Glen-L RV Plans
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RVNAME / John Doe / johndoe@somewebsite.com / 6-24-98: I have assenbled the sides. Starting on the base.

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Jason R. Moore / / 2-21-00: In two days I finished the frame structure for both sides of the camper, and am getting ready to build the box. Shortened 1' for my shortbox truck bed. Can't wait to get home to work on it. I recommend not using corrugated fasteners, they tend to split wood. I used 4" screws, used plate joiners as well. 2-25-00: Finished floor and left side of box. Still going smoothly and everything is fitting together nicely. Can't stress enough to read and understand before cutting. Be choosy about lumber and materials. 4-20-00: The camper is near completion!
1-11-01: I must apologize for the long delay since my last entry. The camper is finished (externally) and has been the MVP this fall hunting season keeping us warm and dry in even the most chilling of waterfowling weather! While the inside is partially finished and has only one set of cabinets, a coat closet, paint, linoleum, lighting, and an overhead bunk, in place I still have a substantial amount of work to do on additional cabinets, countertops, etc. I did not purchase 4 corner jacks, rather, I bought some used lifters which work even better and keep the weight of the overall outfit down. What it does lack by not having the 4 corner jacks is the ability to make it level when in use, so I have to be much pickier about where I camp, or have a good shovel to dig resting places for the tires on my truck. It has been a long, yet enjoyable process and I am not necessarily in any hurry to complete it. The experience, knowledge, and first and foremost, self satisfaction attained along the way has been invaluable. Overall the plans were easy to use and I would highly recommend them to anyone with even partial building skill, and a desire to custom make a camper to fit their needs. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about the process. (See Builder Photos)

R Rabideau / / 2-12-01: I am building the Acupulco slide in unit. Started about three weeks ago 1-01. Have the unit shelled in with about 75% of the interior done. Some changes i made in construction were to use biscuits and 5/8" brads with glue for the joints. Am using 3/4" net pine for framing, I used 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" net for the rafters all the way across. I resized the windows to use basement windows bought at home depot for $28 each. I have ordered 1/2" ribbed metal roofing for the roof and sidewalls. Also used 1/2" styrofoam for insulation. I work in a auto repair shop so I am going to fabricate the exterior door as well as convert some trailer tongue jacks (1000lb capacity each) for the lifters. The plans are pretty good but you need to figure a lot of standard dimensions that could be on them. Will update later on. 2-24-01: I have finished the door and have put the bulk of the metal on. I just have to figure out how to make a watertight seam between the roof and wall edges. I saved money by using metal roofing; total cost was $230. It has a 1/2" standing rib, so it leaves a gap. I can make the vertical corners ok just have to figure out the other joints. I was a little leary about the design at first as to how you could lift it by just the wings, so I tried it. no problem... structure was well thought out.

Scot King / / 7-20-03: One of my passions is surf fishing the famed Outer Banks of North Carolina, specifically Core Banks, (www.drumwagon.com), an uninhabited island in the Cape Lookout National Seashore. After several trips of tent camping, I wanted nicer accommodations. I figured a slide in camper would be the best way to go, however I needed a compact camper that would fit a short bed 1/2 ton pickup. Searching the Web I discovered Glen-L and the Acapulco. I ordered the plans on Thursday July 10th via the online order. I was suprised and pleased to have them in the mail on Saturday July 12th. So far so good. I spent the rest of the weekend studying the plans and the manual and perusing the local home centers for ideas on materials. I quickly found that the giant home centers don't stock 16' lumber or exterior glue 5/8's plywood. I was able to purchase these items at a smaller building supply center that has more specialty type stuff. I found nice clear(no knots) yellow pine 1x6x16 there, a little pricey but I was able to get ther right stuff to do the job correctly. I began construction on July 16th by cutting the upper frame members, the front contoured members and starting to frame the right side. Construction continued on July 18th by purchasing 1 by lumber and then ripping and cutting and framing the right side wall componets. July 20th the right side wall framing is complete. I made a couple of minor modifications from the plans. I didn't use corrugated fasteners. In the 1 1/2" framing I was able to predrill and use 3" screws and glue. In the wider framing I used biscuit joiners, glue and backed it up with Simpson strong-tie gang nails. If you're wondering why construction is occurring every other day, I am a firefighter by trade and am working on this project on my days off. I am taking my time on this first side wall to assure everything is square and accurate, so far no surprises, just read and reread everything to make sure you understand the directions and remember to measure twice and cut once. The fall surf fishing season is right around the corner, I can't wait to try out my new camper! 8-8-03: Framing has been completed on the side walls, along with the interior paneling. The floor unit has been framed, complete with a coat of primer and paint on the underside. The box sides have been framed and sheathed and I have started on the wings. I have been ordering and stockpiling a lot of the extras(plumbing stuff, freshwater tank, cooktop, etc). A price quote from Hehr on the windows resulted in a case of severe sticker shock. ( Around 1200.00) I may have to consider alternatives. Assembly of the box sides/floor unit should begin tomorrow. 10-03-03: It's been almost two months since I updated. Construction is nearing completion. However thanks to Hurricane Isabel the fall fishing season at Cape Lookout may be a bust for this year. Core Banks and the rest of the Outer Banks took a major hit. As for the camper all of the major framing is completed except for the installation of the #4 roof panel. Speaking of the roof, I used 1/8" paneling to which I took a router and a veining bit and grooved the paneling between the factory random grooves to give the look of beadboard. It took a little figuring to establish the correct spacing for a uniform look. I then primed and painted the paneling white to lighten up the interior. The additional grooves also help with bend at the front of the cabover. Windows were purchased from Hehr. I didn't order the top of the line 8900 series they were too expensive. I got the crank out series, omitted the fixed unit in the cabover and the slider at the front next to the truck cab and they still cost $700.00. Very pricey. The skin was ordered from All-Rite. Expect to pay around $2.45 sq. ft plus shipping and handling and crating fees. I'm working now on the interior and the wiring. 1-3-04: Acapulco/ Scot King/ nchooks@aol.com 01-03-04: It's been 3 months since my last post and have gotten several emails from folks wanting to know about my camper. Construction was down to the proverbial wire! I pulled out of the shop on Oct. 30th at 5pm, we were due to be on Cape Lookout for our fishing trip on Oct 31st at 9 am. The last month of the build was very hectic, but everything came together without too many problems. The camper worked great, we slept 3 adults and 1 teenager. I haven't gotten a refrigerator due to the cost, I may eliminate that option. Still working on getting pictures on digital format.

Dave and Michelle Doty; Pella, Iowa. / / 11-20-05: In the last 2 months we have worked on collecting parts and lumber for our project. Many things were purchased on E-bay, including the windows, door, cushions for the seating and pump faucet for the sink. We found a nice surplus store in Elkart, Indiana that we have also purchased many items including the stove top, vent hood, roof vents, and a small fresh water holding tank. We modified the pattern slightly to fit our truck and also to give it a little more modern look. The front has been angled back instead of forward, we have rounded corners on our windows so we custom made some corner blocks for the window cut outs. On Nov. 14th the first piece of wood was cut! The next night, much to Dave's surprise, I cut all the pieces for the 2 side members. Nov. 19th we were able to assemble the sides! We used glue and 1 x 5/8" staples for each joint. It worked great! Having a great time building it and it's wonderful to spend quality time together! Looking forward to a nice winter project! 1-7-06: The weather has been very mild this week with the high today reaching close to 50 degrees with full sunshine after many days of only clouds! It was a great day to get some assembling and gluing done. We opened the garage door which faces north and got to work. The last couple of nights have been spent measuring and cutting parts for the cabover bed to prepare for today's assembly. Dave made the gussets, supports and end pieces. Today we assembled and attached the cabover bed frame with Liquid Nails, screws and 1" long staples. We attached the 3/8" plywood in the same manner. It was great to see it get this far! The next step was the back wall. After a few mis-measurements and big laughs, (it was nice to have a few extra pieces of wood to replace our mistakes) we were able to get it cut, glued and assembled. We have a 21" wide door (rough opening) purchased through e-bay which should work really nice. We are going to use a small single room air conditioner when it is hot so we made an opening for that also in the back wall. Because we shortened the camper to fit our box the bathroom is being eliminated. In it's place (what room is left) we are going to build a storage closet with space for a port-a-potty to slide out from under it. The top of the closet will be a shelf that the A/C can rest on top of. Also in the back wall we are going to have a small storage compartment for a 7 lb. propane tank to be used for the stove top. The wall fit nicely as well as sealing nicely with the Liquid Nails and screws. Since it will still get down to 30 tonight we covered the camper with 4 ml plastic and set a radiant space heater inside to keep it warm so that the adhesive will set well. We sat inside and enjoyed dreaming about what we are going to do next. We are looking forward to working on the interior next. It should go well as we can do the construction of the cabinets in the basement and then install them as we complete them.

Dan Rogers / / 6-18-2007/completed. See my blog for building info and photos through-out the project. http://homebuilt-trkcamper.blogspot.com

Rexford D. Billings / / 3-15-05. In several weekends I finished the frame structure for both sides of the camper. I decided to fasten the 1x2 clear pine members with decking screws. I pre-drilled all members with a dremal prior to assembly. I then glued and screwed all members. After this my wife chose an interior paneling. I cut the interior paneling for the sidewalls and glued and air nailed the interior paneling to the sidewalls. I shortened the sidewalls and the box to fit my short box truck. I have completed the box and fastened the front wall. I then fastened both sidewall and completed the front cabover section. Installed the roof crossover members and the roof paneling. I am now installing the interior cabinets and exterior insulation. I have also installed all wiring for the interior. I wired the unit for 110v. All my lights are 110v as well as the microwave and refrigerator. I also have decided to install an inverter in case I do camp where there is no electricity. My fluorescent lights only draw 15 watts each. Since I have four 18" lights this totals 60 watts. This will only draw approximately 5-6 amps off a 12 volt battery. If I decide to operate the refrigerator which draws 2 amps this equates to 220 watts. With this added to all the lights it would total 280 watts. This would only draw 23-25 amps. This is not ideal for my 600 cold cranking amp battery. This battery is rated to deliver 100 reserve capacity minutes which equates to 30 ampere hours. This battery would deliver 30 amps for 1 hour before the voltage drops too low to operate the inverter. As a result the refrigerator could not be operated too long with the inverter before the 12v battery goes dead. I might have to carry a bag of ice in the refrigerator if we stay where there is no electricity. I have just recently installed the exterior lighting for clearance lights and the Styrofoam insulation. I am close to installing the aluminum RV siding and roofing. I have not purchased it yet because it is so expensive. At $2.00 a square foot that equates to around $800.00. The reason I decided to build this unit is because I thought it would save me money. I am not sure it is going to do that. I am going to have approximately $2,500 or more in this unit. I think I could have bought a fairly nice used camper for this price. I have enjoyed the project and have learned alot. 6-28-05: I have started putting the rv siding on. I purchased a pneumatic air stapler to fasten this stuff to the camper. The rv siding I purchased uses an S lock type seam. I guess it is more common than the Pittsburg seam today. I purchased my aluminum siding from RV Surplus Inc. located in Elkhart Indiana. They have a web site at www.rvsurplus.net. They were very helpful and have a large inventory of rv items. I started at the top and worked down just like the camper plans that I purchased from you show. I decided to add one section of red to the sides. Here is some pictures with both sides done. I am now working on the back and front of the camper. Once I get this done I will send more pictures. (see Builder Photos)

Ben Cox / / 8-7-07: I started Saturday, 8/4/07 and have already completed both wall frames. I hope to purchase the interior paneling today and install it tonight. I found a local metal roofing company that crimps and laps the material on site so I can purchase flat sheeting at 41 inches for only 1.69 per liner foot. They can also lap the top so I may be able to roof and side the camper in all white for under $300. 8-14-07. I have completed the box and installed the front wall. I hope to mount the side walls this evening. Everything seams to be falling in place. I put the box in the back of the truck to see how it fits. I recommend doing this because I will have to make some small adjustments. The sides of my truck are a little too high so I will have to add some blocking under the bottom of the camper. 8-22-07: I have attached the side walls, rear wall and completed the cab-over with the front cabinet. Everything is fitting together pretty well. I extended the nose of the camper to make it look more modern and this gave me enough room to put a queen sized mattress instead of a full. I made the appliance cabinet last night. It will hold a 3.6 cubic fridge, a microwave, and the air conditioner. The air unit is a 5000 BTU house hold unit. I have slanted this shelf to the outside so that I can insulate it and cover it with flashing. This way the water and heat will escape to the outside. I am doing this so that the unit does not hang out of the camper. 11-13-07: The outside is almost 100% complete. I used uncrimped tin for the skin. The total cost for the tin was $286 and it weighed about 200 lbs. I am pleased with the overall appearance except for a few “wobbles” and “bows” in it. I should have had 4 or 5 people helping me put it on so that we could have held it closer to the sides. I also put this on the top and it too worked pretty well. The batting insulation gave me some problems. If I had to do it again I might put thin paneling on top too. I used aluminum carpet molding for the corners and where the tin met. This worked great and looks pretty good. It was only $5 per 8 ft stick at Lowes. I put the clearance lights, out side lights, and back porch lights on too. Along with the windows, molding, and vents, this helps hold the tin in place. I found some tri-colored strips at JC Whitney in silver, charcoal, and black that are 5-6 inches wide. They look pretty good. I also found a great tailgate decal at decalstore.com for the front of the camper.
As for the inside, all is done except the bathroom. I have the shower pan with a built-in holding tank for the toilet. I am now waiting on the holding tank for the shower. I should be able to complete the restroom in a weekend. I installed plenty of 12 volt lights along with a converter, hot water tank, and breaker box under the sink. I used an exterior breaker box since it was under the cabinet. I used plywood for the cabinet doors and the table. Two vents were installed in the roof, one in the kitchen and one in the bathroom. I used a pre-fab countertop in the kitchen and a bar sink so that it did not take up too much space. I did not install a stove because we do not use the one in our travel trailer. I did, however, put in a 12 volt range hood so the we can use an electric skillet and have it vented. My wife covered the cushions and I used the same material to make covers for the windows along with miniblinds. I changed plans on the air conditioner and used a portable unit so that we can use it elsewhere. I used a dryer vent to vent it to the outside.
I used a standard queen mattress for the bed and my wife made curtains for it. The jacks have been installed and I use two metal saw horses to help support the camper with the jacks when it is off the truck. I hope to have it completed next week. (see Builder Photos)

Barry Bowles/ / 4-7-07: I officially started construction on my Everglade camper. I am replacing a 1986 Lance 10' Camper, so I will be dismantling the old camper to salvage parts for the new camper. I'll update you on my progress as it goes along.
4-8-08: I got it moved out of the garage in February. This turned out to go easier than I thought it would. My original intentions were to set it on my truck and park it in my driveway, but my driveway is sloped and made it quite difficult to work from ladders, so it set at the curb out front of my house. Since moving it, I have gotten the roof framed, sheathed and insulated. I completed all of the electrical (110 VAC & 12 VDC), got all of my interior lights mounted and wired. The refrigerator mounted and connected. The grey water and black water holding tanks are mounted and the toilet is in place and the bathroom/shower needs only caulking and a door. I have propane tanks mounted and plumbed, and all of the running lights (clearance lights also) wired with the pigtail to the truck as well. I have also finished the sheathing of the outside in prep for the fiberglass siding and this includes the skirting that hides the holding tanks. The roof is framed and sheathed and awaiting rubber roofing. It can’t be done until all the fiberglass siding (Filon GIII). I do have the back wall fiberglassed and it looks really good and it goes on quite easy. You precut your filon to a rough size, roll on contact cement, (Benders # 618 cement is what RV Surplus supplied me) 2 coats on the plywood and 1 coat on the filon. Get a helper to assist in the alignment. Start at the top and make contact with the first couple inches, making sure all is aligned and press it towards the bottom, working out any bubbles. A roller that is designed for applying Formica works well for this. Once it set for a short while, there is no pulling them apart. Then take a trim router, a sander or a saw to trim the edges. My back wall had a couple very minor imperfections that I thought the fiberglass would cover. They did for the most part, but some did show up, so on my sides I am working them out a little more. Connecting the electrical up was, by far the most exciting part. Seeing the lights come on and the refrige come to life was too cool. And all of this without any smoke, not to mention, it all worked the first try. I have an 1800 watt inverter that I wired in an outlet by the counter for limited dry camping use. I run the 12volt off 2 Trojan 6 volt batteries wired in series (I set the batteries on the side of the truck bed) and I also have a 2’ X 8’ solar panel that will go on the roof to keep them charged. I mounted a 10,000 btu window air conditioner, out the back wall. We camp in areas that AC power isn’t available most of the time and I don’t want to have a generator, so buying a rooftop ac wasn’t practical. The transformation since it left the garage, it has changed so much in it’s appearance. Look at the photos of it coming out and the street side shot, it’s hard to believe it’s the same camper, but after a couple hundred trips to Home Depot and several hours on-line, ordering parts and supplies. I’ve gone thru 2 gallons of Titebond glue and untold numbers of liquid nails tubes and an estimated 2000 screws and a million man hours, I can honesty say “it’s almost done”. I still have a lot of loose ends inside. No counters & sink, cabinets need completing, etc. I’ll keep you up to speed.
12-2-08: I started this project on April 7, 2007. On "Black Friday" November 28, 2008, instead of going shopping, my wife and I finally our new Everglade out to Death Valley for the weekend. A "shake down cruise," you might say. It's not 100% done, but other than a few minor things on the interior (the exterior also has some trim to be fitted) and once the storage cabinet on the rear is complete it will be done ("done" is a relative term; is it ever really "done"?). The things I was after when I decided to build this camper were a larger bathroom/shower, a comfortable dinette, a functional kitchen and one good bed. #1 - The bathroom (the "Command Center"): This area came out perfect. I modified the Everglade plans a bit here. I didn't include a sink as plans specified, but choose to get more counter space in the kitchen and I did extend the front wall out a couple of inches. There is a built-in epoxied drain pan in the floor for the shower with a pop-up drain stopper. I used a household shower valve and spray head. The bathroom is paneled in a bathroom paneling that I bought from Lowes. I built a custom door for the bathroom that had shelves and a towel racks built into it. This came out great! There are no windows here, but there is a fantastic fan in the ceiling for ventilation. #2 - The dinette had to be comfortable because my wife and I will sit for hours and read or play cards here when we go out. We have no kids, so it didn't need to be made into a bed, and I made it a full-on dinette. I used a material called Staron (like corian, but made by Samsung) for my table with 1-1/2" rounded edges. It came out beautiful. I was able to make a large table top with a 3 compartment organizer at the end by the wall. The people at Quality Upholstery in Las Vegas helped me with the cushions. I brought them the material I wanted to use and the measurements I needed and they did rest. A couple of the cushions were salvaged from the old camper. The window at the table is one I was able to salvage from my old camper. Good thing, because I was quoted over $700.00 to make a window of that size. There is a large 4-door cabinet just above the dinette. Above the dinette are 2 halogen, flush-mounted swivel lights aimed at the table (one light would have been enough, though). I think I may put these on a dimmer switch. Just behind the dinette is a closet just as Glen-L had designed it, except the bottom third opens from the outside to make storage for propane. I hated to give up this space, but had to find some place for the tanks. #3 - The functional kitchen. Well, I believe I accomplished this. Starting from the rear of the counter is the 4 burner stove with oven, then there is a 12" wide section of open counter. Under this section of counter is the 10 gallon water heater. Then you'll find a double stainless steel sink with a Moen faucet with a wand on a hose; very nice and works well with pump pressure. That left about 24" of free counter space. I built in cabinets above all of this area with lights below that light the stove area and the sink. I did not install a range hood (I salvaged one from the old Lance but preferred to get more cabinet room instead). There is a fantastic fan in the ceiling just above the stove though. I also salvaged the 2-door Domestic refrigerator/ freezer from the Lance (knock on wood, this is still working well). I found a tag on it that dates it to 1986. I replaced the door panels to match the interior walls. They are a Georgia Pacific interior 1/8" X 4' X 8' panel, tan faux finish. The stove/sink counter has a back splash from the counter up to the cabinets made from the same tile board as the bathroom. I have 2 large solar panels on the roof and I put the controller panel below the sink along with junctions for the tail light pigtail and an inverter. I set 2 Trojan 6-volt (wired in series) deep cycle batteries in the side wells of the truck bed and the wiring for them goes to the solar controller and then on to the 12 volt fuse panel. With all the plumbing (hot and cold water, drainage and holding tank fill hoses), Propane gas lines and electrical wiring, there's not much room for storage under the counter. I did manage to get 3 small drawers in for utensils and silverware. #4 - One good bed. Keep in mind, I'm 6'2" 260 pounds and growing, AND I'M PLANNING ON SLEEPING IN A CABOVER THAT IT'S PRIMARY SUPPORT IS BY A COUPLE 1X4's? To make matters worse, my wife says she won't sleep in the front half of the bed. That puts my fat a$$ out there as far as I can put it. I have worried about this the whole time I've been building this camper, so very early on, I made changes in the original design. At the roof line there is supposed to be a 1 x 4 the full length of the roof. I decided to use a 1 x 4 and I epoxied another 1 x 4 to the bottom edge. The bottom support for the cabover was supposed to be a 1 x 4 that came back to just in front of the window and was cantilevered from there. I decided I'd use a piece that ran back, just in front of the entrance door. The wall section just below the cabover (at the back wall of the truck cab) was specified to be built from 1 x 2's but I used 2 x 2's. During construction, I'd been up there by myself and it all seemed to hold me just fine, but on BLACK FRIDAY, in DEATH VALLEY, California I was to try it (with my wife) for a whole night. I barely slept a wink that night! It held! The next day I was outside looking over the outer skin for buckles, but found none. I slept like a baby the next night. One good bed. This was also accomplished. We are using a cheap 6" foam queen size RV mattress with a 3"memory foam mattress topper and it was fine. At the head of the bed is a BIG storage cabinet that seconds as a headboard. It has a Staron top running the full width of the bed. Above this cabinet is the stereo cabinet. I built-in a Pioneer stereo that has IPOD capabilities and is connected to a Pioneer 6 disc CD changer. In this cabinet I also built-in storage for CD's. This didn't look as I hoped it would, but works well. The Pioneer stereo is in an awkward place, but it also is equipped with a remote so it can be controlled from anywhere inside the camper. My wife loves it. We felt pretty "techie" with our new stereo connected to an IPOD that had 671 songs at our disposal and she brought along her Dell laptop and a Netflix movie that we watched. I haven't had the nerve to get it all weighed yet, but I'm sure I ran over on my weight for this 1991 Ford F-250 pick up. It carries it well and I have done modifications to the truck suspension to help, and this camper really should be on a 1 ton truck, but for now it will be home here.

From a letter dated August 2000, we have no contact info
To whom it may concern:
Recently I purchased the plans for a Husky 36" truck camper shell. I would like to thank you for the Plans. They were easy to follow and I ended up with a camper shell that fits my truck well (Not easy with the 94 and newer Dodge trucks as the bed is 3" wider at the cab than at the tailgate). Used shells are hard to find for these trucks and building mine only cost a little over $500.00. Most people don't believe me when I tell them I built it. So thanks again for the plans. .... K.R. Pease

HUSKY / Bob Centracchio / / 5-22-01: Started construction on 05/19/01. I ordered the Husky plans for my 1985 Ford f150 and stated the construction this weekend. I followed the instructions and attached the blueprints to a 4x8 sheet of plywood. This made the construction process almost foolproof and simple ! It also made it easier to cut and construct the second side of the camper, using the the 1st side as the template. My next step will be applying the paneling for the interior. I'll update all on the construction process ! btw: The reason I purchased the plans for this project was the results of reading this section and communication via e-mail with others. 05-24-01: Finished the interior paneling of the 2 sides and also installed the base on one. Project going very smoothly. I'll be working on the back assembly this week and then begin the roof area. I will be modifying the rear door area - as I decided to apply 2 doors that will swing out to either side. I will be using the camper shell to double as our sleeping area when we go camping with a queen size air bed inside. We will purchase a tent that will attach to the truck camper shell. The Tent is a 9.6x9.6 x7.8 high @ $199.99. .......more next week 3-12-02: Husky is finished, please e-mail me for more details on the construction! See Builder Photos section too!

HUSKY / Rob McGregor / / 6-25-2003: Hello, Just wanted to let you know that I received my plans bought my wood and am working on Windows from JCwhitney, I have started construction I have a short bed 2001 Silverado EXT. that I will be using the camper top with, and have started the wall framing.. I have done allot of looking online and calling locations from your link pages and am thus far planning on Fiber glass siding like most of today's truck campers and slide in's. The windows I am looking at have radius corners and dark tinted They will not be really big or long but they will provide some good amounts of light. I am working on a setup inside to provide 12 volt lighting and possibly an AC unit form another RV to keep it cool back there. I have also planned on a long shelf on one side for storage. I will send pictures and more info as they come in. and with the fiberglass and type of windows I feel that the design will seem a little more modern than the original design although the framing will probably not be deviated from. until next update!
Thanks

HUSKY / Paul Sparrow / Indianapolis, IN / / 2-22-04: I received the plans and patterns to build the Husky camper shell for my truck. I hope to begin building this unit in the next couple of weeks. Will be doing a little modifing of the unit such as the frame will be done in 2x2's instead of 1x2's since this unit will be 110 v accessable for us in campground. The 1x2's will not allow enough room for electrical outlets and boxes. Also back door will be none removable and contain two doors instead to allow for inserting larger items if needed, and there will be two crank out windows on each side instead of just one for better ventilation. Costs for this unit are still under $300, roof metal, wood, nails and other fasteners are the only expenes incured thanks to a couple of buddies who own salvage yards with a few travel trailers, and campers in them that I could aquire the materials from. I will send photos of the build from start to finish and mounted on the truck.

Dan Mitchell / / 12-27-99: I have started the camper. I have back and front walls built; floor and wings done. Starting on side walls tommorrow. I have used full 1" x 2" lumber for framing instead of dimension lumber. Very dry white pine that I have milled at home. I am using 1" celotex in the walls for insulation and have screwed and glued all construction so far. I have tighly fit the insulation panels and glued them as well. Have not changed any other part of the design and will not. I'm interested in anyone's ideas. 4-4-00: Took frame apart that was in my cellar and started back to wok in the garage, it is a little warmer now. Have camper all together with interior complete. Waiting for the siding, windows and door. This has been a great fun project and the plans are straight forward and easy to follow. I think glen-l should update some of the construction methods. Such as screws and glue. It would also be helpful if they could search out more suppliers for things like siding, windows etc.. All in all a great set of plans. I recommend these plans for anyone who can't find what they want in a pickup camper or can't find one to fit the vehicle they have.

Jonathan Russell / / 5-1-01: I've just started construction of the Importer camper and thought I'd drop you a line about it. So far I've only started cutting lumber but expect to begin assembly either later today or tomorrow. Not being able to leave well enough alone, I made some changes to the layout of the camper. Since I plan to use mainly campgrounds with hookups I've added a small window a/c unit thru the back wall (will need it here in Texas in a month or so), and added a porta pottie for "just in case". My young son and I will probably be the only ones using the camper so I eliminated the second bed and only have the cabover bed. At present it's a toss up on getting an ice box or using a small dorm type refrigerator. I'm leaning towards the ice box for weight and power reasons, though the dorm fridge doesn't weigh that much.
Structurally I haven't really changed anything except for beefing up with 1x4's where the a/c unit is located. For the 4" beams that support the cabover bed I'm using #2 SYP for added strength since I'm a big guy. The walls, floor, and roof will be insulated with styrofoam insulation board. The walls for the wings, and the wings themselves will be covered on the exterior with white FRP. The floor will have a plastic mesh-type materiail on the underside to hold in the insulation. I'll have quite a bit packed into this little camper and some of the items I'm using (i.e. a Magnatek Power Plus converter for the electrical) are a little overkill but in a few years I plan on getting a full size truck and will cannibalize this camper to build a new camper for it.
Overall, I really like the plans and the fact that they can be modified to fit any truck. On my truck for instance, I found the other day that my bed is actually 6" longer than that in the plans so even though I was shortening the floor by a couple of inches so the camper would fit inside the bed with the tailgate closed, I still had to go back and add those two inches back along with a couple more for the extra length. Once things start moving along more and I actually get some of the parts together I'll start taking pictures to submit.
6-1-01: Thought I'd have an update on my camper before now but haven't really had anything interesting to say. Today I'll be finishing the framing of the sidewalls and putting on the plywood. I'm hoping by Sunday I'll have the shell done with the siding, windows, and door installed. After that I'll tackle finishing the inside. I'm hoping to be finished with the entire project by the end of next week if possible. Still haven't taken any pictures but plan to once it starts going together.

Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Thursday, February 7, 2002 at 06:26:32
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name: Dick MacGown

Comments: I enjoy the Glen-L site. Many years ago I built a Glen-L Importer Camper and went to Alaska with it from Maine.

keywords: Glen-L says it best, doesn't it?

Joe Pringle/ / 6-16-05: Started construction on about May 1st. I've completed the side, front and rear walls and the box. Am preparing to order the aluminum siding. I am still up in the air about whether to use a metal roof roll, or go with a rubber roof.

Bruce Gordon / Cape Cod, Massachusetts / / 1-27-10: I've started building a camper based roughly on your Importer design, plans for which I bought a few years back. I've currently got the box, wings, done & painted and the front wall installed. This weekend I'll be starting the sides. As with most others, I've made some modifications to the design.
7-21-10: The project is almost finished - I've got 2 weeks to go before we have a campground reserved. What's left is to finish and mount the cabinet doors and install the tie down bolts through the floor of the truck. Some learnings to contribute to others:

• I found the corrugated fasteners hard to use. Instead, I bought a Kreg pocket-screw tool which worked wonderfully for both framing and cabinets. A good mitre saw, pocket screws and some glue made for excellent joints.
• Suppliers: I bought all of the appliances at PPLmotorhomes and the aluminum and rubber roof from themetalcompany. Windows came from Hehr. Although it added weight, I framed out the wings. Then the box, wings and walls were insulated with 3/4" foil-faced foam insulation; used the same at 1 1/2 & 2" thick on roof and bed respectively.
• Since my GMC Canyon really holds only 2 people, no need to waste so much space on the 2nd bed/dinette. We went with a rear corner seating design, with a porta-potti under the back wall bench. We were able to fit a stove, sink, 14 gal white and gray water tanks, hot water heater, refrigerator, and furnace in with this floor plan!
• Solving one problem at at time eventually gets you there....

Mike Yager / / 12-29-04: I have purchased an axle kit from ABC Axle and am hack sawing the frame steel to dimension for welding. 5-29-05: I have finished welding and painting the trailer frame and have installed the axle and wheels. Next I need to get the aluminum skin and lumber for the actual trailer. (See Builder Photos)

Andy Jankowski / / 4-8-08: I am using these plans to assist me in rebuilding a severely water damaged 1977 Play-Mor 24-foot travel trailer. I picked the Malibu plans since that floor plan is very similar to my M-240. Essentially, I am demolishing the unit down to the steel and starting over. I am keeping the same wall framing pattern of the original so I can reuse its aluminum skin. However, I do plan to utilize the roof framing pattern provided in the Malibu plans and will go with a rubber roof. The Play-Mor roof uses metal skin and 2x4s laid on their side. The roof ponds water like crazy.
I purchased the unit last month for $275 and have been gutting the interior to expose the walls. I ripped out the green shag carpet, some of the green vinyl floor exposing the harvest gold floor beneath. I have removed the stove & hood however, the avocado green color does not do much for me. The four burners and oven works so I may have it painted with appliance paint and reinstall it...or leave it as is to remind me of the 70s. I have removed all cabinet doors and will most likely discard them. No refrigerator came with the unit. I removed the table, rear twin bunks along with their overhead cabinets. The booth/dinette has the original cushions and covers but I would like to see about getting new covers.
The unit is about 50 miles away right now, but I am preparing it for towing to my home so I can really begin demolition. Hopefully my neighbors won't mind too much when I park it in my driveway and start wrecking it.

Donald Fisher / / 4-8-01: I began construction of the Niagra about 8 weeks ago. I have the unit completely framed with the interior about 75% complete. I made changes to the original plans. I located a 23' (box size) TT frame from a RV salvage company. The axles(tandem) were replaced, because of damage. I built all of the interior items as well as the exterior door. The cabinets, dinette, closet, hamper, kitchen, bath room, were prebuilt prior to construction of the box. By following the construction methods called for in the plans, I had no difficulty with fit when the were put in place.Because the frame I purchased was 23' other changes resulted. This added an additional 6' to the length of the box. The additional area was added to the front of the unit, which makes a large living area. I also used a futon in place of the gaucho. I am submiting photos so a time line can be followed. 1-28-01: The Niagra Has been a wonderfull project. My wife and I went to an RV show in Tampa 2 weeks ago. I was amazed to find travel trailers in the $25-$35,000 range with cabinets made of particle board and vinyl. My Niagra is all solid oak cabinetry and no particle board.
To answer your questions about siding, roofing and windows.
The siding is Filon, a semi-rigid fiberglass reinforced plastic. I had passed on to your office the company I purchased the siding from. It is located in Bolivar, TN and is called Coralux. The roof is a rubberized roof one piece seamless and quite easy to put on. It was purchased from All-Rite RV Supply in Hollister, CA. The windows are 30" x 25" crank out windows purchased from Lowes Home Improvement Center.

C. Roberts / Bonita Springs, FOL / / 10-31-07: I decided to dive in and complete at least one project before my neighbor came back down for the winter and I would lose use of his carport. I worked on this just one or two hours at a time in between painting the house and prepping my car for paint. The plans were great and at least I did get most of the cutting done before a summer rain storm wiped out the blueprints and made them invisible. You can see by the earlier pictures that the plans were covered in plastic but, somehow the rain was blown underneath it. I could see enough of the plans and studying the instruction sheet I figured the rest out. I had to change the roof layout somewhat because the only thin plywood in the area that had a nice side to it was door skin plywood, it bent easily and the only downside was that they only came in 3 X 7 sheets. The upside was that they cost around $7.00 a sheet. You can see at the front there was enough to complete the curve on the roof and 2 more to complete the roof (that is why the change in the ventilation cutout and extra roof brace). I also used the door skin on the interior with scraps used for cabinet and some interior trim. The project used only 5 sheets of plywood to complete everything (except if I decide to use plywood for the outer skin). I have the aluminum but can't make up my mind about the outer appearance, I still have to route wires and install the insulation so that will give me a few more days to figure it out. I hated the corrugated fasteners (they kept splitting the wood) so I went the pocket screw way and it seemed to work out. I did find the gimp at a local boat repair place and got thirty feet of it for two 12 packs of miller light, same barter for the aluminum siding. I also can't make a decision about the windows, I found a place that will sell me the storm window channel and the rubber glazing. Thinking of getting out the old miter box and hacksaw and see what I can come up with. (see Builder Photos)

Davey Driver / United Kingdom / / 7-18-01: We would like to Register our details with you, although not building from new, we have just taken delivery of a Rainier 5th Wheel camper for complete renovation, having seen better days we intend full replacing the timbers and wiring along with the internal fixtures etc. We have just ordered a copy of the plans for this camper so will get some photos to supply you with a before and after for this project, we are situated in the UK and would be grateful if you could advise if you have any known owners of this type of camper, just in case we need advice. We look forward to completing the project and enjoying our holidays next year with this equipment.

Teddy Panganiban / / Quezon City, Philippines. / 2-15-00: I have just completed the Trail-A-Camp camper trailer after six weeks of construction. I used it for the first time last weekend. I brought it to the campsite at Lake Caliraya in Cavinti, Province of Laguna about 110 km southeast of Quezon City. It took us three and a half hours to get there along hilly and winding two lane roads. The camper worked fine and was solid and stable during the trip. It was chore though to setup, specially the roof which required two able bodied men and a sedentary guy like me (total of three) to carry on top of the pipe tube poles and screw into the waste nuts. I was surprised by the roominess and it was very comfortable to sleep in. I slept in a tent before and didn't like it. (See Builder Photos)

Michel Levesque / Ile Perrot, Canada / / 3-13-04: I am starting a van conversion project. It has been a dream for many years and it is coming through. I bought a brand new 2004 Savana long wheel base which I am having a raised roof, walk board and window installed. Next week I shall be starting the floor installation. I would like to have some advice if someone ever completed one. 6-9-04: I am having a lot of fun and also headache but it is worth it. I would like to post these picture of my project. It isn't completed, but it is going in the right direction. I am willing to share information. (see Builder Photos)

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