tilt up clearance for maintenance and motor work.

I have converted my 1999 GMC W4500 into a toy hauler and a custom work vehicle, specific for my business. I wanted a robust, reliable and tough toy hauler/work truck with no down time. Inside the box is simple and comfortable in design. All the electrical, plumbing is mostly marine grade, the stove is a 375 lb commercial grade 30" gas stove; I like to really cook and the RV stoves and most of the RV equipment just don't cut it for me. My 16ft box has a 1600lb lift gate, one side doors with custom aluminium steps, insulated with 1/2 inch plywood that is completely sealed against moister (used a high quality oil paint). A 30,000 btu heater and roughneck air conditioner. For extra noise and cold weather insulation, I place insulation blankets over the doors and ceiling vents. Yes it is an overkill, but I am hard, not abusive, on my equipment and spend 3/4 of my work time in my truck.

I am in a process of building a 2004 GMC W5500 with roughly same configuration, since I have written offf my 1999 GMC w4500 late last year in a MVA.

[Rudy712]

Didn't realize the date, 3 1/2 years too late.