7'X14" Custom Continental Cargo being built- Questions!

[The Blue Max]

What an excellent resource for we strange trailer folk~ thank you!

Have been planning, engineering and finally ordered my dream hunting/camping cargo conversion trailer and had factory create the following box for me: additional 12" height (7'4" inside), 30"X30" tinted operable windows each side, 36" RV door w/ 15"X30" tinted operable window, dual roof vents, dual side vents, custom upper and lower cabinets with center 12V lighting under upper, 30amp complete 110V system w/ 30' lifeline~dual flourescent ceiling lights~110V GFI outlets scattered~dual 6V golf cart batteries under lower left cabinet (where 110V subpanels are), fully insulated walls~ceiling~floors, dual exterior 110V GFI outlets, complete LED package exterior w/ additional LED lights on front & sides, color matched to my 3/4 ton Duramax and chrome wheels & other minor modifications once it arrives.....CB w/amp & 102 whip, complete soundsystem (deck, MP3, Amp w/ internal speakers and external speaker jacks, 54 galon fresh water tank inside under bunk (to be installed), Mr. Heater Big Buddy propane indoor heater w/ 20 galon propane tank feeding it from front, carpeted w/padding, hardwoods infront of cabinets first 5' and other personal modifications as it arrives are planned.

Two big questions:

* Am going to build out a folding queen bed in the rear that will fold up from the bottom attaching to the side wall up top. Was planning on piano type hinges with hinging legs as well. Does anyone have a more practical or better solution?

* Will be adding chair rail, baseboards and crown molding because I am a complete freak. Would like to "paint/seal" the insulated 3/4 plywood walls and was wondering if someone had a product they would reccomend?

The beast shall arrive late August and I will post pictures from the day I pick it up and haul her home. It should be an amazing core & shell for what I want to accomplish.

Please share any thoughts, questions, comments or concerns you may have.

[mikeschn]

Welcome to the forum...

Sounds like you've created a monster. Can't wait to see the pictures...

Mike...

[prohandyman]

Welcome. Hope you have a strong tow vehicle. Cargos are fun to convert. 1st post. Mike can you remember your 1st post?

[mikeschn]

Yep Dan,

I remember my first post...

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?p=3#3

Mike...

[The Blue Max]

Mike & Dan~ Thanks for the replies.

Dan~ The trailer shouldn't give my truck any challenges pulling it and down the road, I will run a Willy's 2A inside it for Elk and Deer hunting. My other project was taking a new 03 Chevy Duramax crew cab diesel from its stock state of 195hp and through software and hardware modifications it pushes 550hp with more torque than anything I've ever been around. MPG is 18 in town, 24 on the Hwy and 12-15 towing depending on much of a sixteen yr old I act like when throttling it. It's not a monster but a very proportional, sleek, powerful grocery getter than just happens to do 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds when I tell it to. From a towing standpoint, its a dream as I put Bilstein shocks, Firestone Ride-Rite airbags, torsion keys in the front with a slight tweak and I had a BD exhaust brake installed with an electronic actuator on my gas pedal and run the Prodigy brake control module in it. When my foot leaves the pedal, the exhaust brake actuates retarding the engine. I've got 124K miles on it with 70% of my original factory brakes. That was money and time extremely well spent. My wife though calls my truck "The Blue Sled of Death". Our kids love it....the family Airedale....that's a different story. He thinks he should be inside where Mother sits. Bad dog.

Do either of you have any suggestions as to building and installing a folding queen bed? I've got the basic principal of using piano type hinges and building a modest box but wondered if you knew of another option.

[angib]

Are the walls really lined with 3/4 ply? Sounds like a bank vault!

If you're going to hinge up the bed, you will probably want to do that with a mattress on top of it, in which case the hinge needs to be 4-6" (the depth of the mattress) away from the wall, so that you're not trying to squish the mattress between the folded bed and the wall.

That implies some sort of structure, probably resting on the floor, that's carrying the weight of that side of the bed, 4-6" away from the wall - rather than just a piano hinge on the wall.

When thinking about using a piano hinge, it's worth considering how you're going to screw it in place - like are you going to have to hold the bed on its side in mid air while you lie underneath driving screws? Tricky.

Often the best plan will be to screw the hinge to a timber (2x2?) of some sort and then screw/lagbolt/bolt that timber to the trailer in six or eight places.

Andrew

[The Blue Max]

Andrew~

Thank you for the input and I stand corrected- The Walls are 3/8'' and the floors are 3/4"; all 16'' on centers for added strength.

Thinking out loud- It seems most logical to add depth through proper timber placement to build the support structure of the bed so it closes flush against the wall. I don't want to take the mattress off each time I want to raise the bed. I also will hinge the supporting "feet/legs".

See....this forum works.

PS
Am housing two young kids in it occassionally and built it vault style and comfort minded for those reasons. Also will be spending two weeks in it at at time during Deer and Elk seasons in Washington so warmth, cooling it down and comfort are forefront.

[angib]

OK, 3/8 walls are a bit different. So you need to pick up the frames in the walls for strength - you can support the bed vertically from the floor but you'll need to use the walls to stop it wobbling horizontally and screwing into 3/8 ply won't do that.

Andrew

[Nitroxjunkie71]

Firestone Ride-Rite airbags

Can't wait to see pics of the trailer. By the way I just put the Ride-Rites on my truck and love em!

[bobhenry]

questions:

* Am going to build out a folding queen bed in the rear that will fold up from the bottom attaching to the side wall up top. Was planning on piano type hinges with hinging legs as well. Does anyone have a more practical or better solution?

Please share any thoughts, questions, comments or concerns you may have.

Our small Ritz travel trailer has a bunk ( we never use ) and it lets down onto wall cleats that support it.
I am not sure if you are hinging from the side (80" ) length or the head of the bed ( 60" ) Is it possible to install wall cleats for the bed frame to rest on. I have drawn the hinged wall mount and on 3/4 plywood it should support 2 adults with wall cleats all around and a 2x4 front lip not shown to eliminate the sag in the center.

[digimark]

Hi there. You had said the whole trailer is insulated. I was wondering, do they insulate the side and rear doors when you order wall/floor/ceiling insulation from the factory? Thanks in advance. -Gary

[The Blue Max]

Bobhenry~ Your response and drawing are more than appreciated. Thank you for the amazing reply. My uncle converted his 5'X8' Haulmark which started my quest. I will share your drawing with him and see contrast that with what his idea was for a build out on that bed. I will update you in a few weeks.

Gary~ They are insualting the floor, walls and ceiling at the factory & they won't insulate the barn doors. Their position was that the doors are a thicker aluminum with sealed air between the 0.80 guage aluminum door walls. I will consider taking the 3/8 plywood off the doors and attach beadboard type insulation should I find it loosing any heat after my first run with it this deer season mid September. There also is an option to have the door top drilled and filled with insulating foam closing the whole with a weld bead. There is a boat manufacturing plant not far from my house and one of my clients manages the production line. It may be a matter of showing up on a Saturday with doughnuts as he's offered to help out with this project. That would be my preferred route should the door insulation become a need/desire.

My desire to convert a cargo trailer was born from watching my uncle show up with his 5'X8' to Elk camp and in 15 minutes he was set drinking a beer in his chair. I on the other hand come from an old school Elk camp where we erect a 14'X16' canvass wall tent onto a steel internal frame, attach and set up another 10'X14' canvass cook shack also on a steel internal frame and then drag in a wood burning stove, tables, cots, carpets, rugs and so forth for a 13 day experience. 3/4 of a day for two guys to set up and 1/2 day to take it down and haul it out.

I herniated a disk in my back several years ago and now that I'm 40, have two small kids and want to spend more time in the woods than I do erecting an amazing camp, I started planning-saving & scheming to now live the dream. This trailer I've got started on will be something I've only dreampt about & I choose to live by principal and motto....living life large with purpose and passion!

It may be ready August 25th and I'm drooling....off for a long deer scouting weekend for 4 days. Happy trails and touch bases late Sunday.

[slyeager]

My desire to convert a cargo trailer was born from watching my uncle show up with his 5'X8' to Elk camp and in 15 minutes he was set drinking a beer in his chair.

Thats what I'm talking about........

[Streaker]

Did you get it yet??? Did you get it yet??? Huh? Huh? Huh?
Can you tell I'm excited for you too?
Gotta see this Bad boy. I'm going to pick my ole standard cargo Trailer up saturday and I'm excited over that. I can't imagine how your feeling.
Good Luck and let us know how its going.

[razorback]

The link below is for a wall bed mechanism. Lots of ideas to knock around.
Might be an easy solution for your build.
http://www.murphybedsdirect.com/?gclid= ... xwodWU1bQQ
Larry