95 B2300 with camper I built

auto117584 · 02-24-2012, 01:34 AM

Hi, everybody,
I moved to Washington State from upstate NY 9 months ago. I built this camper shell to transport all my stuff, half of which I promptly gave away when I got here. Now I'm going to do some inside work to it. Which is why I'm here visiting TRS, because I want to install a couple forklift batteries in series to get 12V, to power my stuff. I want to charge the batteries off the truck when I'm driving, or off a 110 outlet at a campground, etc. And when I use my "stuff", and the truck isn't running, I want the truck battery isolated from the load. All my stuff runs on dc, different voltages, and each one has a charger. I could probably use an inverter to run a strip of outlets, and plug in all the chargers: Cell phone, laptop, boom box. Plus I want a couple or three lights, and a small dc fan for my fireplace intake air. I don't know if the inverter is the best route, or should i buy a device that can put out exactly so many dc volts, and use it to feed my devices, instead of using their own chargers.

So I need a book about how to do the dc system. Or knowing the key words to use, I can go look in the library for a book. Wiring DC Campers?

So I built the shell in NY, 3/8" cdx plywood, 1x2 white pine studs, high grade polyurethane construction adhesive, and exterior grade star screw. I predrilled everything through the plywood. I used flat 2x4's for triangulation braces so the leading edge and the top edge of the thing, the part that hits the 80mph wind, is solid as a rock. The leading edge and the top edge of the roof both have double 2x4 headers going across, glued and screwed.

On top of the plywood I put two coats of epoxy resin, and I used fiberglass cloth on all joints and corners and edges. That made it waterproof. Then I put two coats of Above Water Line marine paint on top of the resin, and did it in a sort of artsy fartsy way. Some of it looks stupid, like the hatch marks that are supposed to be a weave? And the first aid cross. Goofy. But the rest of it is okay.

So on the inside there are three layers. I have three 2' x 5' panels that join up with the floor of the overcab to make one long flat floor from front to back. It's about 8'6" x 5' 0". I had my queen mattress up there, but gave it to someone. Now i use a foam pad.

I'm going to build some cabinets along the two sides and the front of the bed, that will double as short tables and a couch seat. The back corner will have a space for my twig-burning cook stove, and I'll have an exhaust hood installed right over it, attached to the framing of the shell. I'm looking for a tiny woodstove for it, but will set it up for both the open fire cook stove, and if I find a woodstove, it's pipe will fit right up in there.

Anyway, I've been drawing and measuring and drawing and thinking, and I'll probably buy the materials to do it tomorrow. I'll be hitting the road about March 13th, maybe sooner, for some exploration, truck camping, backpacking, and plain old camping out! I'll get some pix tomorrow, the before shot - the big empty, showing the three panels that can fit in several places. Like for a table possibly. And I'll figure out how to get a picture on here of my drawings of the layout, cross-section, construction details, etc of the cabinet/seats.

The back end is 3" higher than the front now, because I had the rear leafs retempered, and I added a heavy duty leaf to each side (duh, each side). And i added new shocks in back. The front has not been retempered, and has the worn out shocks, and it sits 3" lower. I wonder how to fix that.

ok, I know I'll find out here. TRS rocks. Like the Red Sox. (Born in Boston.)

The shell weighs 750, and with the cabinet/seats, I think that will be 850.

stegomon · 02-24-2012, 07:41 AM

throw some over load springs on that. and it look great

infantry grunt · 02-24-2012, 08:18 AM

looks good,i like how you slanted the front for aero dynamics,good job.kinda motivates me to try building one for my truck.i probably cant make mine as tall

**brinker88** · 02-24-2012, 08:22 AM

Its kinda rough looking, but ingenious at the same time. Good job!

**alwaysFlOoReD** · 02-24-2012, 10:57 AM

Looks good.

Grey_04 · 02-24-2012, 12:47 PM

not bad for what you have invested..

auto117584 · 02-24-2012, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stegomon

throw some over load springs on that. and it look great

do you have a link for the springs? Thanks!

auto117584 · 02-24-2012, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infantry grunt

looks good,i like how you slanted the front for aero dynamics,good job.kinda motivates me to try building one for my truck.i probably cant make mine as tall

The truck is actually more stable on the road with the camper. Even the 18 wheelers don't push it over when I pass them. I get 18mpg at 70mph with the shell.

auto117584 · 02-24-2012, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brinker88

Its kinda rough looking, but ingenious at the same time. Good job!

Thanks!

**Earl43P** · 02-24-2012, 10:53 PM

Heh, heh. I remember you getting broke down in some forest last year.

Good to hear you are making out OK.

You got a lot of spirit! Still Bloggin? How about a link?

racsan · 03-04-2012, 08:44 PM

not bad, surprized the 4 cyl can handle it. id make the back all solid, ditch the tailgate & put a traditional walk-in door.

**Will** · 03-12-2012, 08:50 PM

I love woodstoves in vehicles. They exist, new, but are dam expensive.

The only thing I don't like is the locks on the rear door. Some jackass might lock you in!

02-24-2012, 01:34 AM	#1
auto117584 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Year: 1995 Make: Mazda Model: B2300 Engine: 2.3L Class: 2wd Used For: character building Posts: 306 Rep Power: 8 iTrader: (0)	95 B2300 with camper I built Hi, everybody, I moved to Washington State from upstate NY 9 months ago. I built this camper shell to transport all my stuff, half of which I promptly gave away when I got here. Now I'm going to do some inside work to it. Which is why I'm here visiting TRS, because I want to install a couple forklift batteries in series to get 12V, to power my stuff. I want to charge the batteries off the truck when I'm driving, or off a 110 outlet at a campground, etc. And when I use my "stuff", and the truck isn't running, I want the truck battery isolated from the load. All my stuff runs on dc, different voltages, and each one has a charger. I could probably use an inverter to run a strip of outlets, and plug in all the chargers: Cell phone, laptop, boom box. Plus I want a couple or three lights, and a small dc fan for my fireplace intake air. I don't know if the inverter is the best route, or should i buy a device that can put out exactly so many dc volts, and use it to feed my devices, instead of using their own chargers. So I need a book about how to do the dc system. Or knowing the key words to use, I can go look in the library for a book. Wiring DC Campers? So I built the shell in NY, 3/8" cdx plywood, 1x2 white pine studs, high grade polyurethane construction adhesive, and exterior grade star screw. I predrilled everything through the plywood. I used flat 2x4's for triangulation braces so the leading edge and the top edge of the thing, the part that hits the 80mph wind, is solid as a rock. The leading edge and the top edge of the roof both have double 2x4 headers going across, glued and screwed. On top of the plywood I put two coats of epoxy resin, and I used fiberglass cloth on all joints and corners and edges. That made it waterproof. Then I put two coats of Above Water Line marine paint on top of the resin, and did it in a sort of artsy fartsy way. Some of it looks stupid, like the hatch marks that are supposed to be a weave? And the first aid cross. Goofy. But the rest of it is okay. So on the inside there are three layers. I have three 2' x 5' panels that join up with the floor of the overcab to make one long flat floor from front to back. It's about 8'6" x 5' 0". I had my queen mattress up there, but gave it to someone. Now i use a foam pad. I'm going to build some cabinets along the two sides and the front of the bed, that will double as short tables and a couch seat. The back corner will have a space for my twig-burning cook stove, and I'll have an exhaust hood installed right over it, attached to the framing of the shell. I'm looking for a tiny woodstove for it, but will set it up for both the open fire cook stove, and if I find a woodstove, it's pipe will fit right up in there. Anyway, I've been drawing and measuring and drawing and thinking, and I'll probably buy the materials to do it tomorrow. I'll be hitting the road about March 13th, maybe sooner, for some exploration, truck camping, backpacking, and plain old camping out! I'll get some pix tomorrow, the before shot - the big empty, showing the three panels that can fit in several places. Like for a table possibly. And I'll figure out how to get a picture on here of my drawings of the layout, cross-section, construction details, etc of the cabinet/seats. The back end is 3" higher than the front now, because I had the rear leafs retempered, and I added a heavy duty leaf to each side (duh, each side). And i added new shocks in back. The front has not been retempered, and has the worn out shocks, and it sits 3" lower. I wonder how to fix that. ok, I know I'll find out here. TRS rocks. Like the Red Sox. (Born in Boston.) The shell weighs 750, and with the cabinet/seats, I think that will be 850. Last edited by auto117584; 02-24-2012 at 01:40 AM.
	Tweet

02-24-2012, 07:41 AM	#2
stegomon Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: auburn/minot maine Year: 1987/1990 Make: fords and only Model: ranger Posts: 1,750 Rep Power: 16 iTrader: (0)	throw some over load springs on that. and it look great __________________ 1987 ranger super beast__1990 ranger duff lift_________________2.9 to 4.0 swap dana 35 and sploder 8.8___duff 3 inch lift 302 swap_______________locked front and back cab off frame 97 ranger DD 3.0 manual every thing after market headlights 4.0 S.O.H.C swap in the works
	Tweet

02-24-2012, 08:18 AM	#3
infantry grunt Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: alabama Year: 1994 Make: mazda Model: b-3000 Engine: 3.0l Class: 4x4 Used For: everything Posts: 217 Rep Power: 9 iTrader: (1)	looks good,i like how you slanted the front for aero dynamics,good job.kinda motivates me to try building one for my truck.i probably cant make mine as tall __________________ 4 inch skyjacker,3 inch body,d35 and 99 explorer 8.8 with disc brakes,33x1250-15,4.56 gears,flat black paint(removed and/or painted over ALL reflectors, homemade,cannot and will not be detected at night, spare tire carrier(made from sway bar)mounts in the bed,back off or dim your lights rear monted fog lights w/toggle switch(lol),trimmed fenders,and saving up for 35's(finally)WOOHOO!!
	Tweet

02-24-2012, 08:22 AM	#4
brinker88 Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Williamsport, Pa Year: 1993 Make: Ford Model: Ranger Engine: 4.0L Class: 4x4 Used For: Weekend Warrior Posts: 3,320 Rep Power: 21 iTrader: (8)	Its kinda rough looking, but ingenious at the same time. Good job! __________________ Obsession is a word justifying your insanity. We ARE the 4x4%. Build Thread
	Tweet

02-24-2012, 10:57 AM	#5
alwaysFlOoReD Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: red deer canada Year: '91, '85, '97 Make: ford Model: ranger, b-II, f-150 Engine: 4.0,4.0,4.2 Class: 4x4 race, 4x4, 2wd work Used For: 4x4 race, 4x4,2wd work Posts: 3,217 Rep Power: 10 iTrader: (0)	Looks good. __________________ As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
	Tweet

02-24-2012, 12:47 PM	#6
Grey_04 Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,845 Rep Power: 24 iTrader: (0)	not bad for what you have invested..
	Tweet

02-24-2012, 10:53 PM	#10
Earl43P Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: E-City, NC Year: 2000 Make: Ford Model: Ranger Engine: 3.0 Class: 4WD Used For: DD Posts: 2,787 Rep Power: 21 iTrader: (1)	Heh, heh. I remember you getting broke down in some forest last year. Good to hear you are making out OK. You got a lot of spirit! Still Bloggin? How about a link? __________________ If at first, you don't succeed, RTFM.
	Tweet

03-04-2012, 08:44 PM	#11
racsan Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: marion ohio Year: 1993 Make: ford Model: ranger s/c Engine: 4.0/245 c.i.d. Class: 4xford Used For: gitten' it done! Posts: 1,319 Rep Power: 16 iTrader: (0)	not bad, surprized the 4 cyl can handle it. id make the back all solid, ditch the tailgate & put a traditional walk-in door. __________________ at the corner of "walk" & "dont walk" cardomain link:--> http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3216869 1993 ranger s/c 4.0 hurst-equipped 5-spd,3.73s ,4x4, milemarker hubs, black grille guard/tube steps,summit rear diff cover with bearing load supports. 117K & still going strong. http://www.myspace.com/small_dog_trucking
	Tweet

03-12-2012, 08:50 PM	#12
Will Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Columbus, Indiana Year: 1989 Make: Ford Model: Bronco II Engine: 4.0 Class: 4X4 Used For: a chicken house Posts: 5,887 Rep Power: 10 iTrader: (1)	I love woodstoves in vehicles. They exist, new, but are dam expensive. The only thing I don't like is the locks on the rear door. Some jackass might lock you in! __________________ '83 Ranger cab, '89 B2 frame, 4.0, C5, D35/8.8, 4.10s, Lockrights. '87 Chevy crew 6.2 Banks turbodiesel TH400 GearVendors 4.10 14-bolt Detroit '96 VW Passat Tdi '00 Ford E350 15-pax Powerstroke '09 Suzuki TU250X '04 Moto Guzzi Breva http://willwills.com/
	Tweet

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode