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Custom interior build in Bison overland shell

#bisonoverland #flatbed

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#11 Ray chill821

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Posted 20 October 2020 - 01:31 AM

To be fair, there are people that don't know anything about building that make overlanding rigs. If Drew and his partner felt confident enough in their skills and their product to invest in a business, I'm going to trust them more than YouTuber123 building out a van lol. Plus, its a camper shell...not a space satellite
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#12 Karlton

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Posted 20 October 2020 - 06:52 PM

It all has to start somewhere, and there is always room for improvement.  Shoot, how many of us are swapping out the old plastic drain valve on our FWCs?  Best with your investment, and I know folks will be keen to see your progress.


Edited by Karlton, 20 October 2020 - 06:53 PM.

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#13 LuckyDan

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Posted 20 October 2020 - 08:12 PM

As you have taken the plunge, good luck with your research and planning for the interior. As previously stated, there is a lot of build stuff here and I too hope to see a post(s) of plan and execution.
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#14 Ray chill821

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Posted 21 October 2020 - 12:02 AM

Definitely! I appreciate the feedback and will keep everyone posted :)
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#15 WillTheThri11

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Posted 26 October 2020 - 08:16 PM

Out of curiosity, what "amenities" come with the shell and/or what options have your ordered(is there an electrical system, etc...)?  What vehicle will you be pairing it with?

 

The FWC flatbed starts at $29k but they don't offer a shell option so I see how Bison is filling in a gap there, was there another appeal over getting a FWC?  You may save some money building it how you like, but you now also have to be the designer, engineer and technician of a one of a kind camper.

 

My advice is keep weight toward the front, make storage accessible and think about how and where you will use it.  Make a list of things qualities you care about (privacy, comfort, style, indoor vs. outdoor space, hauling recreational gear like bikes or kayaks, etc...), then how and where you plan to use it (weekends, multi-week or drive around the world....summer, winter) then list what you want to include (fridge, stove, sink, heater, hot water, shower, etc...) then decide how to implement each one based on the qualities you want from the camper and the intended use cases...write it all down....probably on spreadsheets and get ready for this to consume your life and for you to wonder if you shoulda paid the extra ~$9k to FWC for an already built out camper....BUT, keep your eye on the prize, you'll be left with a unique, custom camper that meets your needs better than any "factory" camper could.

 

I have a standard galley style FWC and many people really prefer the dinette option.  I think I would like it too, but with the galley we have just enough room for the dogs to hang out inside and then enough room for them to sleep downstairs at night.  This flat out wouldn't work with a front or side dinette unfortunately (the dogs are not small).


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#16 Ray chill821

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Posted 27 October 2020 - 03:09 AM

Out of curiosity, what "amenities" come with the shell and/or what options have your ordered(is there an electrical system, etc...)?  What vehicle will you be pairing it with?
 
The FWC flatbed starts at $29k but they don't offer a shell option so I see how Bison is filling in a gap there, was there another appeal over getting a FWC?  You may save some money building it how you like, but you now also have to be the designer, engineer and technician of a one of a kind camper.
 
My advice is keep weight toward the front, make storage accessible and think about how and where you will use it.  Make a list of things qualities you care about (privacy, comfort, style, indoor vs. outdoor space, hauling recreational gear like bikes or kayaks, etc...), then how and where you plan to use it (weekends, multi-week or drive around the world....summer, winter) then list what you want to include (fridge, stove, sink, heater, hot water, shower, etc...) then decide how to implement each one based on the qualities you want from the camper and the intended use cases...write it all down....probably on spreadsheets and get ready for this to consume your life and for you to wonder if you shoulda paid the extra ~$9k to FWC for an already built out camper....BUT, keep your eye on the prize, you'll be left with a unique, custom camper that meets your needs better than any "factory" camper could.
 
I have a standard galley style FWC and many people really prefer the dinette option.  I think I would like it too, but with the galley we have just enough room for the dogs to hang out inside and then enough room for them to sleep downstairs at night.  This flat out wouldn't work with a front or side dinette unfortunately (the dogs are not small).



electrical comes with the package thankfully. Solar prepped as well. So I have to build my dinette, kitchen,and storage. FWC had a wait time of 15 months, plus the idea of building it is a challenge I'm willing to take on.
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#17 Kolockum

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Posted 27 October 2020 - 11:46 PM

the idea of building it is a challenge I'm willing to take on.

 

That's the spirit. My eagle is on it's last legs and I think within the next few years I will make my own camper.


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#18 Totemo_Hayai

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Posted 14 December 2020 - 06:27 AM

I have Bison #1, I'll start a build thread for it shortly. I've completed most of the interior build at this point, but finer details and revisions remain. There is also a lot of work to do under the flatbed.

 

I went with the Bison because they were willing to build it to be only 79" wide which allows me to park it on the street where I live. I also really like the placement of the door being very far forward which allows for a large rear dinette. Six adults can comfortably hang out inside the camper while still having space for a fridge, sink, cooktop, and porta potty. I was hoping to save some money versus buying an FWC Hawk Flatbed, but in the end I think I spent the same amount of money and had to spend a couple hundred hours building it out. I do have better electrical components than are available from FWC, but still no plumbing.

 

You will also get a lot of people curious about your rig with one of these. One of the people that came by to talk about it while I was skiing today suggested I join here. So here I am.

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Edited by Totemo_Hayai, 14 December 2020 - 06:34 AM.

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#19 Kolockum

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Posted 15 December 2020 - 04:44 AM

I have Bison #1, I'll start a build thread for it shortly. I've completed most of the interior build at this point, but finer details and revisions remain. There is also a lot of work to do under the flatbed.

 

I went with the Bison because they were willing to build it to be only 79" wide which allows me to park it on the street where I live. I also really like the placement of the door being very far forward which allows for a large rear dinette. Six adults can comfortably hang out inside the camper while still having space for a fridge, sink, cooktop, and porta potty. I was hoping to save some money versus buying an FWC Hawk Flatbed, but in the end I think I spent the same amount of money and had to spend a couple hundred hours building it out. I do have better electrical components than are available from FWC, but still no plumbing.

 

You will also get a lot of people curious about your rig with one of these. One of the people that came by to talk about it while I was skiing today suggested I join here. So here I am.

 

Welcome to the forum and we are certainly looking forward to a build thread with a Bison


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#20 longhorn1

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Posted 15 December 2020 - 02:23 PM

I think Drew has a quality product. He is dedicated to building a superior product. I think a time will come where you can get a custom interior build. I met Drew at RMFWC when he was picking up his FWC in 2018 and we have kept in touch. He is very passionate about building a quality camper. He is all about quality. There is a nitch for a flatbed shell.
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