biv box

Self builds and DIY projects
Post Reply
404
Posts: 42
Joined: February 28th, 2021, 4:12 am

biv box

Post: # 30106Post 404
March 2nd, 2021, 8:58 am

Hi all, my wife and I are in SE Australia and dreaming of roaming around the scrub and visiting grandkids with tall stories to tell about breaking Land Rover parts etc. I am 62. 6ft neat. I will post in the newb intro thread.

:idea: Back in Sept 2020 I finally began drawing a demountable camper for my 110 Land Rover. I am not a drawer, or skilled in welding but I thought it would be better to waste time and effort on paper rather than on materials and tradies charging $150 per hour.

I took graph paper and a pencil/ruler/rubber to work and did some drawings of a trailer camper in the quiet periods. A must've done 6 or 7 drawings from the start of the chyna virus but by September I had second thoughts and decided to go with a demountable and ditch the trailer.

Lately I have showed the drawings to a welder and used cardboard to trial the rear hatchway (yes we both got in and out okay).
I took a photo and manipulated it in photoshop. Photos/cameras are more 'up my street'.

It is an "exo-skelton" - the steel frame protects from scrub rub on bush tracks and can work to hold brackets for off road gear etc, eg; Maxtrax, foldup solar panels, ensuite/shower awning, etc. The frame is simple 2mm thick 50mm x 25mm (end pieces) and elsewhere 25mm x 25mm. Things crack and break. Most station (aka farm sheds) have a stick welder and we stay at farms by preference.

A 2.5m long pop top (north-south) provides room for bed with toebox over cab, standing room at rear end and giving more than 2m interior height. It also has "sail tracks" for the exterior awning. 1.5m interior east-west suits 1370 wide 1880 long mattress
The pop top extrusions from the panel supplier are DIY (our supplier has youtube vids) and the whole setup is independent of the steel frame as it sits higher on the wall panel edges alone that extrusion also carries the roof panel.

Walls are cad-cut composite panels 28mm wide from http://www.styromax.com.au
the panels are glossy finish on the exterior and satin on the inside.

Teardrop rear hatchway arrived today. RH hinged. 900mm high 622mm wide. We tested the fitting before ordering using a cardboard 'back end' trying out ingress and outgress. Result - all good but a grab rail would be nice.

Lagun Table is here. One mount inside and one mount outside.

Cooker is here already. Two MSR dragonfly using shellite (or diesel or kero if desperate). I like these. Great simmer. Yesterday my wife came home from her job (its closing down next month) and she retrieved a 1000mm x 800mm alloy sign (1.7mm thick) from the store. Its clean and unmarked and I may use it as a stove surround/heatguard.

Engel 'normal' 12v fridge is here already.

Rieco-Titan legs are here already. They are HD and made in the USA. I avoid chinesium products like the plague. They are needed to lift the bivbox up high enough to clear the Land Rover tub which is high due to ground clearance. It clears by about 120mm. I tested the lift with a cardboard trial. I like cardboard trials.

Our Landy is a 1990 ex-military FFR and does not have a tailgate as such, it has a cut down rear panel (a "troop scoop"). The exact opposite to a modern tub such as is on the Defender 130. We have enjoyed pedalling older military Land Rovers and maintaining them.
We have owned our modern one (3.9 Isuzu diesel engine and synchromesh!) since 2015. We have upgraded it with dual rear springs and rear disc brakes, turbo, braided lines, modern front turrets, new adjustable Tough Dog shocks, new radiator and hoses, new slippery diff at the back, new CVs (and hubs), new hardened axles and flanges, and other things (I have a long list).
Here is a short video showing the type of Landy (but this one is a GS which has a normal tailgate):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv4z44pfsfo

attached drawings to date and a rear photoshop rough.

Image
Image
Image

Water/plumbing: hardly anything fancy. Hot water via a big billy. An exterior shower set up. Drinking water filters and a pair of stainless steel jerrys.

LPG. Nope. Air conditioning. Nope. 240v generator. Nope. I will definitely make a connection on the side of the camper for occasions staying in a caravan park.
TV. Nope. TV is available in hotels and bistros. Web tablets. Yes.
USB things yes - Garmin Tracker/Msgr, 4g phones.

Solar panels and lithium battery -yes. Keeping things simple as possible I will attempt to keep the bivbox electrically separate. I do have a RedArc 50A DCDC charger I can fit to get alternator recharges but .. I will probably depend on the solar panels and new 100AH battery we have already. Its primarily for the Engel.

In the next few weeks the frame should be down and the leg attachments sorted. Welding session number 1 is this Friday. I have waited weeks and weeks (not fault of welder - see newb post). Then we can properly measure and sort out the panel sizing and pop top. We are fortunate to live about 10km from one of the top on line caravan parts suppliers. Not so lucky with the cad cut panels company which is a couple of days drive to the north in SE Queensland.
Attachments
s-l1600000.jpg
IMAG6059www.jpg
Last edited by 404 on March 2nd, 2021, 11:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
zildjian
Site Admin
Posts: 22048
Joined: September 8th, 2013, 3:30 pm

Re: biv box

Post: # 30107Post zildjian
March 2nd, 2021, 10:06 pm

Biggified your drawings, :)

You live in a country renowned for its slide-in campers so you'll not be stuck for tried & tested construction
that said I'm really envious the idea of exploring as you plan to between visiting family



1.jpg
2.jpg
3.jpg

404
Posts: 42
Joined: February 28th, 2021, 4:12 am

Re: biv box

Post: # 30108Post 404
March 2nd, 2021, 11:58 pm

Thank you zildjian.
I was using 1200wide pix as I thought that was the limit.
I just edited the text (the rear hatchway just arrived :) ) and added a pic of the Landy.

Here is a video we did in April 2017 -our outback 'shakedown' trip with our Maggiolina on top. two weeks. 4070km
A valuable mech. lesson learnt during that trip. And a new tyre sidewall sliced by rock and more of less ruined as far as reliability is concerned. The TD shocks were outstanding and inner helper rear coils a real improvement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnFo01_xICA

404
Posts: 42
Joined: February 28th, 2021, 4:12 am

Re: biv box

Post: # 30121Post 404
March 5th, 2021, 4:52 am

This beautiful Friday morning I drove the Landy 'sportscar' about 12km to the welder's yard to begin the frame work. It was a short time after sun up and really pleasant.

Today was a short session getting things underway, e.g.; the 9mm thick insertion rubber strip and orientation. I had a piece of foam board to do simulation but we didn't get that far along this week.

Framework - some floor pieces were cut to be tack welded. When the east-west subframe piece is checked and 'right' there will be 5 copies done. Afterwards I drove home in proper traffic :(

Next Friday some more welding. The main thing is the biv box is underway. :)
Attachments
IMAG6405.jpg
IMAG6406.jpg
IMAG6410.jpg
IMAG6411.jpg

404
Posts: 42
Joined: February 28th, 2021, 4:12 am

Re: biv box

Post: # 30160Post 404
March 12th, 2021, 11:27 pm

More framework yesterday. Totals 6.5hrs on the jobcard so far.

A few rethinks took time as you do on one-offs. Some mods on the 25x25 bits then tacked/checked the first east-west floor piece for fit, checked the insertion rubber and gaps. Now that we're okay on them there will be 4 more cloned off the first.

SIzed up and began cuts of the first 50x25 corner pieces. Again, a hands on practical mod was made to width - to better accommodate the 4 leg brackets and make sure the legs clear the vehicle sides.

Perfect autumn days last weekend: throwing in a snap from our first offline meeting in a whole year (since march 2020 chyna virus kicked off). A week later now and outside this morning... our first bit of morning fog. Seasons changing...
Attachments
2021-03-12-cutting-initial-50x25-pieces.jpg
2021-03-12-initial-floor-pieces-tac-weld-check.jpg
can-coffee-14-mar6-2021-6446.jpg

User avatar
derestrictor
Posts: 2342
Joined: November 18th, 2014, 7:21 pm
Location: gotham Nottingham

Re: biv box

Post: # 30174Post derestrictor
March 14th, 2021, 4:55 pm

bet this must be satisfying to make up from scratch . Landrover looks very purposeful as well :)

404
Posts: 42
Joined: February 28th, 2021, 4:12 am

Re: biv box

Post: # 30202Post 404
March 20th, 2021, 6:15 am

Thx for the comment. Yes, crossing fingers it all goes okay, especially with the paneling. I have rebuilt a car or two but this is a first.

Lots of rain this week so not much work.
Front and rear frames are done.
Attachments
2021-03-18-cutting-initial-50x25-weld.jpg

User avatar
wonkywheel
Posts: 481
Joined: June 5th, 2017, 7:31 pm
Location: East Northamptonshire

Re: biv box

Post: # 30208Post wonkywheel
March 21st, 2021, 9:13 pm

Hi, it's good to see I am not the only one foolhardy enough to attempt a build from scratch. I was a virgin welder at the start of my build too. I chose aluminium instead of steel for the framework.
Mine was an outside build, so I know what it's like to be at the mercy of the weather.
Although I have been using the demountable for nearly 3 years I am hoping to finish it this year (Year 4 :lol: :lol: )
The problem I have found is that as soon as you start to use it you find something you want (need) to alter.

The best of luck with the build. I will be watching with interest.
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

2007 Ford Ranger "Thunder" 4x4
Camper aedificavit domum
2016 Ford Ranger "Wildtrack" 4x4

404
Posts: 42
Joined: February 28th, 2021, 4:12 am

Re: biv box

Post: # 30241Post 404
March 27th, 2021, 2:28 am

Not much done, very bad weather. Easter is a week away and the welder is very busy catching up. About an hour's work was done.

Doing it from scratch as you say, you can get still lost in the joblist. It is daunting. I havn't drawn much of an interior plan. I know where the bed is and the door and that the fridge should be accessible from standing posn outside the door. I need power to the ceiling (poptop) for a fan/vent. I need a usb pwer jack. I need power to the fridge, and rear exterior lights.

The lithium battery bank may be a portable one. The sun moves. Well, usually you want to park in the shade, but put the folding panels and battery out in the full sun.

The outside ensuite will hang off the front driver cnr of the bivbox. It is a rollup one cloned off the frontline design.

Also found out that to get insurance as a slide-in camper the paperwork says the bivbox must have at a minimum..
a bed
a table
a tap and a basin

404
Posts: 42
Joined: February 28th, 2021, 4:12 am

Re: biv box

Post: # 30412Post 404
April 23rd, 2021, 8:27 am

Well we really lost momentum there because of the easter break, but some things did happen...
Did I mention we are fortunate that a really popular and long established totally online caravan parts outlet is close to us?
I purchased a ceiling vent, a reversible one, a Fantastic Fan 7350 made in the USA. It is 12v 30w 2.5A. It has a rain sensor... time will tell if the dust or pollen covers the sensor and disables it. We picked it up, saved money there and by paying cash saved some more.. but importantly we got advice on other matters, namely where would be recommended canvas maker for the poptop and how do the older (simple) scissor lifts limit their travel upward.
https://www.caravansplus.com.au/cabin-h ... roof-parts
I was looking at these things which have a long spring but the mech design for the limiter i could not work out. Turned out a simple answer is that the canvas size is the limiter. So the canvas is always under tension apparently.

I have worked on some vehicle seals and studs to do with the door windows. Half done. Lucky there are 2 doors. I started in on fitting extended mirror arms to replace the current arms. Its a part Land Rovers fitted with ambulance or fire rescue bodies etc use. The mirrors themselves should transfer to the longer arm because they are supposedly the same thing just longer. Famous last words...

I also puchased some lash eyes, WLL of 1 ton. They will fit on the exterior on each top corner of the steel skelton.

I went to a local garage sale advertising a cleanout sortout and returned with a small english made axehead to fit up to a new handle and get sharpened. Its a Elwell camping axe with a 600mm handle, not a felling axe, a really handy weight at 2.75lb. It is old but relatively unscarred. It features an Red Indian head trademark. A photo of another on the net shows there is supposed to be 2 heads, like a siamese twin, but one head has been rubbed out by work. Maybe 70yrs old. No edge chips or rust on it, zero. The aussie made handle blank cost 3 times what the axehead cost... but it arrived and its excellent.

A deceptively easy job on the rear body 'tub' is half done. My good friend attacked the removal of some minor redundant steel work with a Milwalkee cordless industrial looking hacksaw. Now i have to cold gal paint the scar.

Impressive hacksaw. Fantastic powertool and where was that idea years ago? When i was young and cashless I famously disposed of - week by week - an old rusty Land Rover chassis by cutting it in wheelie bin sized chunks using a hand hacksaw and perhaps a dozen cheap blades. One morning I loaded two chunks. In the afternoon I arrived home and the good lady told me the garbage compactor truck had stopped down the street and the driver had been crowbarring around in the back freeing up a jam... i said i wondered what could have caused that? A big lump of over microwaved chicken? A leaky waterbed 'mattress'? :D

Some more welding on the frame, after some re-schedules, is set next week...

Post Reply