Hello from the Texas Gulf coast!

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Hello from the Texas Gulf coast!

Postby Redneck Packrat » Wed May 24, 2017 7:46 pm

Hello from near Corpus Christi!

I do a lot of odd job type hauloffs, etc., clean-outs of vacated properties. I'm kinda covered up with flatbed trailers, some not worth pulling out of a grass fire, some halfway decent that I wouldn't be a nervous wreck pulling down the road. I've had the idea rolling around in my mind for several years to build a camper out of one of 'em. Wife's in a wheelchair from a car wreck 30+ years ago, so that makes a ready made camper a non-starter for her. I have this mental image of a sorta toy-hauler but the only toy being hauled would be her chair.

I said earlier that we're near Corpus. 80 degree LOW temps in November/December are not unusual. Rarely gets over 100, but the humidity gets close to there too. Being that spinal injuries stop the body's thermostat, she doesn't sweat when she gets hot, nor does the vascular system constrict to help her warm up when cold (read that as anywhere under about 80 degrees), tent camping is out of the question for us because of lack of at least some degree of climate control. Only thing for us to be able to get out and go and do would be a home built one.

What brought me to this site was Tommy B's build post ( http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=66084 )Reading through how he worked through his build has solved a few of the problems I have been stumped on. Sometime this summer I'm probably gonna start on mine. It'll be pay-as-I-go and a lot of redneck engineering and repurposing, but I want something my wife will be comfortable with and comfortable with being seen in!

When I get started on it, I'll start a thread in the CTC section, I suppose. Seems the closest place that this strange thing will fit.
Bill
Texas Gulf coast, near Corpus

Working on this, started 5/2017: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=68614

Some days you're the bug, some days you're the windshield :?
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Re: Hello from the Texas Gulf coast!

Postby pchast » Wed May 24, 2017 7:56 pm

Welcome.... :D

I'll be interested in how you achieve your objective
with those needs.
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Re: Hello from the Texas Gulf coast!

Postby Redneck Packrat » Wed May 24, 2017 8:20 pm

Biggest thing has been separating out the wants from the needs. The needs list includes:

--enough space to go in and turn around, which is a 5' diameter circle of open floor.
--full size bed with ability to raise the head end at least manually. (Think pool lounger with mattress ;) )
--ramp to get in and out, possibly with an extension depending on the incline it winds up with.
--space to perform bodily functions. Bucket is fine with both of us.
--a/c and heat. (Heat can come from one of those mister buddy type heaters.)

On to wants, some of which are just glaring at me and DARING me to include them :lol:

--hot and cold running water and a cookstove
--solar instead of 12v getting recharged by AC (either generator or shore power)
--room to store stuff outside that circle with access to the bed for rests on longer trips. (I don't mind unloading a few things, but I'd probably get some glares in a Walmart parking lot or rest area LOL)

The access space is probably going to be self-providing, as we now use a receiver-mounted lift for her chair, so the chair would have to go into the trailer while we're pulling it. Only drawback there is that unless I have room (classify this as a want) to carry the lift so I can re-attach it to the truck when we're puttering at the destination, we'd have to tow the trailer everywhere we'd go. (Her chair will high-center if we try using a ramp to load it in the bed of the truck, and I can't push this new one effectively enough to get it past the freewheeling part. Her old chair, which I could run up a ramp....well, let's just say that if I suggested that I'd learn first hand what a "baleful glare" is!)

I think that's about the list of needs. I'm sure before we're too far along, the 'want' list will be much longer. Anything for harmony :thumbsup:
Bill
Texas Gulf coast, near Corpus

Working on this, started 5/2017: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=68614

Some days you're the bug, some days you're the windshield :?
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Re: Hello from the Texas Gulf coast!

Postby bc toys » Thu May 25, 2017 8:03 am

this is all doable and you can build it or cargo conversion I am about to look into installing a wheel chair lift at the door of my cargo put a male receiver where the step is now and make it where it only go up to that level so my wife will be able to drive a chair right in the door if I figure it out ill post a pic on here so many others can use this ideal. as for the buddy heater if you are going to use it inside your camper please put in 2 vents close to where you are going to set it up one down low and one at the top of the wall side of your trailer and crack open the ceiling vent all the other stuff you can wing it as you go
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Re: Hello from the Texas Gulf coast!

Postby Redneck Packrat » Thu May 25, 2017 7:32 pm

bc toys wrote:this is all doable and you can build it or cargo conversion I am about to look into installing a wheel chair lift at the door of my cargo put a male receiver where the step is now and make it where it only go up to that level so my wife will be able to drive a chair right in the door if I figure it out ill post a pic on here so many others can use this ideal. as for the buddy heater if you are going to use it inside your camper please put in 2 vents close to where you are going to set it up one down low and one at the top of the wall side of your trailer and crack open the ceiling vent all the other stuff you can wing it as you go


Preachin' to the choir, there :thumbsup: ....we still heat our home with 1940's era unvented Dearborns. CO detector has never gone off, I guess because the 75 year old house with cheapo 35 year old windows is so loose and leaky that nothing gets a chance to accumulate. I don't dare seal up the house....and what for? Our January gas bill was $36 and change. We don't run heaters at night anyway, no matter what. Something about unattended fires and roaming retarded cats that just doesn't let me sleep well. Just burrow under blankets and eventually it'll warm up.

Of course, I'm the designated "jump out of bed and light the heater" guy.... but it's worth it once the coffee gets ready!

I'm thinking to just build a ramp similar to a landscaper's trailer ramp on the back, and just have it fold up against the wall, with the entry door in back. Maybe make it where the rest of the back wall is on hinges too, sorta a 60/40 split using the smaller side for everyday in and out, and the other side pinned/bolted top and bottom where it could be opened as needed to give full-width access. An expanded metal deck with 1x1 square tubing wouldn't be terribly heavy even if it folds up full height against the back wall. My vision running around in my head is not as complicated as it appears in words. I'd love to see what you cook up, it might be even less-complicated than what I've got in mind.
Bill
Texas Gulf coast, near Corpus

Working on this, started 5/2017: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=68614

Some days you're the bug, some days you're the windshield :?
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