Instructables user Avey44 wanted to have his own pop-up tent camper customized to fit his needs.
So he decided to build one on a Harbor Freight trailer with some recycled parts. The project took only four days (although building the trailer itself took a little bit more time).
See also: How Kevin Made This in Two Weeks I’ll Never Know, But Wow I Learned a Lot
For the most part, he used only second-hand materials to build the camper, including some old jeans, a used tent, free truck cap, and a tool box he got at a flea market.
He started with a simple utility trailer from Harbor Freight, and then added some wooden rails to the sides.
He got a truck cap for free off of craigslist, and added tear-screen windows made from some old pants and a bit of Shoo Goo.
A horseshoe-shaped frame made out of 2x2s supports the truck cap.
The truck cap is attached to the front camper wall with three door hinges. 2x2s hold up the camper shell, and fold down flush with the bed when the top is lowered and shut. Yep, those are old jeans that were sewed together and glued to the trailer floor. 🙂
The triangular side panels are made from 2×2 lumber and fit into the wedge created when the truck cap is raised.
Another shot of the side braces.
The panels fit right into this V-shaped gap between the trailer bed and the truck cap.
Here’s a close-up of the rear door (from an old tent) and the sewed-together jeans that serve as the floor.
The tent is connected to the truck cap with some rubber flashing material to prevent leaks.
Here she is in travel mode.
And all set up for camping.
Some final thoughts from Avey44,
The trailer is never going to be 100% in my eyes and I will always be adding to it, but for now it can be used to sleep in. In the near future I will add a battery box to power the light I added, the light on the inside top of the camper, and anything else that might need charging. Curtains will be a must as well as a bed frame. I intend to have a simple frame to support a bed while providing about a foot of storage space underneath you. The outside front has the holes already prepared for a rain/sun awning, and I also have the material to make it I just am soo burnt out on sewing..
It’s amazing that such a functional camper could be built out of simple, recycled materials. The only thing I wonder about is dampness coming through the denim floor. Maybe the jeans could be treated to make them waterproof?
Other unique DIY campers:
- Here Is A Self-Made Pop-Up Camper Built From Douglas Fir
- Yes, You Can Make a Utility Trailer Camper to Sleep Your 8 Kids. Wow, It’s Even Got a Bunk Bed.
- How to Make Your Own Yurt For Cheap and Simple RV Living
- How Kevin Made This in Two Weeks I’ll Never Know, But Wow I Learned a Lot
- Homemade Tear Drop Camper With a Solar Panel Storage Unit
Hideous…