31 replies to this topic

[pods8]

Was tired of not having a camper, with the flatbed I can drop whatever on my rig so I grabbed an 82' grandby the other day.  Initial plans are just the down and dirty: wire in battery, get some jack brackets on it, install tiedowns, rebuild door (flimsy) and patch the liner cracks.  Ideally get the family out some more.  In tent mode we just weren't doing it often.

 

To answer the likely question from some.  Yes I still have the one I was building, no its not done, haven't touched it in a long while.  Long story.  Goal is to get this one up and running and perhaps that'll revive the life in that project.

 

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Pods not a bad idea really. Easy enough to use and you must have gotten a good deal.

Whats is look like inside?

Frank

[ski3pin]

Congrats on the new camper! Hope it does help getting you and the family out much more often. Best of luck with the project!

[pods8]

Thanks.

 

Its basic, dated but functional-ish and most importantly can sleep 3 kids down low (yes crowded up there are 3 spaces at least). 

 

I happen to have pile of camper parts if I am so inclined to make it less basic. But initially if it holds the basic gear already and is a known dry/comfortable space to crash for the night that will remove some of the hurdles.  

 

[DavidGraves]

Build some simple storage boxes on either side and get gone camping !

 

Nothing at all wrong from where I sit.....I envy you all the room.

 

David Graves 

Edited by DavidGraves, 11 July 2017 - 05:44 PM.

[PokyBro]

Nice find Pods, and looks like the cookie crunchers are loving it too. Boy, if you could bottle all that happy up, they're showing, that'll be one nice camping trip. Bet you won't have any trouble with that at all.

 

That Grandby looks to be in pretty good shape as well!

 

Congrats!

[pods8]

Yeah they are pretty jacked up about it, the boys don't remember camping in the hawk when they were younger.  They also are impatient with the concept I have to fix a few things before we can run out and use it.

 

Its hit and miss as you'd expect from a 35yr old camper.  The upholstery and curtain items are in decent shape for their age.  Door you can tell all the welds are cracked, I'll have to make a new structural core and put the framing back together around it (common).  Front of the side liner is more cracked up than I hoped but I'll goop it for the moment and then make a new sideliner once I make some other decisions.  Front lift panel is just a board now (common).  Roof is dimpled up pretty good but looks leak free.  Fuse block is corroded up so I'll rip that out and rig an inline for the moment (its just lights right now anyways).  Cabover is replaced but with vinyl coated chip board so that will need to get ripped back out and fixed properly.  I noticed a little wall flex but assumed (and confirmed it when peeling back some of the paneling) the person that changed the cabover board didn't put the wood rails back into the top of the aluminum frame.  I need to add some rails inside to support the bed extension cushion piece but at least that piece is still with the camper.

 

Other than that it doesn't have a water tank (no biggie right now) or furnace (also not a big deal at the moment, I have one in the garage if needed).  Wife wants a powered fan in it sooner than later so I need to see if I can snake a wire from one of the lights short term.

 

I'd like to knock out the quick and dirty items so its deemed suitable for a family trip and then see if we can squeeze in an early Aug trip to SW CO and Utah before the kids go back to school.  The next week will make/break most of that thought process.  Juggling a lot at once at the moment (and last few years).

[Squatch]

Glad to see you are still around. I understand stalled projects well.

[DavidGraves]

Hi Pods8

 

I have to ask....

 

Did you fasten the Grandby to your truck deck directly thru the bottom of the camper ?

 

I have been pondering whether that would hold up as well from a structural point of view.

 

I have in mind doing that with a Hawk.

 

David Graves

[shellback]

Yeah they are pretty jacked up about it, the boys don't remember camping in the hawk when they were younger.  They also are impatient with the concept I have to fix a few things before we can run out and use it.

 

Its hit and miss as you'd expect from a 35yr old camper.  The upholstery and curtain items are in decent shape for their age.  Door you can tell all the welds are cracked, I'll have to make a new structural core and put the framing back together around it (common).  Front of the side liner is more cracked up than I hoped but I'll goop it for the moment and then make a new sideliner once I make some other decisions.  Front lift panel is just a board now (common).  Roof is dimpled up pretty good but looks leak free.  Fuse block is corroded up so I'll rip that out and rig an inline for the moment (its just lights right now anyways).  Cabover is replaced but with vinyl coated chip board so that will need to get ripped back out and fixed properly.  I noticed a little wall flex but assumed (and confirmed it when peeling back some of the paneling) the person that changed the cabover board didn't put the wood rails back into the top of the aluminum frame.  I need to add some rails inside to support the bed extension cushion piece but at least that piece is still with the camper.

 

Other than that it doesn't have a water tank (no biggie right now) or furnace (also not a big deal at the moment, I have one in the garage if needed).  Wife wants a powered fan in it sooner than later so I need to see if I can snake a wire from one of the lights short term.

 

I'd like to knock out the quick and dirty items so its deemed suitable for a family trip and then see if we can squeeze in an early Aug trip to SW CO and Utah before the kids go back to school.  The next week will make/break most of that thought process.  Juggling a lot at once at the moment (and last few years).

 

Yeah they are pretty jacked up about it, the boys don't remember camping in the hawk when they were younger.  They also are impatient with the concept I have to fix a few things before we can run out and use it.

 

Its hit and miss as you'd expect from a 35yr old camper.  The upholstery and curtain items are in decent shape for their age.  Door you can tell all the welds are cracked, I'll have to make a new structural core and put the framing back together around it (common).  Front of the side liner is more cracked up than I hoped but I'll goop it for the moment and then make a new sideliner once I make some other decisions.  Front lift panel is just a board now (common).  Roof is dimpled up pretty good but looks leak free.  Fuse block is corroded up so I'll rip that out and rig an inline for the moment (its just lights right now anyways).  Cabover is replaced but with vinyl coated chip board so that will need to get ripped back out and fixed properly.  I noticed a little wall flex but assumed (and confirmed it when peeling back some of the paneling) the person that changed the cabover board didn't put the wood rails back into the top of the aluminum frame.  I need to add some rails inside to support the bed extension cushion piece but at least that piece is still with the camper.

 

Other than that it doesn't have a water tank (no biggie right now) or furnace (also not a big deal at the moment, I have one in the garage if needed).  Wife wants a powered fan in it sooner than later so I need to see if I can snake a wire from one of the lights short term.

 

I'd like to knock out the quick and dirty items so its deemed suitable for a family trip and then see if we can squeeze in an early Aug trip to SW CO and Utah before the kids go back to school.  The next week will make/break most of that thought process.  Juggling a lot at once at the moment (and last few years).

See my post in the camping and outdoor gear forum. This is Amazon Prime Day, and I picked up a $300 plus Fantastic fan for $210!  Also I have a water tank out of my 79 Grandby you could have for the cost of shipping.