Nebraska Jeep Camper

[rodtermaat]

With much DIY fanfare here is my Jeep camper under construction. I have been working on it for several months, but I finally made some progress. This weekend I plan to build the door and install some rear windows. There is a lot left to do, but I have questions and needed to get this build thread started.

 

[Overland Hadley]

You have a good concept going. Looking forward to watching this build.

 

[rodtermaat]

A little history. My jeep is an 08 model and rather stock. I bought it after seeing the habitat prototype and Phoenix campers. Turned out I could not really afford either. I still wanted to be able to camp in my Jeep so I started out with the fake floor with 2 lids. This worked pretty good for the investment of only a few hours and it allowed me the keep the back seats in the jeep. I am a wood carver and travel a bit to teach carving. The major draw back to this design is having to basically unload everything to catch some sleep on the way. Once parked and unloaded for the event it works out great. The tent is a garage sale find. I cut the front off and built a little PVC frame to hold it in place. The last picture shows my little DIY tailgate table. This works great and cost all of 4 dollars to make using some 1X2 s and a couple of hinges.

 

[rodtermaat]

Just as a reference this was/is really my inspiration. Cannot remember who posted this in the original habitat concept thread.

 

[jaxs1984]

That is cool , thanks for sharing, eager to see the progress :coffeedrink:

 

[rodtermaat]

Tools of the trade. I do not have a lot of tools, but wanted others to see that you do not need a fancy shop or power tools. Really all you need is a deranged idea. You can also see my little garage. On the camper, I reinforced the doorway and added the header along the top rear. I still need to reconcile the lower rear which is too weak and needs a stub floor for strength. I will have to put it back on the jeep tomorrow to work that part out. The sides will be solid and the rear will have a door and 2 windows.

 

[CLynn85]

Very cool, will def be following this one, thanks for posting.

 

[borison]

I like where this is going. This looks like a great build. Deranged or genius?

 

[cwsqbm]

Just as a reference this was/is really my inspiration. Cannot remember who posted this in the original habitat concept thread.

Here's some additional inspiration, from Phoenix. The JK build has some good pictures around post #75 of the thread.

 

[rodtermaat]

Here are a few pics of the interior walls along the sides. I found some 5mm plywood and glued and nailed each piece into the frames. I then added some styrofoam in the voids that I reclaimed from a past basement project. I still have not found any rv windows so the rear so it will have to wait a bit.

 

[rodtermaat]

Finally got to a real computer and feel like I can type a bit. So far the cost of this little experiment is pretty minimal, but I will try and document it here.

The wood frame is just your regular B grade wood from the yard. I assume it is aspen or something similar. Low weight and even lower strength. The sides are essentially 2 torsion boxes filled with styrofoam insulation. I think they are over built, but as I consider this my prototype that is ok. I plan to build another once this is complete and the bugs are worked out.

I wanted to build it as a flat pack camper that could be disassembled, but that was abandoned on this first go around as I really needed to work out the dimensions and mounting options. The hardest part of the build so far was working out square on a vehicle that is VERY not square. There are compound angles along every side which challenged my woodworking and geometry skills.

I started by building a reference using the soft top surrounds and windshield as a guide. It is hard to see, but it sits under the camper and provides a level and square base for the camper to sit on. I will get a picture of this up tomorrow. I have been struggling with the top and have not settled on a dormobile style or the Vee opening with the high side in the rear. I really like the dormobile look, but a Vee opening will be easier to build. The camper will be open with folding cots/beds along the top of the roll bars similar to the dormobile beds - at least that it the plan right now. I build a bed area like traditional truck campers, but it was so heavy I abandoned that option. Mounting the camper will be along the hardtop holes in the rear, the middle roll bar and the windshield. I have been toying with the idea or using one of those light bars to provide the mounting over the windshield

So far I have spent about 125 dollars on wood and have another 50 or so for the top. I don't have a lot of tools, but you really do not need much. I will create a documented list of all the tools and costs in another post.

Sorry this post rambles and seems to have little structure. Too many ideas

 

[rodtermaat]

I forgot a question I have not resolved is the rear most roll bar support. I would like to remove it to provide more room in the back of the camper. I do not do a lot of off road driving so I assume the effects would be minimal, but I would like to hear options. I see that it is gone in the MOPAR truck conversion I so wish I could buy....

This support seems to be bolted on to welded supports.

 

[AeroNautiCal]

Very neat, interesting build project!

 

[HuskerJeep]

Cool build. I scanned through and didn't see, but are you from Omaha or Lincoln?

 

[cwsqbm]

I forgot a question I have not resolved is the rear most roll bar support. I would like to remove it to provide more room in the back of the camper. I do not do a lot of off road driving so I assume the effects would be minimal, but I would like to hear options. I see that it is gone in the MOPAR truck conversion I so wish I could buy....

This support seems to be bolted on to welded supports.

IF the rear seats were taken out, I wouldn't see a problem with taking the rear part of the cage out. ActionCamper does this for their JK camper (can't find the picture), and Jeep does this for their JK pickup, without adding any reinforcement back in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=05mL-gng8To#!