Vintage Camper Trailer Build
I've been going back and forth for a long time on what camping set up I wanted to have. I love camping but at the same time it can be a real pain too, lugging and packing all the gear in your truck, setting up tents in the dark, leaking air mattresses, tearing down camp and repacking the vehicle while being hungover :laugh:. There's got to be a better way, right? For a long time I wanted to build a camping trailer based on a Toyota pick up bed and topper, but I was a little concerned about the weight and really just never got around to it. A couple weeks ago I had made up my mind on getting a Tent Cot, but I just couldn't spend the money, with shipping and the rainfly it was going to be $300-$400.
While looking through the local paper a week ago I stumbled onto the solution. :D There was an ad for a vintage 1965 pop camper for $50.00, it had been in their family since day one. I decided for the price that I couldn't go wrong and pretty much bought it sight unseen (I knew I had to jump on it, otherwise someone else would). He even delivered it to my shop, for $50.00, with a clean title! So here are the spec's. It's a 1965 Bethany Chief pop up camper, weighs in at 900 pounds and has a tongue weight of 60 pounds. While it's a little heavier than I like, for the price it's worth giving it a shot! Here is all the the paper work that came with it, including the bill of sale from 1965! :smokin: http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...3622283-00.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020288.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020289.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020290.jpg |
Looks like a fun investment!!
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Here's how it looked when he dropped it off, in pretty good shape for it's age.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020279.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020280.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020281.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020283.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020284.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020285.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020286.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020287.jpg |
Holy freakin tires batman, ah on your rig! :great:
Camper looks good too, have you had a chance to open it? |
Wow, $50 and he delivered it!
I think it needs a lift or you're going to need one heckuva drop on your hitch. :camp: |
The plan is to keep it retro, but be able to take it down mild to semi-moderate trails to set up camp. All while not spending much more than $500 dollars, it should be interesting. :D
The first order of business, (not including the pink) was to lift the thing. At first I thought about putting a Toyota rear axle under it but that would have been more expensive and more work than I wanted. There is not much of a wheel well on the camper, which makes things interesting. Instead, I lifted it using the stock axle. While the tires are small, so is the axle tube, which means more clearance with a smaller tire. Stock, on the lift, getting ready for surgery :D http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020292.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020294.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020295.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020296.jpg |
or the trailer needs a lift.
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Originally Posted by BigBluePile
(Post 51178152)
Looks like a fun investment!!
Originally Posted by BigBluePile
(Post 51178166)
Holy freakin tires batman, ah on your rig! :great:
Camper looks good too, have you had a chance to open it?
Originally Posted by RobD
(Post 51178180)
Wow, $50 and he delivered it!
I think it needs a lift or you're going to need one heckuva drop on your hitch. :camp: |
Oh nice, this IS gonna be from project! Can't wait to see how the "lift" turns out!
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After some thought, and some more thought, I decided 10" of lift sounded like a good number. There was around 17" between the truck and trailer, with a 10" lift that brings things in the zone of a normal drop hitch. It also give's me around 25" of clearance to the camper body and I can always step up in tire size if I get a different ball mount.
Here is how I got the lift, I decided to build a sub frame that would be welded to the frame of the camper and the stock axle assy. would bolt to. Geting the measurements right http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020297.jpg Welded up http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020302.jpg The install http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020303.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020304.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020306.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020307.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020308.jpg |
I also added a support (side to side) and under coated the whole thing.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020312.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020313.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020318.jpg |
In the process of the lift I also repacked the wheel bearings, replaced the seals, re-painted the wheels and installed some new tires. I stuck with the stock size tire since it was only $30.00 each and it was the biggest I could really get on a 12" wheel. Down the road I plan on getting some larger tires and wheels.
Old hub caps getting ready to be painted http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020299.jpg And wheels http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020301.jpg Old tires full of Fix-a-Flat :barf: http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020300.jpg |
Lookin good!!
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You rockin' 155-12's? That's waaaaaay too big, you're gonna break something:P (this smiley freaks me out, but it's the only one that fit on the front page of smileys)...
Any reason you decided to do a solid lift instead of leaf springs? Seems like it would be easier to tow with the leaves... |
Some new paint and tires, the whole trailer is going to be painted the red on the hub caps.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020316.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020317.jpg |
Originally Posted by Hayes
(Post 51178243)
You rockin' 155-12's? That's waaaaaay too big, you're gonna break something:P (this smiley freaks me out, but it's the only one that fit on the front page of smileys)...
Any reason you decided to do a solid lift instead of leaf springs? Seems like it would be easier to tow with the leaves... |
What size tires do you plan on running when all is said and done?
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That's a nice red to match your rig! :great:
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While adding the 10" of lift, I ran into a couple other things.
First I needed to drop the front jack the same amount, but I didn't want to get hung up on it so I made it removable. Stock http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020319.jpg New http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020326.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020328.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020329.jpg |
Originally Posted by Hayes
(Post 51178253)
What size tires do you plan on running when all is said and done?
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Originally Posted by BigBluePile
(Post 51178256)
That's a nice red to match your rig! :great:
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I also added some gussets to the coupler, since it's going to see some off road action!
Stock (gusset in the background tacked in place) http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020320.jpg Some 3/8" plate :) http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020324.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020321.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020325.jpg |
oh purty!!
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And it setting on the ground!
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020330.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020331.jpg |
I am so relieved you're going to paint it...that pink is...well, just a little "flamboyant". Like in a Liberace kinda way.
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Awesome!
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Originally Posted by RobD
(Post 51178312)
I am so relieved you're going to paint it...that pink is...well, just a little "flamboyant". Like in a Liberace kinda way.
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Can't wait to see it in action.
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I cant wait to see some of that juicy red on there.. the fadedness is killing it for me. Awsome progress..And SAWWEEEEETTTTT 4Runner..
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Originally Posted by RobD
(Post 51178312)
I am so relieved you're going to paint it...that pink is...well, just a little "flamboyant". Like in a Liberace kinda way.
Originally Posted by StangBanger
(Post 51178403)
I cant wait to see some of that juicy red on there.. the fadedness is killing it for me. Awsome progress..And SAWWEEEEETTTTT 4Runner..
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Originally Posted by BigBluePile
(Post 51178313)
Awesome!
Originally Posted by 91 4Runner
(Post 51178386)
Can't wait to see it in action.
Originally Posted by agusgus3
(Post 51178339)
It is slightly faded, but I'm sure it will look as hot as a transformer radio Flyer when your done with it...
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I also beefed up the front of the frame. The trailer used to have a bar that came down and acted as the jack/stand. With the lift this was not going to work any more, so I added some tubing and welded the thing solid. I also plan on mounting my spare tire for the truck up against the front of the camper, this will give me more to work with when building the mount.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020332.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020333.jpg |
Beefy!
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The next project was to open the thing up and clean it up. Being that it's 45 years old I knew that was going to be quite the task, and it was, but it was not as bad as I thought it might be.
(Insert cool Transformers sound effects) :laugh: http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020339.jpg Everything was steam cleaned, vacumned and wiped down. The front section right (behind the truck) had quite a bit of mildew/mold, so I cut it out and will be making a patch panel to replace it. It took a whole day to clean the thing, but it was worth it. I feel super comfortable in it, not that dirty old gross feeling you get. Does anybody need some 60's cowboy curtains? :laugh: http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020334.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020335.jpg |
Man those things are AWESOME!!! lol!
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And here it is unfolded and hooked up to the truck. It has a slight rake to it, but not much. I can adjust that in the future with tires and ball mounts.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020337.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...r/P1020338.jpg |
Originally Posted by BigBluePile
(Post 51178879)
Man those things are AWESOME!!! lol!
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Very cool find. I'm sure with your attention to detail, it will look new in no time flat.
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...
Sorry! I'm a little late to the party. |
Originally Posted by phildelfino
(Post 51178897)
Very cool find. I'm sure with your attention to detail, it will look new in no time flat.
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