Supa's super camper

[Supa]

Hi All
Thought I would start a thread to document my ex Telstra patrol build. I plan to set this up for touring and want it to be a s comfortable as possible. My aim is, once I've found a spot to camp for the night I want everything set up and a cold beer in hand in 10 minutes tops.

It's a 2008 GU DX cab chassis that has done 100,000km and it in pretty good condition. It was based in Campbelltown in Sydney so has not had too hard a life as far as I can tell. Not a single mark underneath so it should serve me well.


So here are a few before shots, fairly standard telstra shelving and electricals from what I can tell.











I've ripped out the shelving so if anyone wants it it's free to a good home. I'm in the hills district in Sydney, wont last long because it's going to the tip soon.


Here is the body stripped ready for drawers. The red is from the glue that held the carpet down.



Picked up my Plywood yesterday and started work on my drawers today. I'm using 30mm wide strips of HDPE 4.5 mm thick for runners for the drawers, this is a type of low friction plastic, I think this system will work out well.

One side of the pod will have drawers the other will have a kitchen, so thought I would start on the easy part first.







Also got another package in the mail for ABR sidewinder (love this internet shopping caper

[GU CAMPER]

Looks good mate

I have a similar set up. As does Cuppa, DX Grunt, Macca and a few others.

You will have to join the POD Club


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[Cuppa]

A very clean ex telstra Patrol. Don't think I've seen one that is that clean inside the pod. Possibly our first 3 litre ex telstra here? Where do you plan to sleep, & what sort of travelling/camping trips are you building for? Just you, or a partner too?
You'll probably ignore this like I did but I'll say it anyway - think about weight reduction/minimisation with every decision you make. It is so easy to go over the GVM it's not funny.

Cuppa

[GU CAMPER]

I'm very interested in the drawer and kitchen build as I'm looking at changing my set up and installing some drawers under my bed

Cheers Andy


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[threedogs]

X 2 with Cuppa weight is the enemy , anything you can do to reduce it the better you will be.
Any chance you can weigh it before you start mods as it would be very interesting to see how it goes.

Think Kallen used Teflon sliders of some description

[Supa]

Hi Guys
I am very conscious of weight, I've been a keen off roader for about 20 years and have done a lot of the popular tracks, Simpson Desert, Cape York 3 times most recently in June this year, Gibb river road etc. and have seen so many cars way overloaded struggling along, we always travel as light as possible. Also, anything that can come off will e.g. the rear steps, wont be loading roof so don't need them.

The storage system is a combination of 12mm and 9 mm ply. 9mm for bracing the back of the drawer units and the bottom of the drawers. I chose CD radiata pine ply as it is about the lightest available compared to hardwood, form ply or marine etc. I think it will still be more than strong enough.

As for what we will be using the car for. It's me and my partner, she loves the bush as much as me and we have a few plans for this car. The first big trip is the Simpson in June next year, in the next couple of years we are looking at taking a year off from our jobs and doing a really big trip. Lots of weekend trips with our club planned as well.

We camp in a tent, we have an instant up tent that takes only a few minutes to put up, it's cool in warm weather and quit tough. My partner is very easy going when it comes to camping, happy to bush camp, in fact prefers it, however she has two non-negotiables, she doesn't want to climb onto the roof to get into a tent and likes to stand up getting changed, so tent it is.

That suites me too. I can fit everything inside the pod without the need to put any gear on the roof keeping centre of gravity low as possible.

The draw slides are a product similar to Teflon but not technically Teflon, Drifta call this stuff Teflon in one part of their website pages and HDPE in another. Telfon is WAY more expensive. The down side of this system is that the draws don't open all the way, the up side is they are way lighter and much cheaper, so I will see how they go.

Above the drawers I plan to use an aluminium frame using qubelok and plastic tubs that slide in and out as needed, should be very light.

Re the vehicle weight, it has a sign saying, TARE 2455Kg on it so I'm using that as a guide to start.

That's all for now, I've got building to do
Cheers

[Cuppa]

I reckon it's worth checking to see if that tare weight is inclusive of things like winch, bullbar, pod, spare wheels, full fuel tanks etc. If it is then you have almost a tonne to play with, but I would be most surprised if this were the case.

Cuppa

[GU CAMPER]

I reckon it's worth checking to see if that tare weight is inclusive of things like winch, bullbar, pod, spare wheels, full fuel tanks etc. If it is then you have almost a tonne to play with, but I would be most surprised if this were the case.

Cuppa

X2. Definitely worth seeing what it weighs now as it is full of fuel etc before you do any mods.


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[Supa]

Ok then, looks like I'm getting it weighed. Where do you go to get a car weighed, never thought about it before.

Anyway been busy in the workshop and have made a little progress.

Test fit the drawers on the drivers side and so far so good. These drawers will be for our luggage etc. We don't usually bother putting our gear in our tent so we will just live out of these drawers.

Obviously I need to lift the whole lot to clear the lip on at the bottom of the pod opening, will just build up a frame of some pine for this. Down the sides will go a poly water tank about 50 litres, battery for fridge, and compressor etc. Seems to be the trend to cover them in marine carpet but I think I will just carpet the top and give everything else a good spray with something clear.



This is the kitchen side. Fridge on the left, centre draw for cooking gear, right slide out section for stove and food prep area, this is where most of the work will be because it will have compartments for cooking utensils etc. In the second photo you can see some black plastic track that look a bit like a big bike chain. That is what they use in CNC machines to guide the cables, in thin case I will use it to guide the gas hose. I am really after a very long hose for this cooker if anyone knows where to find one. Would also love a right angle connection to the stove but have had no luck finding such a thing if it even exists.





That's about it for now.
Cheers
Supa

[Cuppa]

You have been busy,nice work. Are you making it a 'permanent' fixture or removable?
To get it weighed there will be a public weigh bridge near you somewhere (yellow pages), but if you have a scrap metal yard around your way they will often weigh you on their weighbridge for nothing, same with bulk grain handlers.

Gas regs are different inside a vehicle compared to a camper trailer. I don't think you can legally keep your stove connected on that slide out if that's what you are planning. Easy to get away wih it, but it would give the insurance company a reason to deny a clain in the event of a fire. I got around it by having a hose on the back of the stove with a bayonet fitting on the other end. Slide the stove out & plug in. Can't shut the door without disconnecting the bayonet fitting. It may also be worth lining the ply with something non combustible around the stove. Regs also give minimum distances from combustible surfaces if the stove is fitted (ie. screwed down) - different if stored loose & only placed there to use.

Where are you planning to keep the gas bottle(s)?

Cuppa