Alu-Cab Canopy Camper Roll Call

[813 Fabrication & Design]

It really works well in your setup. Might not work as well for us, just the way we are planning our interior to look and feel.

The plan is to cover the interior of the door more or less completely with 6mm plywood, put insulation behind that, mount a Frontrunner table to the lower half, and put maybe some pouches on the upper for cooking utensils and things I need/want to get to quickly. I might be able to hide a few bolt heads and some aluminium strenghening strips somewhere. Will have to see when I get to that part of the project, still busy with the basics right now.

OK I can picture that. You could take a Forstner bit to the back of the plywood and drill out a small indention where each of the bolts come through the door and that would still let you put your plywood flat against the door frame and it would hide the bolts.

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[cug]

You could take a Forstner bit to the back of the plywood and drill out a small indention where each of the bolts come through the door and that would still let you put your plywood flat against the door frame and it would hide the bolts.

Given that I'm planning very thin plywood, I might as well cut a hole there ... but I'll use that technique in other places (e.g. rear seat delete storage platform) to create a flat surface even though there are bolts in quite a few places. It's easier with the thicker plywood there (12mm Baltic Birch). As a sidenote: a wood router is a wonderful tool that creates just as much work as it saves time ... I do a ton more complicated things now that I would have improvised otherwise, so I end up taking the same time, but have a nicer result ...

 

[cug]

Oh, and that reminds me:

If someone needs the template for a fitted bed plate, ping me. We are doing the wood sealing right now, so the plates are out and easy to measure and document what we've done to fit them. Need to document the measurements anyways just in case I ever need to build another one ...

This could save a lot of time and a few times of taking the plate in and out ...

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

Oh, and that reminds me:

If someone needs the template for a fitted bed plate, ping me. We are doing the wood sealing right now, so the plates are out and easy to measure and document what we've done to fit them. Need to document the measurements anyways just in case I ever need to build another one ...

This could save a lot of time and a few times of taking the plate in and out ...

I'd love to have a copy of your template if you are sharing!

 

[cug]

I'd love to have a copy of your template if you are sharing!

Let me get it into a shareable form (not my scribbled notes) and I'll get it to you.

 

[Steven_B]

Oh, and that reminds me:

If someone needs the template for a fitted bed plate, ping me. We are doing the wood sealing right now, so the plates are out and easy to measure and document what we've done to fit them. Need to document the measurements anyways just in case I ever need to build another one ...

This could save a lot of time and a few times of taking the plate in and out ...

Nice, clean work.

 

[cug]

Nice, clean work.

Thanks, don't ask how long it took ... driveway as a workshop is suboptimal ... ;-)

 

[cug]

I'd love to have a copy of your template if you are sharing!

Message sent, please sanity check first. It does fit into OUR truck with OUR prep work (as can be kind of seen in the picture below, where you can see some of the pink foam board, as well as little bit of the EVA foam). So, be aware ...

 

[Free2roam]

Since we Gladiator guys can't use the spare tire mount, has anyone installed or thought about installing a lightweight aluminum box or Pelican-style case on the back door? Some of the high-end overland vehicle builders and van outfitters do it for light gear storage.

Examples:

Why yes I have. Got a good idea on the rear bumper build. My current idea is low profile aluminum box horizontally. On top of that I planned on running an 1Up bicycle rack for the two E mountain bikes. On a swing away. Parts included would be the VKS Fab rear bumper, TMR customs mega swing bearing set up through welded into bumper coupled with the recent purchase of the E3 Machine Ultimate Billet latching mechanism. So the answer is yes. Quite a bit of thought.

 

[Steven_B]

Why yes I have. Got a good idea on the rear bumper build. My current idea is low profile aluminum box horizontally. On top of that I planned on running an 1Up bicycle rack for the two E mountain bikes. On a swing away. Parts included would be the VKS Fab rear bumper, TMR customs mega swing bearing set up through welded into bumper coupled with the recent purchase of the E3 Machine Ultimate Billet latching mechanism. So the answer is yes. Quite a bit of thought.

Looking forward to what you come up with. I don't plan on changing out my rear bumper, I have added enough weight to this thing.

This weekend we were camping and exploring in wet conditions in Washington State. The wet conditions that when you walk around, the mud makes you taller! This would have been a great situation to have a box to just throw the muddy boots and shoes in while heading off to bed.

 

[flipboltz]

Juniper Jamboree

I just thought I would share some pics from our camping trip a few weekends ago. My shop, Juniper Overland, invited a bunch of their customers out to Loveland for a weekend trip. They took care of everything and it was a great weekend.

There were 7 trucks with Alu-Cabs/Cabins and 3 Scout Campers, along with some RTTs. We were the only Jeep among Tundras, Tacomas, & a Chevy ZR2. We wheeled on Saturday doing the Halfmoon trail.

On Sunday we had Ariana from Trails Offroad speak about their app.

What a great event put on by Juniper.

 

[cug]

Some camping over the last few days, the Froli system under the mattress really worked out well. The rest was super improvised, but stuff is slowly coming together.

Somewhere near Olympic National Park:

And somewhere in Oregon, not too far from Salem:

 

[flipboltz]

Quick question. Is anyone running a Rotopax under their exhaust for the Dickinson Marine Heater? I am just wondering if it fits.

 

[Steven_B]

Quick question. Is anyone running a Rotopax under their exhaust for the Dickinson Marine Heater? I am just wondering if it fits.

I have held mine up a few times, I think it will work. I want to do some testing first (temp) but I don't think the chimney will get warm enough to cause in issues.

 

[flipboltz]

I have held mine up a few times, I think it will work. I want to do some testing first (temp) but I don't think the chimney will get warm enough to cause in issues.

Thanks. yeah, I don't see the chimney getting too hot that it would be an issue. Like I said, just concerned about fitment and don't want to purchase without knowing. Maybe I will swing by the shop and see if they have some around and we can see.

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