Building/Customizing camper

[fish-n-geek]

First, the why: Every October we take a four or five day bow hunting / camping trip. We camp on the edge of a lake in some county forest land.

Now, the what: Tent camping stinks, especially when it rains four of five days like it did in '04. The site we usually use had three inches of water running across it. Luckily we had borrowed a camper this time around. Now I'm looking to pick up my own camper. The first problem is that I want to sleep six or seven, but keep the trailer length down. Took a 22 footer in there and just barely made it in. If I put a six inch suspension lift on it, I could probably sneak a 27 footer in. Its October, so we don't use the tanks on the camper, and we cook outside on the fire, so we don't use the kitchen. I'm considering a couple of options. The first being to find an older (read: cheaper) camper that we can rip the kitchen and bathroom out of to make more beds. Basically, beds, table and heater. Second option is to start with a flatbed or enclosed trailer and build up from scratch either simple insulated walls (think ice house trailer) or a wall tent on a flatbed platform.

Anyone try this before, or have a better idea?

Think I'm nuts?

-r-

[hawkeye43]

I know where there is an older camper that might be for sale. Its has been started to be taken apart inside. I will do some checking and get back to you.

[mpls_ham]

I would think that preparing the campsite would be easier than the trailer idea unless you camp in a hole. Trench around the tent and use a couple of palets for the entry. Just my humble 2 cents.

[fish-n-geek]

The site is next to a lake, so it has a place for the water to drain to. Trenching is pretty difficult, as it is very rocky soil. Other two concerns with tenting are 1) the wind likes to howl across the lake into the site and 2) its been my experience that its harder to heat a tent than a trailer. Both can be overcome, but they are additional points to consider.

[fish-n-geek]

Thanks for the detective work, hawkeye. Lemme know what you find.

[hawkeye43]

How can I get ahold of you? can you post an email. He does want to sell Its a 24 ft and I tell you more about it later.

[hawkeye43]

ttt

[MinnesotaMuskie]

My buddy and I bought a bus from a chruch. It had 17K miles on it and in great shape.

We have 6 bunks, table chairs, lazy boy, stove, furnace. We love it...except at teh gas pumps...5-6 mpg.

We take it up to Togo where we deer hunt. We do expect it to nickle and dime us to death...but what the hey...it is only money, we can more on Monday.

We are taking it on a 4-wheeler trip the first week in April. Nice thing about it is that we can pull the trailer with 6 wheelers and we get the same mileage.

We have a total of about $2,300 in the rig.

[hawkeye43]

ttt