Notes on a Forward Control camper

From: "Paul Oxley" 
To: za-lro@koan.team.net
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 14:10:03 +0200
Subject: Re: [za-lro] Coo-Coo-Ca-Choo
Reply-To: za-lro@land-rover.team.net

On 7 Feb 2003 at 10:49, Wouter de Waal wrote:

> 
> >unidentifiable detritus), removed the Truck Cab and... cue the angle grinders >;-{>}
> 
> Pictures, pictures!!! :-)

http://braaigrid.org.za/paul/coo-coo-ca-choo/mvc-113s.jpg and 
http://braaigrid.org.za/paul/coo-coo-ca-choo/mvc-114s.jpg

Regards

Paul Oxley
AfricanAdrenalin.com

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From: Auto 
To: za-lro@koan.team.net
Subject: RE: [za-lro] Coo-Coo-Ca-Choo
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 14:48:23 +0200 
Reply-To: za-lro@land-rover.team.net

Please draw. As I understand it, the double bed folds outside the vehicle
body in a tent like fashion. A friend had a similar idea but folding out the
back.

My intention is to create about a 1.2 m pop top with canvas sides as the
upstairs bedroom. Foley UK/Zambia market something similar but renowned for
leaking and hinged at one end. A German company put the same in 4WD Merc
vans, but charge the earth - small volume.

Personally I would rather be up top out of the way of wandering hands and
claws, but always open to better ideas.

regards

Neil

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Paul Oxley [SMTP:paul@spamtrap]
> Sent:	07 February 2003 10:35
> To:	za-lro@koan.team.net
> Subject:	RE: [za-lro] Coo-Coo-Ca-Choo
> 
> 
> On 7 Feb 2003 at 9:17, Auto wrote:
> 
> > 
> > You mentioned a while ago, plans for a pop-up roof with canvas sides.
> Care
> > to elaborate further, I am also going that way.
> 
> Well, see... my thinking is that I want to keep the overall height under
> 2.5-2.6m, and the 
> body must only be as wide as the wheeltrack (to avoid collecting trees and
> to aid stability - 
> the classic F/C wobble).
> 
> This necessitates a re-evaluation of the use of the available dimensions
> inside the back. Now 
> I stand 1.82m short, and I don't want to bang my head the whole time (or
> walk with a stoop). 
> I also have a predilection for being comfortable, so would really like a
> full double bed.
> 
> Now, the calculated internal height will be in the region of 1.7m, so I
> have to try create 
> another 200mm from somewhere, hence the partial pop-top (I will have
> cupboards and 
> bathroom down the entire one side, so will make the remainder of the roof
> hinged to allow it 
> to be easily lifted on that side - also allows air circulation in hot
> climates). The pop-top part of 
> the roof will overhang the sides by about 100mm, so that when it is lifted
> it won't expose the 
> inside to angled rain.
> 
> Now the double bed will fold down from the side opposite the cupboards,
> and automatically 
> bring it's bellowed canvas sides with it. This also gives a protected
> outside storage area (for 
> braai's, tables/chairs, etc).
> 
> Difficult to explain, easy to draw.
> 
> Regards
> 
> Paul Oxley
> AfricanAdrenalin.com
> 
> IMPORTANT: This email is intended for the use of the individual
> addressee(s) named above and may contain information that is
> confidential privileged or unsuitable for overly sensitive persons with
> low self-esteem, no sense of humour or irrational religious beliefs. If
> you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution or
> copying of this email is not authorised (either explicitly or
> implicitly) and constitutes an irritating social faux pas.

From: "Paul Oxley" 
To: za-lro@koan.team.net
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 16:04:18 +0200
Subject: RE: [za-lro] Coo-Coo-Ca-Choo
Reply-To: za-lro@land-rover.team.net

On 7 Feb 2003 at 14:48, Auto wrote:

> Please draw. As I understand it, the double bed folds outside the vehicle
> body in a tent like fashion. A friend had a similar idea but folding out the
> back.

Yeah, that's it! The idea being to free up the floorspace inside the back of the Landy and 
make it comfortable to live in, and also to travel in. The tent\bed will fold in and out without 
fuss, so if we want to secure the camp all we do is fold the tent back in (from inside the 
vehicle. We will then mount a hammock in the aisle of the vehicle (in travelling mode) so that 
the co-driver can catch some kip on the road.
 
> My intention is to create about a 1.2 m pop top with canvas sides as the
> upstairs bedroom. Foley UK/Zambia market something similar but renowned for
> leaking and hinged at one end. A German company put the same in 4WD Merc
> vans, but charge the earth - small volume.
> Personally I would rather be up top out of the way of wandering hands and
> claws, but always open to better ideas.

Y'know, we can literally fold in the bed every morning if there is a problem with the wild, wild 
life, and since the only access to the tent\bed will be from inside the back of the Landy I 
don't see wildlife being a problem. I want to keep the roof for the solar panels.

We will mount a dive compressor head onto the power takeoff and I plan on there being at 
least 5 leisure batteries to power an invertor and all the electrics in the truck (charged off the 
solar panels).

Regards

Paul Oxley
AfricanAdrenalin.com

From: Auto 
To: za-lro@koan.team.net
Subject: RE: [za-lro] Coo-Coo-Ca-Choo evolution.
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 17:34:45 +0200 
Reply-To: za-lro@land-rover.team.net

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Paul Oxley [SMTP:paul@spamtrap]
> Sent:	07 February 2003 04:04
> To:	za-lro@koan.team.net
> Subject:	RE: [za-lro] Coo-Coo-Ca-Choo
> 
> 
> On 7 Feb 2003 at 14:48, Paul wrote:
> 
	<I want to keep the roof for the solar panels.>

	I am talking about a solid aluminium roof with canvas sides. The top
will be strong enough to walk on but have 2 x solar panels. Don't skimp on
the thickness of mattress, 4" thick, if not 6" of high density foam. We
lived on ours for 17 months and it was a joy to layback on after a hard day
on the African pistes.

	<at least 5 leisure batteries to power an invertor and all the
electrics in the truck (charged off the solar panels).>

	Here's another topic for discussion - 5 leisure batteries, you must
be going to deepest darkest Africa where the sun don't shine. I reckon 2 x
75W panels should do, besides the roof can't fit much more, unless you do a
Space Station solar sail. 75W x 2 gives you a max of 12 Amp in Africa for
nearly 12 hours per day. We ran a SW radio (BBC World Service), laptop
(directly off the 12V), AA battery charger, small water pump for water
filter/shower, 1 fluorescent light tube inside (paraffin lamp outside - less
attractive to insects) and had a 150W inverter which became redundant after
I plugged the laptop directly into the 12V battery. What more do you need in
the wilds. I thought 2 leisure batteries was overkill. Oh yes I forgot that
power sapping fridge. On a Trans-Africa it's something you soon learn to
live without. You can't buy fresh/dairy produce and you get sick if you
drink chilled water in a very hot environment. It was something we could
quite easily have left at home. But for the weekend/weekly overlander its a
different matter. At 3.6 Amps running 24 hours, which it won't, you still
have 4.4 Amps spare and 6 Amps to top up the batteries for the night run.

	A couple of tips. Steer clear of a back door or rear opening window,
this is where all the dust and Sh!te comes in. Fit a side door as close to
the front. Also means you can control all the entry points, most thefts for
overlanders happen when standing at either end of the vehicle and a thrifty
hand comes through the unguarded entrance.

	Regards

	Neil