Awesome! Make it how you want...thouseds of times better than any tent!
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
'91 K5 Four Wheel Camper
This is the build for my 1991 V1500 Blazer, AKA the K5.3. It started out life being sold to the U.S. Government with a 350 TBI/700r4/241 combo. 4 years with a 5.3/700r4 Combo and now moving to an 8.1L Vortec and NV4500 5-speed.
No mold. Thank goodness. The pop up section needs a really good scrub but outside of the swelled particle board it wasn't bad. Mainly dingy and dirty and needing an update.
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2000
- Posts
- 1,695
- Reaction score
- 2,115
Sweet! You guys aren't letting any grass grow under your feet! Glad you're making quicker progress with the camper than the exhaust 
In due time on the exhaust. I'm going to have to take an afternoon off to get over and talk to the guy. Been too crazy to pull it off since I had one advisor flake out and quit.Sweet! You guys aren't letting any grass grow under your feet! Glad you're making quicker progress with the camper than the exhaust
great trip Rob...looks like an awesome overlanding adventure. Keep posting contruction pics of the camper if you can, I might be building one from scratch someday and need some good advice!
Thanks Zimmer! It was a fun run for sure. I'm ready to go again, but as Larry keeps busting my balls over, the exhaust needs to be remedied prior to another trip. It's the only problem I'm having now, but I can predict if I'm running over 3 hours to expect it. Problem is anywhere we want to go wheeling it's about 3 hours to go to get there. Plus I'm tired of being "that guy" holding up the group.
There will be more pics of the camper build up for sure. Probably not this weekend though since we have family and friends coming to town to play at the lake near us. So the Blazer will probably be put into service as mule for beer and snacks on the shore. Back on the camper though, I've got some ideas to really make it for me that should make it pretty cool. Brown Santa should be dropping off the stuff needed to redo the electrical system over the scary 30 year old garbage. I'll have plenty of USB charge ports for GoPros, phones and the Ipad. A master 12v switch will allow a main point to power up the camper or shut it down so the load isn't constant on the aux battery. LED lights are going to replace the existing units to gain a lower power draw and higher output too. Still need to figure out what to do to the torn up headliner and will probably install better insulation in the roof while it's down. The passenger side still needs the shag carpet removed and we will be reproducing the bench seat framework out of more robust material than the particle board FWC used. Totally looking forward to the use of the camper. It should be so nice to park, level and pop the lid up and crack a cold one open in less than 5 minutes.
thanks for the details Rob....I'm concerned with structure at this point....looks like you have some aluminum framing in there in areas, others wood?
I'm looking to build a slidein for my CC, and angle back inline from the windshield to keep the aerodynamics flowing over the unit. building a strong enough "overhang" to sleep on is a big concern! Keep up the great work brother!
I'm looking to build a slidein for my CC, and angle back inline from the windshield to keep the aerodynamics flowing over the unit. building a strong enough "overhang" to sleep on is a big concern! Keep up the great work brother!
The frame in a four wheel camper is aluminum. The blazer version is unique as the floor is separate. So the only wood in the structure is where the frame meets the bedsides. The floor of the cab-over and wall to the back of the cab were particleboard originally but we've got plywood going back in.
Support for the cab-over is a big concern so beyond the 5/8" and 1/2" plywood we doubled up, we will probably add some 1" square steel stringers underneath the floor front to back. Interlock them with the top of the back of the cab wall and we should have enough Support.
One of the key things that make this a much different setup than a traditional slide in camper is technically part of the body and does not flex independent to the cab like Larry's truck does. It's pretty rigid. Once the back wall of the cab goes in it will become even more so.
Tony Vickers
1/2 ton status
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2016
- Posts
- 128
- Reaction score
- 44
Can't wait to see some pics!
Can't wait to get moving further on it. Pics will happen for sure.
Are there a lot of camper purists?
Martin
Martin
Probably not around this site. Wander the west, probably does. Haven't posted an update over there. Not sure what might happen.
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2000
- Posts
- 1,695
- Reaction score
- 2,115
Those dudes on Wander The West are purists and FWC groupies. If you have something other than a FWC they don’t want anything to do with you on that site. Phuck’em dudes. Probably a lot of good info there though.
Ironically, Zoomads old FWC was built by the father of the guy that built my camper (Robbie Rowe of Phoenix Popup Campers). Robby Rowes dad was the founder of FWC where he sold it during a divorce and FWC moved to Woodlawn, CA under new ownership. Mr. Rowe moved to NC and continued to produce Tiger campers, which were a fiberglass camper that replaced the truck bed to give a true passthrough camper. When Robby became of age and financially stable enough to open his own business he created Phoenix Popup Campers, which are built with the original formula of the FWC. The old FWC like Zoomad's actually have more in common with my Phoenix than it does with a new FWC. The new FWC are pretty much cookie cutter campers where they fit everything but fit nothing well. They won’t do anything special for anybody outside of their cookie cutter recipe and I suspect it will only get worse now that an investment company purchased FWC this past year. When investment companies buy a solid manufacturing business that is usually the beginning of the end of a great product as they like to streamline everything and cost engineer products to death. Basically, cheapen them up to fatten their wallets and suck the value out before the resell the company again. If anybody would like a new aluminum framed camper custom made for any vehicle contact Phoenix Popup. Piss on modern day Four Wheel Campers and Wander the West
Ironically, Zoomads old FWC was built by the father of the guy that built my camper (Robbie Rowe of Phoenix Popup Campers). Robby Rowes dad was the founder of FWC where he sold it during a divorce and FWC moved to Woodlawn, CA under new ownership. Mr. Rowe moved to NC and continued to produce Tiger campers, which were a fiberglass camper that replaced the truck bed to give a true passthrough camper. When Robby became of age and financially stable enough to open his own business he created Phoenix Popup Campers, which are built with the original formula of the FWC. The old FWC like Zoomad's actually have more in common with my Phoenix than it does with a new FWC. The new FWC are pretty much cookie cutter campers where they fit everything but fit nothing well. They won’t do anything special for anybody outside of their cookie cutter recipe and I suspect it will only get worse now that an investment company purchased FWC this past year. When investment companies buy a solid manufacturing business that is usually the beginning of the end of a great product as they like to streamline everything and cost engineer products to death. Basically, cheapen them up to fatten their wallets and suck the value out before the resell the company again. If anybody would like a new aluminum framed camper custom made for any vehicle contact Phoenix Popup. Piss on modern day Four Wheel Campers and Wander the West
Camper work day.
John and Shane got some done before I got there. The entire passenger side wood section was replaced with 5/8" plywood.
IMG_20170909_172350175 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
We doubled up the wood on the drivers side for the floor of the cabinet.
IMG_20170909_172354905 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Most importantly we were able to cut a replacement panel for the front wall of the camper to the cab. 5/8" thick, stapled and screwed into the frame and floor. We did add an oak block to gusset the corner between the cab-over floor and the front wall. We then added back in the aluminum angle that the factory capped the inside joint between the front cab wall and cab-over floor. The camper is now rigid again. The side walls are tied to the front wall and no longer move independently.
IMG_20170909_191516905 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
We cut the opening for the pass through larger than the original was. Main reason being the narrow opening on the stock panel on the driver's side blocked my seat from tilting back when it is in the rear most position. (which is exactly where it's comfy for me to drive, of course)
IMG_20170909_191559917 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Passenger front corner. We will be adding more oak blocking in the horizontal and vertical corners here so that the joints have additional support.
IMG_20170909_191608145 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Driver's side front corner. Again, corner gusset blocks are to be added here as well. The access panel that was for the business end of the 3-way fridge is going to be retained. One for camper to bed rail bolt access. Second, the main fuse panel will be located here. I'll be able to access it from the inside or through the outside panel.
IMG_20170909_191613533 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
The begininng of the the rearmost part of the cabinet.
IMG_20170909_191620794 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
John and Shane got some done before I got there. The entire passenger side wood section was replaced with 5/8" plywood.
IMG_20170909_172350175 by Rob Zulian, on FlickrWe doubled up the wood on the drivers side for the floor of the cabinet.
IMG_20170909_172354905 by Rob Zulian, on FlickrMost importantly we were able to cut a replacement panel for the front wall of the camper to the cab. 5/8" thick, stapled and screwed into the frame and floor. We did add an oak block to gusset the corner between the cab-over floor and the front wall. We then added back in the aluminum angle that the factory capped the inside joint between the front cab wall and cab-over floor. The camper is now rigid again. The side walls are tied to the front wall and no longer move independently.
IMG_20170909_191516905 by Rob Zulian, on FlickrWe cut the opening for the pass through larger than the original was. Main reason being the narrow opening on the stock panel on the driver's side blocked my seat from tilting back when it is in the rear most position. (which is exactly where it's comfy for me to drive, of course)
IMG_20170909_191559917 by Rob Zulian, on FlickrPassenger front corner. We will be adding more oak blocking in the horizontal and vertical corners here so that the joints have additional support.
IMG_20170909_191608145 by Rob Zulian, on FlickrDriver's side front corner. Again, corner gusset blocks are to be added here as well. The access panel that was for the business end of the 3-way fridge is going to be retained. One for camper to bed rail bolt access. Second, the main fuse panel will be located here. I'll be able to access it from the inside or through the outside panel.
IMG_20170909_191613533 by Rob Zulian, on FlickrThe begininng of the the rearmost part of the cabinet.
IMG_20170909_191620794 by Rob Zulian, on Flickr
For obvious reasons I am really liking this thread right now!
I just picked this up today.
I just picked this up today.
Excellent! I saw your new build thread on it. If you paid what the guy wanted on craigslist I think it was a decent deal. If you worked him down even better.
By all means use the pics and info I've figured out here to help you. If you got questions let me know.
By all means use the pics and info I've figured out here to help you. If you got questions let me know.
Again, great stuff Rob. Keep up the good work!
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2000
- Posts
- 1,695
- Reaction score
- 2,115
Looks great! It would be tempting to reskin the outside while you're there and get a modern black frame window with curved corners. Phx uses sheet fiberglass on the exterior. Looks so much better than corrugated aluminum...lighter too
Tony Vickers
1/2 ton status
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2016
- Posts
- 128
- Reaction score
- 44
