Author Topic: Beginning of a 18' camper iceshack conversion (Read 1616 times)

tracksnorth · « **on:** Jul 18, 2015, 08:44 PM »

purchased a 1975 18' wilderness camper today. My plan is to keep it somewhat original as it is in good shape for its age especially the interior. I plan to keep the beds which fold up into bench seats and add two holes below each seat. I will be removing the bathroom,forced air heater,a closet and the linoleum. I will be applying herculiner in place of the linoleum so cleats don't tear up the floor. I plan to add one inch pink board to the ceiling and perhaps the floor but that will be after awhile. I'm thinking six holes total maybe eight. Thanks for reading and I would greatly appreciate any advice. I've searched and read through most of the similar posts but most seem to be on the topic of pop up conversions and smaller shacks with skids

rl_sd · « **Reply #1 on:** Jul 19, 2015, 08:32 AM »

Not sure why you would want to take out the forces air heater unless you are planning on cutting back on your 12v consumption. A friend and I converted one about ten years back. Make sure you insulate the floor. Ours would run through a 20# tank a night. The furnace in ours was shot so it got replace with a 30k btu blue flame heater. We put a drop axle on ours so that the frame sat on the ice.

tracksnorth · « **Reply #2 on:** Jul 19, 2015, 10:32 AM »

That's exactly why!!!!! I will be replacing with a 10,000 btu blue flame unit. Thinking one inch pink board ought to be enough

rl_sd · « **Reply #3 on:** Jul 19, 2015, 02:04 PM »

Not sure if you are going to sleeve it or make it a drop down, but here is an option

http://www.combocamper.com

tracksnorth · « **Reply #4 on:** Jul 19, 2015, 05:05 PM »

More than likely I will sleeve it for the upcoming season. I've looked at their site before and it looks like they make a good product.

OldSailor · « **Reply #5 on:** Jul 25, 2015, 04:09 PM »

BUMP---BUMP!! Any more on the build?? We're melting out here!!!

tracksnorth · « **Reply #6 on:** Jul 25, 2015, 11:22 PM »

well i am starting tomorrow on removing the bathroom,closet,forced air heater and a few other things to make room for benches. my plan is to provide eight holes. it will be a lot of work but well worth it.

ICE WANDERER · « **Reply #7 on:** Jul 26, 2015, 05:00 AM »

Good luck with your build, how about some pictures!

IW

tracksnorth · « **Reply #8 on:** Jul 27, 2015, 09:48 PM »

Thank you!!! Will post soon

rl_sd · « **Reply #9 on:** Aug 03, 2015, 09:18 AM »

Any progress this weekend?

tracksnorth · « **Reply #10 on:** Aug 03, 2015, 09:20 PM »

You bet I completely gutted the rear. Basically the bathroom,shower and where the old forced air heater was. Enough room to put three maybe four holes with seating!!! Actually priced new exterior steel sheeting from my employer. I don't think a dollar per square foot sounds bad but the only thing that concerns me is weight. Feel free to weigh in. No pun intended

OldSailor · « **Reply #11 on:** Aug 04, 2015, 06:33 AM »

I'm with IW on the pictures!! No pictures, it didn't happen!!!

tracksnorth · « **Reply #12 on:** Aug 09, 2015, 11:21 AM »

I'm going to try to post pics here shortly. I am terrible when it comes to these types of things so bear with me.

tracksnorth · « **Reply #13 on:** Aug 09, 2015, 11:49 AM »

tracksnorth · « **Reply #14 on:** Aug 09, 2015, 11:52 AM »

tracksnorth · « **Reply #15 on:** Aug 09, 2015, 11:52 AM »

tracksnorth · « **Reply #16 on:** Aug 09, 2015, 11:54 AM »

tracksnorth · « **Reply #17 on:** Aug 09, 2015, 11:56 AM »

Smax · « **Reply #18 on:** Aug 10, 2015, 06:14 PM »

Looks like a great project. I'll pop in to check out the progress.

tracksnorth · « **Reply #19 on:** Aug 10, 2015, 06:31 PM »

Thanks,focusing on the wiring now. Not sure how I want to run everything but I know I don't want to run a generator. Probably a couple deep cycle batteries and an inverter.

rl_sd · « **Reply #20 on:** Aug 12, 2015, 07:36 AM »

Quote from: tracksnorth on Aug 10, 2015, 06:31 PM

Thanks,focusing on the wiring now. Not sure how I want to run everything but I know I don't want to run a generator. Probably a couple deep cycle batteries and an inverter.

I was in the same boat... My suggestion still is to have a generator plug on the outside that comes in to where your batteries and inverter are. If you wire all of your 120v items on a single circuit into a male house hold plug, and your outside generator plug to female outlet box, you can switch between the inverter and generator "if" you ever decide to get one. If you are going to try to stay on battery power, I suggest you look at making as much as your lighting 12v DC LED as possible due to the draw. Inverters are a beautiful thing, but going from 12vdc to 120vac is not an efficient process, especially if you have a high draw.

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Author Topic: Beginning of a 18' camper iceshack conversion (Read 1616 times)