Love the conversion and thank you so much for sharing! I would love to get an update and see how your vehicle has fared with use! MORE! MORE! MORE! LOL...
Thanks for the note. Unfortunately the pandemic has put a severe crimp in our overlanding plans. We had hoped to venture north into Canada ... but that really isn't feasible at this point. One of these days I will get it together to make a follow up video. Again ... thanks for the kind words.
Thank you! I have certainly benefited from so many folks that have braved the trolls to post information here and in many other places. I really hope someone sees something in my experience that helps them in their own build.
Found it!!! Tortuga is kick-butt awesome! Thanks for coming out to the event. I hope to be in your neck of the woods by New Years... (a bit afterwards). :-D
That is amazing Rob, you are a craftsman skilled din so many areas, design metal fab, electrical, plumbing and fiberglass, the complete package. Beautiful!
That's really some amazing work. I wish I had developed your skillset at an earlier age. I've been saving for about five years to buy an LMTV/FMTV and convert it into an overland camper, and I just keep hitting roadblocks. Mostly in what it would cost to have somebody else do it. I'm just a super dummy when it comes to mechanical stuff and welding. Been in the military for 18 years and have tons of experience in and around LMTV's but the box stuff you did on the back is way beyond anything I could accomplish with the skillset I have and the space I would have available.
John ... thanks for the comment. You have to know I felt just like you for a long time. I first came across this overland world when I lived in Munich in the mid 80's. Germans I knew were fixing up old army trucks and putting them on a ferry's to Africa to enjoy all the vacation time they seem to get. That said, having largely completed my build, I have learned so much from other folks on the internet. Frankly that is why I posted this video. I hoped that in some small way it might help other folks wanting to build such a camper. But It HAS been a long process to get to this point. My only counsel is to hang in there and don't give up the dream. Also you might consider starting a little smaller. There are some incredible pickup camper builds folks have done. There is a guy near me that built a beautiful camper on his older Ford F250 These builds have all the same elements as the big ones (e.g.: solar, batteries, inverters, water systems, refrigeration, etc. etc.) You really learn a lot doing something like that. I kind of wish I had gone that path before jumping into building a 22,000 behemoth! Good luck and thanks for checking out the video!
Interesting how you built the camper box. Aluminum frame , then wood material, then fibre glass exterior. Lot of people use foam core fibre glass panels. Personally I think your construction would be stronger because you built a strong aluminum frame.You have done a very good building job.
Thanks John007 .... you are so right about Tig welding. I am lucky to have a son that was three time WA state welding champion. He loves to TIG weld. Couldn't have done this project the way I did without his assistance. (only cost me a ski season pass!)
Rob Anderson I’m an aerospace certified Tig welder, I avoid aluminum; I mostly weld aerospace grade stainless steels, I love how they turn gold when you weld it just right... it’s kinda like polishing a Diamond! 👍🏻 I didn’t know that Tig welding was a sport, but that’s very cool! I’m a 6 time US national rapid fire pistol 🔫 champion; I missed going to the Olympics in 2000 & 2004 by only one place! Only one shooter got to go to the Olympic Games & I was in second place 🥈 😢
Dave ... thanks for the nice note. I have to say it was your LMTV videos ... along with Sean's that have been so helpful in getting more confident with the truck side of this equation. I hope after coronavirus is a bad memory I can make it over to the west side and meet up with you guys. Take care and keep making those videos!
@@robanderson6423 Please do come! I'd love to see you and your truck in person. I also thank you for your kind words... it has been a learning experience driving truck instead of flying a helicopter. It really helped when I salvaged an entire LMTV. Sean is the real Maverick... though I think I have a knack for teaching and showing how it is done. Anyway, if you make any more videos, I have "rung the bell," so I'll be hanging around. Cheers, my friend.
I'm also from Washington State and have been researching a ton about building my own expedition/overland vehicle. Beautiful rig you built! Would love to see some videos of places you travel with it. It would be interesting to see it in some familiar locations :)
Those aluminium frame profiles are thermal bridges. You will get condensation inside in cold climates. Film it with a thermal camera from inside and outside in cold and sunny days and you will see the heat exchange. Also..those wood panels fixed with rivets will loose themselvs in offroad because of their weight, then water goes inside through those tiny gaps. Expedition vehicles should be ready for every climate and terrain. Aluminium skeleton is good for a stong box, but isolate it from the external and internal wall sheets with 1 inch of pu foam, at least. Good luck!
Awesome build! How is that 1078 treating you? As awesome as it is, with tires costing something like $2000 each, I would always be worried about something breaking and destroying my bank account. Thanks for sharing this great build with us!
Awsome living space. Maybe consider build for sale .let me know im triying to.find a good m1078. Regards congratulations again you have magic in your hands
Amazing build. I am looking at building an overlander on a 1989 MB 4x4 cargo truck frame or Steyr chassis. I am curious, is there insulation in the walls of the habitat? Are you concerned with thermal bridging with the 2x2 aluminum? What is the total length of the camper box? Thanks
What is the use case for that floorplan and if it's truly an overland, will it be only operating in arctic conditions with all that white exterior color and interior color? I didn't see any special cold weather enhancements and it has all those slung under storage trays on the exterior?
What a beautiful and delightful project! Thanks for sharing the process. Do you have an approximate budget for a project like this? It was great meeting you out on the Alvord Desert!
I always admire people that are undertaking such a project. Please allow me a couple of questions: How did you insulate your body? Did you calculate for expansion/contraction of the aluminum frame? Did you build a spring mounted subframe or 4 point ? In any case, happy camping!
Thanks so much for the comment. As for the insulation ... in each section formed by the 2" by 2" exoskeleton I put in rigid insulation. From there I glued 1/8" FRP on the inside ... sealing any gaps on the edges. As for calculating the expansion and contraction of the aluminum frame ... I have to laugh. No I did not. I will let you know in a few years if that presents a problem. For now we have used it in 110 degree weather in the desert .... and down to 10 degrees in the mountains and I haven't seen any issues (or condensation). One of the things you quickly see when building these things with limited resources is why Earthroamers and Unicats approach half a million dollars. For that money .... you get expansion/contraction calculations. For $35,000 of things bought online and at the home depot .... it is more of a wing and a prayer. All that said, I would be lying if I said there weren't times when I machinated as to whether it would have been more cost-effective to buy a prefab box from a company like yours. I spent many hours making sure the box was fair and watertight .... I really didn't want it to look like some paunchy old guy in a pole barn built it! The reality was ... I simply couldn't plop down $15k to $20k in one pile to buy the box. So as I have said in other comments ... the cool part of these builds is seeing the myriad paths that folks take to build them ... given their quiver of skills, vision and resources. This is what came out of my quiver ....
@@robanderson6423 I hear you loud and clear. I fell the same way. Just write a check, jump in and drive away is certainly cool. For me and many of us, it is NOT the journey, but the destination. It really depends on the individual's ability and desire. It is the process that I enjoy. People often tell me why don't you just fly to Alaska instead of driving there. I tell them to tell the golfer just pick up the ball and put it in the hole instead of spending all the time and money putting golf ball around :D I just won my bid for an M1078 yesterday. Hope it is NOT a lemon, we will see. Will write more. Thanks.
@@cfotograf ... that is great news. It will be a great adventure. Please let me know if I can help with any information. PS: Did you see the message I left on one of your videos?
@@robanderson6423 Oh No, :) I suck in Facebook and youtube. ... hahahaa. OK I will look. I really want to rub off some of your working knowledge you have without too imposing. my email schumconnor@gmail.com It may be easier to take this off line. :)
Great build. Looking at doing something similar. Question: How much does the box weight? I saw in the comments that the base was approx 16ft with 4 ft extension. Getting ready to start our build Looking at 17.3ft base 19.2ft long on ceiling length and 3 ft extension. 7.4ft wide X 7.2ft tall. Again great build thanks for sharing 👍
Awesome build man. I'm embarking on a similar project (still building it in my head). Question? How long is the box you built. Thank you and hope to see more projects from you and your son. Cheers
Thanks for the comment. The pass through is a challenge with these trucks due to the placement of the spare tire and air filter. It is possible ... just a bit of redesign. I decided not to worry about it.
Hi Jeff ... The first element of the thought process was that I knew I wanted to extend the frame three feet. This led to rethinking the construct of the bed. I also knew I would eventually have a lot more $$$'s in the camper than in the truck. So I thought I should make it relatively easy to remove the camper and put it on a different truck ... should that become necessary. It doesn't really show up in the video ... but we have two beefed up square tubes at either end of the base of the camper. This allows me to slide a bar through each end and lift the whole unit off the truck with beefy jacks. At this point, I can pretty easily remove the camper should that be necessary. I also thought it would enhance the resale value of the truck to have a nice big aluminum stake bed. All that said, in hindsight I'm not sure I would do it that way again. I like the idea of being able to remove the camper ... but I could have built a simpler support frame and not have had the expense and extra weight of the stakebed. But ... that ship has sailed! Obviously when you do something like this ... you learn SO much that you might do differently when you build the next one. Hope that is helpful ..
Thanks for the comment Mary. There are so many different paths when it comes to this sort of thing. At the high end ($$$) there are a number of US builders that will work with you. (e.g.: ACELA, Global Expedition) On the other end of the spectrum, there are more and more folks buying M1079's (box installed) and doing their best to build out a camper that works for them. For me this has been the culmination of years of thinking about this. All that said, CZcams is full of videos from folks that have figured out ways to make it happen. I hope to make another video detailing some of the things I have learned in my process. Thanks again for watching ...
Thanks for the note. Since this video was completed, I have moved the box from this truck to a different (larger) truck. (see newer video on this channel) The attachment is a bit different. That said, the camper box aluminum frame is sheathed with wood and fiberglass. There is no direct contact between the aluminum frame and the trucks subframe/frame other than where it is bolted on at the corners.
@@robanderson6423 Awesome new build the 6x6 looks much better more traction too.The info in both vids helps greatly thanks im looking at the 1089 wrecker (208'')wheel base longest they make i think.
Hello Rob, Thanks for sharing. You gave me the reason to dream bigger. Just wondering if you have a built-list for this M-1078? How did you extend another 3 ft of your truck bed and support the extra length? Thank you.
Thanks for the comment and the kind words. Unfortunately I don't have a build list. This whole process was one of making it up as I went along. That said I am reminded of an amazing interview I saw of a POW in Vietnam. He said he kept himself mentally sharp during his imprisonment .... building a house in his head. Though I wasn't in anywhere near that environment, I did pretty much build this in my head (along with a bunch of Sketch Up drawings) I also knew I couldn't plop down a big bag of cash all at once. But if I could pay for it over time ... I could make it work. So I used materials that I could buy in chunks. This was how it worked best for me. I think the cool part of so many overland builds is that they so often reflect their owners personality and their particular comfort levels with certain materials and design ideas. Each is a little piece of very personal rolling artwork. I love that part of this community. Regarding the frame extension ... the LMTV frame is exceedingly stout. I had exact rails formed (four) and sistered them with the whole thing welded by a world class welder (my son ) I also redrilled everything so I could bolt on the original cross piece / light bar / tow schackles. I also fabricated a stake bed that adds to the strength aft of the axle. Back to your specific question .... I just figured I would have relatively little weight aft of the rear axle. All the heavy stuff is in the middle of the truck. I will keep you posted if it starts to go Titanic on me!
Hello; magnificent construction of the truck. curiosity: at minute 8:46, a golden-colored object is observed that looks like a mask hanging on the wall. It is?. Good luck and great trips! Regards. Ivan
Wow Rob, what a great job !! How can I find the fiberglass sheets that you have used large and smooth? One question, why do you make a bed like the standard one but of aluminum? About the weight?... Why didn't you make the box on top of the subframe directly? How do you attach the box to the bed? thanks
Thanks for the note. The fiberglass sheets are called Filon and are widely used and available in the RV world. It is available in 102" width and up to 40'. I really didn't want any seams ... so I ordered 20' pieces for the sides, and top. I then glued them on with high end 3m contact cement. The first one was pretty stressful. You only have one chance to avoid air bubbles. Once it makes contact ... it is on there. It was quite a process. Once it was on ... I just used a trim router to deal with the overhang. It is on there pretty solid. As for the stakebed .. my original thinking was that being able easily remove the box was important. I figured I would have a lot more $$$ into the camper than the truck (that is true) and it would be great to be able to take it on and off. The video doesn't really show it ... but there are two full width tubes at the front and back of where the box meets the bed. I can insert beefy square tubing in them, lift and remove the camper pretty easily. In hind sight ... I am not sure I would have done this the same way. Yes I can easily pull the box off and sell the truck with a nice big stake bed. But the reality is that now I am much more comfortable with keeping the M1078 running and on the road. The stake bed also added weight and I lost about six inches in height I could have used for other things. Maybe on the next build I will go that route.
Thanks! I wanted it to be strong enough to walk on the roof ... yet as light as possible. I also had the benefit of having an accomplished welder (indentured servant) welder in the household (my son) . (I actually traded him a season ski pass for his efforts!) Honestly though ... in hind sight I would probably look at buying the panels from Total Composites to make a foam core box. I just couldn't plop down $15K all at once. The bottomline is that I probably spent that much building the box as I did. I don't know ... I go back and forth on that question.
@@robanderson6423 Like in airplanes, anytime you can save weight in an over the road vehicle, is worth doing. EVEN though it costs more! Great job. The VHB tape is being used more and more in the experimental aircraft world, all reports are it is incredible stuff.
Hi AJ ... thanks for the note. Yes ... I put as much as possible in the cab. At some point I plan to put some on the underside of the engine well. I have to say ... it really isn't that bad.
@@robanderson6423 i just watched this again. This is nearly identical to what we want to build. So many questions!!!! 2 more for now! With your cab modifications is it comfortable sound level for driving? And any more details on your frame extension? Do you notice the decreased departure angle? Did you consider the 1083 with the longer frame(and more wheels)? Thanks a ton!
No doubt about it .... they are loud. I have put in Dynamat on the floor and the walls. It helped a lot. I plan to put some sort of sound proofing under the cab above the engine. I have read comments from owners that have done such sound proofing and they said it really helps. All that said ... it will never be as quiet as a conventional pickup truck.
It is listed on Amazon as "KunMai Stainless Steel Pot Filler Faucet Deck Mounted Kitchen Sink Faucet in Brushed Nickel Commercial Single Handle One Hole Articulating Pot Filler" (I just thought it looked cool) It works great.
Hi Jeff ... that is a hard question to answer. I built it around having a full time job etc.. That said, I would say that three people that know what they are doing .... working full time ... could build it iin three months. You also have to remember ... this is not an Earthroamer! The systems are simple and functional. There are not a lot of bells and whistles. That said ... it works great for me and my family. Good luck with your project ....
@@robanderson6423 No, this is not an Earthroamer, its a R.Anderson 2.0. Haha its good enough. Totally understand that bit and aware everything is simple and functional. Thats enough Rob... It works and thats what matters. Truly amazing work. Yeah im far from having one... started to dream about these a while back. What do you think of the Isuzu NPR bodies?
@@jeffroze5955 Thanks Jeff. The cool part of these builds is that they are so reflective of the person building them. They are a complete expression of the talents, resources and vision that that person brings to the table. The other cool part is that since it is self-built ....it can be self-modified. For me I want to find some ways to bring some woodworking to the equation. To that end, I am going to work on building a new table that has some varnish on it. As for your question ... I always liked the Isuzu as a platform. It always seemed a bit more nimble than the LMTV. In addition, if you really are looking to exploring other continents .... I believe they are sold around the world. Your question reminded me of one of the early builds I came across. It is not an Isuzu ... but this build really laid out how creative people can be! www1.ttcn.ne.jp/~gyo/English/campingcar.htm
Hello JG .... that is a great question. Honestly I haven't used the camper enough to have particular issues. Thus far it has been great. I am going to add a couple more battle born lithium batteries to increase AH storage. As for the build ... I might have tried to find a way to sheath it in composite panels. I come from a sailing background and there is nothing worse than seeing a boat that isn't fair. I knew that if I didn't put a bunch of time into fairing the sides of the camper before I applied the filon, any imperfections would show through. Also the process of applying the filon was stressful. You have one shot and you can't have a single air bubble. The reason I went with the filon is that I could buy it in large sheets that would avoid any seams ... except at the corners. If I could have found a composite panel that I could get in 7' x 20' sheets (that I could afford) ... that would have been great. I would use Sika 252 and glue it to the aluminum frame. At that point I would probably be approaching the cost of buying a full composite box (sans aluminum frame) Tortuga is definitely not an Earthroamer ... but I am very happy with the way it all turned out.
Rob Anderson thanks for sharing! Yours has more style than an earth roamer. You know for the price of 2 100 ah battle born batteries you can get one 200ah victron battery for the same price but would save you space.
Thanks for the kind words! Nothing quite like this. A lot of fixing boats and houses ... but there was a steep learning curve on this project. I will say, a big reason I put together this collection of pictures was that I learned so much by looking and thinking about what others had done (and posted about) on various camper builds. I do hope is some way this is helpful to people that want to build a camper ....
@@BeingWolfy It is frustrating how stressful it is dealing with licensing and insuring these vehicles. Our systems are so automated now ... when something comes along that doesn't neatly fit in a box ... it throws everything up in the air. The net result is that different people are treated differently. In my particular case, I live in a small town and the DMV staff were really helpful finding a solution when I first registered the truck in 2015. Then when the camper was finished, I had to have it inspected and a VIN generated. The inspector couldn't have been less interested. (I think he spends most of his time inspecting home built boat and ATV trailers.) Then there was insurance . The truck and camper are insured ... but it is kind of pain. Again ... home built 22,000lb truck campers do not really fit in any of their normal categories! Thanks again for the comment ....
@@robanderson6423 - I hear ya, man. I've had a couple of skoolies and it's the same hassle. Hassle at the DMV and insurance. It's really an art to get these things licensed/insured and a lot of luck. Same thing with my 2006 International US Forest Service Hotshot truck I converted to an RV.
Love the conversion and thank you so much for sharing! I would love to get an update and see how your vehicle has fared with use! MORE! MORE! MORE! LOL...
Thanks for the note. Unfortunately the pandemic has put a severe crimp in our overlanding plans. We had hoped to venture north into Canada ... but that really isn't feasible at this point. One of these days I will get it together to make a follow up video. Again ... thanks for the kind words.
Hi Rob! Thanks for putting this together and uploading it. The LMTV community needs more people like you!!
Thank you! I have certainly benefited from so many folks that have braved the trolls to post information here and in many other places. I really hope someone sees something in my experience that helps them in their own build.
@@robanderson6423 Thank you so much for your input Rob. Quick question if you could give a range on pricing for the truck alone? Thank you
Very few people know what it takes to finish a project like this. Much respect!
That was an amazing build! Way more professional then I could ever dream of doing. But I'm hunting for a truck right now.
Amazing built. Thank you for sharing the process and the details
Found it!!! Tortuga is kick-butt awesome! Thanks for coming out to the event. I hope to be in your neck of the woods by New Years... (a bit afterwards). :-D
Hey buddy! Cool to see you got here before me. Nice ride, huh!
That is amazing Rob, you are a craftsman skilled din so many areas, design metal fab, electrical, plumbing and fiberglass, the complete package. Beautiful!
Thank you so much! There were many times I didn't feel too competent! Thanks again.
Those are some pretty welds. It’s nice to see a home built camper with quality workmanship
I was lucky to have a three time state champion welder in the househould. It just cost me a season ski pass!
This rig is the bomb! My dream! I would love if you went into more depth on the box structure and how you laminated and framed
What an amazing build. Your talent and attention to detail is inspiring.
Well done Mr. Anderson! Love the layout.
That's really some amazing work. I wish I had developed your skillset at an earlier age. I've been saving for about five years to buy an LMTV/FMTV and convert it into an overland camper, and I just keep hitting roadblocks. Mostly in what it would cost to have somebody else do it. I'm just a super dummy when it comes to mechanical stuff and welding. Been in the military for 18 years and have tons of experience in and around LMTV's but the box stuff you did on the back is way beyond anything I could accomplish with the skillset I have and the space I would have available.
John ... thanks for the comment. You have to know I felt just like you for a long time. I first came across this overland world when I lived in Munich in the mid 80's. Germans I knew were fixing up old army trucks and putting them on a ferry's to Africa to enjoy all the vacation time they seem to get. That said, having largely completed my build, I have learned so much from other folks on the internet. Frankly that is why I posted this video. I hoped that in some small way it might help other folks wanting to build such a camper. But It HAS been a long process to get to this point. My only counsel is to hang in there and don't give up the dream. Also you might consider starting a little smaller. There are some incredible pickup camper builds folks have done. There is a guy near me that built a beautiful camper on his older Ford F250 These builds have all the same elements as the big ones (e.g.: solar, batteries, inverters, water systems, refrigeration, etc. etc.) You really learn a lot doing something like that. I kind of wish I had gone that path before jumping into building a 22,000 behemoth! Good luck and thanks for checking out the video!
Interesting how you built the camper box. Aluminum frame , then wood material, then fibre glass exterior. Lot of people use foam core fibre glass panels. Personally I think your construction would be stronger because you built a strong aluminum frame.You have done a very good building job.
Nice built! We are currently converting a Mercedes truck into an expedition mobile 👍🏻
Awesome build my friend. You took pride in your build. Well done. Thanks for sharing. The music by the way. Was ace 👍
loved your video and as a musician...LOVED the music choice...rock on and thank you for the vids.....
Wow 😯 nice job 👍🏻
Good looking welds! Tig welding aluminum can be a challenge, unless you have the temp/power set just right! 😆🤘🏻
Thanks John007 .... you are so right about Tig welding. I am lucky to have a son that was three time WA state welding champion. He loves to TIG weld. Couldn't have done this project the way I did without his assistance. (only cost me a ski season pass!)
Rob Anderson I’m an aerospace certified Tig welder, I avoid aluminum; I mostly weld aerospace grade stainless steels, I love how they turn gold when you weld it just right... it’s kinda like polishing a Diamond! 👍🏻 I didn’t know that Tig welding was a sport, but that’s very cool! I’m a 6 time US national rapid fire pistol 🔫 champion; I missed going to the Olympics in 2000 & 2004 by only one place! Only one shooter got to go to the Olympic Games & I was in second place 🥈 😢
OMG start your own RV living insulated boxes business with your son.
Well done! Mighty fine workmanship
Impressive build. Very professional looking. 👍🏻
youtube knows i watch goonzquad
Thanks for posting Rob
Thanks "coachgeo" .... I hope it is helpful for folks thinking about doing the same thing.
Looks like fridge) good job)
Well done 👍🏻. Thanks for sharing. Happy travels.
Scratch-built?! That is bad-@$$ awesome. I really like your craftsmanship!
Dave ... thanks for the nice note. I have to say it was your LMTV videos ... along with Sean's that have been so helpful in getting more confident with the truck side of this equation. I hope after coronavirus is a bad memory I can make it over to the west side and meet up with you guys. Take care and keep making those videos!
@@robanderson6423 Please do come! I'd love to see you and your truck in person.
I also thank you for your kind words... it has been a learning experience driving truck instead of flying a helicopter. It really helped when I salvaged an entire LMTV. Sean is the real Maverick... though I think I have a knack for teaching and showing how it is done. Anyway, if you make any more videos, I have "rung the bell," so I'll be hanging around. Cheers, my friend.
Good job! And, it looks good in white.
Nice work! Looks clean.
I'm also from Washington State and have been researching a ton about building my own expedition/overland vehicle. Beautiful rig you built! Would love to see some videos of places you travel with it. It would be interesting to see it in some familiar locations :)
Great welding skills, I'm most envious. Thank God there is Unistrut for people like me.
Really clean design. Placement and layout perfect.
Thank you!
That’s a neat vehicle. I like it!!! I wonder if the camper part was built more like an Air Stream trailer if there could be some weird savings.
Great build out. Congratulations on your fortitude and success.
Bravo très belle réalisation. Great results, I love !!!! Jérôme from south of france, my Renault truck (Midliner M180) is my home
Those aluminium frame profiles are thermal bridges. You will get condensation inside in cold climates. Film it with a thermal camera from inside and outside in cold and sunny days and you will see the heat exchange.
Also..those wood panels fixed with rivets will loose themselvs in offroad because of their weight, then water goes inside through those tiny gaps. Expedition vehicles should be ready for every climate and terrain.
Aluminium skeleton is good for a stong box, but isolate it from the external and internal wall sheets with 1 inch of pu foam, at least.
Good luck!
Thats a lot of overhang. Should have move the axle back to match the extension.
agree...wrecking ball handling with that overhang if there is weight tere
Stunning. Bravo Zulu!
Thanks, I learned a few things.
Extremely cool build how does it do with the extension out back departure angle is severely lacking does this limit the vehicle off road
So many LMTV and FMTV's in Washington =) I just picked mine up...
Awesome build! How is that 1078 treating you? As awesome as it is, with tires costing something like $2000 each, I would always be worried about something breaking and destroying my bank account. Thanks for sharing this great build with us!
Awsome living space. Maybe consider build for sale .let me know im triying to.find a good m1078. Regards congratulations again you have magic in your hands
Great video! Buying ex army trucks and doing them up seems to be the way to go
Perfect time to have something like this if you can pack it full of food supplies to last a long time and head out somewhere where no one is ....
Amazing build. I am looking at building an overlander on a 1989 MB 4x4 cargo truck frame or Steyr chassis.
I am curious, is there insulation in the walls of the habitat? Are you concerned with thermal bridging with the 2x2 aluminum? What is the total length of the camper box? Thanks
Excellent job, great craftsmanship..
Thank you!
Really nice work! Loved the video and dog...lol.
Thank you! (Stella is a great dog!)
What is the use case for that floorplan and if it's truly an overland, will it be only operating in arctic conditions with all that white exterior color and interior color? I didn't see any special cold weather enhancements and it has all those slung under storage trays on the exterior?
WOW...well done
Looks great. Nice job.
Fantastic job! kinda surprised that you used common OSB instead of marine plywood?
What a beautiful and delightful project! Thanks for sharing the process. Do you have an approximate budget for a project like this? It was great meeting you out on the Alvord Desert!
I always admire people that are undertaking such a project. Please allow me a couple of questions: How did you insulate your body? Did you calculate for expansion/contraction of the aluminum frame? Did you build a spring mounted subframe or 4 point ? In any case, happy camping!
Thanks so much for the comment. As for the insulation ... in each section formed by the 2" by 2" exoskeleton I put in rigid insulation. From there I glued 1/8" FRP on the inside ... sealing any gaps on the edges. As for calculating the expansion and contraction of the aluminum frame ... I have to laugh. No I did not. I will let you know in a few years if that presents a problem. For now we have used it in 110 degree weather in the desert .... and down to 10 degrees in the mountains and I haven't seen any issues (or condensation).
One of the things you quickly see when building these things with limited resources is why Earthroamers and Unicats approach half a million dollars. For that money .... you get expansion/contraction calculations. For $35,000 of things bought online and at the home depot .... it is more of a wing and a prayer. All that said, I would be lying if I said there weren't times when I machinated as to whether it would have been more cost-effective to buy a prefab box from a company like yours. I spent many hours making sure the box was fair and watertight .... I really didn't want it to look like some paunchy old guy in a pole barn built it! The reality was ... I simply couldn't plop down $15k to $20k in one pile to buy the box.
So as I have said in other comments ... the cool part of these builds is seeing the myriad paths that folks take to build them ... given their quiver of skills, vision and resources. This is what came out of my quiver ....
@@robanderson6423 I hear you loud and clear. I fell the same way. Just write a check, jump in and drive away is certainly cool. For me and many of us, it is NOT the journey, but the destination. It really depends on the individual's ability and desire. It is the process that I enjoy.
People often tell me why don't you just fly to Alaska instead of driving there. I tell them to tell the golfer just pick up the ball and put it in the hole instead of spending all the time and money putting golf ball around :D
I just won my bid for an M1078 yesterday. Hope it is NOT a lemon, we will see. Will write more. Thanks.
@@cfotograf ... that is great news. It will be a great adventure. Please let me know if I can help with any information.
PS: Did you see the message I left on one of your videos?
@@robanderson6423 Oh No, :) I suck in Facebook and youtube. ... hahahaa. OK I will look.
I really want to rub off some of your working knowledge you have without too imposing. my email schumconnor@gmail.com It may be easier to take this off line. :)
Great build. Looking at doing something similar. Question: How much does the box weight? I saw in the comments that the base was approx 16ft with 4 ft extension.
Getting ready to start our build Looking at 17.3ft base 19.2ft long on ceiling length and 3 ft extension. 7.4ft wide X 7.2ft tall.
Again great build thanks for sharing 👍
master builder
music made me feel like I was on hold for 2 hours with my insurance company -Impressive build. Very professional looking.
Nice work!
Parabéns ficou muito bonito o Camper, que realize boas viagens .
Muito Obrigado!
Awesome build man. I'm embarking on a similar project (still building it in my head). Question? How long is the box you built. Thank you and hope to see more projects from you and your son. Cheers
Thanks! The box is 16' on the base ... with another 4' hanging over the back.
Very inspiring, may I ask what you should budget for a build like this?
Badass!!
How much this cost you? Im split between 2 different builds 4 my next one. And a 6x6 mtv is something im looking at. Bring back my army days.
Hi Rob thanks for sharing this very good job. I wish you the best for the future, Kind regards from France.
Subsribe and thumb.
Merci Patrick. Thanks for the kind words. Stay safe!
My dream home
Wow awesome... Cheaper than an earthroamer but still good quality.
Is a crawl through into the cabin possible for this truck ?
Thanks for the comment. The pass through is a challenge with these trucks due to the placement of the spare tire and air filter. It is possible ... just a bit of redesign. I decided not to worry about it.
Did you fiberglass the bottom of the box too? Wondering how you went about it if so
Very professional build! What is the size of the Floor area of the camper and the length of the roof area ? Thanks
Thanks for the comment. The base is 95" x 192" ... the roof area is 4' longer.
Great job! Really nice. I have one question...is there a reason you decided to remove the original flatbed and replace it with another one?
Hi Jeff ... The first element of the thought process was that I knew I wanted to extend the frame three feet. This led to rethinking the construct of the bed. I also knew I would eventually have a lot more $$$'s in the camper than in the truck. So I thought I should make it relatively easy to remove the camper and put it on a different truck ... should that become necessary. It doesn't really show up in the video ... but we have two beefed up square tubes at either end of the base of the camper. This allows me to slide a bar through each end and lift the whole unit off the truck with beefy jacks. At this point, I can pretty easily remove the camper should that be necessary.
I also thought it would enhance the resale value of the truck to have a nice big aluminum stake bed.
All that said, in hindsight I'm not sure I would do it that way again. I like the idea of being able to remove the camper ... but I could have built a simpler support frame and not have had the expense and extra weight of the stakebed. But ... that ship has sailed!
Obviously when you do something like this ... you learn SO much that you might do differently when you build the next one. Hope that is helpful ..
you can watch Broke OverLand he removed his factor bed and it weighs 3300lb
if you don't mind me asking what did yours cost to build back box cause that's a really strong build buddy
Did you add a roll bar cage over solar panels trees will wipe them out mighty fine looking rig magnificent craftsmanship
Great point. It is on the "welder son coming home from college early" fabrication list! .
That’s just amazing
Thanks TJack!
I want one real bad
How is the filon holding up? And where did you find the corner trim? Thanks!
Nice rig. Are you Eastern Washington state or Western? I thought I may have seen your truck.
Thanks for the note. Yes we are from Eastern Washington ... outside Pullman
What was the total cost of building this Motörhome
I have same vehicle in excellent condition. Do you build same thing for customers??
Steve
Thank you for that complimentary thought ... but I'm just an old retired guy with a dream to build ONE!
The workmanship is phenomenal, would you take an order to build me a mini verision for the back of my power wagon?
Andres ... thanks for the kind words. Honestly I am excited to quit building and start overlanding!
cost?
How much did you get it for?
WHAT TYPE OF SHOP WILL DO ALL THAT ? WHERE DOES A PERSON GO TO GET THIS DONE AFTER PURCHASING THE RIG CHASIS? THANKS
Thanks for the comment Mary. There are so many different paths when it comes to this sort of thing. At the high end ($$$) there are a number of US builders that will work with you. (e.g.: ACELA, Global Expedition) On the other end of the spectrum, there are more and more folks buying M1079's (box installed) and doing their best to build out a camper that works for them. For me this has been the culmination of years of thinking about this. All that said, CZcams is full of videos from folks that have figured out ways to make it happen. I hope to make another video detailing some of the things I have learned in my process. Thanks again for watching ...
Do you have anymore spare tires or just the one behind the cab?
Thanks for the note. I have just one spare (behind the cab) I have thought about carrying a spare tire if I am towing a trailer.
Great build and standard of work. What gauge aluminium tube did you use for the frame please?
Hello ... I used 3/16" for the floor and corners. The rest is 1/8" thick.
Awesome what did you Youse to separate the alum from the steel? they can't touch
Thanks for the note. Since this video was completed, I have moved the box from this truck to a different (larger) truck. (see newer video on this channel) The attachment is a bit different. That said, the camper box aluminum frame is sheathed with wood and fiberglass. There is no direct contact between the aluminum frame and the trucks subframe/frame other than where it is bolted on at the corners.
@@robanderson6423 Awesome new build the 6x6 looks much better more traction too.The info in both vids helps greatly thanks im looking at the 1089 wrecker (208'')wheel base longest they make i think.
Great work!
Thank you Austin!
Hello Rob, Thanks for sharing. You gave me the reason to dream bigger. Just wondering if you have a built-list for this M-1078? How did you extend another 3 ft of your truck bed and support the extra length? Thank you.
Thanks for the comment and the kind words. Unfortunately I don't have a build list. This whole process was one of making it up as I went along. That said I am reminded of an amazing interview I saw of a POW in Vietnam. He said he kept himself mentally sharp during his imprisonment .... building a house in his head. Though I wasn't in anywhere near that environment, I did pretty much build this in my head (along with a bunch of Sketch Up drawings)
I also knew I couldn't plop down a big bag of cash all at once. But if I could pay for it over time ... I could make it work. So I used materials that I could buy in chunks. This was how it worked best for me. I think the cool part of so many overland builds is that they so often reflect their owners personality and their particular comfort levels with certain materials and design ideas. Each is a little piece of very personal rolling artwork. I love that part of this community.
Regarding the frame extension ... the LMTV frame is exceedingly stout. I had exact rails formed (four) and sistered them with the whole thing welded by a world class welder (my son ) I also redrilled everything so I could bolt on the original cross piece / light bar / tow schackles. I also fabricated a stake bed that adds to the strength aft of the axle. Back to your specific question .... I just figured I would have relatively little weight aft of the rear axle. All the heavy stuff is in the middle of the truck. I will keep you posted if it starts to go Titanic on me!
Hello;
magnificent construction of the truck.
curiosity: at minute 8:46, a golden-colored object is observed that looks like a mask hanging on the wall. It is?.
Good luck and great trips!
Regards.
Ivan
Indeed ... that is a decorated respirator used at Burning Man 2019. Very observant viewer!!!
Mis amigos me pueden ayudar con información.. Saludos cordiales desde Patagonia Chile
Muchas gracias! ¡Espero visitar la Patagonia algún día!
Wow Rob, what a great job !! How can I find the fiberglass sheets that you have used large and smooth? One question, why do you make a bed like the standard one but of aluminum? About the weight?... Why didn't you make the box on top of the subframe directly? How do you attach the box to the bed? thanks
Thanks for the note. The fiberglass sheets are called Filon and are widely used and available in the RV world. It is available in 102" width and up to 40'. I really didn't want any seams ... so I ordered 20' pieces for the sides, and top. I then glued them on with high end 3m contact cement. The first one was pretty stressful. You only have one chance to avoid air bubbles. Once it makes contact ... it is on there. It was quite a process. Once it was on ... I just used a trim router to deal with the overhang. It is on there pretty solid.
As for the stakebed .. my original thinking was that being able easily remove the box was important. I figured I would have a lot more $$$ into the camper than the truck (that is true) and it would be great to be able to take it on and off. The video doesn't really show it ... but there are two full width tubes at the front and back of where the box meets the bed. I can insert beefy square tubing in them, lift and remove the camper pretty easily.
In hind sight ... I am not sure I would have done this the same way. Yes I can easily pull the box off and sell the truck with a nice big stake bed. But the reality is that now I am much more comfortable with keeping the M1078 running and on the road. The stake bed also added weight and I lost about six inches in height I could have used for other things. Maybe on the next build I will go that route.
Nice Aluminum subframe. I was wondering if anyone had built one in aluminum. that's nice.
Thanks! I wanted it to be strong enough to walk on the roof ... yet as light as possible. I also had the benefit of having an accomplished welder (indentured servant) welder in the household (my son) . (I actually traded him a season ski pass for his efforts!) Honestly though ... in hind sight I would probably look at buying the panels from Total Composites to make a foam core box. I just couldn't plop down $15K all at once. The bottomline is that I probably spent that much building the box as I did. I don't know ... I go back and forth on that question.
@@robanderson6423 Are you on Facebook Military Camper group ?
Total Comp box will be more than $15K. What state are you at ?
@@robanderson6423 Like in airplanes, anytime you can save weight in an over the road vehicle, is worth doing. EVEN though it costs more! Great job. The VHB tape is being used more and more in the experimental aircraft world, all reports are it is incredible stuff.
Having driven plenty of these, when you had the cab redone, did you add any type of noise dampening to it?
Hi AJ ... thanks for the note. Yes ... I put as much as possible in the cab. At some point I plan to put some on the underside of the engine well. I have to say ... it really isn't that bad.
How's the Unique Fridge holding up so far ? I'm about to pull the trigger ordering the 16cu ft version for my build.
So far so good. It seems to take relatively little power to get nice and cold. I really like it.
What is the name of the truck you started with
The camper is currently mounted on a 1998 Stewart and Stevenson M1083.
Looks great! What did the final dimensions of the enclosure end up being?
Hi C.A. .... the base is 8' x 16' ... the roof is 20'. Weight is around 4700 lbs.
@@robanderson6423 i just watched this again. This is nearly identical to what we want to build. So many questions!!!! 2 more for now! With your cab modifications is it comfortable sound level for driving? And any more details on your frame extension? Do you notice the decreased departure angle? Did you consider the 1083 with the longer frame(and more wheels)? Thanks a ton!
@Rob Anderson oh crap i see you just dropped a new video on a 1083!!!!
How is the road noise in the cab and the overall driving experience in comparison with something like a heavy duty pick up truck?
No doubt about it .... they are loud. I have put in Dynamat on the floor and the walls. It helped a lot. I plan to put some sort of sound proofing under the cab above the engine. I have read comments from owners that have done such sound proofing and they said it really helps. All that said ... it will never be as quiet as a conventional pickup truck.
I really like the tap set in the galley, what is it?
It is listed on Amazon as "KunMai Stainless Steel Pot Filler Faucet Deck Mounted Kitchen Sink Faucet in Brushed Nickel Commercial Single Handle One Hole Articulating Pot Filler" (I just thought it looked cool) It works great.
Very nice.
Amazing work!!! So how long did this take you to build?? Say 3 men worked full time on it...
Hi Jeff ... that is a hard question to answer. I built it around having a full time job etc.. That said, I would say that three people that know what they are doing .... working full time ... could build it iin three months. You also have to remember ... this is not an Earthroamer! The systems are simple and functional. There are not a lot of bells and whistles. That said ... it works great for me and my family. Good luck with your project ....
@@robanderson6423 No, this is not an Earthroamer, its a R.Anderson 2.0. Haha its good enough. Totally understand that bit and aware everything is simple and functional. Thats enough Rob... It works and thats what matters. Truly amazing work. Yeah im far from having one... started to dream about these a while back. What do you think of the Isuzu NPR bodies?
@@jeffroze5955 Thanks Jeff. The cool part of these builds is that they are so reflective of the person building them. They are a complete expression of the talents, resources and vision that that person brings to the table. The other cool part is that since it is self-built ....it can be self-modified. For me I want to find some ways to bring some woodworking to the equation. To that end, I am going to work on building a new table that has some varnish on it. As for your question ... I always liked the Isuzu as a platform. It always seemed a bit more nimble than the LMTV. In addition, if you really are looking to exploring other continents .... I believe they are sold around the world.
Your question reminded me of one of the early builds I came across. It is not an Isuzu ... but this build really laid out how creative people can be!
www1.ttcn.ne.jp/~gyo/English/campingcar.htm
Hi Rob,
Awesome job. Looks great! How long did it take? And looking back is there anything you would have done different?
Hello JG .... that is a great question. Honestly I haven't used the camper enough to have particular issues. Thus far it has been great. I am going to add a couple more battle born lithium batteries to increase AH storage. As for the build ... I might have tried to find a way to sheath it in composite panels. I come from a sailing background and there is nothing worse than seeing a boat that isn't fair. I knew that if I didn't put a bunch of time into fairing the sides of the camper before I applied the filon, any imperfections would show through. Also the process of applying the filon was stressful. You have one shot and you can't have a single air bubble. The reason I went with the filon is that I could buy it in large sheets that would avoid any seams ... except at the corners. If I could have found a composite panel that I could get in 7' x 20' sheets (that I could afford) ... that would have been great. I would use Sika 252 and glue it to the aluminum frame. At that point I would probably be approaching the cost of buying a full composite box (sans aluminum frame)
Tortuga is definitely not an Earthroamer ... but I am very happy with the way it all turned out.
Rob Anderson thanks for sharing! Yours has more style than an earth roamer. You know for the price of 2 100 ah battle born batteries you can get one 200ah victron battery for the same price but would save you space.
ASÍ QUIERO UNO PARA MI ......!!
Nice How I contacted you?
Beautiful job. Was this your first time building something like this?
Thanks for the kind words! Nothing quite like this. A lot of fixing boats and houses ... but there was a steep learning curve on this project. I will say, a big reason I put together this collection of pictures was that I learned so much by looking and thinking about what others had done (and posted about) on various camper builds. I do hope is some way this is helpful to people that want to build a camper ....
@@robanderson6423 - Hi Rob. It was definitely helpful and educational. Thank you. How hard was it to get it titled and street legal?
@@BeingWolfy It is frustrating how stressful it is dealing with licensing and insuring these vehicles. Our systems are so automated now ... when something comes along that doesn't neatly fit in a box ... it throws everything up in the air. The net result is that different people are treated differently. In my particular case, I live in a small town and the DMV staff were really helpful finding a solution when I first registered the truck in 2015. Then when the camper was finished, I had to have it inspected and a VIN generated. The inspector couldn't have been less interested. (I think he spends most of his time inspecting home built boat and ATV trailers.) Then there was insurance . The truck and camper are insured ... but it is kind of pain. Again ... home built 22,000lb truck campers do not really fit in any of their normal categories! Thanks again for the comment ....
@@robanderson6423 - I hear ya, man. I've had a couple of skoolies and it's the same hassle. Hassle at the DMV and insurance. It's really an art to get these things licensed/insured and a lot of luck. Same thing with my 2006 International US Forest Service Hotshot truck I converted to an RV.