Build 100 Series Pop-Top Camper Build

[JAntosch]

I wasn’t able to find a ton of info on anyone building out a 100 series camper quite like I’m planning to, so I figured I’d do my best to document the process to help out anyone else who wants to do something similar. Huge thanks to everyone else who posted the details of various buildouts I’ve poured over (@ofer bruhis @asutherland ) for inspiration and adaptation!

The end goal is a two (or three) -seater camper that is quick to setup and live in/around, primarily used for weekend and week-long trips until we can take it to South America and retire there. Progress will likely be made intermittently as this is my daily driver and I’m working full-time while chipping away at a master’s degree.

I picked up this ’04 in Mar 2017 with ~100K miles, worked through most of the maintenance, replaced components, and made a few upgrades as needed. Here’s the day it came home, and how it looked until recently:

It’s been great for cruising around the intermountain west, fishing and boating and generally wandering around with my wife and our two dogs. Sleeping in the back has worked well but proved a bit cramped for winter desert camping, so I went with a CampTeq pass-thru conversion. Bit pricier than a RTT, but the minimal weight addition and ability to stand up inside the vehicle sold me on it.

 

[JAntosch]

Next order of business was building a platform for the cargo area and a second-row seat delete. I wanted a 60/40 split for the second row so the single seat could be swapped back in when needed. I was able to source hex ply locally (lighter than Baltic birch, textured and non-slip), made up some cardboard templates, and got everything cut out and bolted in.

Going with the modern open layout for the time being. Left the footwell under the second row open for some additional storage for the moon awning and a noco jump pack.

 

[JAntosch]

The end goal is a kitchen on the driver’s side with a fridge/freezer, drawers for storage, a small sink, and a 5 gal jerry can with a Dometic faucet for running water with a 2.5 gal can for the gray water drain. We’ve been using a portable induction setup from Stoke voltaics, so no stove or propane needed.

Passenger side will have a bench with storage underneath, and a pull-out cutting board under the kitchen will bridge the aisle gap to make an additional bed. Maybe a low bench behind the front seats for storage.

Power will be supplied by an EcoFlow Delta2 Max, recharged with a Bluetti Charger1 DC/DC charger and rooftop solar panel(s).

Most everything will be framed out with 80/20 (lightweight and modular as the design evolves) with hex ply panels as needed, and designed to hopefully minimize the lost space. Currently undecided on doors vs. bungee cord for storage retention where needed.

Anyways, here’s a rough version of the kitchen frame plans as they stand thus far:

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Thanks for starting the thread - following with interest.

 

[SmoothLC]

Interested in your suspension setup when you have time.

 

[JAntosch]

Interested in your suspension setup when you have time.

Suspension currently:
-OME torsion bars
-OME 2863 springs in the rear
-Slee diff drop
-Dobinson's UCA (3 degrees caster built in)
-Dobinson's MRA shocks (Front: HSC/LSC/Rebound at 6, Rear: HSC at 6, LSC/Rebound at 8)
-285/75/R16 BFG KO2's, E-rated and run at ~38 psi
-Delta VS drop bracket to level out the panhard bar

The front is ~21" hub center to fender with ~3.5" droop, rear is 22.25" on DS and 23" on PS. This is unloaded, in a not quite level driveway, with the 40 gal LRA tank ~1/4 full. Rides a bit rough around town, but very compliant once loaded up and off-road.

I may re-visit the rear springs once it's all built out, but the weight addition should be close to net-zero after removing the second row and single land shark drawer I had so I'm hopeful they'll work well. The shocks will certainly need to be better tuned to the final setup, but I'm pretty sure washboards at speed will always be awful.

Hope this helps, happy to answer any further questions!

 

[Bad Mojo]

@JAntosch with cutting the roof was there special with the side curtain airbags? Or did your truck not have them?

Second question, what is the rough interior space?

 

[JAntosch]

@JAntosch with cutting the roof was there special with the side curtain airbags? Or did your truck not have them?

Second question, what is the rough interior space?

My '04 does have the side curtain airbags, accommodated in the install by Eric (CampTeq). It seems like the outside portion of the headliner is retained as the base for the new headliner material which is glued on, so there shouldn't be any alteration in airbag functionality.

Rough space in the rear w/ the second row removed is ~76" long x 59" wide (2nd row platform width, ~43" between the wheel wells and ~56" in the cargo area) x ~44" high with the pass through platforms lowered.

I cut cushions for the pop top to ~43" wide and ~80" long with a few inches to spare for raising the platforms, with the pass through platforms raised there's enough room for a 6'+ person to stand. I'm thinking a ~15" tall bench will leave ample head room for two or three people, but need to play around with some cardboard mockups.

Happy to grab any additional measurements tomorrow if you're still curious!

 

[bryson]

Very cool! Where in the SLC area are you sourcing the hex ply?

 

[Live to Ski]

following with great interest....

 

[JAntosch]

Very cool! Where in the SLC area are you sourcing the hex ply?

UltraLight HQ
2384 South Redwood Rd
West Valley City UT 84119

Also the location of Rocky Mountain Builds for van stuff, which was slightly confusing initially. Great folks all around, super helpful!

 

[ranchero7]

So cool. I was close to pulling the trigger on a Campteq, but now have a troopy on the way. Still may do it at some point.

 

[JAntosch]

So cool. I was close to pulling the trigger on a Campteq, but now have a troopy on the way. Still may do it at some point.

Troopy's are so rad! Considered it but decided to stay with the devil I know for the time being (half sunk-cost fallacy, half run what you brung)

 

[Bad Mojo]

@JAntosch thanks for the information that is exactly what I was looking for. Seems like there is just enough space if you like the person your sleeping next to.

The being able to stand up piece seems really nice compared to just a RTT.

With @wngrog bringing in such cool low mileage 100 series with manual transmissions this is a pretty alluring setup to think about.

 

[wngrog]

Nice

 

[Meshal]

 

[JAntosch]

First batch of aluminum extrusions arrived and got the kitchen frame mocked-up:

Need to make some minor adjustments and cut down a few pieces to accommodate the ecoflow and fridge exhaust, but pretty happy overall! I'll start on drawers once the dimensions are finalized, still waiting on the countertop to arrive.

Slight modifications to the third row seatbelt paper towel holder from @CruiserDM to fit the second row DS mount for easy access, may need further modification once the fridge is in but it'll work for now!

 

[JAntosch]

Bamboo countertop (3/4") came in and got the kitchen mostly completed. Cut a custom sink cover/cutting board that will need some UHMW tape to stop rattling. I still need to add a few inset panels to clean things up and work out a pull out cutting board for tailgate cooking. Tie downs installed behind the driver seat for the EcoFlow, which will power the outlets.

Dometic faucet for running water from the 5 gal can (black), drains into the 2.5 gal (green). We'll see how well the low profile drain works on not exactly level ground, it may be unnecessary.

Drawer sides are cut and grooved, still need to cut the bases and mount the UHMW slides but they're coming along.

 

[okoverland]

Bamboo countertop (3/4") came in and got the kitchen mostly completed. Cut a custom sink cover/cutting board that will need some UHMW tape to stop rattling. I still need to add a few inset panels to clean things up and work out a pull out cutting board for tailgate cooking. Tie downs installed behind the driver seat for the EcoFlow, which will power the outlets.
View attachment 4029032
Dometic faucet for running water from the 5 gal can (black), drains into the 2.5 gal (green). We'll see how well the low profile drain works on not exactly level ground, it may be unnecessary.
View attachment 4029036
Drawer sides are cut and grooved, still need to cut the bases and mount the UHMW slides but they're coming along.
View attachment 4029037

If you are looking for an easy/clean way to hook your dometic faucet into your scepter can, you might like this: Scepter/MCI Water Can Cap - https://shop.iggycorp.com/products/scepter-mci-water-can-cap

I've been using one for a couple years and love it! (I have no affiliation with that company)

 

[JAntosch]

If you are looking for an easy/clean way to hook your dometic faucet into your scepter can, you might like this: Scepter/MCI Water Can Cap - https://shop.iggycorp.com/products/scepter-mci-water-can-cap

I've been using one for a couple years and love it! (I have no affiliation with that company)

Phenomenal suggestion, thank you!