From Wreck to Uluru....Aussie adventure trailer (3 Viewers)

[Billyfj7312ht]

Living Life got the better of me. Moving house, then renovating. But have dragged the trailer build along with me. It’s been sitting for years in the yard.
The chassis paint system was not as good as they claimed either. The system I used on my car build (rust converter, dewax/rust inhibitor, high build 2pac primer then 2pac Ute liner) is far superior and still looks brand new and the chassis coat kit for the trailer broke down within 3 years.
Luckily it’s only got a bit of surface rust in the chassis. The body has a bit more rust and have unbolted it from the chassis and about to send off to be sand blasted and primed so I have a clean canvas.
The plan is:
1) cut and weld patches where there are rust holes.
2) weld structural panels to stiffen body.
3) design the pullout kitchen.
4) design the flip up top.
5) find 2 rear doors.

1st tow in 3 years

1st clean in 3 years

Had to paint my rear bar for car so prepped some of chassis using my old trusted method. I’ll try and do a bit of work each month and keep it moving as I’m getting too old to keep sleeping in a swag when I’m camping.

 

[Billyfj7312ht]

Got the body back from sandblaster all primed ready for next stage.

Picked up another roof which turned out better than my original roof so will keep the new roof for my car and paint at a later date if I want to use it.
I have sacrificed the original which had damaged seals and window surrounds. It's been cut down to something that resembles the car lines.
I'll fibreglass the bottom lip of the roof back onto the roof lid and hinge it so I can get to the bed and storage underneath. The lid will function similar to a RTT with gas struts and canvas sides. I'll install a 270 deg awning that will wrap down the left hand side and around the back for coverage off the camper.
Now that I know the approx size of the lid I can design and build a box to go at the front of the body to create kitchen storage with a pullout bench to hold a fridge, sink and hotplate.

The camper is now all off one donor vehicle - Chassis, body tub, wheels, suspension and roof.

 

[cruiserpilot]

The irony of renting a trailer to build a trailer.. Glad to see you back this, I'm close to similar project but
using Aqualu Aluminum stubby FJ45 box 65" - 1.65 m long.

 

[Billyfj7312ht]

The irony of renting a trailer to build a trailer.. Glad to see you back this, I'm close to similar project but
using Aqualu Aluminum stubby FJ45 box 65" - 1.65 m long.

Hahaha I know right. Yeah glad to be picking away at it. Your project sounds awesome. When do we see photos?

 

[cruiserpilot]

Hahaha I know right. Yeah glad to be picking away at it. Your project sounds awesome. When do we see photos?

ARB's into the 60 first and quite likely 12HT rebuild. I'll send pics along when they happen.

 

[Billyfj7312ht]

Rather than weld small pieces into floor and wheel arches etc I thought I’d use a whole floor with supports. I want the camper’s side profiles, rear and roof to match my car.

Cut most of the rust from floor. Still need to remove rib supports.

 

[Billyfj7312ht]

Yet to take the old ribs out so new floor and supports can drop into place.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Now you’re getting there. Better start to save your money, I heard they are importing
Giant American Toyota Tundra’s Ute’s on the list for 2025. Let me know if they come in a diesel,
cause that will anger me! I’m mucking with a 2010 reg cab short box 4WD I got for winter road salt
duties. It’s kind of gotten in the way of projects. I hear the big American utes are causing problems
due to size? Or is this an overblown media report I saw?

381 Hp, kind of a hot rod. Big fun to go fast in! But going slow is much more affordable.

 

[Billyfj7312ht]

Now you’re getting there. Better start to save your money, I heard they are importing
Giant American Toyota Tundra’s Ute’s on the list for 2025. Let me know if they come in a diesel,
cause that will anger me! I’m mucking with a 2010 reg cab short box 4WD I got for winter road salt
duties. It’s kind of gotten in the way of projects. I hear the big American utes are causing problems
due to size? Or is this an overblown media report I saw? View attachment 3665533
381 Hp, kind of a hot rod. Big fun to go fast in! But going slow is much more affordable.

Yeah, getting under some peoples skin. Alright out of city but contractors are starting to use them everywhere because of tow capacity, so streets are getting choked with them in suburbia which has a lot smaller streets nowadays. Short beds are cool though.

 

[Billyfj7312ht]

I'm back!
So, the last 4 days I've been able to get a run on things.
Cut all the sub floor so the new tub fits snug down in place. Welded support stiffeners to wheel arches and at front for structural reasons.
I know my welding has a long way to go but the penetration is good without blowouts and I've yet to grind back and fill in some spots.

Penetration.

I used my car (same tub) to get exact measurements, then used a heavy duty cargo ratchet strap to pull the bottom in about 15mm and to square it up before welding floor in place.

 

[Billyfj7312ht]

Picked at the parts I needed and sold the parts I didn't need. Ended up $35 in front and free parts for the build.

 

[Billyfj7312ht]

Moving the trailer with no jockey wheel is starting to hurt my back so grabbed one and welded it on the inside so not to interfere with my turning circle or front kitchen.
Can be stored in upright position with handle forward or backwards.

Also started tacking patches in and fixing rust spots with a grind, rust converter and primer between welds. Need to get more gas for welder today as ran out halfway through which didn’t allow the welds to flow very well, luckily I’m a great grinder.

 

[Malleus]

I'm back!
So, the last 4 days I've been able to get a run on things.
Cut all the sub floor so the new tub fits snug down in place. Welded support stiffeners to wheel arches and at front for structural reasons.
I know my welding has a long way to go but the penetration is good without blowouts and I've yet to grind back and fill in some spots.

View attachment 3775485


Penetration.
View attachment 3775481


I used my car (same tub) to get exact measurements, then used a heavy duty cargo ratchet strap to pull the bottom in about 15mm and to square it up before welding floor in place.
View attachment 3775478

View attachment 3775480

View attachment 3775479

It never ceases to maze me the precision you can get with a ratchet strap. Thanks for sticking with this; I didn't really want to work this morning anyway...

 

[Billyfj7312ht]

It never ceases to maze me the precision you can get with a ratchet strap. Thanks for sticking with this; I didn't really want to work this morning anyway...

Thanks. I’m either stubborn or stupid to keep this build alive. There’s just something about having a matching 4x4 and tub camper.
Still a difficult sell to my wife as we will get a bigger tow vehicle and caravan to travel over next few years, but this is to get me off the ground when us guys go for a weekend.

 

[Malleus]

I'm right there with you. I love it.

 

[Billyfj7312ht]

Didn’t want to go too far without having an idea on overall finishing points so thought I’d take a break from metal work and start templating/shaping the kitchen box and roof so all the lines flow best they can. I’ll only dry fit for now, no fibreglassing, then turn back onto the metal work.

Being weight conscious I’m using 12mm CD ply for floor and a couple of other strategic places. 9mm CD ply for doors and ribs and 3mm AB ply double laminated for shaping. Once glued and screwed together I’ll be applying fibreglass and matting and in some places applying sheet aluminium to stop stones damaging the fibreglass like front and underside of box.

 

[Billyfj7312ht]

Enough of that. Back to metal work

 

[Hudson Bay]

Ok so I have a spare chassis and tub from a build I’m doing and been threatening to build a matching camper…cause this would be awesome!!

Now as great as this sounds to us blokes I don’t seem to be able to get it past the missus who if gets her way would like to get a skip bin in so it can be all taken for scrap……”.with the other stuff I’ve hoarded”.
Now I was hoping to cross that battlefield when the pain of my 21/2 year obsessive car build was behind us(her), after that it will just be a passive hobby promise.

Circumstances have changed of late as I have sold one of my businesses and looking forward to slowing down a bit. My wife has taken this as I have time to clean up behind the shed.

So here’s my plan: I will covertly design and store parts beforehand, then knock out something that resembles a trailer (rolling shell only) and hopefully she’ll see more than a heap of steel.
I have a couple of opportunities in January where I will be left unsupervised for 3-4 days so I will aim for these days to do the manual work.

My overall build Stats are as follows:

85 litres water – at rear
Solar
12V
240V
2 x 4.5KG Gas tanks at front
1 X spare wheel at rear
Pull out kitchen at front – 60ltr fridge – gas cook top - sink
Framed aluminium flip over top/hard floor with attached canvas tent
Permanently set up double bed and storage


Something like this closed, but with flip over top/hard floor.
View attachment 1369135


And will look similar to this open but with the pull out kitchen at the front.
View attachment 1369136



Right now it looks like this
View attachment 1369137

View attachment 1369139

Obviously there’s a lot ahead of me but I just want to concentrate on a primed rolling chassis and tub for now.
This leads to my first round of questions before I spend any money.

1) Can I make a trailer out of an old car chassis or is it too heavy?

2) Should I cut the chassis off at the front tubular cross member then weld an A frame back in to suit turning circles etc. Mainly because the chassis turns up at the end and would affect the way my slide out kitchen works.

3) Should I remove some leafs out of the leaf pack because it is lighter?
I will get an axle and hubs ready made when I narrow down my options.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Your build is truly inspiring, turning a wreck into something capable of tackling the journey to Uluru is no small feat. It’s great to see such a practical transformation with a clear focus on adventure! congrats

 

[Billyfj7312ht]

Your build is truly inspiring, turning a wreck into something capable of tackling the journey to Uluru is no small feat. It’s great to see such a practical transformation with a clear focus on adventure! congrats

Thanks!
Yes Uluru is 3300km from where I live and will drive about 6-8 hours a day and occasionally stopping to look around the areas I stay so the adventure will start from first day and take about 4 days to get there.