A POP UP YOU'VE NEVER SEEN- The FERNWEH MOBIL

escadventure

Adventurer
Here is a progress report on my pop up truck camper. The fiberglass shell is finished and ready for build out… It's from a small German company called "Fernweh Mobil"
After three meetings at their factory to discuss a custom build, we pulled the trigger. The build quality and design is, in our opinion, well worth paying more compared to the other campers we looked at.

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And our truck that will carry it which is also in the works…

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escadventure

Adventurer
No door either... The shell is reenforced around where the door and windows will be cut. That will be next, then the fiberglass seats and cabinets, then upholstery.
 

MNtraveler

Observer
I went to the video of the inside. Well thought out. It also looks like a neat jack system to put camper on the truck. It looks like it just uses 4 small hydraulic jacks. I need to study this one some more. I think there are many good ideas here.
 

craig333

Expedition Leader
I like the interior though I'm not quite sure why its an angled pop up. Not sure I like the angled look outside. So wheres this one sit price wise?
 

escadventure

Adventurer
Yeah, the angle sides… I guess the intent was to narrow the centerline cross-section up high where head room isn't needed anyway. So in the lower areas where one will be sitting, it's still a normal width. So it's not that the bottom is wider than normal but the top is narrow where headroom isn't needed.
The one downside to that sidewall angle is it complicates the possibility of using standard camper jacks as an inexpensive solution to removing the camper. Given all the other details we liked about the camper, we chose to accept that compromise.

The angle pop-up is the standard in Europe. One can argue both ways about the American standard vertical lift or the Euro front hinge lift. Personally, I like the Euro style if for no other reason than the ability to point the truck into the wind to minimise buffeting in high winds. Granted that may never even be a factor, but it's a bit of piece of mind for me.

THE PRICE… Like most things in Germany, pricey by our US standards. Depending on the exchange rate (and I am getting paid in USD here) and given my ability to get this tax free, it may be close to double what you might get on the cheaper end of campers in the States. We'll end up paying around $25k USD equivalent. This includes all interior furnishings including 2 double beds, lots of cabinets and benchseats with cushions. Also includes one 150 watt solar panel on the roof, but doesn't include plumbing, gas or electrical, as I plan to do that myself in the American style. This price also represents a customized slightly larger than their standard cabin, as we wanted it a bit longer to fit our F150 6.5' bed better. They are normally sized to fit a Taco sized truck bed.
So one could really pick up one of these completely fitted and ready to live independently for mid to upper $20's.

Given all the details we liked about the quality and design, and logistics to factor between buying stateside or here, we decided to to fess up the greenbacks for the Fernweh.
 

Clutch

<---Pass
THE PRICE&#8230; Like most things in Germany, pricey by our US standards. Depending on the exchange rate (and I am getting paid in USD here) and given my ability to get this tax free, it may be close to double what you might get on the cheaper end of campers in the States. We'll end up paying around $25k USD equivalent. This includes all interior furnishings including 2 double beds, lots of cabinets and benchseats with cushions. Also includes one 150 watt solar panel on the roof, but doesn't include plumbing, gas or electrical, as I plan to do that myself in the American style. This price also represents a customized slightly larger than their standard cabin, as we wanted it a bit longer to fit our F150 6.5' bed better. They are normally sized to fit a Taco sized truck bed.
So one could really pick up one of these completely fitted and ready to live independently for mid to upper $20's.

Given all the details we liked about the quality and design, and logistics to factor between buying stateside or here, we decided to to fess up the greenbacks for the Fernweh.

Price seems reasonable to me. Looks like a great camper! Would be nice to get that here in the States....isn't XP working on a slide-in?

I have to question your vehicle choice though...of all of the great platforms to pick from other there...a Ford!? :p :D :p That HiLux RC on their website is right up my alley.

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Rbertalotto

Explorer
I like it! I often wonder why we don't see mote "Tip Up" rather than Po-ups. No reason I can see to pop the front of the camper where your feet go. And yes, better wind management and water tightness on the leading edge.

I would rather vertical sides and standard jacks.

$25K doesn't seem too bad for a full glass camper with the ability to be hauled on a smaller truck.

Nice!
 

escadventure

Adventurer
Why the Ford? Well, we're moving out of a FJ Cruiser, which we really like. Would have liked to stay in a Toyota, but they really don't offer anything big enough for us AND which isn't overloaded with electronics. So we went with an older Ford, as Ford and Toyota are really the most globally supported trucks. Hopefully we'll soon be in some interesting parts of the world with our camper rig. And We wanted something we can easily get back Stateside when the time comes.

I'll keep you posted on the progress of this build...
 

Clutch

<---Pass
Ah that makes sense...I would be all over the World Ranger and HiLux, if it were available to me.

Is it a F250 or F150? There were some F250's that had that sloped nose front end. can't recall the years though...

edit: should of read your sig, I see it is a F150
 
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escadventure

Adventurer
Progress update on the Fernweh Camper

Steady progress is coming along on our camper and we get regular photo updates from the builder. Here are a few-

This is the inside of the roof with conduits for wiring and wood mounting blocks for various things.
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This shot is the inside forward with more conduit and mounting blocks, also the rails for the upper slide out bed.
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This is the inside aft showing the door and window cut outs and the mounting plates for the jerry can and ladder on the back of the camper.
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And a quick teaser from my truck build thread- it is shipped and on it's way to me in Germany as we speak. We're getting pretty excited at this point...
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