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Full build - Reconstructing a 1981 Grandby into a custom Hawk!


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#11 Vic Harder

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Posted 13 April 2016 - 06:04 AM

Basically, I cut off the front wall, under the cab over bed, shortened the length of the camper body by one foot, and reattached the front wall with L-brackets until I was ready to have it welded. (More on the welding later). That gave me a 36 inch bed over the cab, and it will have a 1 foot slide out inside for a total of 48 inch width by 78 inch length for the cab over bed.

 

I've wondered about the size of the bed myself.  I'd love to not have to pull out the bed at all, AND have it be wider than 48" for sleeping two shorter folks East/West.  Have you thought of making the bed wider (even 6" would be nice - even though it is not quite Queen Size) and having cabinets under the over hang?


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#12 billharr

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Posted 13 April 2016 - 03:31 PM

I've wondered about the size of the bed myself.  I'd love to not have to pull out the bed at all, AND have it be wider than 48" for sleeping two shorter folks East/West.  Have you thought of making the bed wider (even 6" would be nice - even though it is not quite Queen Size) and having cabinets under the over hang?

I sold my old 2002 Hawk short over hang and got a 2013 Hawk, long over hang.  Just because we wanted not to have to pull out the bed. We have found that pulling the bed out 6 inches and sliding the mattress out will give the person in the front enough room to use all of the 48" mattress and not hit the lift panels.  Room to hang your arm out. 

 

IF FWC makes a Hawk with the deep queen size over hang they use on the newer flat bed models I will be in line for one. Yes I know the camper might be 4 inches higher. That would also allow us to sit at the dinette for a quick lunch in bad weather without lifting the top. 

 

Tom/Stan are you reading????


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#13 PokyBro

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Posted 14 April 2016 - 01:36 AM

ImageUploadedByWander The West1460589444.823025.jpg ImageUploadedByWander The West1460589489.842854.jpg ImageUploadedByWander The West1460589529.243309.jpg

To answer Vic's question, I was pretty decided from the start to do a pull out inside. I have a 48 inch wide mattress from the donor camper, that's in good shape, and I do like the extra room of 48 inches, vs just 36 inches for top bunk, especially if there's two people. The bottom bunk is about 30 inches, and will be just right for one person to sleep comfortably.

A few more photos.....

The frame back from the welder.........and looking good!

A few modifications to say the least, from the original Grandby.

Added two extra 1 inch tubes to both the top of the frame and the bottom. This provides for extra height for the top bunk, and the extra 2 inches on the bottom was necessary to clear the side rails on my pickup. This collectively gave me four more inches of standing room height inside.

Yard is looking a little messy, wish I had thought of that when I took the photos. Oops😬 But you know, a guys needs his project place around the house, right?

You may have noticed the "organ donor" camper. Anyhow, more progress.


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1999 F250 crew cab SRW, 7.3 Powerstroke TD

1981 Grandby shortened to a Hawk

Build thread / https://www.wanderth...by-into-a-hawk/

 


#14 ski3pin

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Posted 14 April 2016 - 02:06 AM

Ambitious project and keep up the good work! Thanks for photo documenting, we love projects like this. :)  


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#15 Bill D

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Posted 14 April 2016 - 04:02 AM

Whenever I see ambitious projects like this I imagine how fun and self satisfying they must be...

and then I think how much I enjoy just jumping in my Hawk and going camping  :)

 

Good luck on the build.  It looks like you are off to a great start.  Keep posting pics, it should help keep you motivated to progress with the build.


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#16 PokyBro

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Posted 15 April 2016 - 12:04 AM

Thanks so much for the compliments and encouragement ski and Bill.

I have to agree with Bill, on both sides. There is a lot of satisfaction in building and creating, so yes, there is an element of fun in this project. But, as you might guess, it is a time consuming prospect for sure. The other side of just getting in your rig and heading out, is the carrot I'm working hard for, and can't wait!


More photos:ImageUploadedByWander The West1460677819.738400.jpg ImageUploadedByWander The West1460677867.640046.jpg


The floor pack was completed, and installed, the underside painted with marine exterior paint.


ImageUploadedByWander The West1460678155.644726.jpg ImageUploadedByWander The West1460678211.231957.jpg

It was my good fortune to find three new radius Windows to replace the square ones I was going to use, at a screaming good price of $60.00!

A guy on Craigslist was just looking for someone to take them off his hands to get them out of his garage. With only minor adjustments to what I had set up originally, and had been welded, they were set up for installation. Totally changed how the camper will look, and definitely not so aged. Yahoo! I was soooo happy about that!


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Edited by PokyBro, 18 May 2016 - 05:00 AM.

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1999 F250 crew cab SRW, 7.3 Powerstroke TD

1981 Grandby shortened to a Hawk

Build thread / https://www.wanderth...by-into-a-hawk/

 


#17 ski3pin

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Posted 15 April 2016 - 12:11 AM

Score and looking good! Got to have that carrot! ;)


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#18 takesiteasy

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Posted 15 April 2016 - 12:30 AM

Great find on the windows!


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#19 longhorn1

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Posted 15 April 2016 - 12:32 AM

Great job

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#20 PokyBro

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Posted 15 April 2016 - 01:19 AM

ImageUploadedByWander The West1460682861.498065.jpg ImageUploadedByWander The West1460682912.914454.jpg

I came up with a simple way to put a radius in the window framing, by stapling in a piece of plastic strap, with solid foam insulation as a backer.

This would be necessary once the paneling goes in and window opening are routered out.


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1999 F250 crew cab SRW, 7.3 Powerstroke TD

1981 Grandby shortened to a Hawk

Build thread / https://www.wanderth...by-into-a-hawk/

 





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