SuperAwesomeDOOD’s TUFPORT build

After much debate, back and forth and mental gymnastics found here: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/to-pop-up-or-not-to-pop-up.236755/ ; I’ve decided on a TUFPORT slide-in shell.

The shell won’t be installed until May when it’s delivered to their US vendor. In the meantime, I’ll be working on a custom “not-so-flatbed” that will integrate storage boxes to house utilities (heaters, water, etc), a custom rear bumper and a swing out spare tire carrier.
 

1000arms

Well-known member
You might want to post a link (to this new thread) in your (older) thread.

Anyone currently following your other would then be directed here, and anyone finding your other thread in the future would also be able to easily find your answer to your other thread. :)
 
You might want to post a link (to this new thread) in your (older) thread.

Anyone currently following your other would then be directed here, and anyone finding your other thread in the future would also be able to easily find your answer to your other thread. :)
That’s what I just did. Got caught up at work, but the loop is now closed.

Thanks for contributing to the other thread!
 

1000arms

Well-known member
That’s what I just did. Got caught up at work, but the loop is now closed.

Thanks for contributing to the other thread!
You are welcome! :) ... The Tuffports and Spacekaps are a bit short for me, but I think they would work well for many people.

I'm including a few links that you might give you ideas for your build. WARNING: try to avoid spraying your coffee/tea/soda/water/... through your nose when you see the listing prices. :cool:



 
You are welcome! :) ... The Tuffports and Spacekaps are a bit short for me, but I think they would work well for many people.

I'm including a few links that you might give you ideas for your build. WARNING: try to avoid spraying your coffee/tea/soda/water/... through your nose when you see the listing prices. :cool:



Very cool! Yes, the interior head space is only 76” or 6’4”. I’m 6’1”, so add a pair of shoes to that and I’ll only have a couple inches to spare.

Prices are high on some campers, but the volume is so low and are assembled by hand for the most part. That’s one reason why I typically opt to DIY on various projects.

TUFPORT has been awesome to deal with so far. Very responsive and easy to reach. All in, I think I’ll come in under $20k for the camper and $2k for the flatbed. It’ll be 100-200 hours or so of labor. I have until May to design and build the flatbed, side boxes and I will also try to get all the systems fitted into the boxes as well. To the interior of the camper, I’ll only bring two 1/2” pex (hot, cold), two 120v circuits from an inverter, and two to three 12v circuits for a fan, lights, fridge and a 12v USB port panel. Everything else, I hope to keep in the exterior boxes to maximize interior space.

The expensive items will be the 12v chest fridge(~$1500usd), the batteries(unknown, may go cheap at first then upgrade in a couple years), and the diesel air/water heater($3-4k).
 

rruff

Explorer
Very cool! Yes, the interior head space is only 76” or 6’4”. I’m 6’1”, so add a pair of shoes to that and I’ll only have a couple inches to spare.

No insulation, then? It's nice to be able to stand up straight at some spot in a camper, for cooking I guess... but otherwise it wouldn't be important to me.

What are you thinking for layout? Sleeping needs to be down low I guess... convertible couch/bed?
 
We are getting some insulation that they use that is supposed to be r-7 at only 3/4” thick. The shell itself is claimed to be r-2. So yes, you are correct—once installed, even less height. But I’ll still be able to stand up, but only just.

I spent quite a bit of time on the phone have the manufacturer measure inside dimensions yesterday. It’s actually 76” W x 97” long inside. I plan to build a 16” deep storage at the front of the camper floor up to the height of the cab over deck. This will extend the depth of the cab over deck to ~40”. I’ll have a 40” panel that slides out to extend this platform to 80”. We should be able to sleep north south with room on the sides at that point.

The 16” cabinet will shorten the floor space to 81”, which will be just enough for a bench that could convert to a twin size. We won’t need to worry about this for a couple years though. Children don’t occupy much space until they are a few years old.

A rough sketch below. Black ink being the camper, blue ink being the proposed sleeping solutions.
5474EFF4-937F-435E-B123-A7A3F5980AAB.jpeg
 

rruff

Explorer
(y) I did something similar with my homebuilt, made the front 20" a storage wall, and the floor of the cabover is on top of that. Makes sense as that's where you want weight anyway, low and forward.

I don't know if you considered these at all, they are slightly bigger which is nice: https://www.marandacap.com/v-375eng
 

simple

Adventurer
I did a spacekap build and I bonded 1/2" closed cell neoprene to the fiberglass and then bonded boat hull liner over that. I've done 3 nights up at the ski area and have been satisfied with the performance of that combo. The killer is single pane glass windows. Condensation city.
 
(y) I did something similar with my homebuilt, made the front 20" a storage wall, and the floor of the cabover is on top of that. Makes sense as that's where you want weight anyway, low and forward.

I don't know if you considered these at all, they are slightly bigger which is nice: https://www.marandacap.com/v-375eng
I hadn’t seen those. A little shorter height, but a little more width. One thing I noticed is that the cab over portion might only be 24” tall on that one.

Either way, the TUFPORT is ordered. No turning back now!

They appear to be pretty tough. I was watching a video where they were talking about how they’re the only company to be rated this or that…they showed rollovers and the units seemed to fair pretty well considering.
I did a spacekap build and I bonded 1/2" closed cell neoprene to the fiberglass and then bonded boat hull liner over that. I've done 3 nights up at the ski area and have been satisfied with the performance of that combo. The killer is single pane glass windows. Condensation city.
We are getting “ultra 4” dual pane acrylic windows in the Tufport. Our new 4 season rv will get condensation on the windows as well when we run the heat all night with multiple creatures breathing inside. I keep microfiber towels inside and wipe all the windows when I wake up in the morning.

I wonder if I’m this small of a space how much the ultra 4 windows will help…
 

simple

Adventurer
I'm not seeing much with a google search for "ultra 4". Do you have a link or additional info? I've seen different offerings on Alibaba that look like Tern windows and I'm wondering if that is what these are? Here is the only site I found.
 

1000arms

Well-known member
... Yes, the interior head space is only 76” or 6’4”. I’m 6’1”, so add a pair of shoes to that and I’ll only have a couple inches to spare. ...
... It's nice to be able to stand up straight at some spot in a camper, for cooking I guess... but otherwise it wouldn't be important to me. ...
I am a bit taller in height and a bit wider at the shoulders than the average male in the USA, and I'm tired of ducking and squeezing into things/places designed to fit only the "average person". If I'm not crawling into a tent or "camper"*, I want to be able to stand all the way up in it! :)

* Does a pickup truck with a cab-height truck-cap count as a camper? :cool:
 
I'm not seeing much with a google search for "ultra 4". Do you have a link or additional info? I've seen different offerings on Alibaba that look like Tern windows and I'm wondering if that is what these are? Here is the only site I found.
That is the outfit that sold me the TUFPORT. I'm not sure who they get their windows from.
 
I am a bit taller in height and a bit wider at the shoulders than the average male in the USA, and I'm tired of ducking and squeezing into things/places designed to fit only the "average person". If I'm not crawling into a tent or "camper"*, I want to be able to stand all the way up in it! :)

* Does a pickup truck with a cab-height truck-cap count as a camper? :cool:
Fair enough, I get what you are saying. I'm in my 30s still. I haven't earned the right through adequate life experience to be tired of anything yet!

*and yes, in my opinion a camper shell counts as a camper--it's even right there in the name just in case anyone forgets!

We have the larger camper for going to family camp trips with my parents and siblings. My sister has the same camper as we do and has no interest in roughing it when camping. My (74 going on 24 year old) dad is in the same boat as me: has the larger camper for marital purposes, but sleeps in a little tent that fits in his BMW GSA hard bags when he's by himself.

I wanted something to get a bit further off the beaten path too, but as a family unit. I tried talking my wife into a camper shell and RTT, but this was the smallest thing I could convince her to do. I showed her videos of couples with mom's breastfeeding infants in RTTs, she wasn't convinced. She's tough, but still has a longer list of "musts" than I. I'll pitch a tent.

Side note:
When I first got back to my home town; I lived in a cold, leaky little camper for 18 months to save money to build my business and buy property. I didn't know it was leaky at the time and the price was right. It was an 80s era Layton bumper pull. I filled the propane bottles when I picked it up, but they didn't last as long as I would have hoped making hot water for showers--about 4-5 weeks, if I remember correctly. I figured I could make do without hot water and took cold showers for the remainder of the duration to reduce costs. I still take cold showers, but for other reasons now.
 

sn_85

Observer
You are welcome! :) ... The Tuffports and Spacekaps are a bit short for me, but I think they would work well for many people.

I'm including a few links that you might give you ideas for your build. WARNING: try to avoid spraying your coffee/tea/soda/water/... through your nose when you see the listing prices. :cool:




This dude did it better. He's got a profile on here somewhere I'll try and look up.

 

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