Gunter L'il Standy Build

[Mark Gunter]

Hi all, I'm new here. I'm about to embark on a standy build, so here begins my journal.

I'm building on an old popup frame. It measures 10'9" x 6'5" (excluding tongue). In this image, it is on sawhorses and covered in a tarp. I'll post better images once I have it in the shop. I bought this bare trailer for $150.



I also purchased a damaged smaller popup for $300. I'm salvaging the stove, refrigerator, heater, water pump, etc. and swapping axles between the trailers. The following pics show us tearing down the smaller popup.









The scary looking dude in those pics is Timmy, a good friend who is helping me along. I'm renting an area of shop from his landlord to do the build in.

And here is a pic of the axles, we're relocating the mounts to swap them out.



I plan to build a pretty simple standy, about 12' x 7'6" on the frame. It will have a bed/sofa made with two twin mattresses, an A/C mounted in front, propane mounted on tongue, a maxxair fan in the roof, and a chuck wagon hatch with kitchen in the back. I'm going to move my 300 watt solar system from an earlier van build onto this camper. Exterior will be PMF.

Thanks for viewing!

[philpom]

I don't think you could beat the price for the trailer, what a deal. That should give you plenty of room to get creative, do you have any plans/sketches or do you plan to kinda wing it?

[Mark Gunter]

Nothing on paper yet, but I’ve built and rebuilt it in my head a few times already lol

[Greg M]

Nice bit of salvage you’ve got there, bet it’ll come out sweet

[Squigie]

Looks like a late '80s / early '90s Starcraft; maybe a slightly later Flagstaff.
Watch that frame, if so. They are extremely bendy and like flexing in all the worst ways.

[Mark Gunter]

Looks like a late '80s / early '90s Starcraft; maybe a slightly later Flagstaff.
Watch that frame, if so. They are extremely bendy and like flexing in all the worst ways.

Thanks Squigie, but I suppose you blew over my post and missed something: I'm not building my standy on that little frame. The frame I'm building on is under the tarp, on horses, in the first pic. It is larger and also has a more substantial core. As mentioned in my post, I'll upload pics of it once it's in the shop.

I am using the axle from that frame you see, and salvaging other parts from that camper as well. Eventually, I'll sell that frame or build something else with it.

[Squigie]

Makes sense.

I read the post.
Apparently, I didn't connect the dots.

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[Mark Gunter]

I've been busy working to get my trailer frame & suspension ready, then working to get my floor built.

Got the axle from the 'newer' popup welded, moving the mounts to fit my build trailer. Here I'm prepping it for paint.



Axle installed, trailer moved into the shop.



Next, I cut all the "wings" off the newer popup trailer frame in order to use some on the build trailer. Here is the extra, newer, smaller pop-up trailer frame that I have left over. This is after I cut away the "wings"



The doorstep from the newer popup will be mounted below this section, which is also replacing a bad section of my build trailer.



Mounting spot for my new swivel jack.



Mounting spot for spare tire holder, I got it from the sacrificial popup and modified it to go here.

[Mark Gunter]

Once all the welding was done, I prepped and painted the build trailer using truck bed liner for the finish.

[Mark Gunter]

I had to do some mock-ups in order to determine how I would use the wheel wells of the sacrificial popup. Took several swings at it until I was satisfied how to proceed.

[Mark Gunter]

With the wheel wells figured out, it was time to start the floor. The floor is 7'3"x11'6" ... 3 sections ... so I "tacked" them together to build the framework.





Then I disassembled and flipped them over for waterproofing. I permanently assembled then used several coats of bedliner. I got help to flip it back in place once all this was done.



I bolted it to the frame with 3/8" bolts, washers, lock washers. Then it was time for insulation.





And wheel wells



Finally, I got to put on the first coat of bedliner before leaving town on a job.



I KNOW, I know, give me flak for using OSB on my floor. Believe me, I know. It was worrisome. I know better. But my funds are limited. And once I got the floor bolted, and went back underneath, and caulked every seam, and did some more bedliner touch-up, I am pretty confident that my foundation will last the 5 or so years I plan to use this camper ... so sue me, lol.

[Mark Gunter]

Modern conveniences planned for this build:

300 watts of solar charging 200ah of battery:
- lighting of course
- maxxair fan in roof
- thermostat for propane heater
- small 12v refrigerator
- 1500 watt inverter for DC to AC electric when/if desired
- accessory outlets

Option to plug into 30 amp service:
- air conditioner
- 2nd slightly larger mini-fridge
- inverter AC to D.C.
- accessory AC outlets

20lb Propane tank (with spare):
- combination camp stove/oven
- heater
- extra quick connects

Also:
- Fresh water storage
- Gray water collection
- Bed with expanding slats, Twin to King
- Sink

Modern conveniences we’ll live without:
- No built in shower or potty and no black water!

[Mark Gunter]

I took the trailer to get it weighed today, with insulated floor on it, it came to 560 pounds. Took this weight ticket to the county tax office and got licensed. All that was required was the weight, my name & contact info, and photos to prove it is a "home built trailer."

Title and VIN is not issued here on trailers below 4,000 lbs. So, when my build is completed, if I can keep it under 4k these plates will be 100% legal.

[philpom]

I took the trailer to get it weighed today, with insulated floor on it, it came to 560 rounds. Took this weight ticket to the county tax office and got licensed. All that was required was the weight, my name & contact info, and photos to prove it is a "home built trailer."

Title and VIN is not issued here on trailers below 4,000 lbs. So, when my build is completed, if I can keep it under 4k these plates will be 100% legal.

Nice, I bought my trailer from Harbor Freight, assembled it and registered it for plates. It's a utility trailer with a box on it....

[Mark Gunter]

I've been pretty busy since my last post, I've got the side skins on and the front skin, and working my way to the back on top now. For some strange reason I couldn't get many photos to upload to my laptop from the phone, but here are a few.

First, I tested the power converter and the heater that I salvaged from my sacrificial popup. I had to be sure they worked before thinking about where I'd install them. Everything tested out fine.







Then began the more exciting stuff. First, cut front panel radii and match them up properly, fine tuning with belt sander, the front gets a 24" radius and the back gets 40". Then I began to frame up the right side, installing panels from the back forward.



I had to figure, frame up, and cut out panel for the door for the next panel.



In framing the center section, my top plate was figured 1-1/2" low to account for the 2x2 ceiling ribs to come later.





The process was repeated for the left side. One of the awesome things about a standy build is that I can pretty easily skin the inside after the outer skin has been constructed and the wiring run.



There is so much more work and detail to tell about, but as I said most of my pics aren't available now. I have begun wiring traces and stuff, it's all pretty interesting, but only two more pics. I finished up the framing for the front end, with an opening for AC unit box, and began with the top ribs, framing up for a maxxair fan. Last evening, I put the radiused top piece on front.





And that sort of brings me up to date, skipping a lot of pics and details. For 98% of this project, I've been a lone wolf with no help, but drawing on creativity and working myself silly.

Any questions about details are welcome. As of yet, there have been no big problems that couldn't be overcome.