opinions/advice

[old grey dog]

[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=small]Hi Almost There[/font][/size]

[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=small]Yes the camper is more like a pickup top it rises 45" above the box, nothing extends over the cab, I know I said it had a bit of over cab storage but I was wrong.  I looked for any kind of make or model but can't find anything, I did find a receipt from 1975 so it is at least that old.  Of course my camera needs batteries, will get pics asap.[/font][/size]

[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Yes bankruptcy will be doable once I'm not paying rent.  [/font]

[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]I used to be the service manager at our auto repair shop. They often had vehicles that come in where the cost of repair is more than the vehicle is worth so the person scraps it.  If the vehicle could be repaired by the shop owner paying cost for parts and his mechanics wages he would repair the vehicle and then resell it.  I'm going to talk to him to see if he has a truck coming along, I [/font][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]migh[/font][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]t be able to get a good deal, [/font][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]might[/font][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif] be able to make payments.  Once I'm not paying rent options open up.[/font]

[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]The shop recycles batteries, they get a tote load and a truck comes and pays them $5 per battery.  One day the boss showed up at work and all the batteries had been stolen, the tote had was outside.  Maybe I can talk to the boss and offer security for being able to park on his lot overnight, just brainstorming ideas.

[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]I got an email back from the son's wife and she said she's 99.9 percent sure can have the camper.[/font][/font]

[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Onward[/font]

 

[WriterMs]

On another thread, there had been ideas for putting wood sides between the truck and topper to make the living area taller. Or, someone had elevated a pickup bed topper using side tool boxes. It was on a thread of another member's pickup bed build... sorry I do not remember more but some others here might.

Just a thought in case you would like extra height.

 

[DannyB1954]

wow what area are you in,  around here propane is much cheaper than gas.  in fact I don't believe I have ever seen propane more than gas.  unless maybe if your are talking those exchange bottles.  highdesertranger

Pahrump Nv. Maybe because they have to ship it farther? The price was bulk. take the bottle or RV to them, they pump it in. It has been that way for a few years that I know of. I thought about putting in a propane furnace at the house, ( have a heat pump with electric resistance heater back up). It turned out that electricity was cheaper to use, (per BTU). If I remember propane was about $4 a gallon, electricity was .11 per kilowatt. Hoover dam is not far from here.

 

[DannyB1954]

I am still trying to decide what I will do about a smaller rig, (have 30' Class a, old but good). I went to the tax man and got some bad news. Early part of 2014 I cancelled my health care coverage with my pension plan. My deposits went up considerably. What I didn't realize was they also stopped taking out income tax from my checks, (I always file 0 deductions so I get money back). I went in to the tax prep guy thinking I would get 4 or 5k back. turns out I owe 8K for 2014, and 2015 don't look any better.
I think I may be back to trying to make, (on the cheap), a camper for my flatbed truck.

 

[IGBT]

I am still trying to decide what I will do about a smaller rig, (have 30' Class a, old but good). I went to the tax man and got some bad news. Early part of 2014 I cancelled my health care coverage with my pension plan. My deposits went up considerably. What I didn't realize was they also stopped taking out income tax from my checks, (I always file 0 deductions so I get money back).  I went in to the tax prep guy thinking I would get 4 or 5k back. turns out I owe 8K for 2014, and 2015 don't look any better.
I think I may be back to trying to make, (on the cheap), a camper for my flatbed truck.

I can't see any way you can make a cheap camper for a flatbed truck that will last any significant length of time.  We scratch built a flatbed truck camper and spent as much or more than what something like a new Lance 2015 model costs.

There are just no cheap materials and fasteners out there.  Even a wood frame with aluminum siding (probably the cheapest) would cost you more for the shell than you can buy a used factory built truck camper.

Now will the factory built truck camper be shit quality?  Certainly so.  That is why it is cheap used.

Van, box truck or pull behind cargo trailer are the way to go if you want cheap and not horrible quality.

 

[highdesertranger]

wow propane 4 bucks a gallon in Pahrump, last year I paid 2.80 in Tonopah and I thought that was high. thanks for chiming in IGBT. highdesertranger

 

[DannyB1954]

Even a wood frame with aluminum siding (probably the cheapest) would cost you more for the shell than you can buy a used factory built truck camper.

The problem with used truck campers is the weight. Most old units need a 3/4 or 1 ton. Mine is a 1/2 ton. Here is an interesting design. Here is more detail on the build He starts building the frame about the 3 minute mark. I have also been looking at gypsy wagon or Vardo designs. They had about a hundred years to figure out how to build something strong and light.

For a 7'x7' shed 7' tall, the bends might need to be tighter. Maybe even steam bent. I will not be full timing in it, but having an insulated space that could be heated or cooled out of the sun and rain would be nice.

wow propane 4 bucks a gallon in Pahrump

That was a couple of years back . The propane here is now $3.35 gal. Unleaded gasoline is $2.65

 

[BC Guy]

[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]I got an email back from the son's wife and she said she's 99.9 percent sure can have the camper.[/font]

If that does not work out, I see that there is a free camper in Coquitlam.
http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/pml/zip/5185306474.html

 

[DannyB1954]

With Craigslist, if it is a great deal it goes fast. Here is a video of a buying tip that will let you be one of the first to find the deals. .

Another thing that happens is if the seller gets more than one or two calls, they figure that they didn't ask enough so they pull the add. You call and they say it is sold, or they decided not to sell. A week or two later you will see the same vehicle at a higher price.

 

[Willy]

Looks like more 'n more people from BC showing up every day! Anyway, propane is MUCH cheaper than gasoline up here, $0.74/L vs $115/L in Abbotsford. The discrepancy is even greater in the Okanagan, where I just came from and, even tho you're generally getting less HP after the conversion, it's still considerably cheaper to run. For example, the '85 Grumman step van I currently live in (350 Chev, 3 spd TH400, duallies, 14' box, propane powered) ends up costing somewhat less to run than my '92 F250 w. contractor canopy (351W, 4sp auto, fuel injected). It's also HUGE and can carry considerably more.

BC is a great place to drive an LPG powered vehicle, with near every town having at least one station I can fill up at. There are also side benefits to running LPG, such as increased engine longevity and easier starting vs a carburetor.





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