Builds 2013 Toyota Tacoma Access Cab Chinook build

[Jaybashant]

I have been taking a little time off but have gotten my walk through frame and spacers glued and screwed in... it does not look like much but it was a tedious little job. Every piece got scribed in so I have a good plane to upholster to... 1/2" foam and grey vinyl upholstery will be the finish... also needed to be cautious as I was working directly along side the side airbag curtains. All good!

 

[Jaybashant]

The walk through roof is ready for foam. I patterned the top with doorskin strips and a hot glue gun and cut it out of 1/4" plywood so I can upholster it on the bench and install it last... I will upholster the vertical surface and staple on top then my top "U" will cover the fasteners... the rest of the exposed steel walk through frame will be covered in my grey hull liner material.
I also relocated the flasher relay (for turn signal and emergency flasher) to the steel frame where it will be hidden below the bed... it was originally mounted under the headliner and I have been driving around with it swinging behind me.

 

[2003 Chinook]

Mine was ground down to a bare fiberglass top... no wood left. And then rebuilt out of 1 1/2” foam laminated with epoxy. I then skinned the bottom with thin door skin plywood. I wanted it to be as light as possible and super well insulated. I would have skipped the door skin if I had had known how I was going to finish it. Ended up with the vinyl headliner but I was considering some type of laminate at the time....
I was VERY careful with maintaining the position of all of the mounting points for the scissor mechanism so I did not have to trial and error to get it to center on closing!
Best of luck! I would avoid putting any extra holes in the top... less chance of leaking. If you are going to laminate plywood directly make sure you ground the inside surface well. You can use polyester , vinyl ester or epoxy resins

View attachment 1660005

View attachment 1660006

View attachment 1660007

Thanks Jay! i guess I will need to take it apart now.

 

[Jaybashant]

Finally got the T latches installed to secure the pop up roof... mounted 2 in the front and 2 in the back. I have been driving with the roof just lashed down and is great to have it secured. I will have a couple of straps as a back up from the inside after the tent gets installed...
Also the LP mounts are coming along... the side aluminum straps will get bent into a radius and a 1" nylon strap will secure the tanks...and a padlock on top.

 

[Jaybashant]

Propane mounts ready for clear coat .... the 1" nylon straps will get stiched on the brackets and then they get installed on the back of the camper.

 

[2003 Chinook]

Got the box glassed in that will be the mount for the little window AC. The unit is being mounted completely inside.... the hot air exhaust will vent through a louver and a duct fan will feed the intake side with fresh air from outside through a duct. The intake and exhaust air will be partitioned so they can not mix... found out that celotex insulating sheeting can be fiberglassed! Who knew? Cheap, lightweight and good acoustic and insulating properties... used $160 a sheet divinicel for my floors..
Also a shot of the steel brush guard that will protect the front edge of the aluminum utility boxes.... fabricated of 1/4" steel plate and a slice of 4" diameter pipe. It will be wekded into the 1"x3" steel cab over frame...The boxes and fiberglass shell stick out a few inches from the cab and I want to have some structure to protect them...

View attachment 1638231

View attachment 1638232

View attachment 1638233

Hello Jay!


The a/c unit I am using looks exactly like yours. I planned to use the vents on the chinook originally used for the refrigerator. I noticed you have not put any exterior vents in yet. I see that you are putting it at the back door area. Before I go any further I wanted to see what you planned for the intake and exhaust because I really would like to do away with the ugly refrigerator vents if I can. How big would vents to supply the fresh air and exhaust need to be


Additionally, have you thought of splitting the unit and putting half the unit on the outside (maybe under the body)?

 

[Jaybashant]

Hello Jay!


The a/c unit I am using looks exactly like yours. I planned to use the vents on the chinook originally used for the refrigerator. I noticed you have not put any exterior vents in yet. I see that you are putting it at the back door area. Before I go any further I wanted to see what you planned for the intake and exhaust because I really would like to do away with the ugly refrigerator vents if I can. How big would vents to supply the fresh air and exhaust need to be


Additionally, have you thought of splitting the unit and putting half the unit on the outside (maybe under the body)?

I am installing it completely inside with drain for condesated water....feeding fresh outside air with a fan..then exhausting the warm air outside. The intake and exhaust air need to be completely segregated for this to work...I will post some pics when I get it underway. If you have the room to use the existing vents that would be a really simple solution for you.... I have very limited options on location.

Here is a great link with a bunch of good data to think about...
Window Air Conditioner to Cool an RV - Build A Green RV

 

[2003 Chinook]

I am installing it completely inside with drain for condesated water....feeding fresh outside air with a fan..then exhausting the warm air outside. The intake and exhaust air need to be completely segregated for this to work...I will post some pics when I get it underway. If you have the room to use the existing vents that would be a really simple solution for you.... I have very limited options on location.

Here is a great link with a bunch of good data to think about...
Window Air Conditioner to Cool an RV - Build A Green RV

Thanks! Great Information

 

[Jaybashant]

LP mounts installed with the composite tanks. I have to start about running the couple gas lines and roughing in the electric. All the LP lines will be external...

 

[Jaybashant]

Today I built and upholstered the microwave mount. I also glued the hull liner material to the camper behind the microwave but did not permanently attach it yet... I may want to do the upholstery work to the walk through first. I also need to run my braided romex wiring and position my outlet boxes.
It is nice to see little pieces of finished surfaces inside!

 

[Jaybashant]

Today I worked on enclosing my fuel fil and extra fuel tank. Patterned it all out with FRP (fiber reinforced plastic). It will all get fiberglassed together. The fill that is accessed through the locking door will be isolated from the living space and have a drain through the bottom like the factory truck. The FRP on the outside of the gas tank will be the finished surface inside of the cabinet when accessing the valve and syphon bulb for transfering fuel from the auxillery tank to the factory tank...This is a really important job that I had not yet made a priority of.

 

[Jaybashant]

Made a fuel fill drain out of a piece of pek tubing and FRP. It is installed in the bottom of the fuel fill compartment. I left the tube long until I get the wheel wells in so I have some options...
I fiberglassed all the FRP panels together. I will paint the panels and inside the fill area with white bilge coat enamel...

 

[Jaybashant]

Worked on the wheel well project today. Jacked the truck to remove the tires and mounted the diamondplate inside panels between the utility boxes. It sure finishes the basement and ties it all together! Patterned the front radius pieces with plywood and got started on them... sure wish I had a sheet metal brake. Did the 90° bends in a vise with a piece of hard walnut board and a w 2lb hammer. 1 down and 3 to go. Really happy with how it is looking!

 

[Jaybashant]

Continued on the wheel wells today. I pulled the back panels to modify to give a bit more room for the shocks... they were not touching but I feel better with a bit more wiggle room. Got the other diamond plate radius pieces fabricated and ready for installation and got clear coat on all the diamond plate pieces. Winded up scrapping the curved aluminumfender wells and patterned and bent angled one's to match the existing wells. Way cleaner and simpler. My friend Stan the machinist gave me a hand this afternoon.
Also picked up my Seadek trim pieces that were cut and beveled out of brushed black. I installed the trim around the tail lights but can't install all the trim over the diamond plate until the wheel wells are done...
Got the recovery winch delivered today! A Smittybilt 9500# with remote. Not a warn, but waterproof and great reviews. Also ordered air bags. Might as well get them in before I finalise the wheel well installation.

 

[Jaybashant]

Installed the Seadek black trim... looks badass!

 

[Jaybashant]

Interior time now...

 

[Cannon88]

That black trim really helped the look - I dig it!

 

[Jaybashant]

That black trim really helped the look - I dig it!

Thanks Cannon! I dig it too...

 

[Jaybashant]

Winch is installed in a very tidy fashion.... and still another job that I underestimated the amount of time it would take!

 

[Jaybashant]

Got started on the interior fixtures... very simple and light weight is the plan. No doors or drawers. Chubby hole fronts and top access by lifting the sofa benches that convert to the full size bed.