What was I thinking!!!!

Yup, but I bet that 11.5 camper weighed less than many 9.5's today. No basement, way smaller tanks, lightweight and smaller overhead bed. Crank up camper jacks too, no air conditioner... so many things were just smaller and lighter back then.

Those older campers didn't weigh anything compared to new ones. It's got no roof air, no jacks, no generator, and I bet you even let your kids ride in the cabover. I don't even see where your tires are squishing. Ahh... the good 'ole days.

I had 12 foot (not even 11 1/2--a real 12 foot) Real-Lite with the side door entry on an F250, completely stock suspension, and it didn't squat. I also loaded a boat behind it, and at that point the truck sat pretty much level.

Those older trucks were over built, and the campers were much lighter.

The combinations I had and drove over the years scare the living **** out of me today. I often wonder was I that stupid or just overconfident?

Nah! You were fine...you had an weight appropriate counter balancing tire on the front bumper! ;)

We didn't know any better in those days. My dad had a 65 GMC 920, it was called a 3/4 ton but actually a heavy half, with a 283 (only V-8 available)three in the tree and no power anything. The dealer talked him out of the options, said no one would want them come trade in time. He drove that thing with an 8ft overhead camper for five years. It was a real handful in a prairie cross wind. :R

fordsooperdooty wrote:
Nah! You were fine...you had an weight appropriate counter balancing tire on the front bumper! ;)

X2

I'nit amazing what we survived in our foolish youth? Things that make our heads hurt now just thinkin' about it.

Which is definitely NOT to say anybody with half a brain would want to do anything THAT stupid today!

Boat's probably hitched to the bumper, too...

Tires may not be squishing, but the rear springs sure are!!!

Our foolish youth = A Special kind of stupid!

In my first camper; also on a 70s ford (1974 F350 supercab) I thought it would be GREAT to have a full bar, so I (we) could have anything we wanted without worrying about finding a store in the "wilds" where we camped for supplies. Friends kids and sometimes my cat often rode in the cabover on the bed. They LOVED it! That said, I probably had dozens of heavy, GLASS filled booze bottles, mixers, etc. in the OVERhead cabinet above the dinette. Never had a problem in the 2 years I used the truck/camper.... Well, until the front jack tore away from the frame and my old Lance camper, along with all the booze in it literally rolled down an embankment where I had it sitting... What alcohol abuse THAT was! ;) Lower center of gravity?! What was that? Too much weight in the cabinet or the camper?!? Wadayamean? It's a truck! It's made for that!

;)

Dak