Forum Discussion
DesertHawk
Jul 05, 2013Explorer
Perhaps this might pass for a TC: Our first RV was a 8' camper shell on the back of my dad's farm pick-up (1970 Chevy 1/2 ton) with a butane tank in back; this would have been in 1971. My wife & I drove from Harlingen, TX to Las Cruces, NM for a job interview. We bought the camper shell for the trip. We had two fold up cots (old army style, canvas, take apart to fold), a borrowed Coleman camp stove. The camp stove's leather pump was dry, therefore we had a time getting it to work. Corn oil on the leather to get it going. First time to sleep in it was a KOA in Las Cruces. Got the job, found a small house to rent, spent another night at the KOA. We also bought a new Coleman stove in Las Cruces before we left. Ha!
Went to Carlsbad. Can't remember others stops. No real problems. Fell in love with RVing & New Mexico and have been at it for 42 years. It was a during a bad drought in Southern NM & Lincoln Nat'l Forest was closed to camping.
After getting back home, we bought a '71 Chevy 1/2 ton Pickup for the camper shell. After moving to NM, I added build in bunks, storage, a spot for a Coleman ice chest and a wooden floor over the metal bed with indoor/outdoor carpet. It was a neat set up for us. It even had a little seat, so you could have a place to put on shoes, etc in the back close to the door. The camper shell had a solid back, with a door & windows on both sides. I took the tail gate off. It had 3 tiers, tallest in the rear, of course. It was great for boondocking & dispersed camping. We had a port-a-potty.
I really enjoyed that camper. Missed it after trading it off. In '75, I Traded this set-up on a '75 Scout II 4x4, slept in the back with the tailgate down with a sheet over the back to keep out bugs, or in a tent.
A few years later, around '83/84, I bought an old '60 something Holiday Rambler Truck Camper for the old '70 pick up, after I gotten it from my mom. It had roof leaks, water leaks if on city, smelled bad until got to cooking in it each trip. I took the mattress out & burned it (living out on a small, 5 acre farm at the time). It fit a long bed pick-up. It did have a stove & propane. Still used the port-a-potty. With large bed area over the cab.
Did a few trips dispersed/boondock camping by Cloudcroft. Took a nice trip to Colorado Springs area with a stops at Chaco Canyon & Mesa Verde while towing a small motorcycle trailer with a Honda 250 Enduro. It was the last trip with it. We had our two kids by then.
It was a little too heavy for the 1/2 ton pickup.
Bought a '83 TT in '86, sold the TC. Haven't had one since, but enjoyed ours.
Unless one was to count our current tow vehicle a 2009 Ford F-150 with A.R.E Camper Shell or Topper. We did used it as a camper last year.
We went back to Chaco Canyon.
More on Angle Peak Area
My son in Alaska has a Lance TC & has enjoyed it. Lance TC in the AK Cold
It is his First TC. He added a Fantastic Fan in the wet bath to help dry it out, works well. He also added a roof AC.
My wife's mom & dad had a TC, about a '69 Ford 3/4 ton with a new TC (same year, ? model). It had a sleep area above the cab, a toilet but no shower. It did not still off the rear.
They did may trips with it and had a lot of fun. They went with us a few times in NM. They even when up to Alaska from SoCal in it in '78. The Alcan was all dirt back then, I believe. But sold it soon after returning. Never went back to RVing.
Went to Carlsbad. Can't remember others stops. No real problems. Fell in love with RVing & New Mexico and have been at it for 42 years. It was a during a bad drought in Southern NM & Lincoln Nat'l Forest was closed to camping.
After getting back home, we bought a '71 Chevy 1/2 ton Pickup for the camper shell. After moving to NM, I added build in bunks, storage, a spot for a Coleman ice chest and a wooden floor over the metal bed with indoor/outdoor carpet. It was a neat set up for us. It even had a little seat, so you could have a place to put on shoes, etc in the back close to the door. The camper shell had a solid back, with a door & windows on both sides. I took the tail gate off. It had 3 tiers, tallest in the rear, of course. It was great for boondocking & dispersed camping. We had a port-a-potty.
I really enjoyed that camper. Missed it after trading it off. In '75, I Traded this set-up on a '75 Scout II 4x4, slept in the back with the tailgate down with a sheet over the back to keep out bugs, or in a tent.
A few years later, around '83/84, I bought an old '60 something Holiday Rambler Truck Camper for the old '70 pick up, after I gotten it from my mom. It had roof leaks, water leaks if on city, smelled bad until got to cooking in it each trip. I took the mattress out & burned it (living out on a small, 5 acre farm at the time). It fit a long bed pick-up. It did have a stove & propane. Still used the port-a-potty. With large bed area over the cab.
Did a few trips dispersed/boondock camping by Cloudcroft. Took a nice trip to Colorado Springs area with a stops at Chaco Canyon & Mesa Verde while towing a small motorcycle trailer with a Honda 250 Enduro. It was the last trip with it. We had our two kids by then.
It was a little too heavy for the 1/2 ton pickup.
Bought a '83 TT in '86, sold the TC. Haven't had one since, but enjoyed ours.
Unless one was to count our current tow vehicle a 2009 Ford F-150 with A.R.E Camper Shell or Topper. We did used it as a camper last year.
We went back to Chaco Canyon.
More on Angle Peak Area
My son in Alaska has a Lance TC & has enjoyed it. Lance TC in the AK Cold
It is his First TC. He added a Fantastic Fan in the wet bath to help dry it out, works well. He also added a roof AC.
My wife's mom & dad had a TC, about a '69 Ford 3/4 ton with a new TC (same year, ? model). It had a sleep area above the cab, a toilet but no shower. It did not still off the rear.
They did may trips with it and had a lot of fun. They went with us a few times in NM. They even when up to Alaska from SoCal in it in '78. The Alcan was all dirt back then, I believe. But sold it soon after returning. Never went back to RVing.
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