Using my 89' Pickup as a camper
01-31-2011, 08:55 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Portland
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Using my 89' Pickup as a camper
Anyone have any good ideas for making my truck into a solid camper. I'm in the northwest where it rains plenty so it'd be nice to come upt with a dry secure solution. Also I need to be able to haul whitwater kayaks, sea kayaks, mountain bikes, and all sorts of camping gear.
I tried a used camper shell with a rack on top. it worked well for a year or so but then the corners of the Leer fiberglass top started to leak. I camp at the river or near trails a fair amount and I want my solution to hold up for several years as I expect my truck to hold up for 4 or more years at least.
Any suggestions, experience, and pictures are greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Mike
I tried a used camper shell with a rack on top. it worked well for a year or so but then the corners of the Leer fiberglass top started to leak. I camp at the river or near trails a fair amount and I want my solution to hold up for several years as I expect my truck to hold up for 4 or more years at least.
Any suggestions, experience, and pictures are greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Mike
01-31-2011, 09:24 PM
#2
Registered User
ive always played around with ideas just for fun...heres a fun thread to look at will lots of cool ideas and get the wheels turning! 
http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...ad.php?t=19150
http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...ad.php?t=19150
Last edited by bobby_duce; 01-31-2011 at 09:29 PM.
01-31-2011, 09:48 PM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Champlain Valley, VT
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If your talking of a space to haul your stuff, keep it dry, and possible sleep in, I'm kinda partial to aluminum camper caps.
I had a fiberglass ARE on the 86, it was watertight when I sold it. If the glass cap had sprung a leak, I'd probably prep, and carefully cake a bunch of tigerhair on it?
If only my bed was solid..
..and
I had a fiberglass ARE on the 86, it was watertight when I sold it. If the glass cap had sprung a leak, I'd probably prep, and carefully cake a bunch of tigerhair on it?
If only my bed was solid..
..and
01-31-2011, 10:01 PM
#4
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here is my contribution....
I tried this setup last year, It worked very well and when folded up the camper dosn't stick out past the mirrors and sits about a foot higher then the cab. The tailgate has to stay down but with 2 beds a heater and a 2 burner stove, we were camping in luxury! It would be a perfect setup to stick a kayak or boat on the roof as well. I wanted to tow my powerboat with it but it would defiantly max out with the weight of the camper as well. For about 700 bucks I might pick it up in the spring.
08-30-2011, 02:34 PM
#6
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Portland
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What is that set up? I'm thinking that might be over the top for my purpose. I'm thinking I might just have to build a tonneau that opens sideways so I can put 5-6 whitewater yaks on top and still camp with the boats on top.
Mike
Mike
08-30-2011, 02:58 PM
#7
why not just get another fiberglass shell? seems the simplest way to solve the issue, and you know it already works. i'm trying to understand where your leaks are coming from on your shell...are they coming from a crack in the fiberglass, or where the window frames meet the fiberglass, or where the shell/bedrail make contact? if it's either of the first two, i'd start with a $4 tube of silicone caulking to fix it. if it's where the bed and shell make contact, get a piece of weatherstripping and seal it up.
Trending Topics
08-31-2011, 07:31 AM
#8
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Portland
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Security is one of the big issues I have with the fiberglass shelss, It's very easy to break a window on one and take what you please. Kayaking, Camping and biking gear gets expensive so I'm hoping to minimize the chance of the back being broken into.
08-31-2011, 09:08 AM
#9
then what about one of those metal truck shells? the kind that replace your tailgate with ambulance doors. i've seen some pretty heavy duty ones. check out this guy's truck
if i had the shell already, i'd try installing some expanded metal mesh on the inside of the windows, and maybe replace the back window with some polycarbonate/lexan in the rear window so it's not as easy to break-in. if you haven't already, put some sliding bolt latches on the inside of tailgate to prevent someone just pulling down tailgate to enter when the back window is locked shut. lastly, install a lock/hasp on the rear window in addition to the stock locks. you could probably do all that for under $100 and have a pretty secure setup.
*edit: i just realized the guy in the link has issues with his pics now.
if i had the shell already, i'd try installing some expanded metal mesh on the inside of the windows, and maybe replace the back window with some polycarbonate/lexan in the rear window so it's not as easy to break-in. if you haven't already, put some sliding bolt latches on the inside of tailgate to prevent someone just pulling down tailgate to enter when the back window is locked shut. lastly, install a lock/hasp on the rear window in addition to the stock locks. you could probably do all that for under $100 and have a pretty secure setup.
*edit: i just realized the guy in the link has issues with his pics now.
Last edited by highonpottery; 08-31-2011 at 09:10 AM. Reason: link
08-31-2011, 09:22 AM
#10
buy a trailer 
i was going to do the same thing with mine, but i found a little pop-up camper on craigslist for cheap. oh, and my old cap is for sale
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f172...thread-231792/
i was going to do the same thing with mine, but i found a little pop-up camper on craigslist for cheap. oh, and my old cap is for sale
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f172...thread-231792/
09-01-2011, 11:03 AM
#11
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Portland
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't have the old shell anymore, and I had installed gate locks on the inside of the tailgate. I lived out of the truck for several months with the canopy set up. I don't really want to buy another top at this time. If only toyota would make a 4x4 van on the small truck platform....
09-01-2011, 12:00 PM
#12
Registered User
I don't have the old shell anymore, and I had installed gate locks on the inside of the tailgate. I lived out of the truck for several months with the canopy set up. I don't really want to buy another top at this time. If only toyota would make a 4x4 van on the small truck platform....
you don't want to buy another cap,
you don't want a pop-up camper insert,
you want a 4x4 van on a truck frame??
SOUNDS LIKE YOU REALLY WANT A 4RUNNER.
locate a rust-free truck a few states south of you. i've seen good 90-95 model 4Runners all around Georgia (where i'm at), reasonably priced too, frequently posted on Craigslist.
Last edited by tj884Rdlx; 09-01-2011 at 12:06 PM.
09-01-2011, 12:47 PM
#13
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have a fiberglass camper with roof rack. Had my rear window removed, and the front of the camper shell cut to match the window opeining. They installed a permanent rubber boot between the rear cab window and front camper opening, so they are open to each other and I can use the Truck heater/AC, and axcess the cab. I installed Bedrug in the bed to make it more hospitable and deafen the sound. I load everything for camping in water proof rubbermaid totes, and at camp, anything not set up, stays in the totes on the ground or on the roof. I throw an air matress in the back, and sleep like a king.
It's also a kicka$$ set up for tailgating...Thank God Football is here!
Hotty Toddy!!!
It's also a kicka$$ set up for tailgating...Thank God Football is here!
Hotty Toddy!!!
Last edited by meisentones; 09-01-2011 at 12:49 PM.
09-01-2011, 02:56 PM
#14
you don't want to buy another cap,
you don't want a pop-up camper insert,
you want a 4x4 van on a truck frame??
SOUNDS LIKE YOU REALLY WANT A 4RUNNER.
locate a rust-free truck a few states south of you. i've seen good 90-95 model 4Runners all around Georgia (where i'm at), reasonably priced too, frequently posted on Craigslist.
you don't want a pop-up camper insert,
you want a 4x4 van on a truck frame??
SOUNDS LIKE YOU REALLY WANT A 4RUNNER.
locate a rust-free truck a few states south of you. i've seen good 90-95 model 4Runners all around Georgia (where i'm at), reasonably priced too, frequently posted on Craigslist.
09-01-2011, 05:47 PM
#16
I don't have the old shell anymore, and I had installed gate locks on the inside of the tailgate. I lived out of the truck for several months with the canopy set up. I don't really want to buy another top at this time. If only toyota would make a 4x4 van on the small truck platform....
Try
09-01-2011, 06:38 PM
#17
Contributing Member
I tried this setup last year, It worked very well and when folded up the camper dosn't stick out past the mirrors and sits about a foot higher then the cab. The tailgate has to stay down but with 2 beds a heater and a 2 burner stove, we were camping in luxury! It would be a perfect setup to stick a kayak or boat on the roof as well. I wanted to tow my powerboat with it but it would defiantly max out with the weight of the camper as well. For about 700 bucks I might pick it up in the spring.
09-01-2011, 09:04 PM
#18
Registered User
http://swaygogear.com/articles/truck...g/default.html
its a nice page and at the bottom is a metal truck topper that is modded up pretty nice how it came out
love that camper
its a nice page and at the bottom is a metal truck topper that is modded up pretty nice how it came out
love that camper
09-01-2011, 10:45 PM
#19
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Cedaredge ,CO
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I tried this setup last year, It worked very well and when folded up the camper dosn't stick out past the mirrors and sits about a foot higher then the cab. The tailgate has to stay down but with 2 beds a heater and a 2 burner stove, we were camping in luxury! It would be a perfect setup to stick a kayak or boat on the roof as well. I wanted to tow my powerboat with it but it would defiantly max out with the weight of the camper as well. For about 700 bucks I might pick it up in the spring.
