5ft Weekender build in Indianapolis

[IndyCubby]

Well it's been a long time since my last update. My goal was to "finish" the Weekender by the end of the summer (I'm a teacher and wanted to get it done before going back to school). Well, school starts tomorrow and as of today, the camper is "camp-able". Still need to do several things....need to trim out the bottom of the body where it meets the frame (probably with thin aluminum bar), need some shelving in the interior cabinets, and need to add a tongue box of some sort (for storage....and to add some weight to the tongue!).

The outside of the camper was sealed with three coats of thinned polyurethane, sanded, filled, sanded some more, and then painted with two coats of primer and two coats of Rustoleum oil gloss in Almond. The worst part of the build was the doors....I originally set out to buy premade ones, but then decided I didn't want to spend the money on them. They turned out pretty decent in the end.

Here she is....
























Thanks to Mike for posting the Weekend plans and to everyone whose ideas I "stole".

[les45]

+++++++Looking good! Hopefully I'm not too far behind you.
Larry S.

[WhitneyK]

Look Great!!!

I think I'm gonna have to do something like that to my hatch. Liftin' 60 lbs each time is getting old.

[IndyCubby]

After adding a few finishing touches, I had a photo shoot the other day. I'm calling it "done" for now. Added are new fenders painted silver, homemade rear stabilizers (idea from another forum member), two handles at the front of the camper to aid in moving, new led lighting, a tongue box, and I replaced the regular 12v vent fan with a small computer fan....the original was ridiculously LOUD Still need to replace one of the rear running lights as it is faulty.

Here she is. Ready to camp....

[S. Heisley]

That turned out really great! Congratulations on a job well done!

[IndyCubby]

That turned out really great! Congratulations on a job well done!

Thanks! Can't wait for the maiden voyage.

[KCStudly]

Looks great!

I have a question, though. Devils advocate. From an off road (which probably does not apply to you at all), steep driveway or severe road transition perspective I am wondering if those rear lift jacks are fully retracted (... by the way, they appear to be very well crafted). The picture makes it appear that they have significantly reduced your trailer's departure angle. The Mini has its wheels pushed out very near the corners and has great approach and departure angles for such a low vehicle (the lowness probably making my point moot), but the new stands on the trailer with the axle more centrally located gives me pause. Again, this could just be my perspective and/or regional outlook (have you ever noticed how the cool p/u trucks in Florida are all lowered to the ground, where the roads are all smooth as glass and the worst transitions are speed bumps?)........

Oh, I see you are from Indy. Pretty flat there, too. Never mind.

But hey, what if you travel somewhere with dips in the road?

[edit my dumb mistake out]

Again, your camper looks great; hope you enjoy using it!

[IndyCubby]

Looks great!

I have a question, though. Devils advocate. From an off road (which probably does not apply to you at all), steep driveway or severe road transition perspective I am wondering if those rear lift jacks are fully retracted (... by the way, they appear to be very well crafted). The picture makes it appear that they have significantly reduced your trailer's departure angle. The Mini has its wheels pushed out very near the corners and has great approach and departure angles for such a low vehicle (the lowness probably making my point moot), but the new stands on the trailer with the axle more centrally located gives me pause. Again, this could just be my perspective and/or regional outlook (have you ever noticed how the cool p/u trucks in Florida are all lowered to the ground, where the roads are all smooth as glass and the worst transitions are speed bumps?)........

Oh, I see you are from Indy. Pretty flat there, too. Never mind.

But hey, what if you travel somewhere with dips in the road?

[edit my dumb mistake out]

Again, your camper looks great; hope you enjoy using it!

Very valid question. I chose to make the travel position of the posts somewhat low so it would reduce the risk if the tops banging against the trailer sides during travel. The feet are about a foot off the ground when fully retracted, so it should be ok. Like you mentioned, it's flat here and I normally go to state parks where camper pads are flat and usually paved. If it ever becomes a problem, I can always drill a hole further down for the locking pin and let them ride higher.

Not sure how well they are crafted.....they are made from a set of cheap pipe clamps from harbor freight and a couple pieces of Galvenized pipe. I was going for cheap, but they seem to work really well so far. I could jump up and down on the rear and they wouldn't shift at all.

[working on it]

As you know, I also have the HF pipeclamp stabilizer legs on my trailer. Like you, I don't forsee needing them fully retracted, especially since my trailer has 21" ground clearance at the frame bottom, and the license plate will have ground contact before the legs. You said

I chose to make the travel position of the posts somewhat low so it would reduce the risk if the tops banging against the trailer sides during travel.

I had noted the "banging" position and chose to drill the holes for the retaining pin at the highest point "not banging". Height of frame (21"), and short rear overhang (45"), plus adjustable pin height (drill new hole in pipe to adjust upward) should allow enough ground clearance for all situations except off-roading. By the way, great looking design!

[IndyCubby]

As you know, I also have the HF pipeclamp stabilizer legs on my trailer. Like you, I don't forsee needing them fully retracted, especially since my trailer has 21" ground clearance at the frame bottom, and the license plate will have ground contact before the legs. You said

I chose to make the travel position of the posts somewhat low so it would reduce the risk if the tops banging against the trailer sides during travel.

I had noted the "banging" position and chose to drill the holes for the retaining pin at the highest point "not banging". Height of frame (21"), and short rear overhang (45"), plus adjustable pin height (drill new hole in pipe to adjust upward) should allow enough ground clearance for all situations except off-roading. By the way, great looking design!

Thanks for letting me borrow your pipe clamp idea! They work great.

[working on it]

As I had previously pm'd you, though I thought I had created it, I later found one like it on another website. Like they say, there is nothing new under the sun. As a solution to the low riding position of the leg... I had considered adding a pvc end cap to nest the top of the pipe in

3 inch pvc end cap.jpg

, but didn't think I'd need it, didn't want it white on a gray background, and didn't want to drill another set of holes in the wall (yet)!

[campmaster-k]

Well done thank you for posting all the great pics.

[cop1406]

Awesome build. It looks great behind your awesome tow car. Be proud my friend.

[IndyCubby]

Awesome build. It looks great behind your awesome tow car. Be proud my friend.

MINI power!!!

[Kharn]

Instead of adding holes to the sides, why not get a can of Plasti-dip (commonly used for putting a rubbery coating on tool handles) and treat the top 2" of each leg? A few applications and it should build up a thick enough layer to not damage the wall.