From truck camper to homebuilt truck canopy

chris_the_wrench

Fixer & Builder of Things
Howdy all,

Onto the next project.

We’ve been hauling two different truck campers in our 06 ram 2500 4x4 diesel reg cab for over ten years. Spending over 100 nights a year in them. My wife never enjoyed driving it, so about 18 months ago we bought a sprinter 4x4. Gave up alot of access to backcountry spots, but the on road experience was a huge upgrade. Then we moved to the mountains that we used to travel to. So now instead of heading up to the mtns for 4-5 weeks at a time, we live right in them. I’m 15 minutes from the ski area, within an hour drive theres probably 75+ lakes/rivers/streams and countless miles of singletrack right out my door for riding and hiking.

So this has me reshaping my truck settup for my life here. I’ve been looking for a metal contractor style shell or callen type camper for over a year, but haven’t found anything that fits my truck within a decent range of distance or price. So I decided to do what I usually do when I can’t afford or find something, build it.

My requirements are: simplicity, durability and relative ease of construction. This will provide secure and dry storage for gear/dog, along with a very basic shell for overnighters. Just laying out a thermarest and sleeping bag will provide the accommodations. This is still a work truck, so I need to be able to load sacks of concrete or whatever and then hose it out.

Durability, I wanted to be able to hold a couple hundred pounds on the roof(boats of different quantities and styles and lumber). Ive also broken a couple fiberglass shells banging around in Baja over the years(other truck) and didn’t want a repeat of that.

A good chunk of the steel came from my existing collection. I started out by laying angle iron down the sides and across the front of the bed. I used 1.5x2.5 down the sides and 1.5x1.5(16g)up front. Then worked on my front and rear main supports. These were built from 3x1.5(14g)rectangle tubing. The slight taper of the bed was something that kept racking my brain through out the build.
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I then worked on some 1.5x1.5 mid supports, these will also work as frames for side access hatches.
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We unloaded it from the truck and dragged it into my shop. I then used the same 3x1.5 tubing for the top ‘rails’.
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From there I ran some more 1.5 square down the sides to serve as the tops of the side hatches, this is also where the aluminum sheet metal will have a seam and this provides some backing for the trim to mount to.
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I’m currently working on finishing up all the welds on the frame.

I have yet to decide on a rear hatch/door. Not sure if I’ll do barn doors or one big gullwing style hatch. I need to be able to load 48” plywood sheets into it. I plan to skin it with 032 aluminum and trim it with 1/8 aluminum flat and angle. Id like to use vhb tape to secure the paneling but that maybe out of the budget. There will be a 5’ access hatch on either side. Id like to have a window by the cab so I can keep an eye on my dog and Id like a window on the rear hatch/door also. The roof rack will be a flat style like some of the commercial versions(load runner i think) and Id like to build that out of aluminum. That may have to wait till spring/summer, $$.

Ive got some latches/hinges in mind, southco.

Thats where Im at.
-Chris
 

chris_the_wrench

Fixer & Builder of Things
I got the frame all welded up and mounted it back on the truck. I didn’t have the time or money to skin it with aluminum yet, probably around thanksgiving. So, I strapped down a canvas tarp and went banging around some of my favorite fishing spots.


-Chris
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llamalander

Well-known member
That steel work is nice, built to stack LVL's it looks like, could start getting heavy.
You might look around for front and back windows/hatches from a used /broken shell--generally not the highest quality parts but they can do the job and save you some money and/or time. The seals are generally sufficient and easily replaceable, the flanges easily adaptable and they have tempered or laminated glass and weep holes. You can put your efforts to making the parts no one else has already.
 

chris_the_wrench

Fixer & Builder of Things
That steel work is nice, built to stack LVL's it looks like, could start getting heavy.
You might look around for front and back windows/hatches from a used /broken shell--generally not the highest quality parts but they can do the job and save you some money and/or time. The seals are generally sufficient and easily replaceable, the flanges easily adaptable and they have tempered or laminated glass and weep holes. You can put your efforts to making the parts no one else has already.

I'd guesstimate it's about 125'ish pounds as it sits right now, I could actually calculate it, pretty closely, if I took the time. When I stood on top of it, I wasn't concerned my 200lbs was going anywhere. I think my bed sides will collapse before the rack/canopy.

I hope to find a old canopy nearby that I can use as a donor for windows and frames, plus possibly hinges etc. The size of the donor cap isn't a huge concern for the parts I need. I doubt I'll find a rear door that will work how I want and fit my design, barn doors. Alot of people just want the old cap gone from their yard, unfortunately I never found one of those deals for a cap to fit my rig/wants.

-Chris
 

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