Cab over Camper shell?

[georgeguenther]

Hey y’all, I was wondering if y’all knew any camper shells that are over cab. I wasn’t really looking for the full camper, but I was hoping for a shell that wouldn’t be too expensive and I could slowly build into a camper myself. I was thinking about whether I could find one or if I would have to build it. It probably don’t matter, but I have a 1991 Dodge Ram d150 long bed.

[Grit_dog]

jaycocreek wrote:
The op didn't ask anything about his truck buttt.Here we are..I have had three full sized truck campers on 1/2 ton trucks so I have an pretty good idea how they handle..

1-1957 GMC 1/2 ton w 8ft Sturdi built overhead truck camper with re-arched springs..This worked good even pulling a two horse trailer loaded heavy.
2-Brand new 1976 Chevy Scottsdale 1/2 ton with brand new Security 8ft truck camper with coil spring overloads..
3-1983 Chevy 1/2 ton with coil spring overloads and an older Security 8ft TC..

All worked great and were well taken care of and did not leak oil and there never was a braking issue..

List your experiences with a 1/2 ton and a full sized overhead TC..

Good luck to the op and his build...

I wish I had any of those trucks today, in the shape they were when you put a camper on them.
However my point was, the OPs truck is the equivalent of putting a camper on your ‘57 during Ronald Reagan’s second term or basically on your ‘83....a couple years ago.

That was my point. I’ve been beating the tar out of half ton trucks daily for 25 years. Some things that would make hauling a little truck camper look like Sunday drive. But they’re newer trucks in good shape, not the 1990 Z71 that I had in college and sold a few years later with 200k miles on it, 25 years ago.

I suppose it’s possible that the OPs truck has been sitting in grandpas garage nice and cherry and all maintenance items up to date. Or brought back from the condition that most 30 year old pickups are in and all solid and rebuilt and ready to rock.
And if that’s the case, let er rip!

[jaycocreek]

Matthew2 wrote:
Yes you can carry truck campers on half ton pickups that are over their weight limit. You can drive for years without an issues. But if you get in an accident your over the weight limit truck can be a factor in police reports, insurance claims and in a court of law. They weigh and inspect commercial trucks on highways because it has been proven to reduce accidents and save lives.
Match the legal weight the manufacture determines on your truck to the vehicle you carry or tow

Example of one ticketed or sued truck camper for overweight..Most of the truck campers on the road are over weight as well as a host of fifth wheels..Sure would like to see one example...

I have had my share of over weight tickets in a semi truck unfortunately..LOL

[Matthew2]

Yes you can carry truck campers on half ton pickups that are over their weight limit. You can drive for years without an issues. But if you get in an accident your over the weight limit truck can be a factor in police reports, insurance claims and in a court of law. They weigh and inspect commercial trucks on highways because it has been proven to reduce accidents and save lives.
Match the legal weight the manufacture determines on your truck to the vehicle you carry or tow

[jaycocreek]

The op didn't ask anything about his truck buttt.Here we are..I have had three full sized truck campers on 1/2 ton trucks so I have an pretty good idea how they handle..

1-1957 GMC 1/2 ton w 8ft Sturdi built overhead truck camper with re-arched springs..This worked good even pulling a two horse trailer loaded heavy.
2-Brand new 1976 Chevy Scottsdale 1/2 ton with brand new Security 8ft truck camper with coil spring overloads..
3-1983 Chevy 1/2 ton with coil spring overloads and an older Security 8ft TC..

All worked great and were well taken care of and did not leak oil and there never was a braking issue..

List your experiences with a 1/2 ton and a full sized overhead TC..

Good luck to the op and his build...

[stevenal]

jaycocreek wrote:

Never had any problems breaking with the 1/2 tons I owned and in the steep hills of idaho...That's what gears are for,especially pulling something like a horse trailer with TC onboard..Same with my newer 1/2 ton I pulled side by side with my son's 3/4 ton..Never saw or felt any difference pulling the same 30ft trailer..That's in the mountains not freeway use..

Those big trailers have their own brakes, and the Idaho deer don't wait for you to downshift. I want to stop in a reasonable distance from that 80 mph Idaho freeway limit. Folks think adding springs means they can overload a half ton, but there are other parts to consider.

[Grit_dog]

mkirsch wrote:
The concerns are more in regard to the 30 year old truck, not necessarily the fact that it is a half ton.

The overwhelming majority of 30 year old trucks are JUNK. Even if they don't look bad they are badly worn, rubber parts dried up or rotten and missing, springs fatigued. Time you put all the money into rebuilding the truck you still have a 30 year old truck. This is when frames let go, brackets fail and peel off, etc..

Bingo.
The OP came on line with a general question, and added in that it was going on an old pickup without leading us readers to believe that there was any in depth thought or knowledge behind the statement.
Generally there’s 2 types of people that drive old trucks/cars. Those that have owned it forever and babied it or have restored/fixed it up...and those that haven’t the means to drive anything newer or nicer. And generally the latter aren’t in very good shape, especially when it comes to taxing it to its limits.
It would be a slim chance that not only did the OP have a “nice”1990 2wd Dodge pickup, but that it was their choice to use what was markedly near the low point in Dodge vehicles to specifically build to haul a camper..
Of course I may have read too much into the OPs statement, but the OP hasn’t said otherwise, so...

[SkiMore]

There are a bunch of them. I don't know how many support sleeping in the cab over.

https://www.fleetwest.net/product_type/fiberglass-bodies/

four wheel camper project M. Just the shell. Very light.

[mkirsch]

The concerns are more in regard to the 30 year old truck, not necessarily the fact that it is a half ton.

The overwhelming majority of 30 year old trucks are JUNK. Even if they don't look bad they are badly worn, rubber parts dried up or rotten and missing, springs fatigued. Time you put all the money into rebuilding the truck you still have a 30 year old truck. This is when frames let go, brackets fail and peel off, etc..

[Joe_Glidewell]

I got a quote from this company about an all aluminum shell with a cabover area couple of months ago. They will do custom jobs to suite ones needs.

https://www.alumitechproducts.com/

[jaycocreek]

stevenal wrote:

jaycocreek wrote:
Half tons can be built up just like a 3/4 ton to handle the weight...

How does one build up the brakes?

Never had any problems breaking with the 1/2 tons I owned and in the steep hills of idaho...That's what gears are for,especially pulling something like a horse trailer with TC onboard..Same with my newer 1/2 ton I pulled side by side with my son's 3/4 ton..Never saw or felt any difference pulling the same 30ft trailer..That's in the mountains not freeway use..

[ticki2]

Take a look at Bundutec campers . I have heard that they will sell just a shell .

[stevenal]

jaycocreek wrote:
Half tons can be built up just like a 3/4 ton to handle the weight...

How does one build up the brakes?

[jaycocreek]

Half tons can be built up just like a 3/4 ton to handle the weight..I remember well one of my good friends coming over to pick me up with his dad's 1960 chevy 1/2 ton with a 10ft truck overhead camper on it...It worked but was a bit squerly to drive..His dad finally beefed up the springs and added stuff to which it was much safer to drive..

Never understood why so many are 1/2 ton bashers..I had a super heavy 8ft overhead sturdi built camper on a 1957 GMC stepside 1/2 ton and even pulled horses with it in some of Idaho's worst backcountry roads..Once I had the springs rebuilt,it drove okay..

[mkirsch]

Even the empty shells weigh 700-1000lbs, which will squash down the springs pretty hard on a 30 year old 1/2 ton truck.

I was in search of a similar solution about 10 years ago, and you're just not going to find some magical lightweight shell that you can build out into a fully appointed camper. Nothing has changed much. Not enough market for such a thing to make it price competitive with existing solutions.