BUBB - Big Ugly Budget Build

[BlueCoyote]

Having owned various RV's, toyhaulers,etc - none of them were the ideal combo for off road camping, exploring, hauling and off road race support. Sure, an Earth Roamer would be ideal, but not in the current budget. Wanted 4 doors - wife , dogs, stuff hauling. Has to be 4x4, able to tow 5-7k, sleep 3 people and 4 dogs, cooking, showering, TV, AC, warm, dry, rugged, simple, budget. So here is my attempt at a capable tow- camp- off road - support build.

Truck - first choice was a Dodge CTD 4x4, 6speed crew cab. (Had one, but sold it). But any decent CTD 4x4 fetches big $ around here. After all this is budget, so gotta think simple. Looked at 7.3 F350s - but my luck with Blue Oval has not been good. And with the limited use this will get, the extra $ saved can go to gas. So looked around for a K/V30 bow tie (also had one and sold it). After looking at some real winners came across a local guy with a 1990 V30 Crewcab/ 454TBI, 4x4, TH400, D60/14b, duals with a 10' flat bed. Odo sez 84 - it was a service truck, and interior is very clean, so it might be original. Silverado edition, all the electrics work, AC blows cold, has new brakes and decent tires. Really wanted a manual- and the seller had a 465/205 combo and 2.5 lift kit he threw in. Done deal.

Next - shorten bed to fit, lower bed 2", fabricate rear hitch extension. Get camper mounted.
Next 2.0 - Fabricate side cargo boxes, install lift and prep for manual swap.

Shell - considered building a shell, but after adding it all up, thought again and considered a camper as the donor. Since this is the NW, water tight and rugged is a priority. So kept an eye out for an older Bigfoot. Found a lonely moss green 11.5 ignored in a backyard in the Portland area. It had some missing roof vents, dead fridge, and the typical old Bigfoot issues. But under all the moss and issues was a decent starting point, A/C, - and the price was right. After several hours to get it out of its hibernation spot; another done deal.

I know, it's loaded all wrong but that was only way it was coming home. Even so it rode smooth and drove straight.
Got the bleach, hose, scrub brushes out and went at it. After a few hours it cleaned up nicely.

Already remounted the front jack mounts, fixed the rear side issues. Powered it up, A/C works, pump works, some lights work.

Next - new roof fixtures, fix bowed roof (a/c weight), reseal.
Next 2.0 - Rebuild the rear door and add a window. Add wiring for TVs, istuff, LED lamps etc.

 

[Capt Eddie]

I like your idea. I will follow this thread. Good luck.

 

[heimbig]

I love the name

 

[Bernard_Roofus]

can't wait to see how this turns out, I love the name!

 

[theburtseoni]

Budget builds inspire me- it's the good old 'can do' attitude that shows you can still live your dreams on limited income or sparse assets.
(Read: 'poor boys like me'!) The folks with the rich boy toys have to worry about getting a scratch on thier million $$ rigs, and you can charge down that brush covered logging trail with not a care in the world! :smiley_drive:

 

[bdog1]

Maybe a little body lift kit on the cab would get things tucked in tight? Plus it's not like you need rear fender clearance. 33's?


Sent by wing, prayer & ATT

 

[BlueCoyote]

Thanks Capt Eddy, Dodger - your builds are part of the inspiration for this. Thanks to everyone for the support. As an adventure vehicle / offroad transport and support vehicle it will get scratched, scraped, dinged up, and enjoyed.

Update - camper was in the barn, got it dried out, cleaned up. Did the mundane maintenance stuff - new poo vent covers, re sealed roof vents, covered fridge vent opening (not sure what I am gonna use for a fridge yet), Re-did the front jack mounts so they're not falling off. Also re drilled and re screwed the sides - typical older Bigfoot issues.

Prior owner cut the side cheeks for a narrower bed - and did not re glass. He did have the pieces, so with some aluminum, Sikaflex, and fat heat rivits, got them back together and sealed up. Bigfoot got booted out of the shop today so bed fab can begin.

It took way too long to get the flatbed off - all kinds of issues today. Acetelyne bottle was empty, bobcat battery dead, then as we were pulling the truck out it died. Thought it was out of gas, but it's an intermittent fuel delivery issue. Pumps some times run, not sure if it's the selector valve of fuel pump relay. Finally just pushed the truck out the door - then it started... Took the grinder, plasma, sawzall, engine hoist, frame jack stand to finally free it. After lots of choice words and frustrating hours, it's sitting on jack stands.

Bed now shortened up- more fab to follow tomorrow.

To get the cab clearance tighter, we are gonna lower the bed 3-4". And to keep wheel to bed clearance a 2.5" lift is being added. Not a fan of body lifts. Goal is gap of 3 to 3.5"
.

 

[Bernard_Roofus]

man, that is some good progress in such a short time!

 

[Dawgboy]

Budget builds are where it's at. In touch with the working man. If I waited until I had all the money needed, I would never get in nature. Also, if you look around, you would be amazed at the good deals you can find on used equipment and junkyard sourced parts and components.


Brought to you by Cyberdyne Systems

 

[BlueCoyote]

Thanks for the support guys...
Went to Coyote Steel and got a good deal on surplus material.
Busy holiday weekend. Besides lots of good eats and beer, spent lots of time in the shop. And got friends to help - even one that wanted to grind the old welds off the frame!
Bed cut down, rails lowered and ready to go back on. Heavy bed fab work done, and took 3" of height out and 18" of length off. Along with many hundred pounds of weight.

All the old welds, crap, ground off frame. Revised bed will be BOLTED to the frame. Never been a fan of welding to frames.

To get wheel clearance back the 2.5" lift blocks along with new Ubolts from Anderson Bros Truck were installed.

Bed is set back on truck, front lift also done. Pics coming.
It's now raining and the camper appears dry inside.
This weeks plan is to fab up the rear hitch extension and get the Bigfoot back on the bed.

 

[Bernard_Roofus]

Looking good! I too am not a fan of frame welding. I bolted everything on my frame, no welds. Just a few tack welds to hold things in place while the drilling took place.

 

[Curtis in Texas]

Subscribed!

 

[BlueCoyote]

After the 7"+ of snow and the -10 temps, was finally able to spend some time in the shop today.

The 2.5" lift kit is installed - front springs and 2.5" rear blocks. The front springs are now flat vs negative arch. Should be enough to swap cross over steering.

Flatbed is now installed and mounted. It sits 3" lower now.

Rear hitch extensions tie into the bed mounts, and nothing is welded to the truck frame rails - all connections to the truck are bolted.

I did not pivot the flatbed for several reasons. The Chevy frame is not boxed, and thus flexible. The amount of space needed to make the flatbed rigid enough would raise the camper height, opposite of what I am trying to do by keeping the camper low. The rear frame rails had been cut down prior, so the hitch extensions are tied into the bed frame along with the frame rails for strength. The Bigfoot does flex some and my design will be to spring load the rear tie downs. Besides, thousands for truck bed mounted campers are un pivoted and work just fine.

 

[BlueCoyote]

Not a big fan of the single point hitch extensions. Rear hitch extensions fabbed and tacked. Still need to and reinforcements and triangulation.

The committee approves...

These will be flush with the back of the camper and allow for a rear deck when parked.

As for the Bigfoot, after a week covered in snow, only one very small water leak from the LH window frame.

 

[heimbig]

"I did not pivot the flatbed for several reasons" looks like you bolted it ridged? Something has to flex (or break when the truck wants to flex.) If you don't cause flex (by how/where you drive) you might be ok but the likely break point is going be between where the frame has been made absolutely stiff and where it is allowed to flex. A pickup box is mounted on rubber and the mounts are not at the extreme ends of the bed - so there is more flex than you might think. Also a pickup bed w/ camper is likely much lighter than a flatbed w/ camper. And I'd guess a pickup box is also more flexible than the bed of a flatbed.