M129A2C Camper Conversion

[mdmorganwife]

We are at it again! Going to turn our M129 trailer into a camper. We have a donor camper that we will be using most of the parts from to finish out the inside. They are pretty much the same size diamensionally, so it should be a pretty easy conversion. The donor camper is a 2008 Keystone Hornet with a slide out. So there is going to be a few tweeks to furniture postions we will have to make. The sketch is pretty much how the floor plan will be. Now let's see how much we can get done before the GA Rally!

 

[73m819]

Your avatar is so wrong, here you are taking a TWO wheeler around a tight turn at a high rate of speed and I can't even avoid mobile combat pine trees with a 4 wheeler doing 35 or so.

 

[mdmorganwife]

Your avatar is so wrong, here you are taking a TWO wheeler around a tight turn at a high rate of speed and I can't even avoid mobile combat pine trees with a 4 wheeler doing 35 or so.

That just happens to be our other hobby

 

[NDT]

What are your thoughts about emergency egress? I am contemplating something similar but am worried about not having a curbside door like the 146.

 

[SCSG-G4]

NDT,

Looks like there may be a door in the bedroom, which would make one in each end.

 

[mdmorgan]

NDT,

Looks like there may be a door in the bedroom, which would make one in each end.

What he said, we are going to transplant the bedroom door out of the Hornet and put it in the M129, hopefully after paint it won't stick out that it doesn't belong.

 

[RAYZER]

Thats awesome guys! Will you seal and insulate the floor first?the last m129 I looked at, the floor was a little drafty!
Can't wait to see it!

 

[mdmorgan]

Thats awesome guys! Will you seal and insulate the floor first?the last m129 I looked at, the floor was a little drafty!
Can't wait to see it!

I'm thinking we are going to try laying down 1x3 strips the length of the floor with 3/4" plywood on top of that, and then linoleum. The original floor has metal runners that allow cargo to slide without digging into the wood so the 1x3's are to get the plywood above that and I figure it adds dead air space under the floor for insulation. We loose some headroom doing it that way, would leave us with about 6'4", but I think it will be better in the long run, if it's too much I'll loose the 1x3's.

 

[73m819]

Why not lay some insulation between the 1x3s

 

[mdmorgan]

Why not lay some insulation between the 1x3s

If we use the 1x3's I may.

 

[mdmorganwife]

Oh and just a note for anyone looking.... Whatever we pull out from the inside will be for sale.

 

[goldneagle]

I would use Tuff-R rigid insulation. It has a higher R value than Styrofoam. I would recommend tongue and groove plywood for the floor. This way you will not have issues with the joints and the linoleum.

 

[Recovry4x4]

When are you starting the re-skin?

 

[73m819]

With there ABILITYS, you would think they would do a slide-out

 

[SCSG-G4]

Ron,
That's next year's project - bench seats and the TV will slide out three feet as will the couch, so watching the TV will be at a better distance.

 

[mdmorgan]

When are you starting the re-skin?

Luckily this thing is in great shape, I think it spent it's life in the desert with the Nevada Air National Guard. It's a '68 model and didn't have any rust on it until I got it home with all this rain we've been having.

 

[mdmorgan]

With there ABILITYS, you would think they would do a slide-out

Thanks for the confidence in our abilities but I would rather not have to reengineer the structural integrity of the trailer.

 

[mdmorgan]

I would use Tuff-R rigid insulation. It has a higher R value than Styrofoam. I would recommend tongue and groove plywood for the floor. This way you will not have issues with the joints and the linoleum.

That stuff is what? 1/2" thick? If I rip the 1x3's to the same, the plywood (tongue and groove, GREAT idea!) would be 100% supported, it would be insulated, and I wouldn't loose quite as much head room. I LIKE IT!!!

 

[jdknech]

OOOOH another camper conversion!! I will be following with interest! I need to get my M971 finished.. but life, and work keep getting in the way

and as far as the slidout, i REALLY want one... and i think it will be in the works soon.. they way your trailer is made, cutting out the side wouldnt hurt the structural integrity much with it having the full frame under it.. but i also understand that it adds a TON extra work to it.. Good luck with it! -Josh

 

[goldneagle]

That stuff is what? 1/2" thick? If I rip the 1x3's to the same, the plywood (tongue and groove, GREAT idea!) would be 100% supported, it would be insulated, and I wouldn't loose quite as much head room. I LIKE IT!!!

You can do it 1 of 2 ways. Get 3/4" Tuff-R insulation. Or if you want only 1/2" Tuff-R then use 2x4s or 2x6s and rip cut them into 1/2" thick strips. Use fir lumber not SYP. SYP is not as stable as FIR. (twisting and warping) SYP=southern yellow pine