Hello from a, soon to be, convert

Welcome, how can we help ?
please add your town/camper/vehicle to profile please Ta
ralphhardwick
Posts: 7
Joined: September 21st, 2015, 10:21 am

Re: Hello from a, soon to be, convert

Post: # 10131Post ralphhardwick
November 24th, 2015, 4:03 pm

Zildjian, thanks for that. What model is that?

We had some specific criteria when we set out on our 'search'.
  • -Must have an area to sit in to hide from bad weather
    -Must have an area where we could stand up to dress
    -Must have the facility to have a full body wash (preferably proper shower with hot water)
    -Must have a place where we could go to the toilet in private
    -Must have an easily accessible bed (height)
    -Bed must be easily made i.e. not assembled each day
    -Must have a heater
    -Must be able to be containerised whilst on the vehicle
It's this last point that eliminates most of the UK demountables as nearly all of them sit too high above the cab.

The Gazell seems to be a lot 'sleeker' in it's design and looks more integrated into the shape of the vehicle. This has the benefit of the fact that it could stay on the car most of the time.

We're still looking for that 'holy grail' but, at the moment the Gazell is looking pretty good.

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zildjian
Site Admin
Posts: 22060
Joined: September 8th, 2013, 3:30 pm

Re: Hello from a, soon to be, convert

Post: # 10176Post zildjian
November 26th, 2015, 8:04 pm

Personally I'm not familiar with these campers, I know our Martin Wiltshire and Steve Blackman knew a little on them,

seems quite a shopping list you have there and will be interesting to see if it can all be included in the end

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saDgit
Posts: 336
Joined: August 24th, 2014, 12:17 pm
Location: Aups, France (most of the time)

Re: Hello from a, soon to be, convert

Post: # 10183Post saDgit
November 27th, 2015, 9:14 am

Hi Ralph and Belinda and welcome to the group. As Zildjian (zildjian) has noted that's a pretty formidable shopping list you've got there and difficult to match in a pop-top particularly as you're already committed to a double-cab pickup - an extended-cab, or even a single, would certainly open up more options.

As you've remarked the Gazell is a very elegant and sleek design but I suspect the private toilet space might be impossible to achieve in it. Virtually all demountable manufacturers build specifically to order but, as a general rule, those that manufacture in fibreglass (like Gazell and many others) are less likely to be able to accommodate individual modifications and alterations simply because their building process is based on existing and expensive moulds. If you're going to France anyway to look at the Gazell, have a look as well at RRCab. http://www.rrcab.com/ Their sandwich construction method results in a much squarer box but may offer more flexibility internally.

The model that Zildjian included a picture of in his post of the 24th is Italian and is available from Vacanze in Fuoristrada (ViF). ViF are actually a camper hire and tour company but seem to be the only source of this camper which I believe is manufactured for them in Iceland. I think it does ✔ quite a lot of your boxes but is actually built for an extended cab. I'm afraid I don't know whether or not it would fit on a double cab. ViF are at http://www.vacanzeinfuoristrada.it/index.html.

If you were venturing as far as Italy though it would also be worth looking at the new-ish pop-top version of the 'Dragonfly' from Overcar http://overcar.it/cellule_abitative.asp. This is made for double-cab pickups and I think fulfills many of your criteria, including a toilet and shower area, although in its standard form privacy is only provided by a curtain.

Also in Italy, Modulidea build (and custom build) an extensive range of pop-top campers both in fibreglass and in polyester sandwich. They are a long-established and well-reputed builder of expedition and adventure vehicles. They are at http://www.modulidea.it/2012/default.asp.

Finally, if you're able and willing to go looking even further afield, Truck Camper Europe in Spain coach build an all-aluminium camper which can be fitted out entirely to your own spec. That may well be going too far or too ambitious but I mention it simply because the basic and empty camper shell at 4900€ +VAT is so competitively priced that it might be a viable option. https://sites.google.com/site/truckcampereurope/inicio

Apologies for having gone on at length, I hope some of it may be useful. Good luck in your search. :)
Martin

Previous demountables: Island Plastics 'Suntrekker' on P100, S.Karosser 'EC8L' on Ranger supercab, self-built pop-top on Ranger double cab
Current demountables: Rhino 'Safari' hardside on Ranger double cab

ralphhardwick
Posts: 7
Joined: September 21st, 2015, 10:21 am

Re: Hello from a, soon to be, convert

Post: # 10187Post ralphhardwick
November 27th, 2015, 11:55 am

Wow, thanks for the detailed response. I have seen some of cells you mention but there a couple of new ones which I haven't looked at yet :D .
I shall spend sometime surfing this evening.

TBH I didn't think our list was too 'extensive' and the gazell does ✔ all these boxes. Although, to be fair, the toilet is a pull out porta-potti and internal privacy is by using the shower screen. Because of the trips we normally do we normally yomp off into the woods with a spade and a toilet roll. The toilet will only be used when this isn't possible and one of us will probably just stay outside :)

I think it's also fair to stress that we are not looking for top notch comfort here. we are used to living 'out' of a vehicle. Sitting beneath an awning, in camping chairs and cooking on a shelf on the back door.

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To us the Gazell, despite being small, offers a major upgrade for just a bit longer length. The places we travel to are well off the beaten tack and so lightness, compactness and maintaining 4x4 maneuverability are essential.

TBH I'm also quite lazy :oops: and we are limited for storage space, so I would prefer something that could stay on the car most of the time.

I shall study the others with interest and keep you informed of our progress.

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