big sky trapper
Adventurer
More MODS for our exploring truck.
We got this “nice” camper in a campfire trade. (for the cost to me of a set of AR-15 handgaurds which was from an earlier trade…) At first I thought it was an old Trade Winds camper. But after completely tearing it down, its more of a conglomeration of various parts that all “some what” fit by all its previous owners)
Our first plan was to follow like several on here have posted builds converting it into an off-road style camper, with a heavier axel, larger tires (I had planned on 245 75 16’s on six lug wheels so as to interchange with the suburban and the truck.) reinforced frame, ect. Well about half way through that design process, I noticed that the entry door is too close to the wheel well area to allow it to be opened up length wise, to allow a larger tire. (Without completely redoing the entire frame assembly, a 195 70 14 would have been about the largest that could have fit….Back to the drawing boards….
Well the following week I ended up in another camp fire trade a really nice 22 foot Reinell fishing boat (For the nice sum of a dozen beaver traps!) Well cant take the boat and the trailer together and the cost of gas is too much to try and take two vehicles….
So the drawing board is up again….more measuring and thinking hmmm….I saw a pic of the Quick Silver brand campers, Wait a minute…more measuring…Guess what will fit pretty good off its frame on my truck bed just like a standard topper/camper. But one draw back will have to give up one bed room, as its longer than its wide.
So the current plans are …
Reinforce the floor with a few 2 x 6’s length wise where the original trailer frame was.
Some sort of tie down system for the bed of the truck until a flat bed can be built.
I’ve already rebuilt all the inner structure for the lift mechanism and repaired the lift arms where needed. Replaced the end aluminum covers with a heavier sheet aluminum.
Replace the remaining canvas with either some sort of a tan or light OD green. This will be a job in itself lots of sewing!
Need to make a quick disconnect power cable to tag into the secondary battery in the truck. I’m thinking of just using a standard 6 pin trailer harness male/female plug arrangement with the female end located in the bed somewhere.
Most of the upholstery is done. Used a 420 Denier, waterproof vinyl backed canvas. In camo of course! Haha
Installed an older Sony cd with some pioneer 6x9’s for some tunes.
Tommorow have to raise it from the ceiling and spin it 180 and set in down on the bed rails and find a good way to mount it….
Well now for the pics….
Backing it in hopeing nothing more will fall off haha
Only good for a pattern.
The road vibration from a bent axle caused this on the 50 mile road trip home...
Flash back to an earlier time...maybe should hang a dico ball from the ceiling and call it done haha
the tear down begins.
We got this “nice” camper in a campfire trade. (for the cost to me of a set of AR-15 handgaurds which was from an earlier trade…) At first I thought it was an old Trade Winds camper. But after completely tearing it down, its more of a conglomeration of various parts that all “some what” fit by all its previous owners)
Our first plan was to follow like several on here have posted builds converting it into an off-road style camper, with a heavier axel, larger tires (I had planned on 245 75 16’s on six lug wheels so as to interchange with the suburban and the truck.) reinforced frame, ect. Well about half way through that design process, I noticed that the entry door is too close to the wheel well area to allow it to be opened up length wise, to allow a larger tire. (Without completely redoing the entire frame assembly, a 195 70 14 would have been about the largest that could have fit….Back to the drawing boards….
Well the following week I ended up in another camp fire trade a really nice 22 foot Reinell fishing boat (For the nice sum of a dozen beaver traps!) Well cant take the boat and the trailer together and the cost of gas is too much to try and take two vehicles….
So the drawing board is up again….more measuring and thinking hmmm….I saw a pic of the Quick Silver brand campers, Wait a minute…more measuring…Guess what will fit pretty good off its frame on my truck bed just like a standard topper/camper. But one draw back will have to give up one bed room, as its longer than its wide.
So the current plans are …
Reinforce the floor with a few 2 x 6’s length wise where the original trailer frame was.
Some sort of tie down system for the bed of the truck until a flat bed can be built.
I’ve already rebuilt all the inner structure for the lift mechanism and repaired the lift arms where needed. Replaced the end aluminum covers with a heavier sheet aluminum.
Replace the remaining canvas with either some sort of a tan or light OD green. This will be a job in itself lots of sewing!
Need to make a quick disconnect power cable to tag into the secondary battery in the truck. I’m thinking of just using a standard 6 pin trailer harness male/female plug arrangement with the female end located in the bed somewhere.
Most of the upholstery is done. Used a 420 Denier, waterproof vinyl backed canvas. In camo of course! Haha
Installed an older Sony cd with some pioneer 6x9’s for some tunes.
Tommorow have to raise it from the ceiling and spin it 180 and set in down on the bed rails and find a good way to mount it….
Well now for the pics….
Backing it in hopeing nothing more will fall off haha
Only good for a pattern.
The road vibration from a bent axle caused this on the 50 mile road trip home...
Flash back to an earlier time...maybe should hang a dico ball from the ceiling and call it done haha
the tear down begins.
