Google Sketchup Tatra ExPo Camper

[sprale]

I've been having fun using Google's Sketchup this year. I'm not experienced with 3D modeling, but this app makes it simple. Mac and PC versions!
I've modified a Tatra 815 8X8 I found when searching the 3D Warehouse. I tinkered around with the idea of two roof-top tents to increase living space.
It's a really cool tool for wrapping your head around what a finished project could look like.

Tatra 815 8x8 C&C
Tatra 815 8x8 Expo

 

[Willman]

So.....when is the build going to start?




Nice google job!

:Wow1:

 

[Metcalf]

How much room do you need!??!?!?!

Cool sketch by the way!

 

[adrenaline503]

I was going to start a thread, but I'll just hi-jack this one. I can't get sketch-up to run on my vista HP laptop. I know its my fault for not having a mac... Anyway, it loads to the tutorial pop up then locks up. Any ideas?

Great pic btw. You could put in a bowling alley or a lap pool.

 

[sprale]

I was mostly looking to see what the physical size limits of the Tatra were. It's not likely realistically scaled, but it's close enough. I liked the idea of a roof-top tent, maybe with ladder access to the internal living space. Adding another was just for fun. :wings:

I like my space. I have a family of four. I grew up in a full-sized custom skoolie, on the road for weeks or months every year. You've got to love your co-inhabitants in 200 sq. ft. And everything's bigger in Texas, so why not dream big! :smiley_drive:

As for the Vista bug, yeah, get a Mac!

 

[Indiana Drew]

I was mostly looking to see what the physical size limits of the Tatra were. It's not likely realistically scaled, but it's close enough. I liked the idea of a roof-top tent, maybe with ladder access to the internal living space. Adding another was just for fun. :wings:

I like my space. I have a family of four. I grew up in a full-sized custom skoolie, on the road for weeks or months every year. You've got to love your co-inhabitants in 200 sq. ft. And everything's bigger in Texas, so why not dream big! :smiley_drive:

As for the Vista bug, yeah, get a Mac!

Wow - Interesting approach! How much head room do you foresee? Having interior access from the roof tents would be key for convenience.

 

[subaka]

Just joined this forum, I am very interested in seeing your drawings. I am planning on aquiring a Tatra 8x8 very soon, would love to see your ideas. But the link doesn't work and the pix do not come up!

 

[bajajoaquin]

Links not working (and I'm on a Mac).

Can you post a couple of pics?

 

[Overland Hadley]

Links not working (and I'm on a Mac).

Until yesterday this thread was 3 years old.

 

[bajajoaquin]

Until yesterday, I paid attention to that sort of thing!

 

[Overland Hadley]

Until yesterday, I paid attention to that sort of thing!

This is funny, check out the sig of the OP. He is a ''Dead Thread Necromancer!''

 

[bajajoaquin]

Which reminds me that there was a Tatra 8X8 for sale here in San Diego years ago. It was owned by a limo/party bus company. I called and left emails, but all that got me was on their spam list. Never did find out what happened to it.

When you busted me, I totally remembered the signature, but I didn't remember where I saw it. Duh!

 

[Czechsix]

Which reminds me that there was a Tatra 8X8 for sale here in San Diego years ago. It was owned by a limo/party bus company. I called and left emails, but all that got me was on their spam list. Never did find out what happened to it.

When you busted me, I totally remembered the signature, but I didn't remember where I saw it. Duh!

Hmmm...got a time period? I'm pretty much in the loop about these things, don't know of any T813/815 8x8 here. There's a 6x6 used by the FD, and for years there was a Ford 8x8 that some...ok, I"ll be nice..."creative" person painted black, and had it heavily done up in chrome that was a limo bus. They kept trying to sell it, and from what I remember it finally just disappeared. I'm sure I could find out if it was important, but the thing was not in the greatest shape, and the mods that had been made to it....

Well, let's just say they expected to get lots of money for the chrome. I think they were asking 80k or so for it.

There are some T805's here, some Praga's too, Tatra cars also...but no heavies that I know of.

 

[bajajoaquin]

Hmmm...got a time period? I'm pretty much in the loop about these things, don't know of any T813/815 8x8 here. There's a 6x6 used by the FD, and for years there was a Ford 8x8 that some...ok, I"ll be nice..."creative" person painted black, and had it heavily done up in chrome that was a limo bus. They kept trying to sell it, and from what I remember it finally just disappeared. I'm sure I could find out if it was important, but the thing was not in the greatest shape, and the mods that had been made to it....

Well, let's just say they expected to get lots of money for the chrome. I think they were asking 80k or so for it.

There are some T805's here, some Praga's too, Tatra cars also...but no heavies that I know of.

Your description sounds right. It would have been around 2002-2003 or so. And no, it's not important at all.

But I am curious about what you mean by "in the loop." I had no idea that there were any of these rigs around.

 

[Czechsix]

Your description sounds right. It would have been around 2002-2003 or so. And no, it's not important at all.

But I am curious about what you mean by "in the loop." I had no idea that there were any of these rigs around.

For years I was heavily into Unimogs, and that morphed into more exotic military soft skins - then I moved for a while to the Czech Republic, actually had a nice talk with the factory reps about import/export of the T815's. At that time, Tatra SRO was really only in Czech Republic, and old East Germany/DDR. You'd see a few other places, but not that common. When I made it back into the U.S.A. I found one Tatra support dealer in Alaska, and that was it for some years...then gradually they started to make incursions into supplying the BLM with wildland fire trucks, some municipalities with trucks, and eventually some of the 8x8 Kolos trucks started to come over to the U.S. Digging into my memory, I'm pretty sure Littlefield brought some in, one farmer up in Oregon bought a bring back from a GL auction, and was trying to sell it for some ridiculous amount at the MVPA national convention. His big thing seemed to be claiming the truck was Russian, plus some other things. Wanted 37.5k for it. Making a long story short, it was bought by a guy in Los Angeles who had it for some time, then finally sold it...clutch problems and no one would work on it. In the meantime various importers started to bring the Kolos trucks into the states...by now I'd estimate there might be 50 or so here. Problem is that they're not really supported any more, so you want to bring a parts truck or two along with them....all adds up to being pricy.

Basically, it amounts to the fact that I'm a bigger nerd about vehicles, especially exotics than other folks...but you can find us on Steel Soldiers, Mog lists, Pinz lists, etc. You'll find more Moggers have an interest in this stuff, especially since it shows up at Mogfests every so often.

Back in '96, I could have bought T813's, running condition, with light problems, for $500 each. I had a couple of T805's at one time, but after the move back they stayed there...still have some manuals for them. Somewhere.