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I'm gearing up to start the actual camper part of the build so thought I'd start a master thread here. I call it a mini home because it's much more independent than a camper. I'll post links to all that I've done if you really got a lot of time to waste at work.
So...I started my process around 2019, I hope to be done in 18-24 months. My eventual goal is world travel so I first started by modifying the truck. Skip to the first picture if you want to see my progress on the camper itself.
First up, make the cab a little roomier and stronger so that I can store stuff on the roof. You can find the thread here. Part of the rebuild I had an opening, off center in the wall behind the seats so I could push the seat forward and move to the cargo bed and back without leaving the truck. I later put a sliding door to cover the opening.
Next I put sound insulation in the cab & under the hood.
Air lockers install.
I put super singles on the deuce when I got in 2016, but some tire places won't touch military wheels. This really wasn't an issue when I'm driving near home, but if I'm out on the road I could rupture a sidewall. Not only would might I have trouble finding a place to do the work, I would have to replace my spare which would be difficult as these aren't sold everywhere. My solution, custom wheels & commercial tires.
Secondary and tertiary fuel tanks.
And while I hadn't planned on one, an engine swap kinda fell into my lap. There are some minuses, but I felt the positives outweighed the negatives.
I have done some other minor modifications here and there, most I'm not going to list. I removed the bench seat in the cab and replaced it with a jump seat my only planned passengers are my dog and cat.
Camper build: The plan involves building a box in the bed of the truck (the cargo sides stay) that would act as a 9 inch high sub-floor. Into this space I will have a 14,400 watt, 24v battery (the yellow rectangles), a white (in blue) & grey water tank, tankless water heater, water filtration and because I have lots of room, 2 more fuel tanks. The purple bar at the top of the drawing represents the back wall of the cab. There will be a space behind the cab to step into. This space will be 16" deep and the width of the bed. The sub-floor occupies the entire depth of the bed, the camper will be short the 16".
The box at the bottom of the drawing will be a tool box accessible from the outside (behind the drop gate). This box will contain 2 tire chains, a spade, pick, axe, cordless grinder, cordless chainsaw and other implements of destruction.
Each square = 2 inches.
![Layout no 8_sub.jpg Layout no 8_sub.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/648/648668-0545bf89bb817e43dcf2920ca19efe28.jpg)
This is a general concept drawing. I plan on ordering the fuel tanks this coming week. I will use a high-flow transfer pump with a check valve from one of the outside tanks to fill these tanks. These tanks will also be wrapped in 1/2" ballistic fiberglass just because. Each fuel tank will feed directly to the engine using a custom 10 way valve and selector.
![Fuel tanks.jpg Fuel tanks.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/648/648669-0b9ba2963800a8f591fffa6fecffe80e.jpg)
I will not be installing a black water tank because I plan on using an incinerator toilet.
I bought a pneumatic rivet gun and a 48" finger brake. The subfloor box (there will be no top) will be made with 20 gauge aluminum. The interior walls will be covered with custom made cabinets out of aluminum between 6" and 8" deep. The structure frame will be rectangular steel tube. The outer skin will be Phoenix Panels - these are 5' x 16' panels consisting of half a mm of aluminum, front and back, with about 5 mm of plywood between.
So...I started my process around 2019, I hope to be done in 18-24 months. My eventual goal is world travel so I first started by modifying the truck. Skip to the first picture if you want to see my progress on the camper itself.
First up, make the cab a little roomier and stronger so that I can store stuff on the roof. You can find the thread here. Part of the rebuild I had an opening, off center in the wall behind the seats so I could push the seat forward and move to the cargo bed and back without leaving the truck. I later put a sliding door to cover the opening.
Next I put sound insulation in the cab & under the hood.
Air lockers install.
I put super singles on the deuce when I got in 2016, but some tire places won't touch military wheels. This really wasn't an issue when I'm driving near home, but if I'm out on the road I could rupture a sidewall. Not only would might I have trouble finding a place to do the work, I would have to replace my spare which would be difficult as these aren't sold everywhere. My solution, custom wheels & commercial tires.
Secondary and tertiary fuel tanks.
And while I hadn't planned on one, an engine swap kinda fell into my lap. There are some minuses, but I felt the positives outweighed the negatives.
I have done some other minor modifications here and there, most I'm not going to list. I removed the bench seat in the cab and replaced it with a jump seat my only planned passengers are my dog and cat.
Camper build: The plan involves building a box in the bed of the truck (the cargo sides stay) that would act as a 9 inch high sub-floor. Into this space I will have a 14,400 watt, 24v battery (the yellow rectangles), a white (in blue) & grey water tank, tankless water heater, water filtration and because I have lots of room, 2 more fuel tanks. The purple bar at the top of the drawing represents the back wall of the cab. There will be a space behind the cab to step into. This space will be 16" deep and the width of the bed. The sub-floor occupies the entire depth of the bed, the camper will be short the 16".
The box at the bottom of the drawing will be a tool box accessible from the outside (behind the drop gate). This box will contain 2 tire chains, a spade, pick, axe, cordless grinder, cordless chainsaw and other implements of destruction.
Each square = 2 inches.
![Layout no 8_sub.jpg Layout no 8_sub.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/648/648668-0545bf89bb817e43dcf2920ca19efe28.jpg)
This is a general concept drawing. I plan on ordering the fuel tanks this coming week. I will use a high-flow transfer pump with a check valve from one of the outside tanks to fill these tanks. These tanks will also be wrapped in 1/2" ballistic fiberglass just because. Each fuel tank will feed directly to the engine using a custom 10 way valve and selector.
![Fuel tanks.jpg Fuel tanks.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/648/648669-0b9ba2963800a8f591fffa6fecffe80e.jpg)
I will not be installing a black water tank because I plan on using an incinerator toilet.
I bought a pneumatic rivet gun and a 48" finger brake. The subfloor box (there will be no top) will be made with 20 gauge aluminum. The interior walls will be covered with custom made cabinets out of aluminum between 6" and 8" deep. The structure frame will be rectangular steel tube. The outer skin will be Phoenix Panels - these are 5' x 16' panels consisting of half a mm of aluminum, front and back, with about 5 mm of plywood between.
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