Popup Camper to enclosed travel trailer concept.

[XERTYX]

So I scour and scour thru craigslist looking for cheap popups. This being the summer season they're fetching a higher price but occasionally I can find them for a couple hundred bucks that needs new canvas etc.

I've been dreaming of building one out for years and the time is upon me now.

I'm open to suggestions of makes and models that have low resale values as I wont be using it as a popup but installing walls. 

I saw one once where they did exactly this but they only had one slideout left in the build and I want to do the same thing. The only difference is the slideout for mine wouldn't be a sleeping platform. It would simply be dry storage for clothes etc. So I wouldnt need to reinforce it as much as the other builder did. He designed his for the weight of 2 adults if I remember correctly and I'd never be carrying that much weight on the platform.

My idea is this. Buy a crap popup and strip it. Remove the front slideout. Box in the rear slideout and reinforce it. Put in the 4 walls. And build out the inside.

Looking at a camper that's been for sale on CL for a while I realized I had no idea of the inner dimensions so rather than plan after I finally get my hands on one I decided to look for its floor plan online. 

I found a different year models floorplan online and it listed specs about length width etc but looking at the drawing and adding the values together I found it was shorter than their listing. So I assumed those were outer dimensions from the tongue to the bumper.

So I added the bed slideouts dimensions together and did some measuring of my mattress. 

In the attached pic you will see the rear bed slideout is 77"X48" the front is 77"X70" the slideouts arent quite as wide as the interior of the camper.

My mattress is 78"X58" so a perfect fit crossways. So I started drawing up a floorplan of what i want to have and brainstorming where things should go for even weight distribution and access thru the side such as for a freshwater connection and venting of the battery compartment. 

Then I made a rough sketch of my floorplan. Dont laugh at it. I made it on a cell phone so it's not perfect. And I'm no artist. Things aren't quite to scale as I dont have a CAD program just a rough estimation. There would obviously be tweaks to be made here and there and this is just a rough draft plan.

The picture doesnt list where I'd have the refrigerator, water tank, or batteries located but I have those on paper and I'll try and use the picture as a template and make another image of those plans. 

 

[B and C]

Just as a reminder seeing how far this extends past the back; you want 60% of your weight in front of the wheels. That looks tail heavy.

 

[XERTYX]

Hmm. Ok good to know. The water tank and grey/black water tanks would be to the front but I had planned the batteries under the bed. I'll have to look at where I can relocate them. And the slideout would be pulled in when traveling and have very little weight stored within.

 

[Doubleone]

Build it super light...  The frame, axle, and tires were intended for basically a tent with some thin aluminum sides.  Most of the folks converting tent trailers into hard sides are doing "foamies", a composite of thin wood and foam walls covered with glue saturated fabric.  It's an interesting and efficient build process.  Lots of good info over at http://www.tnttt.com/viewforum.php?f=55&sid=e52c5926478fa3a2bb3bfd1ff5180059

 

[bullfrog]

One of the most common complaints I have heard from owners of older pop up tent trailers was short life of the small tires especially if the trailer was loaded. I would look at some of their forums for ways to improve the situation before making it heavier.

 

[XERTYX]

All good ideas. I do plan on keeping the build lightweight. I was thinking of covering the outside in some sort of vinyl panels or similar. I'd want to keep the roof and bottom intact. Strip the inside mostly add insulation to the walls and use a very thin paneling of some sort. Mobile home interior paneling is fairly lightweight.

I just cant wrap my mind around some idiot being able to punch a hole thru my house and steal my stuff. I dont think I'll build it out of foam. I'm thinking of trimming down everything I can for weight and building the cabinets bed frame and drawers from the lightest materials I can find.

I'm still in the idea stage ATM and I welcome all input.

As far as tires I stumbled across a video where a similar trailer was being converted to a travel trailer and tractor supply had some robust tires with bigger rims that were the same pattern and replaced. But his next video after the tire install was of where it sat when he went to sleep and where it wasnt when he woke up. Some idiot stole it in the night.

 

[XERTYX]

This is how I'd imagine the slideout in the back. Obviously this sketch doesnt show the structure just how I plan to insulate it.

You'll notice a lip at top of the rear end of the slideout. That would be to prevent rain from entering the trailer during travel. It would fit under an overhang on the roof and I'd have to design some sort of silicone gasket for both the rear in the out position and the front in the in position. 

In addition to the rollers for the slideout base the top where it enters the trailer I'd put rollers on a track on either side for structural integrity and ease of opening.

The storage box would be built inside of the outer box and insulated on all 5 sides of the cube leaving an open front into the interior cabin. I'm not sure yet if I'd want a door covering it or simple cargo net.

My first thought was a wide hinged ultra thin particle board door clad with cushioning. That way since the bed is 58" and the slideout is 48" even when the slideout was in you could sit on the mattress and have a cushioned wall to lean against. But a cargo net would certainly be easier and more lightweight. 

In this simple pic the pink is household insulation and the yellow is expanding foam insulation to fill the dead space in the angled roof. The outside would be the same material as the exterior of the trailer walls. Likely vinyl panels.

 

[highdesertranger]

you need to be at the right place at the right time. I had a tent trailer in the 90's that I modified. I paid 300 bucks for it. it was in real good shape.

I left the original canvas because there was nothing wrong with it. I remodeled the interior. I also built a whole frame with a 3,500 pound axle and springs. I used 33 inch tall tires. then I took the tent trailer and removed the axle and spring perches, I set the tent trailer frame right on the one I built. that was one bad ass tent trailer. it went everywhere including Alaska and back. eventually I scrapped the tent trailer part but to this day I still use the frame. I built it into a utility trailer it's the smaller of the 2 trailers I take to the RTR.

highdesertranger

 

[XERTYX]

NICE! I have been cooking up this scheme for years but it's now or never. I'd like to be able to make the next RTR. If I can get something together soon I hope to head west. Then when I get close to Gilbert I'll go to santan and outfit with some more solar. I'm looking for a tow vehicle right now and have some $ set aside for it. The next step will be the trailer. It wont be anything fancy most likely. Unless I can get my rich uncle out of the poor house. XD

 

[wayne49]

"I made it on a cell phone "

Impressive it is. You have good phone skillz.

I do not know if my Moto Z has the capability to basic CAD.

On the PC, I use screenshot to crop and resize images. Anything else is too complex.

I was "you're going to build out a pop up?" Then I saw the mention of hard walls.

 

[bullfrog]

Poor Man's Fiberglass (PMF) can not be punched through easily. Look at the tests. I've backed into a 3" thick limb straight on and only penetrated the outer layer after breaking the limb off. Make a small test piece and go at it with a hammer, you will be impressed I bet.

 

[highdesertranger]

one thing i forgot to mention,

anywhere you have a seam on a slide out, pop up, etc. eventually it will leak. if not water then air. during dust storms this is beyond irritating. remember it's not if it leaks it's when. sooner or later they will all leak. just something to think about. highdesertranger

 

[XERTYX]

Yeah I know it will eventually. I've considered storing under the bed a sheet of vinyl or something to put on the mattress when I slide it in. Even dew would be unpleasant to soak into my mattress. I'm thinking a bead of silicone around a frame when it slides out and another bead around the rear of the slideout for when it's in would help.

Also I forgot to mention before I start the walls I plan to put some brackets on the roof for solar to be added later. Using just the inner dimensions as a guide I can easily fit 3 of the 295 watt used poly panels that santan has right now for $65. 885W for $195 sounds like home cooking to me. XD

 

[highdesertranger]

hey I put a rack on mine. had 2 bikes up there and a small solar panel. highdesertranger

 

[XERTYX]

Hmm. I decided to look on craigslist and see how much the vinyl panels I always ran into when searching anything in the RV section and I cant find them. I guess that source is gone now. And for the life of me i cant find anything online remotely close to them.

Any keywords I'm neglecting here? All i find are vinyl fence panels, vinyl siding, and vinyl panels for cricut machines for arts and crafts. These were simple white sheets of vinyl maybe a couple MM thick and idk 6'x8' or so. Like the same material used in shower stalls.

I've tried several searches and even included "-fence" in the search field and I'm getting shower curtains and privacy curtains for a doctor's office.

 

[B and C]

Maybe FRP? https://www.homedepot.com/p/Panolam...OPTDDSURadvxidXi1zhoCoS0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Hmm. I decided to look on craigslist and see how much the vinyl panels I always ran into when searching anything in the RV section and I cant find them . . .

Big box hardware stores carry fiberglass bathroom vinyl in 4 X 8 foot sheets; it's with the patterned wall paneling.
It is heavy!

Try RV repair places near you; they have vinyl siding and might sell you some.
Or you can order it on-line, although shipping might be expensive:

     https://www.recpro.com/rv-fiberglass-siding/

Vinyl is much heavier than the aluminum RV siding.

I hope you are keeping track of weight.  My scratch paper estimates have you at max weight for the trailer without putting anything inside.  Solar alone is adding ~ 200 lbs to the roof.

 

[XERTYX]

That FRP panel weighs 20lb. Hmm maybe the foamie suggestion will have to do the trick.

The recpro site has rolls of siding that are reasonable ish. They say they have free shipping. I havent done any figuring on weight thus far except the batteries and water.

I thank all of you for your input. This seems doable still I think but there does seem to be a lot to consider.

Ideally I'd rather have a small RV trailer. Idc what year model or if it's not en vogue. Occasionally CL has some listed as hunter specials. Old beat up travel trailers that they sometimes sell for $200 OBO for deer hunters to drop at their deer camp and sit all year.

 

[Doubleone]

Randomly.... came across this photo of a guy who built up the sides of his to use as an ice shanty.  I would not recommend using residential windows but thought you might draw some inspiration.  Looks like vinyl siding.   Seems like it might be a bit tall when towing.

 

[highdesertranger]

doing a conversion using residential windows and doors should not be done IMO like the one above. there are several reasons for this and I have posted them many times before. use windows and doors that are built for mobile applications. highdesertranger