# Thunk'n on building a Camper



## Showman (Dec 28, 2012)

Okay here is the background.  I am retired from the Trucking industry and I have a 1994 Freightliner FLD120 just sitting here.  Tried to sell it but no one serious has inquired.  So, I got to thinking about building a camper/toy hauler out of, say, a 45' furniture trailer (or some other low slung trailer).  Front 20 or so feet of it will be regular living area while the rest is for being able to transport a Boat and Tow Vehicle (stacked of course) and still be small enough to squeeze into a larger (like where a big Diesel Pusher Class "A" would park) camping area.  Once on site, drop the trailer, unload the boat and vehicle, good to go.  So, what kinda thoughts does anyone have about this?  What do you think it would cost to put something like this together (Ball Park Figure)?  Want it to be nice and livable but not like a mansion.  Does anyone know of anyone that has done something like this or does this as a business?


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## Tacoma (Dec 28, 2012)

Lumber, plywood, insulation, carpet, furniture, A/C, heat, generator, plumbing, electrical... it all adds up real fast. Maybe less than $5000 if you don't get too fancy.


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## Artfuldodger (Dec 28, 2012)

If you could get lucky and find a wrecked travel trailer, you could get some of the supplies from it. Projects like this are expensive but if you are retired, i'd say go for it. You'll have a custom, one of a kind, camper. My neighbors parents have a custom 50's bus camper. The storage where the luggage goes was used for the holding tanks, generator, and golf cart.
It would be like someone making a boat. You could buy one cheaper but that's not the point.


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## Showman (Dec 28, 2012)

There is a place over in Birmingham, Al that sells used camper parts.  I was thunk'n about some trip that way checking them out and seeing what stuff for it would cost.  Biggest cost I would think is getting the trailer itself.  I know where some out of service ones are that I think I can pick up for dirt cheap.  Figured if I do it, I would do the central air/heat deal.  Still in the thunk'n, designing stage.


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## KDarsey (Dec 28, 2012)

There is a 'starter'  (trailer)just outside Hawkinsville that may be what you are looking for. It appears to have been part of a racing outfit and looks (from the outside} like it may have living quarters in the front. I have been meaning to stop & check it out. 
  It is at a flea market type place that 'claims' to be going out of business.


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## Artfuldodger (Dec 28, 2012)

Have you looked at campgrounds to see if there are any restrictions? You could always unhook the trailer to meet the length requirements. I've always wanted to build a house boat for some strange reasons. I'm always building stuff and friends will say, you know they sell them at the store.
I've also wanted to build a teardrop trailer. I saw a logger take the wheels off a fifth wheel and made a cab over truck camper out of it. It was this huge thing he lived in while logging.
Here is a link to unusual campers:
http://m.pinterest.com/equipntrip/unusual-rvs-caravans-camper-trailers/


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## riprap (Dec 29, 2012)

Showman said:


> There is a place over in Birmingham, Al that sells used camper parts.  I was thunk'n about some trip that way checking them out and seeing what stuff for it would cost.  Biggest cost I would think is getting the trailer itself.  I know where some out of service ones are that I think I can pick up for dirt cheap.  Figured if I do it, I would do the central air/heat deal.  Still in the thunk'n, designing stage.



There is a guy in Loganville, Ga. (Cary or something like that) who has tons of used camper parts. I bought a used rv toilet off of him and he has about everything. he buys old campers and guts them. He seemed like a straight up guy. Maybe google him, he use to advertise some on craigslist.


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## T.P. (Dec 29, 2012)

It would be an interesting "Build-A-Long", keep us posted on what you do. Best of luck!


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## Showman (Dec 29, 2012)

Thanks on the Loganville tip.  I'll see what i can find out.  Still in the "Thunk'n" process tight now.


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## lbzdually (Dec 29, 2012)

I had an Isuzu FTR with 26 ft box on it.  I had thought about making one of the Australian type rigs with it.  Put a front diff out of a GMC 5500 to make it 4wd, take off the 26 ft van body and make a 26ft camper with raiseable roof so that beds would be loft-type and the entire 26 ft would be living space.  I could tow a small car or our artic Cat Prowler on the back.  Something like this.


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## Artfuldodger (Dec 29, 2012)

I like those off road bush campers. Here is a video of a family that built their own camper. Very industrious bunch!


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## Showman (Dec 30, 2012)

I have given thought to having the "Frame" of the truck lengthened to build a big Class "C" out of it but I was advised against it for cost reasons.  If I build the camper out of a trailer no longer than 45', most larger campgrounds that have pull through's for the larger Class "A" campers will accommodate this when the trailer is dropped from the tractor.  I am thinking of a double slide setup (bedroom and living area slide outs).  I have a 27' 5th wheel now with a single slide and I can pull it with the Freightliner but I was wanting to go bigger so that we do not have to drive a 2nd vehicle to pull the boat.


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## Artfuldodger (Dec 30, 2012)

And if it's separate you can change tractors or sale the tractor easier if it hasn't been modified. I never liked the idea of driving a seperate vehicle either. It's ok if you don't have far to go.


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## Showman (Dec 30, 2012)

Yep, we hauled the 27' 5th wheel and had to tow the boat with another vehicle to the Florida Keys a couple of times.  Now that fuel has gotten outrageous, we no longer feel it is worth the trip down there just to get a few Lobsters and fish.  Being retired Navy, we would love to be able to go back down to Key West, camp on the base (which saves a load of money) and restock our now empty freezer with Lobsters and fish.  Short trips we still use the 2 vehicle system but even that is getting to be a pain.  Granted, my tractor doesn't get "great" fuel mileage (8 mpg) but when everything is in one package, it doesn't hurt near as much.  I carry 240 gallons of Diesel in the tractor and when we used to run loads down to the Keys (commercial loads) we were able to do it on what fuel we carried (down and back to Ga.) as long as we did not get stuck anywhere waiting on a back-haul.  Those loads usually had us grossing out near 80,000 pounds (max legal weight) and if I have any clue on what I want to build, I would only gross out to somewhere in the 36,000 pound area.  Much lighter and will get my fuel mileage up in the 8+ mpg area.  Bobtail I get almost 12 mpg.  Registration would be non-commercial so I would not have to jump through all the hoops commercial vehicles do now.


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## riprap (Dec 30, 2012)

I say if you have the ability to do it, you are going to be more satisfied with somthing you have built to the specs you want. I wish I didn't have to make two trips camping and fishing.


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## ben300win (Jan 9, 2013)

Why not build a class A out of your tractor? I built a slide in in 2005. My wife said I could not use the 5th wheel for hunting. I researched a lot of slide ins before I built my own. I have a short bed 2500 truck. You had to buy a newer slide in to get one for a short bed. It works great, but I never use it anymore. One of these days.....
I made a shasta style frame into a utility trailer and now haul it on that trailer because it is lower to the ground and the trailer has brakes.


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## ben300win (Jan 9, 2013)

Why not build a class A out of your tractor? I built a slide in in 2005. My wife said I could not use the 5th wheel for hunting. I researched a lot of slide ins before I built my own. I have a short bed 2500 truck. You had to buy a newer slide in to get one for a short bed. It works great, but I never use it anymore. One of these days.....
I made a shasta style frame into a utility trailer and now haul it on that trailer because it is lower to the ground and the trailer has brakes.


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## Showman (Jan 10, 2013)

I have thought of getting the frame extended and building a Camper from that.  Cost a LOT of money to get a frame done though.  I would still have a problem making it into a "Toy Hauler" like that also.  I'm still thinking of converting a 40-45' furniture hauler into a camper/Toy Hauler, adding a couple slideouts to increase living space when parked.


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## lbzdually (Jan 10, 2013)

How about making a sleeping area/extra bath over the 5th wheel of the truck, then make a bumper pull 40 ft camper with the last 15-20 ft being your toy hauler area.  When you have the rig parked, you could have an accordian type tube you could extend out to to make the truck and trailer connected without going out of the truck and into the trailer.  With the extra bedroom your wife could sleep while you're driving.


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## aabradley82 (Jan 28, 2013)

there is a 42 or 45 ft furniture trailer at TH E vans in Athens that I think is cheap, double drop. However I would look at the electronic trailers are single drop trailers without a side door. That way you would have the most height in rear for the stacker and pick where you want the door to be. I am looking for a 53' single drop on short rubber for a similar project. Also check height for air conditioners, company in ATL will chop entire roof for 2200 if you wanted to shorten.


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## Showman (Jan 29, 2013)

I was going to use a Central AC/Heat and not roof mounted ones.  Electronic trailer is more what I have been looking for but so far, I haven't found one cheap down my way.  I also have problem with my tractor that I need to work on before I can go get a trailer.  Hopefully I will have that fixed here shortly and can get back to working on a design.


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## CrazyCatfish (Feb 6, 2013)

keep an eye on cl as well.. seen a few campers on there lately that were storm damaged last week. might be a cheap way for parts also.


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## Wallhanger (Feb 10, 2013)

http://www.tnttt.com/viewforum.php?f=42

Thought of doing something similar with a cargo trailer. Check out this sight for ideas.


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## zigzag3337 (Feb 12, 2013)

We were camping in Virgina in '10 and there was a guy there that took his retired Freightliner and stretched it 13'. He made the rear of the camper an area to load his trike (or his jeep) and it went up under his bed. He said he had to modify the jeep by shortening it a few feet and made the windshield and roll cage to fold up. 

The inside of the coach was done extremely nice with wood flooring, solid countertops and high end cabinetry. He told us the only thing he wished he had was slides, but was very happy with the finished results. 

The exterior was corrugated aluminum siding that you would see on modern campers, except his was polished up to a mirror finish. 

Not sure what the cost of building one like this, but he said it took him several years working on it in his spare time. 


There is also video on YouTube where a guy build a big fifthwheel camper from scratch. He started out with a surplus frame from a manufacture that closed a plant and then built everything from there. He opted to use filon fiberglass siding and when he was done, it looked like he bought the camper from a dealer. 

Here's the link to his story. 
http://youtu.be/z4QKHCB34FM


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