Custom Camper

New guy with crazy idea (it has to have been done already).
Has anyone ever did anything as crazy as using the back half of a wagon(that was wrecked in the front) to make a matching camper? Ive seen it done to old rods and even the plymouth prowler, but most of them are storage units. Im talking usable sleeping space. Cutting it off is the easy part, but what do you do with the front to close it off to the elements while making it look nice? I figure somewhere around in front of the second doors (b pillar?) would be the strongest point.
Im sure every wagon would be different. but the problem still remains, what do you do with the front?

 

You're one lucky puppy! I was just going through my old links and saw your post:

http://www.autobody101.com/articles/article.php?title=Making Templates

Check out the main site's articles and their forum:
http://www.autobody101.com/articles/
There's some camper posts on our site too and some pics in the Gallery.

Also check out our own Site Links thread off the main page for Autobody10x.

 

Ford had a couple books on camping, that might give you other inspirations: Just click on the picture and cycle through the pages < >.

 

It's been done before....a long, long, time ago.

This one's currently for sale.........
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/buic...5396708QQsspagenameZRSSQ3aBQ3aSRCHQ3aUSQ3a101

 

That high center of gravity raises the bar! "If its a rockin', don't come a knockin'"

 

Hey guys I was thinking more along these lines. Using the back section of a wagon so that a wagon could have a campanion camper that resembled the car it was pulling.
My guess is it would require a full frame instead of just the leaf springs. The beetle chop in half in these pics looks like they just closed it in flat.

Thanks for the links Stormin' Norman Im saving that info. I dont have a wagon yet, but I was just thinking how cool it would to have a camper made out of the rear section of another wagon.

 

I got the picture now. I think you're the first to raise the idea here. Duck though. 2 wagons to setup a nice rig like that. The guys cringe about using wagons for Derby cars. Your idea makes sure you've got spare tailgate glass.

I like the middle picture with the Moped. Nice setup.

 

Hey you could name it the Mother-In-Law suite!

You'd wanna check if your State allows homemade trailers or buy a commercially-made frame. I think most places would have homemade trailer classifications.

 

Yikes! Well I would never butcher any good classic car. Its one reason why I never buy "parts cars", I dont have the heart to take something off a car if it has the potentional to be fixed up.
The differance with doing this vs making a derby car is the camper wouldnt be scrapped when done, it would be pulled behind the classic wagon as a companion piece.
I know how to weld, but doing such a task would require me to get much better or hire the important stuff out. So I couldnt see myself doing this anytime soon anyhow. Still, its fun to see other peoples custom campers/trailers.

Also, thanks for the tips on state laws, I never thought about that.

 

Actually, if you took a pre-50's woody wagon and make the back gate from solid Ash. Most of that ear, used Ash for the trim, because it could withstand the weathering.

 

what is it with the 1950's and 60's cars with a camper back half??????

i saw one on my run today it looked like the buick above except it was on a 57-58 cadillac. we were moving too fast for me to get a pic.

was there a camper company that used to do this?

 

^^^

No. Virtually all of these are backyard projects. The 'camper' part could either be a modified manufactured unit, or scratch-built. The one on the old Biuck look scratch-built.

 

Man, how many times has that Buick been on eBay now? Neat ride, but he sure can't sell it!

 

Unfortunately it looks like it would have alot tongue weight.
http://s154.photobucket.com/albums/s258/frank_capt/?action=view&current=franks024.jpg

 

Thats like it, but I think if it were cut differently like this 65 fury (I did this with ProPaint on my PC) it may not have the tongue wait problem.

I was also thinking of a way to "cap" off the end that you cut. I wonder if one could take the back half of the roof of a 4 door, turn it around and use it for at least the top section. The roof of the sedan way be almost as wide as the wagon roof and it would provide you with a front window.