out with the old in with the new

[Doin_It]

Yves -

Very nice work to date for sure. Just wondering what product you sheeted the walls with after you picked up the insulated portion of your walls? Thanks.

[PKDreamers]

WOW how great does your camper look , well done great build.
Would like to see sumore inside pics when you get the time.

[westyss]

Doin_It-

the walls are made of close to 1/8" fiberglass finished both sides with a gel coat of my colour choice, (light grey out, white inside) that is laminated to a fiber honeycomb that is filled with polyurathane foam. The walls as you can see in this pic are nicely finished, no need for any thing else, easy to clean and durable out side, clean and white inside, I will be building a small washroom/shower and plan on just sealing the corners of the walls, adding a few interior walls with a drain in the floor and its good to go. Walls, ceiling, floor are made of this stuff, I took the rig down an ATV path in the bush, and really smashed it into trees and branches, and it shows no sign's of any damage.

The interior is not complete, just temporary bed, cabinets velco'ed to the walls. Tape and velcro is used throughout to mount lightes, cabinets, pictures etc. If you dont like where something is, move it, if some tape residue is left behind, clean with acetone. I can take everything out of there in about 30 minutes minus the fridge which is semi permenant.

[Bob599]

Really interested in your build. I am now researching doing something similar. How do you like the trucks performance so far? Are you considering goin to single rear wheels? Thanks for sharing this.

[westyss]

It is single rear wheel, the only beef I have with the truck is the suspension, I am looking into options, but the ride needs more travel and a shock that works, stock shocks are doing nothing .I have found that the more rough terrain I travel on, the softer the ride gets, its just wearing in. The truck is turning out to be very reliable and fun to drive. We have been using it continuously since getting it usable, it is nowhere near finished inside,but cant stop just getting out there, and I guess thats its main purpose. We just spent our first winter, snow night in it and it is perfect for our needs. I have just turned over 20,000km, and that was almost all this summer and fall.
This is the temporary interior, but the layout will be used. Behind the fridge is a porta potty but will be a small cassette toilet/shower set up. The fridge is a 12 volt nova cool that is awesome, very efficient and did I say it was awesome?


I have recently removed the rear tire/storage/bike carrier so we can get on the BC ferries without paying for extra length, limit is twenty feet long, and we are nineteen foot eight inches with the rack off.



This system is working out well too, as everything is an experiment. I will be beefing up the support arms a little just to make me feel better, but the rack is showing no signs of strain, even with both bikes, tire, box full of stuff, and hauling lots of wood on it.



Driving off the beach after a great weekend


This was the beach camp.


Solo trip into the BC mountains and biking some Kettle Valley Railway.

[westyss]

Just a few more from the fall, it needs a lift also,around 3-4" would be good. It is not meant for hard wheeling, just for getting us to our favourite spots that I used to get stuck going to in our westy.

[FSH00]

Thats a great build 'Westyss'.
Thanks for sharing it with all of us.
I am looking at doing the same thing 'flatbed' but without the camper 'towing a van'.
Your tray looks realy good and just what i'm after.
Would you have any idea of the material sizes used in its constuction,if so are you willing to share?
Don't trouble yourself if there not at hand.
Oh and how is the fishing going

Thanks,
Pete.

[westyss]

FSOO, If I can remember right, the deck frame was made up of 2x4x 1/8 al.
with some formed outside 90' that are 3/8. The top is 1/8. All Aluminum. I believe the total weight came in at around 1200lb's.
And the fishing is done here in Canada, unless you go ice fishing but i'm a wimp with the cold so i'm done.

[Lynn]

That's a really cool rig you got goin' there.

I really like your tape and velcro idea for mounting the cabinetry and stuff. For some I have a hard time convincing myself that it will hold up, even though I know that modern tape is incredible. For example, as you may know, Rob Gray described using industrial double-sided tape to attach the aluminum skin on Wot2, and he said that if you don't get it right the first time, your out of luck. It's permanent...

You should put a few pix in the Mitsu Camper Examples thread.

Your camper is almost exactly what I hope to build some day, except a little bigger, on a crew cab, with more rise to the top (or should I say more drop? I want it to fit in an ISO container like the Goanna Tracks rigs but hard-sided like yours).

I know you mentioned you wanted good insulation for cold climes, but, obviously, good insulation (completely hard-sided) would serve us well for a beach camper here in TX, as well.

Love it.

Good job.

[Lynn]

And the fishing is done here in Canada, unless you go ice fishing but i'm a wimp with the cold so i'm done.

You mentioned camper jacks. Just rig up some skis on the jacks and cut an access hole in the floor of your camper. Viola', worlds most comfy ice fishing hut.