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BajaNomad » Baja Special Interest Discussion Forums » Baja Off-Roading » Camper Shell advice... Go To Bottom
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larryC
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[*] posted on 2-23-2013 at 08:43 AM


I talked to Jimmy Callen this past summer, he claims he is going to make some custom camper shells out of his garage on a special order basis. He kept some of the shop equipment when he sold the business. If I was going to put a steel framed camper shell on a newer truck I would have the shell made as a slide-in style so the weight sits on the bed of the truck and not on the bed rails.The shell I have now is that way and allows you to have the shell made wider which in turn allows the istallation of camper jacks for easier removal of the shell if you need to take it off. Also gives you alot more room in the shell.



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Barry A.
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[*] posted on 2-23-2013 at 09:08 AM


Quote:
Originally posted by larryC
I talked to Jimmy Callen this past summer, he claims he is going to make some custom camper shells out of his garage on a special order basis. He kept some of the shop equipment when he sold the business. If I was going to put a steel framed camper shell on a newer truck I would have the shell made as a slide-in style so the weight sits on the bed of the truck and not on the bed rails.The shell I have now is that way and allows you to have the shell made wider which in turn allows the istallation of camper jacks for easier removal of the shell if you need to take it off. Also gives you alot more room in the shell.


That is an excellent idea Larry, and I completely agree. The side rails, and the front cross-over rail, on these newer trucks cannot handle the weight of a loaded CALLEN shell on the rough stuff. Of interest, I had my 800 lb. CALLEN on a 1969 Ford F-100 for years with no bed-structural problems-----a much tougher truck bed than you find now. The alternative is to do some major upgrades to the bed sides and front member behind the cab, which is a pain and expensive, I found, but it does work.

The only changes I have made lately to my CALLEN is to replace all the rusting exterior screws with stainless screws, and to recaulk all the exposed window and roof seals with clear silicon jell. The seams never really leaked before (maybe a tiny bit), but it looked like they might as they had dried out, thus the silicon gel just to be sure it won't leak in the future. I paid $1,300 for my custom special-order CALLEN in 1983 which included the massive roof-rack, and complete installation on my truck at CALLEN in El Cajon. At 800 lbs and a shell, it's a bugger to load and unload without a sky-hook and a special harness, so I almost never do----------Larry's suggestion would make things really a lot easier.

Barry
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