Off-Road escape pod!

[chp-sk8]

Well I have been on this forum for along time and really don't post any pics, of my rigs or trips...figure now is as good a time as any. My expo journey started with a jeep cherokee, then a wrangler with a 416 trailer. Then moved on to a comanche, these were all wheeling weekend trip rigs nothing serious. Then we bought a 4x4 van (sportsmobile) and we really got the bug....we were in 46 weekends the first year we had good times for sure. As you all know after you go out so much you know what works and simply what dosen't, or better put, what not to waste your money on.
While we had the van, I also had new (at the time) an F350 and always toyed around with getting a pop-up and converting it. While out on a Bike ride I stumbled upon a 2001 Sunlite pop-up that had been used 3 times by an older gent, after the 3rd time out he had a stroke and thus it sat in his shop for years. After several meetings me and the wife were the proud owner of the pop-up. Now the issue...keep the van or get rid of it? After spending so much time in the van, and creating memories in it...it was a tough choice but we decided to let it go, as the truck now provided everything the van did but had more capabilities. It was a sad day watching the ol'girl drive away....my wife cryed for 2 hours afterwards. From here I got on the ball and started making our truck what it is today.
The platform is a 2008 F350 FX4 loaded out with leather, sunroof...ect. I bought off a guy that was victim of the housing market bubble...bad for him good for me. Here is the list of mods to date:

8in Fabtec lift
Custom track bars in the rear(horrible axel wrap without them)
airbags with wireless controller/moniter
Bullet exhaust
AFE intake
Sparten Dash DAQ with 3 tunes (will do 500+hp/1000+tq to the wheels.....hence the axel wrap)
51 gallon titan fuel tank
240AMP pro-sine battery isolator
17" MT wheels
38" KM2 tires
2" billet wheel spacers
Fabtec dual steering stabilizers
Warn front Bumper
Warn 16.5k winch
Aluminess rear bumper with baja box
Rear floods in bumper
rigid led's on the side of camper
Vision X 52" xmitter lightbar
Eclipse NAV system
Dometic 110 fridge for the incab if we are doing multi week trips
2001 Sunlite Eagle SB 6.5 bed
200 Watt solar up top
4AGM battery
2k Power-sin inverter


All in all it is what we want and it work well. There are alot of people that say it is too tall and unstable, and it does not have the capability, we just smile and go on our way. For those of you who are familiar with Montros/telluride that picture is of me coming out of the top side of poughkeepsie gulch....so I would say it gets the job done :^)

Well I hope you enjoy the pics as much as we enjoyed taking them. :coffeedrink:

 

[haven]

Nice looking rig! How do you like the lightbar? Does it draw less power than conventional off-road lights do? What sort of range does the 52 gallon tank give you?

 

[Overland Hadley]

Nice rig! Looks like it has plenty of capability.

How do you like the interior layout of the Sun Lite? Anything that you really miss coming from the van to a truck camper?

 

[chp-sk8]

the light bar is probably one of the best investments on the truck...I acually had it on the van , but removed it before i sold it. Any one who had driven in tight mt trails/roads or really bad conditions will agree the more light the better. I dosent draw hardly any power...I have it wires to my 20A upfitter switch in the cab. I had a 42" and up graded to a 52" and took the old one off and put it on my cruiser.

 

[chp-sk8]

The van over the camper....The only thing we miss is the walk threw....really thats it. The sunlight has alot more ease of movement and there is zero set up on the inside.....unlike the van. Plus I am 6'2" and it gets rough on the back and knees crawling around in the van.

 

[SLO_F-250]

chp-sk8,

SWEET RIG!!!!!!!!!! You posted some picts on a thread a while back and its great to see some more! SOLID RIG MAN! Mine just wishes to be a cool as yours! haha I have been debating on a LED light bar as well. What brand is yours?? Ive been looking at Bulldog Lighting. Seems like a decent deal. Of course, my cheap autozone lights work pretty well for now as I am in the middle of dropping $$$ on maintenance for the rig.

Also, can you post some more shots of the sick rear bumper setup you have? I am in the middle of fabbing a new grill-guard to take place of the little light bar, but after that I am planning on a swing out rear bumper.

Anyways, sweet rig! I wish mine was white! haha
Cheers,
Paul

 

[chp-sk8]

Pau l ...Thanks for the kind word! I will tell you this build did not happen over night...and yes it was a little on the spendy side but it is what I want not what I would have to settle for. The light bar is made by Vision-X....they make sick stuff and they have a lifetime no fault warrenty.....good enuff for me. The rear bumper is an aluminess with the Baja box. It is super light at 90 lbs, a little too light for me....but an amazing product, but not with out small flaws. I will try to get some other pics up after I compress them dow:^) Looks you have a sweet set up too!

 

[Overland Hadley]

I will try to get some other pics up....

Yes, more pictures would be good!

 

[laker]

sweet rig man...What wheels and tires are in the first pictures? I like the black deep offset wheels with the tires you had on them. Did you have the spacers then? I just love that stance.........very Sano!! I just scooped a duramax and am looking on wheels and tires similar to those.
And a pop up is in the plans too. Looking for a 6 to 8 ft with no wrap around. Just to make it easier hitching a car hauler with the Bronco on it. Thanks

 

[chp-sk8]

the wheels and tires in the first pic at pro-comp 37 13.50 xterrains and the wheels are mickey T classic's....with 2 inch spacers. I still have the tires if you want to buy them...

 

[chp-sk8]

here are a few more pics...in various spots.....the last one are close to what it looks like now. I added solar and a larger light bar since then.

 

[bob91yj]

What year is your Sun Lite? Mine is a 2000, it has served us well over the years.

 

[familyvan]

Thanks for posting, awesome setup! Quick question comparing the van to the truck camper which has more room once set up. I m considering a 4x4 e350 eb converted to camper or truck plus pop up for family of 4 plus one more on the way. Thanks again

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

That's very interesting to read about you selling your SMB for this set up. I started out doing the trailer thing, Tenttrax, AT Chaser and finally a Kimberly Kamper, but sold them because I got tired of towing trailers off road. I decided to upgrade to a FWC with a diesel and after using it, I'm really pleased with it, but kept thinking a SMB might be better. The walk through was the most attractive feature.

I dig your build.

 

[chp-sk8]

the pop up is bigger by far...4 plus 1 is going to be tight for sure....but if you just need bed down space you will be fine either way. The pop up is just more user friendly and you still have a truck at the end of the day.