I don't think a Chalet would be a good idea. Maybe a crew cab, soft top, and one of these....
http://bedryder.com/
http://bedryder.com/
CK5
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76 K5 Blazer Chalet - Put the ol girl out to pasture, literally.
- Thread starter chalet2506
- Start date
COCHEV
1/2 ton status
I'm liking the idea of grafting it on the back of a burb...
I think a burb with one on it is a cool idea there was one for sale awhile ago somewhere in the midwest guy never returned any calls so i don't know what happened to it.
A Chalet Blazer trailer would be interesting you could just use a Blazer and fill in the front window and doors and have a bunch more storage/ sleeping area might be a little big though.
A Chalet Blazer trailer would be interesting you could just use a Blazer and fill in the front window and doors and have a bunch more storage/ sleeping area might be a little big though.
cabledawg
Secret Squirrel
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254301&highlight=suburban+chalet
We probably should carry our conversation back over there instead of hijacking chalet2506's thread.
We probably should carry our conversation back over there instead of hijacking chalet2506's thread.
Leave well enough alone!
What you have now is a cool customized Blazer Chalet - a rare classic with an updated look. What you are planning to have is a regular Blazer with a hacked-together camper. How is that an improvement? I can't believe there aren't any Chalet guys flaming this idea yet.
Campers are way too common to ruin a Chalet to make one. Plus, the finished product will be more cohesive and use-able if you start with a real camper. There are pop-up campers and travel trailers with higher ground clearance that could be easily adapted to run 8-lug 37" or whatever. Painting to match is the easy part. Not to mention it would be a lot less work.
If you must have a "truck bed" trailer, just use a regular pickup truck bed and drop in camper to create your monstrosity and save the Chalet.
I didn't put it quite like that when he asked but I agree on not hacking a Chalet that is still in good shape.
I do however have a shell that I bought as is and I have been working on a plan to do exactly what he wanted to do to pull behind my other Blazer chalet, but now things have changed:
I have Crew cab and it's going on that.
I will have the best of both worlds.
Look for a build thread soon, it will take a long time but it will happen.
I'm not looking to hack up the camper. And really, I don't want it on a truck bed. I've poked around on expedition portal and there's some pretty cool trailer builds. I'm thinking I could start with a 6x12 or so trailer frame and then build a custom cage/frame to mount the camper to. Mount an 8 lug axle under it and be good to go. If I ever wanted to, I could take the camper off and put it back on the blazer.
Don't really need it as I've got and F250 and this. Just think it would make more sense if I could put the family in the Chalet safely.
Don't really need it as I've got and F250 and this. Just think it would make more sense if I could put the family in the Chalet safely.
I'm not looking to hack up the camper. And really, I don't want it on a truck bed. I've poked around on expedition portal and there's some pretty cool trailer builds. I'm thinking I could start with a 6x12 or so trailer frame and then build a custom cage/frame to mount the camper to. Mount an 8 lug axle under it and be good to go.
Don't really need it as I've got and F250 and this. Just think it would make more sense if I could put the family in the Chalet safely.
No you are not hacking the Chalet, but you are hacking the Blazer Chalet.
Anyway I am not using a blazer or pickup bed to do this.
I might get the top part of the blazer to bolt to, just because my shell is already craked a few places and has no shape so I need something as a reference, once that is there I am building from there around the shell to maximise my space usage and my plan is to have enough room for a Queen size bed.
Still working on the design but might end up a self contained slide in camper that goes on a flat bed on my crew cab.
Ahem... I'd advise against it for your own, but advise for it if it's had been done already by someone else.
And, last I heard - which was a while ago - that there was a lady trying to sell her Chalet-on-a-Chevy-truck-bed setup over a year ago in Gaylord Michigan, but I gave up calling & emailing her because she tended not to follow through with promised photos. At the very least, I was curious how those folks supported the cabover section, since it wasn't designed to hang out in mid air, and they claimed to have used it as a camping rig for several years.....
There's the shell for sale in central Texas for $50. If he was closer I'd pick it up just for parts.
Yep, for those who don't know, it is a stillborn project of one of our Yahoo forum members of the camper unit that was taken off the vehicle below (non-original Blazer, if I remember right, so no loss of collector value there).
I e-mailed that guy a couple times but he never got back to me. Guess he sold it to someone else. Too bad, would have made a good parts camper and model for trailer design.
Camper wiring was kind of fubar'd mess and 12v interior lights have been working. So, took a little time to clean it up. Found the problem, one of the plugs to the convertor has the little ears broke off. Fixed it with some zip ties. Its a little redneck, but I'm not much of an electrician. Still needs a little work, but it should be fine for a while. Trying to go hunting with it this weekend.
Before
After
Before
After
texas4x4rebel
1/2 ton status
Looks much better. Good luck this weekend.
Didn't shoot anything, but did manage to break a couple things while taking it easy. Driver side window decided it didn't want to crank up or down, rear wheel seal is leaking pretty good, and somethings wrong with my steering column.
Thought my starter went out because the thing wouldn't crank. Then I figured out that if I jiggled the shifter and steering wheel, it would kick over. My tilt has worked quite right in a while, thinking I must have done something wrong when I replaced the ignition switch about five years ago. Should I take it apart, or find another column?
Thought my starter went out because the thing wouldn't crank. Then I figured out that if I jiggled the shifter and steering wheel, it would kick over. My tilt has worked quite right in a while, thinking I must have done something wrong when I replaced the ignition switch about five years ago. Should I take it apart, or find another column?
Shameless poser pics.
Where'd the Chalet go?
I had a little 6 point walk out about 50 yds away, stare at me standing next to the truck, then go about his business and hang out for about 15 minutes.
I let my little brother sleep in the truck, I roughed it here.
Same brother waiting on ol Ely to show up.
Ready for business.
Where'd the Chalet go?
I had a little 6 point walk out about 50 yds away, stare at me standing next to the truck, then go about his business and hang out for about 15 minutes.
I let my little brother sleep in the truck, I roughed it here.
Same brother waiting on ol Ely to show up.
Ready for business.
So after hunting last weekend, my brother agreed we could get a lot more use out of this thing as a truck/trailer setup. Thinking what I need to do after the camper comes off. Probably looking at starting this in the next week or so. Going to outfit the truck first, which shouldn't take long. Then take my time on building up the camper.
Truck - Going to need a tailgate, backseat, and soft top. I e-mailed softopper and they're shipping same day usually as orders are placed so I'd be good to go there.
Shouldn't be too hard to source a good truck tailgate and hardware or a decent backseat.
Trailer - Think I'll try to build from the frame up. Think I'll start with an axle and fabricate a frame out of square tubing. We've got a 220v stick welder out here and a steel saw. I've never welded, but my brother is pretty good. Seems like this would be a good project for me to learn.
Found this axle on line. The weight rating is higher than what I need but I want the 8x6.5 bolt pattern. Plus, better to be a little heavier than too light. The question is, instead of using it as a drop axle, can I flip it and use it as a "lift axle" for extra ground clearance?
http://www.amazon.com/Drop-Standard...7?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1289600332&sr=1-67
If not, I'd prob be better off going with a straight axle. As I'd need to wire in a trailer plug, adding electric brakes wouldn't be a big deal.
http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Brak...3?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1289601642&sr=1-43
What kind of tube should I use to frame this thing with?
Truck - Going to need a tailgate, backseat, and soft top. I e-mailed softopper and they're shipping same day usually as orders are placed so I'd be good to go there.
Shouldn't be too hard to source a good truck tailgate and hardware or a decent backseat.
Trailer - Think I'll try to build from the frame up. Think I'll start with an axle and fabricate a frame out of square tubing. We've got a 220v stick welder out here and a steel saw. I've never welded, but my brother is pretty good. Seems like this would be a good project for me to learn.
Found this axle on line. The weight rating is higher than what I need but I want the 8x6.5 bolt pattern. Plus, better to be a little heavier than too light. The question is, instead of using it as a drop axle, can I flip it and use it as a "lift axle" for extra ground clearance?
http://www.amazon.com/Drop-Standard...7?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1289600332&sr=1-67
If not, I'd prob be better off going with a straight axle. As I'd need to wire in a trailer plug, adding electric brakes wouldn't be a big deal.
http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Brak...3?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1289601642&sr=1-43
What kind of tube should I use to frame this thing with?
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So to summarize that last post.
Which axle to use, and what kind of tube do I need for the frame?
Usually I just start tearing things apart and figure it out as I go. Thinking on the trailer it might be a good idea to do some good planning.
Which axle to use, and what kind of tube do I need for the frame?
Usually I just start tearing things apart and figure it out as I go. Thinking on the trailer it might be a good idea to do some good planning.
If your not concerned about weight I would start with a Blazer body that wouid be really cool and easy to do. Building your own to match a Chalet frame would take tons of sheetmetal work.
For an axle I would use a ff14bolt ends weld a straight bar in between them pul off the brakes and be good to go.
For an axle I would use a ff14bolt ends weld a straight bar in between them pul off the brakes and be good to go.
I always thought about using a drop axle flipped for clearance, the only problem is they have a slight arch to them so it's better if you order them for a flipped application.
I have a place here that does anything you want for trailer axles.
Although personally if I am doing this for off road, I would put the same axle as my truck so I have a spare with me at all times.
As for the frame, I would do 2x4 tube .125
I will see who ends up with the finished product first as I am planning on making my extra shell as a drop in camper on a flat bed, but it's going to be a while before I get done.
I will have some storage compartments on the outside where the blazer body used to be.
