Thinking of buying a utility shell for a stealth/adventure vehicle camper.

[don89048]

You did a beautiful job installing those hatches!  And they are up so high and fit in with the general look so well that I think you could put them on the sides as well for flow-thru ventilation and it would still look like a work truck. 

 

[Telcobilly]

I wish I could take credit for the installation, but gentleman in the pic isn't me.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Looks good...how to they open?&nbsp; Do they?&nbsp; <img src="/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">&nbsp; It almost looks like you stick your fingers in those dents and turn em or something but the dents are on the outside.

 

[Telcobilly]

Yes, they unscrew to the outside, allowing lots of ventilation. I misstated them as 8", they are actually 6" in diameter. I just bought a larger 8" clear hatch to be put in the forward bulkhead as a pass through to the sliding rear truck window. This will enhance cross ventilation, a little more natural light & allow me to duct heat/air from the dash as well as running a 12v extension cord to the back. I could also put a fan in the hole to move air as well.
Pictures to follow after installation.

 

[Telcobilly]

Well, I'm calling this project substantially complete. There will be the purchase of a heater and a/c unit next year and small items as needed. I know I'll be rearranging things along the way til I come up with something that works well. I'm going to buy SuperSprings soon to firm up the rear. Just got a pass through hatch put in today, so it's now safe to sleep in.<br /><br />

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<br /><br />From inside the truck cab:<br />

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[Telcobilly]

I spent 3 nights in it this week to travel back to my oilfield job in OK from SD. It worked well but I did some more tweaking to sort a few things out. I bought more baskets to make access easier, installed 3 ratcheting straps to the cot, glued the blocks of wood to the 2x4s, fixed my 12v electric blanket, installed a no slip pad to the rear bumper step, ran a 12v extension cord from the dash thru the pass through port & added 2 LED battery dome lights.
Going to get a Little Buddy heater and Super Springs soon. Overall I think it's working pretty good.

 

[Ricekila]

Do you have spares for the port holes ?<img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" alt="" align="absMiddle" border="0" />

 

[Telcobilly]

No, but I have thought about getting at least 1 rear hatch to have a spare cover. The front hatch sits inside my truck most of the time.

EDIT: Ricekila, I just discovered that the port hole covers can be inserted from inside the shell, so I reversed the two rear ones. Worse thing that can happen is someone tries to take them and they will fall harmlessly inside. They are too big to come through the opening.

 

[Ricekila]

Its my experience -- it it can be taken - it will - just because they can ---

 

[Telcobilly]

you are right, don't ask about the tailgate I donated in 2009 while out trucking.... grrrrrrr out working and being thanked by having my stuff stolen.. Don't get me started!
I think I'm going to drill and pin them

 

[Telcobilly]

Another update. Since my last post I have done a few more things. I got the Mr Buddy round propane heater head and did some organizing.
Yesterday was very productive. I got down to Houston to visit my daughter and addressed some maintenance items. The battery was replaced as the current one was almost dead. I installed new spark plugs as the originals had 140k miles, got an overdue oil change and last but not least I installed my SSA7 SuperSprings.
I'm very happy with them! Got all of my ground clearance from the add a leaf back and no more rolling in corners. The ride is still very acceptable. I do need new shocks as my no name junk replacements (Mar 2012) are shot. Going to get some good ones in the front and hold off on the back as the new springs are doing so good, the shocks can wait.
Here are some pix of my SuperSpring install.

The rear isn't sitting low anymore. The ride is much firmer and confidence inspiring.

 

[psytechguy]

That's a nice looking rig!&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" />

 

[Telcobilly]

Thankyou sir. Going on Wed to get some Procomp shocks in the front. The rears can wait as the additional spring capacity has taken up the slack. I'd like to do some kind of traction enhancing differential to compensate for the lack of 4wd. Unfortunately options are limited with this 7.5" rear end. Eaton used to offer a TruTrac LSD unit, but its currently unavailable. Don't want to do a lunchbox locker and an ARB locker is pretty pricy. An axle swap sounds expensive & complicated..Any ideas are welcome.

 

[SirJoey]

<br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>Ah, the awesome Tacoma with extra cab! PRECISELY the truck I wanted, but I settled for a 4Runner.&nbsp;</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>I DID get the 4WD version though, although I'll prolly never need it.&nbsp;</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>REALLY like your truck &amp; camper setup there, though! SWEET!&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" /><br /><br /></strong></span>

 

[Telcobilly]

The 4Runner is an awesome vehicle too. esp a 4wd one. I looked at them, but a truck with this shell fits my purposes better. I'm thinking of buying a Casita trailer to leave in Houston so I'm not always staying with family members. I'll use the truck for my onroad adventures and it will work great as a storage unit when I'm in the trailer, I can keep the trailer virtually empty. It won't get taken far with my current rig. so the 4 cyl would be sufficient to get it to a park or storage.<br />We are so conditioned in the US to think a small motorcycle or vehicle can't do much. but overseas, that's all they have..<br /><br /><img rel="lightbox" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/...WN8P-vzMxKD26J2M0-FaaKEWzBkZb-bDEwFOK06coaGvQ" class="bbc_img" />

 

[Kevin H]

Telcobilly - I <em>LIKE</em> that shell. &nbsp;All the additional upgrades look good too.<br /><br />The pics indicate you tightened the springs with a couple crescent wrenches. &nbsp;I am not sure of the torque requirements but the smaller wrenches may not have been up to the task. &nbsp;I'd hate to hear a spring came loose sometime.<br /><br />For a few bucks, I bet a mechanic would torque them down as necessary. &nbsp;Quick, clean and worry free.<br /><br />Again, I really like your conversion.<br /><br />Happy Trails!!<br /><br />-- &nbsp;Kevin

 

[Telcobilly]

Thanks for the tip Kevin, I have access to a torque wrench at the rig sites, so I'll check the torque on the next job. Those crescent wrenches were pretty big and the nuts are nylocks, so I think it's ok for now.

 

[Telcobilly]

UPDATE:
I went out on a job near Medford, OK and it ended 3 days later. I was given the choice of going "home" to Houston or wherever as I wasn't needed for awhile. So, I decided it was as far to go to Estes Park, CO as it was to Houston, where I have to stay with family.

It was go time now, to cast off the umbilical cords of bricks and sticks and actually start living in the little beast. Prior to that, I stayed in it for 3 nights on my way back to work from San Diego. It was time for my 3 years of OTR trucking to kick in and make it work. Of course family members think I have lost my mind living in the back of a truck. I think the stressed out lives of material gratification is more insane than my plan, who's the one working and who's the going camping in Colorado, huh? lol

I drove 40-50 miles of dirt roads to get to a blacktop working my way through Medicine Lodge, KS on the 281 to reach the I-70. I shut down about 30-40 miles E of Denver at a big Loves TS. I have a few observations to make:

My truck is very underpowered with the 2.4l I4 5 spd. I spent a lot of time in 4th gear fighting wind and of course the mileage took a huge hit. When I spent the night I was sleeping in a cheap $15 Walmart sleeping bag and using the smaller round Mr Buddy propane heater. Because I was so cold, I ran it continiously, I went thru one bottle and was started on my second. Job one, buy a real sleeping bag. I went to a huge REI in downtown Denver and ended up the Kelty Cosmic Down bag, permanently on sale, I got the last long bag.

http://www.rei.com/product/807900/kelty-cosmic-down-0-sleeping-bag

I just slept in it last night in Boulder, CO and it was a huge difference, I only used the heat when I went to bed and when I got up. I got a great night sleep, down really makes a difference. I also picked up some thermal clothing at Walmart. I'm donating 2 of the 3 Walmart bags today...lol. I'm going to try the piece of steel on top of it to reduce condensation. I have a huge 8" diameter open hatch 1 foot from my head, so I won't be suffocating with the heater. It has an awesome tipover cutoff feature, so good that I shake the heater to turn it off and a low oxygen cutoff too. With the new sleeping bag, the propane has been lasting MUCH longer.

Mr Buddy heater:

Another priority down the road is to get a more suitable truck and keep my current one as a backup. Had it rained where I was, I would have been stranded with all of the dirt roads I traveled. 4x4 is a must and it WILL be another Tacoma. This current truck is my first Toyota and most trouble free vehicle I have ever owned, including NEW vehicles.

As Bob stated, I too have way too much stuff and will be jettisoning it as I go. I heat water in a metal cup with a 12v heating coil to wash my hair from a squirt bottle and brush my teeth. I "wash" with unscented baby wipes and usual toiletries. I use an empty liquid detergent bottle for number 1's and have a Luggable Loo for the very rare number 2 situations. I keep all of my stuff in laundry baskets under the floor and cot and in the overhead. The floor is pretty well clear when I go to sleep.

More adjusting and modifying will occur as I figure this out. If I get a couple of weeks in it, I think I will have weaned myself of the bricks and sticks mentality.

Pix to follow..

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Wow, good luck buddy, very interesting to read as you make adjustments.&nbsp;&nbsp; Sucks that engine is not doing too well, you'd figure the higher mpg other times would make up for the inclines.

 

[Telcobilly]

UPDATE PART DEUX:
After getting the sleeping bag, I headed to Boulder with the intention of heading up in the mountains. As I was coming in on the main drag, I spied a white Tacoma at a dealership on my right. I whipped in and it was exactly what I was intending on buying next year, so I pulled the trigger right then!
It's a 2008 Access Cab 4x4, 4.0l V6 base model with steel wheels. It has suicide doors for rear access, power windows, locks, 5spd auto trans and the usual a/c, radio, cruise ect. It has 59xxx miles. It also has a quick release tonneau cover.
It's a family owned dealership and they have been letting me camp on their lot while I'm waiting for the campershell installation hardware to come in. They are going to store my '04 taco, tailgate and cover until I can come back to get it. Very nice people and a real easy, low stress transaction. It's Gebhardt Imports in Boulder.
Here are some pix:

Microwave behind the drivers seat and is connected to a 1000W inverter under the hood (weather sealed)

Coleman 12v cooler behind the passenger seat, soon to be replaced with a much more effcient ARB 50qt fridge/freezer which shuts off automatically on low battery voltage. Sucide doors make access so easy compared to flipping the seats forward on the previous Tacoma.

I figure a very average hotel room would cost $50 per night. 7 x 50 = $350 is what I have saved already and I have the convenience of parking anywhere and never wondering if the hotel is full. Now with this new rig, I can pretty much go anywhere and boondock.