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Pop top on steroids

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NJV6
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 28, 2015 9:16    Post subject: Pop top on steroids Reply with quote

I thought you guys might be interested in my latest project, a caravan camper pop top.
We had been thinking about it for a little while and roughly knew what we wanted, and this little gem came up for sale. We bought it sight unseen, and drove 1600km return to collect it off the Ferry. This was our first sighting


Once we got off the Ferry, time for a closer look. It is NZ made, a 1979 Liteweight Expander, basically a pop top with solid sides.



On the way home the name came to us, Miranda. Miranda the Expander.
Set up on the Lawn



My wife quickly get set too cleaning it and giving a bit of paint here and there, some pictures of the inside with the squabs out






I took a look underneath and saw a bit of the dreaded rust in the floor... so looked the other way and we then went away for the weekend to the beach



It looked a bit silly behind the wee Paj (had only had it behind big paj until now), and the rust was bothering me so it was time to get the grinder out. 1st take the wheels off, hard job to do with no wheel arches. So I made some




And some bigger wheels



To fit something like this, the floor had to be cut so out came the wheel arch and a bit of the floor



Couldn't get the wheel arch out of the otherside without stripping the entire sides of Miranda so just cut the back of it instead


Drilled out loads of pop rivets to pull the sides away to get at the rusty bits



This is the rust I was talking about


About now I decided to go all out  Twisted Evil , so I ordered some airbags from the states for suspension and decided the dump the rubber joints it currently used, it was just going to bob along the road otherwise. So with a heavier duty suspension the chassis was going to need laminated as it is only C section. 7 inches of travel will mean I can level Miranda on a non-flat camp site.


New chassis time





Then I fed the sheep


Lowering the chassis off the caravan


Rolling it out



Hover van



Now it was suspension time for chassis, Airbags need something to hold the axle in place, do I use some very light leaf springs for placement or use some suspension arms, I decided on the latter as it seemed like fun. I got some LandCruiser 80 suspension arms and used them as my lower links. About now I got some more suitable wheels and tyres to use, I was never going to use such fat alloys, i have some std hilux rims on 205x16's, may go a smaller tyre size or 3 yet, depending on final height.


and made the top link myself using the bushes from the original top landcruiser links

Caravan Flex  Laughing


Ugly as anything but no one will see it! And it works! the axle sits nicely in place and does not rotate when lifting and lowering so the airbag remains stable. There is a bit of bracing to go on to it yet but I can't see much force going onto the top arm, maybe a little when braking but how effective are brakes going to be on a 800kg caravan anyway??


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PostPosted: Sun Jun 28, 2015 9:16    Post subject: Google Ads keep the POCUK free to join!


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peteinchad
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 28, 2015 10:12    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's an interesting project - and you get the best of both worlds - something easier to tow than a caravan but better than a tent for comfort.

It should last forever with all the work you've done.
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Hugh Michael
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 28, 2015 14:59    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very enjoyable to watch how you planned and completed the work. Thanks for the post and the pics.
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Davelincs
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 29, 2015 6:56    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excellent work, keep us informed
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MARKS600K1
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 29, 2015 13:23    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello

  Good job your doing there, thats a great name Miranda  Laughing


Regards Mark
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kalmac
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 29, 2015 23:20    Post subject: Reply with quote

good stuff, can't wait to see the next installment Cool
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NJV6
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 10:28    Post subject: Reply with quote

Must be time for an update,

So I had the airbags and wanted to get them mounted,
Upper chassis mount


And the lower mount on the axle


I then thought mounting it so far behind the axle may create a bit much leverage than id like. I had made them like that so I could mount them as low as possible and get the chassis to sit right down on the axle when not in motion to aid getting in and out.

Then farming got in the way again and I needed the woolshed for shearing so rolled the old chassis back under and took it for a drive to another shed


Back to it
Cut the old mounts i had just made (duh) in half and mounted airbags



And the the mig ran out of wire  Evil or Very Mad  Grrr

Then fizzed them to the chassis




I have ordered a new water tank to go right behind the axle, as you can see from screenshot below, you can pretty much get anything you want! I am getting 47 litre, 2nd from top.


Then I started on the floor of Miranda, the reason all this started! So after lifting her off the chassis (again) I got a new rear sub frame made up then ran out of CO2 in the welder!  Evil or Very Mad  Grrr
Here it is sticking out the side so I can weld the top of the joins.

Thats all for now
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jimmybond
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:17    Post subject: Reply with quote

Goog god you have way to much spare time on your hands lol.

I  never understood the idea of a trailer tent etc.
My nieghbour went through a stage of wanting one.
bought one, used it once and said never ever again.
I dont know what bit he didnt enjoy.
that trailer tent stills sits in his garden.

is the idea for storage?

To me they feel cramped.

whats the idea of the air bags.
is it to lower it when on site?
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NJV6
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 23, 2015 10:52    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Goog god you have way to much spare time on your hands lol.

I  never understood the idea of a trailer tent etc.
My nieghbour went through a stage of wanting one.
bought one, used it once and said never ever again.
I dont know what bit he didnt enjoy.
that trailer tent stills sits in his garden.

is the idea for storage?

To me they feel cramped.

whats the idea of the air bags.
is it to lower it when on site?


Heck no, I don't have much time, More spare time would be great. Its a project, everyone needs one otherwise one day your old and think what have I done with my life...? Can't go back and do it again.

Yea we don't see many trailer tents around here, you see more tents and bikes and BBQ's etc all stacked into the boat rather than trailer tents. Is the idea for storage? I don't know, ask someone with a trailer tent!

Airbags is for a few things, level it on site, lower it on site, raise it when off road, and a far more compliant ride than leaf springs so save the insides rattling to pieces on potholed shingle roads.
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jimmybond
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 7:04    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nj46 clearly your age isnt right lol.
I thought on these sites its always funny to make yourself look alot younger lol.
clearly ive missed something!

I know what you mean about better ride.
I lent our caravan out to a friend.
it came back with the inner blind broken off kitchen window, the sunlight roof has blinds that cover both up.
both bust off hanging down.
must of drove like a a hole on rough roads.
put it this way ive had caravan from 1 year old and never had any of that.
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NJV6
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2015 7:36    Post subject: Reply with quote

It has been a while since an update

So I got busy with the water tank frame, I wanted it removeable to be able to fully drain it for the winter frosts.



New mudguard frame so I could pop rivet exterior back into place nice and strong


Rear bumper and strengthening (not that it needs it!)




Finally got the Frame painted!


Stub axles welded on, pissed me off a bit as the engineer took 1mm too much off the stubs so they were hard to centre in the axle but hopefully it is close enough. Put the new chassis under the caravan


Made up some shock absorber mounts


Mounted shock absorber. In this pic you can also see how much of the floor I cut back to be able to fit larger wheels.


Cut the front of the drawbar off to make a mount for tow hitch


Hitch mount


And here is Miranda sitting under her own weight on 205R16 tyres with about 2 inches of air in the airbags, so it can go lower and another 5 inches higher
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NJV6
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 27, 2015 0:39    Post subject: Reply with quote

Update time!

Side access panel




Not content with all this,it was still eating away at my insides that there was still the rusty floor in the front to deal with as I had planned to do that next winter. But thought what the heck, out with the grinder. 1st a tidy up


Had to strip interior draws at the front and unscrew/drill out/beat out old stuff, what a job! But got there eventually





Done - happy now, no rust! Reassemble time
New mudguards


Brakes plumbed, airlines done



Rear stabilisers, obviously the wind down normal type were going to need a 4 inch block of wood to be effective so redesign


This is in its travel position, it sits about 2 inches proud of the roof and is going to be a kayak mount which will run the length of Miranda
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NJV6
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 27, 2015 0:53    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had wanted a new stronger top arm setup that holds the axle in place so made that




Installed


Started running wires for 12 volt system.


Ready for the 1st trip


O and got a bit sidetracked and bought a 2011 Gen 4 Pajero, build thread to follow!
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NJV6
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 8:29    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not sure if anyone is following this but anyway,

So I got the water tank mounted and finished with new filler



Put the 12v switches in



Storage box and gas bottle


Spare wheel mounted

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skool
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 8:42    Post subject: Reply with quote

defo a few of us look forward to updates on this ,, its all very ingenious and cool ,, well done Smile

have to say youve changed it so much from what it originally was are you considering a colour change externally ? would look cool if it matched the tow truck etc unless youre keeping the vintage look ?
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