Redneck Motorhome

[Rangerx2]

Alright y'all this starts the build out of a budget camper built on my 2012 F-150 XL 4x4, RC/LB. After weighing all the pro's and con's of a truck tent or a used cap, I decided to buy a cap. I found this Leer aluminum shell on Craigslist for $100, in near perfect condition. It just needs a thorough cleaning inside and out, and I've got some fit and finish issues I need to sort through with how it sits on my truck. But that's mostly because I'm anal and I like things to be perfect when it comes to my truck.
Plans for the build-out include some insulation inside the shell to reduce noise and heat. I also want to fabricate some sort of rack system for the top of it to hold extra gear. I just picked this up today so this is pretty much how it looks

 

[Doofy]

Very nice looking cap and truck. I think I would definitely tint all those windows on the cap as dark as you can. Keeps sun and prying eyes out.

 

[Rangerx2]

Very nice looking cap and truck. I think I would definitely tint all those windows on the cap as dark as you can. Keeps sun and prying eyes out.

Thanks! I haven't priced out any tinting but I had thought of rigging up a curtain, or some cardboard, to cover the windows with. I had thought of the privacy and sunlight issue, and will address that as I go.
I like the ones with the radiused side windows. Had one years ago on both of my Rangers, an aluminum cap that held up through three different trucks for near 20 years before I sold it when I sold my second Ranger, a 1995 XLT 3.0
The truck has a few upgrades as well since I bought it last April:
seat covers
chrome wheels from a 2007 XLT
chrome step bars
reflector strips in the mirror caps
bed mat
I also have a tri-fold tonneau cover too that I like, but can't sleep under that

 

[Doofy]

Reflectix https://www.amazon.com/Reflectix-ST16025-Staple-Insulation-Inch/dp/B000BQSYRO/?tag=959media-20

This stuff is really handy for projects like yours.

 

[Pgh Rebel]

Actually I just ordered some insulation matting from Amazon, even cheaper than that. Thanks anyway though. Need the insulation, it gets hot inside there right now! Worked on it all day yesterday to clean it inside and out. Musta sweated out about 10 lbs! I'm also going to order a fan to keep back there to keep some air circulating around inside that shell.
But it looks a lot better, one can actually see out the windows; and the side sliders actually slide

 

[Rangerx2]

Reflectix https://www.amazon.com/Reflectix-ST16025-Staple-Insulation-Inch/dp/B000BQSYRO/?tag=959media-20

This stuff is really handy for projects like yours.

I should have bought that kind. The stuff I did buy was a giant waste of money. But I went over to the local hardware store and picked up some household insulation and started putting that up today. I'm over half done. I'll pick up another roll and finish up next weekend. Then I'll cover that up with some kind of cloth headliner or something. Whatever I can get cheap.

 

[Doofy]

Please post a few photos along the way.

 

[Rangerx2]

Has it been over a year already since I last checked in? Da** how time flies when you have very little time to do any work on the project! My account got screwed up too and I ended up just kinda forgetting about it till now because I had other stuff going on. I did end up buying some of that insulation stuff from Amazon and installed two layers of it inside the roof of the truck cap. I will post pictures later. I have an idea for a curtain that won't cost me much of anything since I already have most of what I need: old bedsheet and some string to suspend it from. I wanted to do it this summer before I went camping but unfortunately my wife lost her job so there went my camping trip. When the plans fell through for that then I kinda started putting progress for this on the back burner, figuring I'll get to it later. She's getting back to work now part-time and should be full-time soon but it'll take us a few months to get caught up. In the meantime I did get a firearms permit so I can carry my .44 with me when I ever do get around to going camping. Gotta be able to protect yourself!

 

[Doofy]

Yes, Life has a way of screwing up plans and goals. Glad you are beginning to see some light at the end of that tunnel. Persevere!

 

[sam-ranger22]

let me tell you if you live in the south you might want to reconsider air conditioning. First and for-most for me is electricity then the rest. ounce you got the electric part the rest ain't so bad

 

[Rangerx2]

Yeah I used to live in the Fredericksburg, VA area for 20 years. The humidity in that area is ****ing oppressive right about this time of year! ?
Now I live in Pennsylvania where if it gets above 80 degrees people start complaining about the heat. LOL I keep tellin' 'em they ain't seen nuthin' yet!

 

[DCman]

Alright y'all this starts the build out of a budget camper built on my 2012 F-150 XL 4x4, RC/LB. After weighing all the pro's and con's of a truck tent or a used cap, I decided to buy a cap. I found this Leer aluminum shell on Craigslist for $100, in near perfect condition. It just needs a thorough cleaning inside and out, and I've got some fit and finish issues I need to sort through with how it sits on my truck. But that's mostly because I'm anal and I like things to be perfect when it comes to my truck.
Plans for the build-out include some insulation inside the shell to reduce noise and heat. I also want to fabricate some sort of rack system for the top of it to hold extra gear. I just picked this up today so this is pretty much how it looks

My version of this project...
My dad and I built a "Redneck motorhome" back in the 70's for when we went hunting.
Dad had a '74 Chevy 1/2 ton and got a Smittybilt canopy for a 9' Ford from someone for a song.
We took some plywood and 2x4's and built a 2' tall section that sat on the bed, then we'd put that canopy on top of that.
Somewhere, he picked up a big roll of vinyl backed high density foam. We cut that out so it fit the floor of the bed and that was the "carpet".
Dad took some aluminum angle and laid it across the bed rails, laid a piece of plywood shaved down to 3' wide, inside of it and put some foam on the plywood.
That was his bed.
I slept on the floor of the bed, under him.
We used military mummy bags (real goose down ones! ) and stayed toasty warm, even when the temp got down to 0.
Cut the rest of the plywood to about 1' wide and nailed some 2x4 legs on each end and ran another 2x4 across the front, to reinforce it and that sat over the wheel well.
We made 2, one on each side.
They served as benches to sit on and tables to place the Coleman stove and other various sundry items on.
We had a problem with the inside sweating real bad.
The canopy had a square tube metal frame that the aluminum shell was laid over. We cut 1/2" thick Styrofoam pieces to fit inside the grid of the frame and glued them to the roof with some kind of special calk he found that advertised excellent adhesive properties.
Cured that sweating problem, although once in a while, one of those squares would fall out and we'd have to glue it back in once we got home.
Made the inside much quieter and really insulated that canopy nicely.
We ended up doing the sides, too.
It really was a nifty little rig and dad had a penchant for BOLTING things together, so that it could be torn down, and/or modified, easily.
We could put it up and load the truck in about 2 hours.
Same with unload and tear down.
That's how we did it, 45+ years ago.
I hope you can glean something from that.
Feel free to ask about anything you don't understand.

 

[Rangerx2]

Update on Project 'Redneck Motorhome': The F-150 ended up gettin' traded off a couple months ago after over 41/2 years of numerous problems. I finally realized that it was a colossal money pit and bid it a fond farewell. When I realized I really don't need a truck right now at all I decided to buy a late model, low-mile, one-owner Taurus SEL that I could use for Uber/Lyft and make some spare $$ on the side. Had the chance to buy a 1998 Mazda B4000 4x4 with only 45k miles but I wasn't sure if I wanted to trust something that old as a daily driver. I miss having a truck but this Taurus is NICE!

 

[DCman]

.....now watch, the new owner changes out like 1 spark plug and the truck runs trouble free for years.

Naw, just kidding . Congrats on your new purchase.
If you ever need a truck, you can rent one from U-Haul for $20 a day.