I just completed this build myself! The dimensions worked well but I cut the side support walls near the driver and passenger foot so I could stuff shoes or something small into foot space. I just used 1/2” plywood which is strong and lighter. I used M6x1 bolts through the bottom seat panel and 2” M6 bolts to the back panel too. One thing that is missing on this plan is he little extra aluminum you will need to save for the latches to keep it in place. First impressions: tons of space and feels really secure. No rattling or wind noise if you keep the insulation panel behind the seat. Took me 2 days and I used a circular saw and jigsaw for most of the build
the pins you installed for the bracket jacks are the simple rivets?...i use these exact same jacks but i have nothing fixed on the camper...i a little bit worry my jacks will slide haha...i think your idea is pretty good...any more info on that?
No i took lag bolts and cut the head off. I think it was a 5/16 stainless bolt. I was considering some adhesive backed foam on the jack but the pins seem to work well.
Hey man, I’m building my own (inspired by yours) was wondering how the liquid rubber has held up, I was going to do poor man’s fiberglass or fiberglass then liquid rubber or bedliner after that. Wondering if I could just do liquid rubber then Bed liner or the other way around like you and skip fiberglass portion
The liquid rubber hold up very well. Its very flexible which makes it a good choice on wooden campers. We had a super wet winter and its been great. The ease or application is a huge benefit of liquid rubber. I used an undercoating gun and sprayed 5 gallons, and it looks pretty nice. The downside is durability. If you took a sharp object and tried to scratch off the coating, you could do it to some extent. OTOH, the place where you scratched it can be repaired in 10 seconds by applying more. I resprayed a couple sections where I made mods, and I really can't tell. Buy a gallon and test it is my best advice. I DO NOT recommend truck bed liner like Raptor...it cracks and leaks.
@@matthewmillard592 I would have used liquid rubber from the start. Liquid rubber sticks to wood very well. It does not stick to the Raptor I put down so I had to sand it and there are places where the liquid rubber still peels away. I just touch those up with a brush. As for the size I would have made the "facets" smaller they take up a bit of room inside. I'm thinking about a version 2 camper and I think it will be a few inches wider and taller and the facets would be about 2 inches wide on the sides. The leading edge would still have big facets (maybe bigger) for better aerodynamics. The roof I would build with a 1/2 inch crown in the middle to allow water runoff....just bend the plywood and foam to match the curve should not be a big deal.
Just to comment on the size. At 9'2" its fine for most forest service roads and large snowmobile trails. It gets a bit tight on smaller double track trails with branches hitting it. If I decide to go to a full 9'6" small trails will become more of an issue. If your truck has any kind of lift, things will of course get tight. My truck is stock with a 1/2 inch lift from the tires....ymmv.
I like that it's mounted to an aluminum extrusion, but I'd be concerned it's blocking your driving view. Since there isn't any gauges in the traditional location, why not find a way to mount it there? I'm assuming the left side of the screen might interfere with your hands on the wheel.
I've been watching your videos for a while, impressive work. With the angle design on the cabover camper. How does the camper do driving on a windy day?
Fantastic build!!! Thanks for sharing. Curious about 2 things. What kind(brand) of AC(DC or 120v) do you plan to use? And, is the truck bed 5'? If so do you wish it was a 6' bed. Safe and happy travels Sir.
The bluetti supplies both 120V and 12V. I prefer to use 12v where possible because its more efficient for small low power things. The bed is 60 inches long on the crew cab model.
O you were asking about the AC unit :) its just a cheap roll around 120V unit that draws 500 watts. The power station can run it for many hours overnight. During the day I have 600 watts of PV so the battery bank is not used much. I also have a Honda generator when all else fails I just crank that up. I think its this one: amzn.to/4bLVQ74
I started with black raptor liner and it was unsuitable for use on wood....kept cracking. The white coating is liquid rubber sprayed on with the undercoating gun. Its reasonably durable and seals very well amzn.to/4apNMbg.
Thanks for video. About to get a 130max. I'm either getting 2 of these or 2 of the pro log bunks which I believe includes these also from online pics. Can't find any reviews or videos on them so I'm hesitant to spend the extra money
Hi Chris, Thanks for an inspiring series on your truck camper build, I'm going to take the leap and start mine. How are things holding together? Do you have a list of resources?
Another brilliant NV200 camper van you-build. The top rack reinforces the "work-truck" stealth and hides the giveaway solar panels and vent/skylight. I'm sorry Nissan stopped making the NV200, they are nice.
LOVE the build and all the creative ideas! I just purchased a Nissan NV200 and was wondering if you could point me in the direction of a builder who is budget friendly and who specializes in small builds? I'm looking for a partial or simple build. Also, wondering if you have any tips for van life with dogs? Btw...I love your tiny house builds too....you certainly live up to you name!
Thank you for this! I searched these comments as well your associated posts in Reddit and Tacoma World, but didn't see anywhere that someone with a 2nd Gen had tried this yet. Do you know if anyone has? I'm going to template the hell out of mine and use your plans as a springboard to awesomeness.
It was just under 1/2 inch. I took some .010 shim stock and made a sleeve that the shaft collar could clamp to. Its possible that other types of shaft collars might handle the smaller size. The 1/2 inch collar I used needed the shims.
What a great build, I watched the entire series!! You have a great eye for interior in addition to excellent woodworking skills. Can you maybe share the drawings for the camper, I am happy to buy them to use as a basis for my build? Great work man!
I'm in New Hampshire, but I am a teacher in Massachusetts. I would love to move much closer to my school, but buying a house alone is basically impossible to afford. Were there any types of loans you were able to get for this? I noticed in one of the comments you priced out the cost, but i know i wouldn't be able to afford the money spent on electrical and plumbing, etc on my own
I don't know why you could not get a standard construction loan that gets converted into a mortgage. My house is code legal and has an occupancy permit. In fact I still have an unused HELOC for about 25% of its value....so banks will finance against it. The tricky part is finding land. Even out in the boonies a lot is going to run 50-100K. Anywhere east of 190 forget about it...they rarely even hit the market. In western MA there are more affordable lots.
Maybe a self proclaimed terrible videographer but your content was exactly what I was looking for. Best install I've seen. You've convinced me to buy a dro for my WM126.
Correct me if im wrong, i think a few measurements are missing. One being the length from door side to the two smaller hatches (on the bottom) and the second being floor side to the hatches (on the side).
Now at the end of 2023, two- year old Nissan NV200s (2020 and 2021s) with 50K mileage are selling for $25K ... crazy prices. Who know a two year old car with 50K miles can sell for more the than the new MSRP two years later!!!
