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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Tomas Tierra
USED 4 wheel pop top....Oso?? you want it yet?? It needs to go somewhere, bad..
[Edited on 9-30-2006 by Tomas Tierra] |
TT,
What's the size of the camper?
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Tomas Tierra
Super Nomad
Posts: 1281
Registered: 3-23-2005
Location: oxnard, ca
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Mood: Tengo Flojera
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SJ
It came off of a toyota tacoma ex cab..its 7-1/2 feet long..
If you go to "Baja misc." under 4 wheel pop up for sale. it gives a lot more details..I can't figure out the "view thread"thingy..
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chino
Nomad
Posts: 182
Registered: 11-27-2005
Location: Nor Cal
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bigzaggin,
I've had a few gemtops and the only plus is side entry. the big negative was the door and lock hardware is really cheap and needed work while still
brandnew, all this for about $2800 I'm going to pass on gemtop next time, good luck on your pursuit,
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oldhippie
Banned
Posts: 742
Registered: 6-25-2006
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Mood: muted
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Callen campers are heavy but they're great. I had one on a full size chevy 1/2 ton longbed and had to beef up the suspension. Problem is I didn't beef
up the cooling system. One hot day while doing 80 or so back from San Felipe the tranny overheated, fluid bubbled up through the dipstick, landed on
the exhaust manifold and.......poof, I pulled over when the spark plug wires burned through, it was running rough, and watched my truck burn up,
bummer, la casa blanca was totalled. I didn't know it was on fire because all the smoke was behind me.
Fortunately I had the truck AND the camper insured. Used the money to buy my new wife a fat diamond ring, but that's another story.
Now I have an older truck and a smaller camper. I know, I know, I had my priorities mixed up, women will do that. 8^)
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Lee
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3508
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
A Callen Camper (El Cajon, CA) is Baja Proven! Even over some of the toughest Baja 1000 course, not a failure while I had it on my Tacoma! Here it is
a Agua Verde, south of Loreto:
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David:
Any modifications to your Tacoma? Bilsteins or something else?
Looking good!
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bajataco
Nomad
Posts: 117
Registered: 11-26-2003
Location: Arizona
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FYI, for those using campers on pre-05 Toyota Tacomas...
There are stamped holes in the sheetmetal under the bedrails where the inner and outer bedsides are seamed together. These holes will let a lot of
dust in if you don't seal them off. I used some foam weather stripping with a bead of RTV silicone to cover them. It makes a difference. I also
recommend installing a tailgate gasket, as the tailgate will let a lot of dust in. I have an ARE shell, and here is some additional gasketing I did to
improve the seal:
http://www.bajataco.com/camper/camper_seal/index.htm
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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DUST PROTECTION
For additional dust protection, if you have a "pass thru boot" between the truck cab and the camper, and you close all the windows and put the cab
vents on "outside air", turn the AC/heater fan on full blast, you will eliminate ANY dust coming into the camper from outside. (The concept is
positive air pressure inside the cab and camper) Has worked for me for years-----you can adjust the inside temp by the heater/AC controls.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Lee
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
A Callen Camper (El Cajon, CA) is Baja Proven! Even over some of the toughest Baja 1000 course, not a failure while I had it on my Tacoma! Here it is
a Agua Verde, south of Loreto:
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David:
Any modifications to your Tacoma? Bilsteins or something else?
Looking good! |
Nope, the Toyota is tough, it has Bilsteins as standard shocks with the TRD package! This camper belonged to my companion on that 15 day trip and
after the trip, it was replaced back onto her Tacoma. My truck was newer and had automatic tranny and just overall more comfortable. That's why we
used it for the trip.
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AndyTanks
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: 1-28-2010
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Think Mods should close this thread. Topic's been inactive.
Regards,
Marie Anch
Commercial vehicle insurance quotes
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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By you replying to it, YOU reactivated (bumped) it to the top! 
Is the information invalid now? Is Callen Campers no longer available?
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monoloco
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6667
Registered: 7-13-2009
Location: Pescadero BCS
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Great first post, should fit right in here.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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Ok, I will bite. It is 3 years later now and my CALLEN camper is still going strong with absolutely no problems since my last post in 2007. My
CALLEN is now close to 27 years old.
Don't know if they are still in business in El Cajon, but I think they are.
Barry
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PabloS
Nomad
Posts: 187
Registered: 4-8-2003
Location: North central AZ
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Callen is still in biz, I just talked with them 3 weeks ago about a new shell. Our old shell was purchased in 2001 and had no problems with it in over
1000,000 miles and many of those were in Baja on back country roads. Sold it with old Ford and now need a new on for the new Ford.
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Need advice/suggestions re camper for small truck to take south. Considering buying a used Callen I found for $800 for camping etc. and found this old
thread.
Would any Callen owners care to post updates? Would you still recommend? Has yours held up over time and rough roads? And how much does a 24" cab over
reduce gas mileage and effect driving?
Learned from salesman Callen has closed operation, but their products were not the reason. He estimates the camper weighs about 250 lbs. I have a
lifted suspension on my pickup so it should be ok.
Over time may want to add roof rack for kayaks. Would the Callen handle the extra weight ok?
Thank you for any advice, suggestions, reviews of your Callen gear.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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I had CALLEN build me a custom camper shell in 1983. It sits on the side-rails of my '94 Ford F-250 4x4 now. It is 43 inches tall, with a 15 inch
tall (4' deep) over-cab extended luggage compartment, making the entire camper shell 12 feet long. It weighs 800 lbs empty, including a steel roof-top
CALLEN-built rack that covers the entire roof. I have carried close to 1000 lbs on that roof-rack with no problems. It has been all over out-back
Baja, as well as out-back Utah. I have had no problems with the camper in 30 years, no leaks, no structural problems, even tho much of the time I
have hauled a 14 foot GREGOR alum. boat on top with a lot of gear up there too. It has never been garaged, nor has it been covered with anything.
The only problem I have encountered is that on a terrible road in Utah the camper crushed parts of the Ford side-rails right behind the cab, and I had
to have them rebuilt and beefed up-------no problems since. I don't believe you could ever go wrong with a CALLEN, based on my experience. It's
built like a tank!!!
Barry
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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2006 thread bumped in 2010, and bumped again in 2013.... Callen can sure handle the bumps in the road... I do believe the El Cajon company failed
because the son couldn't produce product the way his dad did? A steel frame camper is the king in Baja.
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bacquito
Super Nomad
Posts: 1615
Registered: 3-6-2007
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Mood: jubilado
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| Quote: | Originally posted by TecateRay
I've had Callen campers on my last two 4x4s and they do hold up under off road conditions. The double back door set up gives you excellent access to
the pickup bed as well. They make lots of sizes and configurations - probably have one that would work for you. |
It is my understanding that Callen Camper is out of business.
I have one and like it a lot.
bacquito
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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thanks for feedback. They do seem to be built like tanks.
Sadly, I heard the family Business failed due to mismanagement, not bad products but poor service when dad moved on.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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thanks for using the search function and reviving a 3 year old thread!!!! SEARCH is your friend-in more ways than 1....
[Edited on 2-23-2013 by woody with a view]
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RnR
Senior Nomad
Posts: 837
Registered: 5-1-2010
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Caravan Camper is still building RUGGED camper shells.
http://www.caravancamper.com/
Have had two of them. The shells hold up to anything.
The front bed crossmember on my Ford F250, not so well. After some reinforcement, the truck/shell combo has logged 60,000 miles. A LOT of it on baja
dirt.
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