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'96? Hawk Shell "Build"


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#1 jeepinjoe

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Posted 21 March 2019 - 06:08 PM

Have been lurking craigslist in CA on and off for a few years looking for the right camper and finally pulled the trigger.

 

Almost missed my moment on this Hawk shell, was helping a buddy install his engine in his rock crawler when I should've went to look at it, but the person looking at it the next morning had a Tacoma and it didn't fit in his truck. I jumped on it, took off from work and had a buddy help me pick it up as I'd just torn my Chevy down for maintenance the day before.

 

mAmisjuh.jpg

 

Here it is on my buddy's Dodge. It was interesting loading a camper for the first time on a truck this tall, but went surprisingly ok.

 

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First unload went pretty well too for doing it by myself. The cable jacks I got with it were not far enough out to clear the tires so the balance wasn't quite right.

 

CL ad photos:

 

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My current setup:

 

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Truck is a 2003 Chevy 1500HD 4x4, 6.0 3.73 gears, and a 4L80e. I wanted a light bare bones 6.5' camper so I didn't have to make too many changes to my pickup and still be able to tow my jeep or our ski boat.

She's a little rough, but short list is:

 

-get it mounted in my pickup

-new lift plate mechanism

-mount a fire extinguisher

-figure out the electrical (seems easy, plug has 2 prongs, probably 12v and g)

-pack some action packers with camper stuff and mount those

-redo the window bungees

-get a toilet and mount it

 

Already learned a bunch reading here and hope to add some value to this board!


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#2 Old Crow

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Posted 21 March 2019 - 08:38 PM

Welcome, jeepinjoe.  Looking forward to your build photos!

 

Now that's an interesting one.  May I ask what you know about the added-on corner-covers on the outside of the roof? 

 

And when you get a chance, can you tell us how you lift and stabilize your roof?  I don't see the normal lift panels...

 

Thanks!

 

.


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'01 FWC Hawk shell on a '13 Tundra Double-Cab  + '19 Ford Transit van with Quigley 4x4 option


#3 jeepinjoe

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Posted 21 March 2019 - 09:01 PM

Welcome, jeepinjoe.  Looking forward to your build photos!

 

Now that's an interesting one.  May I ask what you know about the added-on corner-covers on the outside of the roof? 

 

And when you get a chance, can you tell us how you lift and stabilize your roof?  I don't see the normal lift panels...

 

Thanks!

 

.

 

I didn't get much info from the previous owner.

 

Fortunately though I was at a party with another local wheeler and showed him a photo of my new purchase. Funny enough he used to own this exact camper. I guess he got it as a basket case and sold it to another friend who did the work on it. It supposedly fell out of a truck at one point in its life?

 

Currently the struts pictured hold up the front and the rear of the camper is held up by dowels.

 

It works ok, but my biggest issues with the setup are:

 

-struts are in the sleeping area

-dowels are a pain to put in while holding the roof up

-the roof doesn't come down square so you have to shove it into place

 

hoping a lift plate setup like vwtradbow's or something similar will solve most of these issues.


Edited by jeepinjoe, 21 March 2019 - 09:01 PM.

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#4 BBZ

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Posted 21 March 2019 - 10:00 PM

Good luck with the project.. I bought an old Granby in much worse shape last year and redid it from the frame, was a good time, sort of..

 

Anyhow.. take a look at the conduit lifters that Livning the Dream made.. I copied those and while they were a challenge, they work fantastically.. 

 

Here is the link to my build thread.. might give you an idea or two.. This site is certainly going to help you get what you need to get done!

 

http://www.wanderthe...ect-90s-granby/


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2023 F-150 Scab HDPP + 2013 Grandby Shell +

 

https://www.wanderth...ect-90s-granby/

 

 


#5 longhorn1

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Posted 21 March 2019 - 11:26 PM

Congrats. Happy camping.
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http://texaslonghorns01.blogspot.com/

 

Ford F-250 Long bed, 2014 Grandby

 


#6 Living The Dream

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Posted 22 March 2019 - 09:07 PM

Congrats on the purchase. Looks like a great camper perfect for a bit of fixing up and then go. Lifter like vwtradbow, BBZ, and I did will treat you well. 

 

Let me know if you have additional questions - Tim


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My youtube channel about my Four Wheel Camper - https://www.youtube.com/c/timmorrissey

All about my camper - https://www.tgmorrissey.com/camper

Item I used in my build- http://bit.ly/TGMorrisseyParts


#7 jeepinjoe

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Posted 23 March 2019 - 04:37 PM

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. I have my bachelor party coming up so Jeep prep has taken up most of my shop time.

Really excited to get this thing on my pickup and get going on making those upgrades (don't have a good support to work on it off the truck).

We have a ton of 1" .095 DOM at work that I think I'm going to use. I know it's heavier than the erw but it's a lot free-er.
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#8 jeepinjoe

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Posted 23 April 2019 - 07:39 PM

Just got back from a big trip out in Sand Hollow, Utah for my bachelor party. Didn't destroy my Jeep so time to focus on getting this thing together for weekend trips. 

 

Has anyone used a bolt in D-ring for the turnbuckle mounts? Something like this:

 

https://www.uscargoc...less-Steel-T316

 

 

I don't really want the eye bolts sticking up all the time in my bed when I don't have the camper in.

 

Also I've read a lot about attachment points, I think the all turnbuckles pulling the camper in a big X makes the most sense, but could I just call 4WP, tell them I have a 6.5' Chevy bed and a Hawk and they just tell me exactly where to put my attachment points?

 

Thanks


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#9 Vic Harder

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Posted 24 April 2019 - 06:15 AM

those d-rings look to be "not sturdy enough".  Imnsho.

 

The 4WC supplied eye bolts are very strong, and generally out of the way.  Your rule of thumb on placement will be 6" horizontally from where the matching eyebolt is on the camper, and as far outboard as you can go, and avoid anything below the bed.  


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#10 jeepinjoe

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Posted 05 November 2019 - 05:20 PM

Well, got this thing mounted up in my Chevy after my wedding and its been on since. We have used it a couple times sorta as-is and been making a list of things to fix.

 

We'd bought self inflating camping pads from Costco to use directly on the plywood and they were not comfortable. We upgraded to these tri-fold mattresses from Amazon:

 

https://www.amazon.c...ref_=ast_sto_dp

 

 

They do not fit up in the bed area, but are really comfortable and I like the ease of use. No need to blow anything up or adjust valves. They're also perfect size.

 

Here is my full getup. Truck has 3.73 gears so it doesn't get great MPG, but handles everything without issue.

 

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I had an extra group 27 battery lying around so I pulled the plug from outside the camper into the camper and just have a total loss system right now. All the lights work and it didn't burn down, so stoked on that. Need to build a battery box with a vent to the outside, as well as hook up a disconnect switch, truck power, a 12v outlet, and maybe a solar panel.

 

Took it out to the desert last weekend for the first real long distance trip. Mostly success. We got a Mr Heater Big Buddy for our wedding and that thing rips. I had it cranked for a while before we went to bed and that didn't really do anything as the camper doesn't really keep the heat in well. The next night just left it on low and that was the business. Now I'm thinking I need to add a 20lb propane bottle to my setup and a manifold to run our accessories.

 

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One slight mishap though, I was crawling out over my wife to plug my phone in and as I was about to step down the side support of the slide out bed failed. I was in a position to catch the both of us so no real injury or anything to report. Got the slider board out of the truck for the night and re-arranged to put the second mattress on the floor. Not a big deal, they looked pretty janky anyway (not original).

 

Good side:

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Broken side:

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Wife was still pretty happy with the experience. Much better than a tent. She got to get out of the dirt for a few while she had her tea.

 

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