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bigzaggin
Nomad
Posts: 441
Registered: 5-27-2004
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Mood: way too ites
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Camper Shell advice...
Considering a new camper shell...looking for advice. I currently have the ARE MX (with massive single door hatch & small door inside) which I
love for some purposes (especially the roof capacity, stability & headroom) but which has proven to let tons of dust in (door won't secure tightly
enough) and lacks real storage options. I am pondering a swich to a more "contractor" style shell and debating between the Leer Journeyman &
Gemtop Outfitter, both of which look solid and are brimming with storage and security options. Anyone have either? Preference? Experience? How does
the steel body perform offroad compared to fiberglass? Is it "noisy" or shaky? Roof capacities? Any help would be great.
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TecateRay
Nomad
Posts: 346
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: La Mesa, CA
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Have you thought about a Callen?
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.
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bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
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We have a fiber glass shell. It has shaken itself to death. We now have a tie down strap on it to keep it on the truck. It didnt cost but about a
grand and it nothing fancy but the fiber glass came apart from the molding. The huge clamps that they put on it are still right where they put them;
only the shell has moved...a lot.
Mi dos centavos.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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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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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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Callen Camper------
---------my 43" tall custom built Callen "shell" is now 24 years old, been all over the boonies of Baja, and I have had NO problems with it. It is on
it's second truck. It has a huge rear door that opens upwards, and I have maintained the factory tailgate. I have a "open boot" between the camper
and the cab, and when I get in the dirt I simply turn the heater fan on high with the windows shut and the positive pressure within the cab and camper
keeps ALL the dust out of both. If you get hot just turn on the AC too. You have to have your AC/heater set to suck in outside air (not "inside air")
to form the positive pressure within the vehicle/camper.
Callen's are heavy, tho, because of their steel frame, so I had to beef up my bed and the bed side walls to keep the Callen from crushing them on
really torky roads in the outback (the camper weighs almost 1000lbs). I only had to do that on my newer '94 Ford truck-----my old ' 69 Ford was so
tough it did not need beefing up.
Callen's are great!!!
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Oso
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2637
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: on da border
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Mood: wait and see
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I had no problems with my Caravan Top, which is still for sale BTW although perhaps not suitable for a "new" truck.
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=16539
It is all steel, all welded, nothing to vibrate loose, and survived the whoops of the B1k course between Laguna San Ignacio and Scorpion Bay. (I
wasn't racing. I got lost). It has some of the characteristics of a contractor shell- good security, but plenty of window. It is one HEAVY mofo
tho, hard on 4 guys to lift, impossible for 2 unless they're pro weightlifters.
I will never again waste even $50 on an old wood and aluminum top like the one that disintegrated on the Gonzaga road. Those things are meant for
asphalt only.
All my childhood I wanted to be older. Now I\'m older and this chitn sucks.
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AmoPescar
Senior Nomad
Posts: 835
Registered: 7-15-2006
Location: North San Diego County
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Mood: Need a Fish Taco and a Pacifico!
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bigzaggin....REGARDING CALLEN CAMPERS....
I have a Custom built Callen Camper on my Ford F250 P/U which is 5+ years old. It has performed very well under some rough Baja off-road conditions.
They are built VERY well with a 1" welded steel frame.
The good part about Callen is they will CUSTOM build it ANY WAY you want. You decide on what type of doors you want, what type of
windows, what type of interior configuration, how tall, how wide, exterior, etc., etc. As far as I know, there are NO limitations on what your design
can be. I know they build Motorhomes, Fifth Wheel Trailers, Toy Haulers and more. I've even seen Mobile Command Centers, etc. which they've built
for Police Dept's.
There most popular model is a model which is about 12’ to 15’ higher than a pick-up cab and has about an 18” cab-over storage section. When I had
mine built, I knew that I would be staying in it for a week or more sometimes, and I didn’t want to be stooping over all the time. So, I had mine
built with an interior height of 74.” And because I didn’t want a BIG AIR DAM hanging over the edge of the pick-up bed, I had it built only 78” wide.
Mine has a very basic interior with only a cab-over 48” deep bed and two 24”X82” benches with cushions.
If there was ONE THING which I wish I’d had them install, it would be a 3-way REFRIGERATOR which runs on Propane,
Battery, or 120V.
Here’s a picture of mine…
U2U if you have any questions. Michael
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bigzaggin
Nomad
Posts: 441
Registered: 5-27-2004
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Mood: way too ites
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THANK YOU...
I had never even really considered a Callen or a Caravan Top...both of which look amazing (my friend just referred to the Callen as the "Radon of
camper shells" [a boater's reference]). A few questions: Do you have to go to Reno to get a Caravan? And if I order a Callen, how long am I gonna be
waiting for? And are they SUPER expensive? Will a late model Tundra handle their weight w/o reinforcing the bed walls?
Thank you again for the help. Oh yeah, who wants to buy an A.R.E. MX shell in black? 
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AmoPescar
Senior Nomad
Posts: 835
Registered: 7-15-2006
Location: North San Diego County
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Mood: Need a Fish Taco and a Pacifico!
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bigzaggin....
You're right about the Radon reference. They are preferred by MANY Baja travelers, because they DO stand up to the punishment. I'm not sure about the
wait time or the price today. Mine was $3400.00 with the Roof rack which was extra.
They do have a WEB site and you can call them and get some information. Their site has pictures of many things they've built, even a camper on a
Hummer. Scott Callen is running the company these days and will probably be the one helping you if you call. They're located in El Cajon, one block
off the I-8 at the West Main Street exit.
http://www.callencamper.com
125 S. Marshall Ave. El Cajon, CA 92020 (619)442-3305
Michael 
[Edited on 9-30-2006 by AmoPescar]
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Oso
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2637
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: on da border
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Mood: wait and see
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Prices appear similar. New Caravans run about $3k. The price on my old one just dropped to $500.
Don't know about shipping or other locations.
Here's their website:
http://www.caravancamper.com/Caravan.swf
All my childhood I wanted to be older. Now I\'m older and this chitn sucks.
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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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Also dropped to $500
USED 4 wheel pop top....Oso?? you want it yet?? It needs to go somewhere, bad..
[Edited on 9-30-2006 by Tomas Tierra]
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Oso
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2637
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: on da border
Member Is Offline
Mood: wait and see
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Trade?
Actually, let me think about it. Problem is I'm not sure when I can get up that way.
All my childhood I wanted to be older. Now I\'m older and this chitn sucks.
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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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starting home remodel in a coupla weeks..needs to go soon!
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bajabuddy
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: 9-30-2006
Location: mulege\\idaho
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thomas That is a god price for a pop-up. I've got a snapper pop-up that hasn't been tried in baja yet. Have you had any trouble with yours?
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TecateRay
Nomad
Posts: 346
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: La Mesa, CA
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Callen with a "sub-frame?"
I had my old Callen on my 1990 Chevy for 10+years and no problems with the bed. Since several friends have had trouble with the beds on newer trucks
I planned for this issue on my new truck. For my new truck (2002 Chevy), we built a subframe for the camper which puts all of the weight on the bed
flooor vice the bed walls and then had Callen build the camper on this sub-frame. If your off roading is limited, I wouldn't worry too much about the
bed, but if you plan on thousands of miles of off roading, especially rough roads, you might want to ask Callen about a sub-frame to help transfer the
load to the bed floor.
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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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TacateRay--------
----------boy do I second that!!!!! These newer trucks just do not have the structural integrity to support the bigger Callen Campers on rough
terraign-------after my 8' bed on my 1994 Ford F-F250 began to crush down almost 3 inches, I had to have the camper and the entire bed removed and the
bed-box completely pounded out, beefed up with 1/4" steel plates and steel beams and then put back together-----cost a very reasonable $500, but a
huge pain in the rear to have done.
Your idea of a sub-frame being installed BEFORE the Callen is brilliant----wish I had thought of that. Still, so far my "beefed up bed-box" is
holding up nicely.
AS previously pointed out, my old '69 F-100 Ford stood up the the Callen for some 18 years with no problems at all-------"the just don't build them
like they used to" !!!!
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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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Bajabuddy,
No prblems at all with my 4 wheel pop up in Baja, leaks a little, but thats it..If your snapper has a wooden frame and your going offroad, expect to
have some problems.
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AmoPescar
Senior Nomad
Posts: 835
Registered: 7-15-2006
Location: North San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Need a Fish Taco and a Pacifico!
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Regarding the subframe...
TecateRay,
I like the idea of a subframe or some other type of extra reinforcement for mounting the Callen. Callen only mounts the Campers using 4 - 3/8"
diameter bolts and fender washers. I went to a company which sold steel and bought 4 S.S. plates about 3/16" thick x 5" x 8" which I had drilled, and
then I put them under the bed in place of the washers Callen used. I've never had any problem yet, that I know of. After several trips down, I get
underneath and make sure they are tightened up.
Amo / Michael
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TecateRay
Nomad
Posts: 346
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: La Mesa, CA
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Better mounting for Callen
Michael,
I agree with your approach on the mounting plates and I'm sure that will help save the top bed rails from damage as the camper tends to shift with
those light weight bolts that Callen uses.
The major damage that most folks are now finding is that the bed itself starts to crack from the weight and pounding the camper creates on dirt roads.
By shifting the load bearing from the bed rails to the bed floor you can prevent (or at least minimize) that from happening.
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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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TacateRay------
everything you say is good advice, but be aware that the heavier Callen Campers will also breakdown the stock bed boxes where they attach to the
frame----in other words underneath the bed. The main cross-member at the front of my bed (under the floor) which is only a "pressed" metal channel
iron welded to the floor, will bend and/or shear off at the outboard ends, just outboard of the main truck frame members. We had to install a piece
of square tubular steel (3 " x 1-1/2") and weld it right behind the factory cross-member. This added "piece" goes beyond the ends of the stock
cross-member on both sides, and is about 6 feet long. It appears to do the job, at least so far.
In addition, we sandwiched the bed boxes verticle cab-end sheet metal between two pieces of 1/4 inch Aluminum plate with many rivets-----resulting in
the entire bulkhead being just thicker than 1/2 inch. This we had to do as the stock sheet metal had just warped and tore away at the welded
parts------there apparently is a LOT of stress on these points when traveling on dirt roads------I found that the whoop-de-doos left by the racers did
more damage than anything else, putting way too much stress on everything even at slow speeds.
If I ever started over again, I would add all these beefed up members before ever installing the camper-----much easier to do then, and much cheaper.
(My truck is a 1994 Ford F-250 ext. cab with the long bed, 4 x 4)
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