Sleeper, cowboy camper, whatchacallit???

[Power Wagon]

Been looking around for one of those little short guys to drop on the back of my truck, for extra room to have on our trip up north to Alaska this summer. There'll be six people driving up and 7 driving back, and coming back, we expect to be "on the road" for 3 weeks. So, the idea is to make some room back there for cabin fever infested kids, etc. But where do you find these things? The local RV dealers don't have any interest in them, as far as I can tell... Or, if you have any other suggestions for what to do back there... I'm all ears

 

[Boldt's Wagon]

You have a bumper pull trailer. Back when I was hauling kids and dogs and trailer with a regular cab Chev, I put on a canopy and rigged a 4 ft plywood elevated bed on the fornt half of the PU bed. With a foam pad and sleeping bags the kids could play their radios and play games. The space under the plywood provided storage.



Don't know if this complys with seat belt regs now days. You could bolt down recycled bus seats and belts inside the canopy if you desired.

 

[SRehberg]

I too have been looking for one of those half campers or sleepers as they are called, but have hit dead ends. I pull a 5th wh and it would be good for those of us without an extended cab. If anyone knows of a source, I am interested as well. Thanks

 

[Charley]

Several of the pickup topper manufacturers make these. Century is one I can think of. The ones I have seen are fiberglass and rather pricy, 800/900 bucks. Most have a boot that you can replace the rear window and have access directly from the cab. Search for pickup toppers.



Charley

 

[Believer]

Try this link. http://www.pape-ent.com/sleepers/index.html

 

[SRehberg]

Thanks for the info, I hit the site and it looks like it would fill the bill, and looks good with the truck.

 

[Matt S]

I would love one of those but I use the bed too much. Too bad they don't make one that covers the entire bed with the front part as a sleeper.

 

[Brandon]

pape is low quality



call stockland direct they have always mad the best

dont know if they still make them though

 

[SpeedBump]

Those little sleepers are pretty cool. My brother had one a few years ago and I remember he could throw a lot of extra stuff back there. He just had to watch getting into a tight turn pulling his gooseneck cow trailer though. There wasn't a whole lot of room left for making real close turns.



Eric

 

[Big John]

Power Wagon, I have used a regular camper shell with a sliding front window in it that matched up with my sliding rear window in the truck. I purchased a boot to seal between truck and camper and made a 3. 5 foot deep plywood platform in the back of the truck. Walled off the back of it to close out road noise and carpeted the entire thing with cheap carpet. The underside was still usable for storage and it was no problem for the wife and kids to crawl back there and catch a few zzzz's.



Took about an hour to build the platform and did not alter the shell for future use.



Big John

 

[NVR FNSH]

7 people - ugh!

PW,

You must have the patience of a saint to even consider 7 people in a 1st gen extended cab. I'll be real interested to hear the trip report



Brian

 

[Bad340fish]

I looked at a truck awhile ago that had one of those and it extended the whole cab. Had a full size seat back there. From the outside it looked just like a reg cab with a "whatchacalit" on it, but had a ton or room back there. Not sure where it was done or what it was called but as far as interior functonality it was awsome I am sure. I wasn't to fond of the looks though.

Clark

 

[Scollins]

I have no idea how expensive these are, but this is what I've been looking at:

http://mckinleyconversions.com/home.html



This is a permanent modification however, so you can never go back. I'm holding out for Dodge to make a true Crew Cab (assuming 2003. ) I never buy the first year of a vehicle, and I prefer to buy used, so I won't be getting a new truck until Summer 2005. If the Dodge Crew Cab dissappoints, I'll probably just go for this conversion.

 

[pwknapp]

old days

Back when the only kind of camper shell was aluminum some manufacturer made a cowboy sleeper that looked just like the front 30" of a standard cap. Best part about it was it was about 9 inches wider than the bed on both sides so you could really sleep back there. Sure would scare the stuffin' out of you when your driving partner got to close to a big rig on the head side. Thank God those cheap plastic windows didn't give you the proper view. Slept many a mile hauling Quarter horses around this awesome country in that stretched out soda can.

 

[ISBPilot]

Gotta have a Sleeper!!!

This was one of my requirements when I built my truck back in 99'. I found mine at a camper dealer in Arlington, TX. But after it was all said and done, I wasn't that happy with their service or quality. Found another place after I had put a deposit on the one I ordered. If I run across the name, I can send it to ya.



Tri-Glass built the one I had on my Dakota in High School, but they quit making them I think. Just keep looking. There are a few who still make them just not as many as there used to be. Good luck.



Todd

 

[Okie-Go]

I always though these were pretty neat but kind of pricey no more than I would use one. It would be great for storage and stuff but with the aux tank I don't think it would fit. I have seen them and they look good.