I've been a little slack in updating the build over here Lost most of the photo links with Photobucket's ransom. I don't have the patience to go back and rebuild the links with a new photo hosting site.
Since I last updated, lots have happened. Main one, Larry's desert trip. Trip report coming, but I got to finish writing it first. Next, exhaust routing sucks. Sounds great but over heats the fuel system on long runs. It's going to be completely reconfigured. last thing, I got something I've been looking for a very long time. I finally found a Four Wheel Camper for my Blazer.
So here starts the saga of the camper and its refurbishing. Like I said, I've been looking for one for a very long time. Camping with Larry out of his camper is a game changer. No fiddling with tents, sleeping on the ground or other fun normal to "roughing it". Park, level it out, pop the top and crack a cold one. I witnessed this for a week in Utah and knew I had to get one. Ironically, one came up for sale in Grand Junction while we were out in Utah. One night we still had cell coverage and while hunkered down in my tent in the dark hiding from the wind I found it. Timing couldn't have been more off as I was pouring cash into the fuel tank on the trip and couldn't go for it.
So a month later in July I'm running my normal search in Craigslist and come across one for sale out of Denver for $300. No joke. The guy is willing to split the camper from the Blazer which is almost unheard of. I burn up my phone trying to get a hold of the guy and make arrangements to check it out that next weekend.
Here's what I find..
IMG_20170806_112458422 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
It's rough around the edges, but complete.
IMG_20170806_112654253 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Biggest issue is rot. FWC used 1" particle board in the front cab wall and cab over floor.
IMG_20170806_112848660_HDR by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Rotten..
IMG_20170806_112856241 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Oh yeah, heres the reason for the rot. Roof needs resealed and a new vent installed.
IMG_20170806_113813081 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Vintage 1982 goodness.
00S0S_hdTDFugAbdI_1200x900 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Overall it's got good bones. I'm not out much if it is a turkey.
00k0k_euqpFcVK5Aj_1200x900 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
So I give the guy $150 and tell him I'll be back next week to pick it up with the rest of the money. The K5.3 is waiting in the wings for it's new house.
IMG_20170813_130235603 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Funny thing was, the camper was actually located about 10 miles from my parents house. I had left the K5.3 up there the week before to take a car home to work on. So My buddy John followed me up with his trailer so we could take off the factory top, load it on the trailer and put the camper on the K5 for the ride home. Why didn't we put the camper on the trailer? Because these are not true "slide in" campers. They actually bolt down like a factory top and the floor is separate to the camper itself. So the camper is open to the bottom. There really isn't anything to set it on that would hold steady. Smartest thing we could do is bolt it to the back of the Blazer.
IMG_20170813_122005971 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
The chief inspector checking out what I just got into. (my Dad)
IMG_20170813_131141147_HDR by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
I got lucky some more and had a guy offer up some like new camper jacks for cheap just before going after the camper. Couldn't do this without them.
IMG_20170813_142008963 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
It's off. Sketchy as hell but it's off. We had to take the jacks as high as they could go as the difference in height between the stock K5 and mine was large.
IMG_20170813_142906896 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
It's back on.
IMG_20170813_150719087 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Got the top popped at John's house. He offered up a place to unload it at and his brother is an excellent carpenter to help fix it.
IMG_20170813_192341476_HDR by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
You can see the extent of the damage with the daylight coming through the front.
IMG_20170813_192906968 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Deconstruction begins.
IMG_20170826_135322625_HDR by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Wide open..
IMG_20170826_135353249_HDR by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Here's where the snowball started rolling right down hill. After discussing with John and Shane about what I want, we found the cabinet in the stock form was all wrong. I don't want to cook inside this small space. Water storage is less than 5 gallons and uses a little hand pump for the sink. Not to mention you have to winterize this stuff when it gets cold. I carry water when camping and plan on Scepter can storage on my rear bumper setup. The 3 way fridge does a bad job at keeping stuff cold on any source except 110v power. It's from 1982 remember? So it went bye-bye too. I plan on a 12v chest fridge that is much better with a low current draw. The cabinet got gutted as a result.
IMG_20170827_122533857 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
The end result.
IMG_20170827_153854990 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Cab floor replaced. We doubled up here. 5/8" and 1/2" plywood glued together and screwed together. It's 1/16th of an inch thicker than the crappy particle board. Very strong.
IMG_20170827_122542713 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Blank slate.
IMG_20170827_154441244 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Passenger side replaced.
IMG_20170909_172350175 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
We doubled up this side.
IMG_20170909_172354905 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Front cab wall is in place. Added gusset block of oak to support the cab-over floor to the front wall joint.
IMG_20170909_191516905 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
Inside.
IMG_20170909_191559917 by
Rob Zulian, on Flickr
What you see in the work on the camper has taken place over 3 different weekends. Still have to seal the roof. Stain the wood and seal it. The outside of the cab wall and cab-over will be faced with aluminum.
The goal here is to have it ready to ride for the 18 desert trip.