6 foot custom aluminum slide in camper for Tacoma........Money pit? Should I buy?
- Thread starter climber-420
- Start date
Dances with Wolves
aka jk240sx
That thing looks awful. Save your money and look for something else. You could end up dumping hundreds on fixing it up and it would still look awful.
DeskToGlory
Adventurer
I looked at a few options like this, but listed eveything that I'd need/want to add and the price escalated quite quickly. Once you add in insulation, interior panelling, a second battery, lights, and wildernest tent the total price will be quite high. Compare that to a used Skamper pop-up or similar at around $1500 with minimal work/money needed to make it comfortable if the stove, battery, furnace etc already works... plus if you pick up a complete camper you can head out the very next weekend.
Just be honest with yourself and write out a budget including all of your wants and needs. Selling your topper would go a long way to paying for a used camper too...
I understand wanting to get away from the topper. Just not enough room to be comfortable when the weather is poor. A roof top tent combined with the topper is great for having space for gear/dog and a separate sleeping area, but there's no "living space" and you can't heat the roof top tent. Then you add an awning for a couple hundy for some dry area when it rains... and that option gets expensive quickly too.
Just be honest with yourself and write out a budget including all of your wants and needs. Selling your topper would go a long way to paying for a used camper too...
I understand wanting to get away from the topper. Just not enough room to be comfortable when the weather is poor. A roof top tent combined with the topper is great for having space for gear/dog and a separate sleeping area, but there's no "living space" and you can't heat the roof top tent. Then you add an awning for a couple hundy for some dry area when it rains... and that option gets expensive quickly too.
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climber-420
Adventurer
So I bought it. Began tearing it apart last night. Now the fun part of cleaning. Will start on the roof, and work my way to find and fix any leaks. I actually found a Wildernest Tent in Boulder. I have all of the components for it that came with the camper. The guy who originally built this thing, welded the lower tabs(for the poles) of the wildernest to the frame on the ceiling (if that makes sense). I will try to attach picture (look in the top right corner of the photo on the framing(red), you will see a sort of curved piece). All in all, I don't think it will be all that expensive to make what I want. Perfect fit for the Tacoma. Can close the tailgate and all. Stay tuned.
DeskToGlory
Adventurer
We're going to need some pictures from the outside now too 
Have fun with the build!
Have fun with the build!
tanglefoot
ExPoseur
Haha--I was wondering if you were going to grab it. I don't imagine it'll be as much of a money pit as a time investment, but it'll probably be a fun project, and you can probably end up with almost exactly what you want. I imagine the exterior would freshen up nicely with spray paint. Have fun with it!
climber-420
Adventurer
Good news! I picked up the support poles for the interior. Going to look at the Wildernest Tent tonight(tent only) to see if it will fit. If it does, this will be better than I thought originally.
climber-420
Adventurer
**UPDATE*** The Wildernest Tent I went and looked at will fit. The only pieces missing now, are the torsion springs that basically allow the Wildernest to pen and close properly. I have been searching the web, and apparently back in 2008, a guy with the user name of "DaveInDenver" had a company here (Denver) make some torsion springs for him at a place called AAAA Specialty. I contacted them, and they have no record of these springs ever being made, records go back 10 years. I am at a loss now. I can't find any replacements, and to have some made I'm looking at $400, plus the cost of the tent, im looking at $600. I don't think it's worth that much. Pretty bummed right now.
Clutch
<---Pass
Sorry to hear that, yeah that is usually how it goes with projects...they tend to snow ball. "Takes twice as long, cost twice as much..."
climber-420
Adventurer
I found a guy in Oregon who has a trashed Wildernest, but he hasn't responded yet. Hoping I can just get the springs out of there, and then my hybrid slide in camper wildernest will be complete.
climber-420
Adventurer
**UPDATE** I am going to pick up the Wildernest Tent tonight. It looks as though I do not need springs after all. The guy who originally built it, didn't use the springs. I will have pics up in the next couple of days. This will really be one of the most unique slide in camper wildernest's around.