I was just showing my wife this thread and your pics. We would love to have a setup like that, but we have a 6 yr old and the dual rear bucket seats have to stay. Guess I'll just have to spend the change on an adventure trailer.......
I made something AWESOME for SnT...
- Thread starter amaurer
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Could it be they were designed by people of smaller stature than most Americans? They may not have had any problems at all...
I think you're only supposed to bang Asian chicks in them. It's a theory that the wife doesn't support (damn German)
Tech note: Looks like that mod would work for any year Cruiser.
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- #45
the action shots i promised...
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Didn't know to what extent you were gonna get to test it so soon, eh?
So how DID it fare in the storm Saturday night? I know the peeps camped around me in GROUND tents were pretty miserable?
I wish I'd seen you. I brought that amby glass with me, and dragged back home again.
I thoroughly enjoyed my setup as well.
Best
Mark A.
So how DID it fare in the storm Saturday night? I know the peeps camped around me in GROUND tents were pretty miserable?
I wish I'd seen you. I brought that amby glass with me, and dragged back home again.
I thoroughly enjoyed my setup as well.
Best
Mark A.
- Thread starter
- #47
Didn't know to what extent you were gonna get to test it so soon, eh?
So how DID it fare in the storm Saturday night? I know the peeps camped around me in GROUND tents were pretty miserable?
I wish I'd seen you. I brought that amby glass with me, and dragged back home again.
I thoroughly enjoyed my setup as well.
Best
Mark A.
I am sorry I missed you, honestly I've been driving with that broken glass for so long it just slipped my mind. Thank you, in any case.
I saw at least ground one tent break loose before we went to bed; the
felt a drizzle or two so we turned in somewhat early. Having a truck [mostly] around you is a real treat on nights like that, the only way we even knew it was windy out there was when we heard the ground tents flapping nearby.So what was this setup of yours?
Great idea, and great follow through
I've been thinking of something like this since I got my truck.
The plan I have been brewing was a similar sort of fold out thing as you have done for the bed base, but then rather than an internal tent like you have done, a sort of half-tent thing that would go over the rear of the roof and over/around the doors (which the doors would have a cross beam like yours at the top to lock them in the open position and for the tent to go over).
I like your internal tent for the added privacy it would give you, but I would like to be able to fully close off the whole rear of the truck for rain and wind protection- also, I've been spoiled by years of camping in an old 74 transit van so I like to have as much head room as possible
Oh yeah, and I am really going to miss the queen size bed in the back of the transit too
Well done. And it has really helped figure out what it is I want for mine, and how to make it.
I've been thinking of something like this since I got my truck.
The plan I have been brewing was a similar sort of fold out thing as you have done for the bed base, but then rather than an internal tent like you have done, a sort of half-tent thing that would go over the rear of the roof and over/around the doors (which the doors would have a cross beam like yours at the top to lock them in the open position and for the tent to go over).
I like your internal tent for the added privacy it would give you, but I would like to be able to fully close off the whole rear of the truck for rain and wind protection- also, I've been spoiled by years of camping in an old 74 transit van so I like to have as much head room as possible
Oh yeah, and I am really going to miss the queen size bed in the back of the transit too
Well done. And it has really helped figure out what it is I want for mine, and how to make it.
thats awesome, nice work and great idea. i like it
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- #51
Ok, well, I've learned far more than I ever cared to know about contract sewing, most of all that its expensive, and seamstresses are a grumpy bunch... BUT!!... I've got everything lined up.
$225 will buy you the canopy with all associated hardware (eyelets/zippers/hooks/clasps) installed, in your choice of color, provided its one of the colors I can get (list comes later).
The tent is largely as you see above, minus some of my poor sewing, and with the addition of a zipper in the panel facing the windshield to make it easier to throw gear in, waterproofed seams, and double sided zipper pulls. (You pay actual shipping)
You'd be responsible for making the folding floor and the simple wooden bows (3) - the canopy will then staple directly in place. I'm doing this to save you money on shipping as the floor is bulky. You're looking at extremely simple construction - one sheet of ply/particle/mdf and a few furring strips. Everything you need can be had for under $60, including the table legs, all from Home Depot. I'll provide patterns and dimensions for all components.
[Now that I think on it, it might not be clear - the tent is supported inside the truck along the sides by hooking it to the lip between the walls and fiberglass roof. The front and rear are held up by wooden bars that just lay across the same lip - these just furring strips cut to length.]
As for the price, I can tell you that fully half of that is materials alone (just the fabric costs $70 for ripstop with good waterproofing). The rest is mostly labor, I won't be sending the kids to college on tent sales, thats for sure.
I'm having one built for myself so I can verify the workmanship and work out any kinks - probably take 2 weeks. So be thinking about it guys.
To those with a rear hatch instead of amby doors, would someone please post some pictures of the hatch "open"? Also I need a measurement from the plane of the rear floor to the lower edge hatch when its open. Thanks.
$225 will buy you the canopy with all associated hardware (eyelets/zippers/hooks/clasps) installed, in your choice of color, provided its one of the colors I can get (list comes later).
The tent is largely as you see above, minus some of my poor sewing, and with the addition of a zipper in the panel facing the windshield to make it easier to throw gear in, waterproofed seams, and double sided zipper pulls. (You pay actual shipping)
You'd be responsible for making the folding floor and the simple wooden bows (3) - the canopy will then staple directly in place. I'm doing this to save you money on shipping as the floor is bulky. You're looking at extremely simple construction - one sheet of ply/particle/mdf and a few furring strips. Everything you need can be had for under $60, including the table legs, all from Home Depot. I'll provide patterns and dimensions for all components.
[Now that I think on it, it might not be clear - the tent is supported inside the truck along the sides by hooking it to the lip between the walls and fiberglass roof. The front and rear are held up by wooden bars that just lay across the same lip - these just furring strips cut to length.]
As for the price, I can tell you that fully half of that is materials alone (just the fabric costs $70 for ripstop with good waterproofing). The rest is mostly labor, I won't be sending the kids to college on tent sales, thats for sure.
I'm having one built for myself so I can verify the workmanship and work out any kinks - probably take 2 weeks. So be thinking about it guys.
To those with a rear hatch instead of amby doors, would someone please post some pictures of the hatch "open"? Also I need a measurement from the plane of the rear floor to the lower edge hatch when its open. Thanks.
Coolerman
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Here are a couple of pics. Mine is all apart now so can't get a measurement.
Very cool, wish I'd seen it.
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- #54
Coolerman, thanks! The dimensions look just fine, no need to measure I can see things will work. I wonder though, I'd need to put some tension on the outer edge of the hatch, how sturdy are those struts? Would you worry about having 10 pounds of tension on the end of the hatch? 20 pounds?
Right. That's why they made the '55...
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- #57
Just an update - due to lack of interest I never gave the go ahead to my seamstress to produce these.
However, I did draw up a full set of plans if you want to build your own. I'm asking $15:
Kickass Stuff For Your 40-Series - Tent Plans
However, I did draw up a full set of plans if you want to build your own. I'm asking $15:
Kickass Stuff For Your 40-Series - Tent Plans
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I am sorry I missed you, honestly I've been driving with that broken glass for so long it just slipped my mind. Thank you, in any case.
I saw at least ground one tent break loose before we went to bed; the
So what was this setup of yours?
Turns out, it's a feature in this issue of 4WDTO magazine!
Maybe I will start my own thread.
