Collapsable Hard Tent?

[scottyp]

oh, and the Samurai/Sidekick (thinking sidekick since it'd have a/c) would be getting a VW Turbodiesel in it that I'm going to convert to be able to use biodiesel

[schaney]

Scottyp, the Samurai/Sidekick/Tracker are fun vehicles. I just sold my Tracker to a guy by a Mt. Hood ski resort. He is going to put snowcat tracks on it and use it for grooming cross-counrty skiing trails.

I'm currently watching for a Samurai. I like the idea of a diesel VW motor in one. My father-in-law tells about driving his old rabbit pickup from FL to CA on a couple of tanks of diesel.

[scottyp]

yeah I'm either going to do a tear or an explorer box, I'm not sure which one I like better, the explorer box would obviously be lighter, but I orignally got into this idea based on the tear, plus the tear has a hard top and whatnot. Both have serious cool factor though ; )

[jml79]

I have done a lot of work on boats and a lot of research on aircraft construction. Simple extruded polystyrene (i think i spelled it right) insulation boards in the 1-2" range with some form of puncture resistant outer coating (light fibreglass layer or 1/8" luan door skin) would likely give you all of the structural rigidity you would need. Boats and even some very fast aircraft have used this cheap foam for years, And before the flaming starts I know that PVC and other foams are more common in both industries but I can give examples where EPS is used very successfully as a structural reinforcement or core not just flotation.

[brian_bp]

I have done a lot of work on boats and a lot of research on aircraft construction. Simple extruded polystyrene (i think i spelled it right) insulation boards in the 1-2" range with some form of puncture resistant outer coating (light fibreglass layer or 1/8" luan door skin) would likely give you all of the structural rigidity you would need...

See ultra lightweight floating popup camper for a current example of this construction applied to a tiny travel trailer.

Yes, it is "extruded polystyrene".

[H@nk]

Something like this, Maybe?
http://www.warmoltz.nl/rapido/rapido.htm

It's in Dutch, but made in France, so perhaps availeble in Canada

[jml79]

I have done a lot of work on boats and a lot of research on aircraft construction. Simple extruded polystyrene (i think i spelled it right) insulation boards in the 1-2" range with some form of puncture resistant outer coating (light fibreglass layer or 1/8" luan door skin) would likely give you all of the structural rigidity you would need...

See ultra lightweight floating popup camper for a current example of this construction applied to a tiny travel trailer.

Yes, it is "extruded polystyrene".

That is an awesome build, thanks.

[jay]

[quote="PaulC"]...100lbs of lead ..and see if you can lift it onto the roof .....[/quote]

i've cartopped a 100# boat and it's no day on the lake


http://www.vintageprojects.com/misc/pop ... shell.html

[navigator]

Came across this site for Lofty Shelters, a company that makes several versions of roof-top tents (some with hard shells):

http://www.loftyshelters.com/IndexFrame.htm

And their 44-page PDF catalog:

http://www.loftyshelters.com/images/Aut ... atalog.PDF

And their US distributor (Nevada):

http://www.autohomeus.com/

The average price of $2,500 might be a bit of a deterent...