77K5. The IronMaiden...9/2 headed for Blazer Bash 20!

[campfire]

Next up was making a sleeping area.
Because I raised the back of the floor 2" to rebuild the rotted out back of the body and gain more fuel volume, I had to bring up the floor for level sleeping with some 2x4's and a sheet of OSB.
Floor area is 6' x 43" and should sleep comfortably with my camper matress and padding/sleeping bags.
Also left a trap door to access the fuel cell.


View attachment 211387 View attachment 211397 View attachment 211398 View attachment 211399

I like it. A whole lot. I feel seriously outgunned here, I have no cool projects going on, nor do I even have many spare parts to bring. I just have a stock truck and a tent. My broken camping truck is mocking me right now. Things could be so much cooler than they are.

I'm a little surprised that you didn't raise the platform up to the top of the wheel wells (like so many folks do) and have under-bed storage space.

 

[campfire]

Ramps look good. I am going to steel that idea some day.

Pun intended?

 

[campfire]

Hay Dave, here's the Pelican Harding case, I was telling you about. No cut-out on the bottom, just grooves. But View attachment 210126 View attachment 210127 View attachment 210128 damn near indestructible.

I like this, too.

 

[76zimmer]

I like it. A whole lot. I feel seriously outgunned here, I have no cool projects going on, nor do I even have many spare parts to bring. I just have a stock truck and a tent. My broken camping truck is mocking me right now. Things could be so much cooler than they are.

I'm a little surprised that you didn't raise the platform up to the top of the wheel wells (like so many folks do) and have under-bed storage space.

I have been meaning to do this with Luke for a few years now...I know the Maiden was far from camp worthy, and I'm not keen on tent camping anymore, so I needed to get this done. I built the cage so the factory top could go on just for this reason...to make it pretty much weather tight. We'll see how well I can make that happen, I don't have the factory tailgate with rollup window on the truck now, so I have to come up with something to seal up that area.

I have that cross bar for the shoulder belts for the rear seats....that would make it impossible for me to get under it, and I don't like trying to crawl over the bar for the front shoulder belts either!

 

[ZooMad75]

Looks sweet Zimm. Might want to sleep with a helmet on though. I'd hate to wake up and proceed to bonk my head on that bar when I sat up. Or at least sleep with your head at the gate.

 

[76zimmer]

hahaha, good thinking....that way when a bear goes to crush my skull in his mouth he will have to work a bit harder for it... LOL!

 

[jekquistk5]

Are you looking for a hard case? I have an extra military case like Adam, and rich have.

 

[76zimmer]

A hard case would nice. I could tie it down without crushing it.
What ya got Jesse?

 

[FOR MUD]

Took out the rear seats and mounting plates today to make room for sleeping and more storage areas.
First up was mounting my new to me CO2 cylinder.
I made a circular mounting ring for the bottom and for now will use a tie down strap to hold it firmly wedged against the cage.
I really need a top ring that is just a bit smaller than the cylinder to be able to clamp it in place.
I also made up a hose to take along.
It fits nicely behind the pass seat.

View attachment 211376

A 20lbs vehicle mount fire extinguisher bracket fit these tanks perfectly. They are bolt on and pull one pin to remove the tank.

 

[jekquistk5]

A hard case would nice. I could tie it down without crushing it.
What ya got Jesse?

I'll send pictures tonight.

 

[Mr.Clean]

wow super cool stuff Dave. I should check out this thread more often

 

[Blue85]

I have that cross bar for the shoulder belts for the rear seats....that would make it impossible for me to get under it, and I don't like trying to crawl over the bar for the front shoulder belts either!

Yeah, the bar is too high to put a bed above it. My platform sits on the wheel wells and I can't sit up in bed. You could also add a (removable) half-platform above that cross bar if you needed the space. However, sleeping for 1 leaves a lot of room and if it's possible to maintain a view out the back that's nice. The cage is a detriment for moving around in the back, but also gives a ton of options for mounting stuff back there. Can you connect stuff to the tubing with electrical supply clamps? Could make for some cool modular stuff.

So you have to move the mattress to add fuel? That certainly impacts how you want gear arranged back there.

Man, full topper and doors....introduce yourself in case I don't recognize your rig (it won't match the picture on my shirt). What are you doing for tailgate and back window? Maybe I missed it.

 

[76zimmer]

A 20lbs vehicle mount fire extinguisher bracket fit these tanks perfectly. They are bolt on and pull one pin to remove the tank.

good to know, thanks for the tip!

I'll send pictures tonight.

that would be great Jesse, I probably won't worry about it this trip but would be good to have it for future use.

wow super cool stuff Dave. I should check out this thread more often

Thanks Nate.... I would think you have time on your hands right now to do so!
Hey how's the healing coming along?

Yeah, the bar is too high to put a bed above it. My platform sits on the wheel wells and I can't sit up in bed. You could also add a (removable) half-platform above that cross bar if you needed the space. However, sleeping for 1 leaves a lot of room and if it's possible to maintain a view out the back that's nice. The cage is a detriment for moving around in the back, but also gives a ton of options for mounting stuff back there. Can you connect stuff to the tubing with electrical supply clamps? Could make for some cool modular stuff.

So you have to move the mattress to add fuel? That certainly impacts how you want gear arranged back there.

Man, full topper and doors....introduce yourself in case I don't recognize your rig (it won't match the picture on my shirt). What are you doing for tailgate and back window? Maybe I missed it.

it's actually decent once I get under the shoulder belts bar.
Lots of room right now but it'll get filled up quickly I'm sure.
Got a Lot of stuff to put back there, including a spare 39.5?
That will be fun! The fuel tank isn't bad to get to as long as I can push stuff off the access door. And it's 30 gallon so that should last a day at least!
I'm not quite sure what to do about the rear window, I'm using the pickup tailgate

 

[76zimmer]

The Maiden gets dressed....hopefully my weatherstrip kits show up today, so I can get the doors put back together!

 

[Blue85]

I like it. A whole lot. I feel seriously outgunned here, I have no cool projects going on, nor do I even have many spare parts to bring.

I think my rig has gotten further from ready about 5 days in a row. Ideally we wouldn't make last minute changes, but nothing makes things happen like deadlines.

Build a bumper dumper?

 

[Blue85]

I'm not quite sure what to do about the rear window, I'm using the pickup tailgat.

You could cut a piece of plexi. Dusty trails are likely and an open back window sucks everything in. I have a screen that shoves into the window channel around the top and sides and has magnets along the bottom. It's packed but I never use it. Probably wouldn't work for driving but you could use it for camping.

 

[campfire]

The Maiden gets dressed....hopefully my weatherstrip kits show up today, so I can get the doors put back together!

View attachment 211525

Wow, that door does need a bunch of scratches in order to match the rest of the truck.

 

[campfire]

I think my rig has gotten further from ready about 5 days in a row. Ideally we wouldn't make last minute changes, but nothing makes things happen like deadlines.

Build a bumper dumper?

Haven't changed anything since last trip (except repairing the broken headlight adjuster). Should I?

My desired equipment will depend on how far from civilization these camping spots are. But my actual equipment will probably be limited to what I already have on hand.

How far from modern toilets are you planning to get? I've been assuming that you can't ever get more than a couple hours from a modern highway, even up there.

 

[Blue85]

Wow, that door does need a bunch of scratches in order to match the rest of the truck.

Should be pretty well blended in a week or so.

How far from modern toilets are you planning to get?

Added some info about this in the trip thread.

 

[76zimmer]

You could cut a piece of plexi. Dusty trails are likely and an open back window sucks everything in. I have a screen that shoves into the window channel around the top and sides and has magnets along the bottom. It's packed but I never use it. Probably wouldn't work for driving but you could use it for camping.

You could cut a piece of plexi. Dusty trails are likely and an open back window sucks everything in. I have a screen that shoves into the window channel around the top and sides and has magnets along the bottom. It's packed but I never use it. Probably wouldn't work for driving but you could use it for camping.

I would like to try the screen you got Luke