Fiberglass chassis mount camper - Fiberglass RV
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Old 11-24-2005, 06:42 PM   #1
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Someone posted a link about a diesel powered Ford chassis mount fiberglass camper in a reply to another topic. Unfortunately I don't even recall the brand name. I was interested in learning more about this unique vehicle.
Chester Taje, was that you?
At any rate, I've looked and looked and have been unable to locate the link.
Could someone direct me to it, or re-post it?
Thanks in advance,
Kurt & Ann K.
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Old 11-24-2005, 06:46 PM   #2
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Maybe this.
http://www.earthroamer.com/
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Old 11-24-2005, 06:50 PM   #3
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Ches,
That's it, thamks again.
Kurt & Ann K.
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Old 11-24-2005, 06:54 PM   #4
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Your welcome--------It was originally posted by Brian if I recall correctly.
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Old 11-24-2005, 08:18 PM   #5
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I've posted more than one reference to EarthRoamer. While they don't make trailers, and they arrived at the choice of moulded fiberglass construction for quite different reasons than the makers of our eggs, some of their design features and issues seem relevant to us.

Perhaps they could be convinced to make travel trailers with their sandwich construction? It may be too expensive: while they don't break down their pricing to show how much the body accounts for, their total package price is alarmingly high, perhaps due in part to the extreme solar power package, unusual appliances, and high-end interior finish.
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Old 11-26-2005, 08:13 AM   #6
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I would like an earth roamer for christmas. Please. Make that two...one for parts.
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Old 11-26-2005, 08:42 AM   #7
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Maggie, you'd better ask for an oil derrick or two also to fuel that monster :l31
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Old 11-26-2005, 09:39 AM   #8
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Quote:
Someone posted a link about a diesel powered Ford chassis mount fiberglass camper in a reply to another topic. Unfortunately I don't even recall the brand name. I was interested in learning more about this unique vehicle.
Do you mean this one? :l31 :l31 :l31
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Old 11-26-2005, 09:49 AM   #9
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Brian,
Thanks for the original post.
Donna, all thats needed is a huge tank to store all the oil that people used in their deep-fat turkey fryers!
The drawback is the odor. When burned in diesel-fueled vehicles the exhaust smells like whatever was cooked in the oil. In my neighborhood, bears would be ripping the exhaust system off the vehicles.
Did I miss a reference to mileage? Initial cost of the EarthRoamer and fuel mileage would be the big negative issues as far as I'm concerned.
But, those issues don't have to stand in the way of dreams :79
We all want trouble free longevity in our tugs just as we expect that in our FGRV's. Diesel trucks have been noted for their longevity, so EarthRoamer's choice of fuel appears logical.
Attention to detail and use of extra stout components are the way to achieve the longevity and drive the cost way up. If only Ford, or another manufacturer, would simply equip the base vehicle with all the heavy-duty equipment during it's original construction. Then again, maybe EarthRoamer is able to order the chassis precisely as they want it. Somehow I envision a lot of disassembly and changes in the suspension at least.
Even a concept tug can be very expensive, I've a friend who recently spent $40,000 doing just that, and so far it is living up to his expectations, but longevity will only be proven over time.
A lot can be achieved with a generous donation of sweat-equity, and that's the way I suspect most FGRV owners reach their dreams.
Please continue posting "dream" & "concept" vehicles And sharing your mods to pique our imaginations.
What the heck---Christmas is coming, so dream on :h84
Kurt & Ann K.
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Old 11-26-2005, 11:16 AM   #10
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Wow! That Earth Roamer is a great looking RV---but we can only afford Lex's model. :30

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Old 11-26-2005, 01:18 PM   #11
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I'm not sure we could even afford Lex's model. But if someone gave me an earth roamer, oh and paid for the insurance, I'd spring for the fuel. They claim 11 to 13 mpg.
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Old 11-26-2005, 05:06 PM   #12
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I realize that the image from Lex is for our amusement, but seriously, this is quite a nice job of mounting a "caravan" (travel trailer) body on a truck chassis. The truck is a Ford, almost certainly European and presumably a Transit or similar. I have seen the same thing done on a much larger scale with a forward-control medium-duty truck, and much worse with an American full-size van cutway and a 13' Boler.

In Lex's model, the fenderwells of the trailer match up with the truck wheels; the integration is quite good. The problem with these things is that they lose the advantage of integrating the cab with the coach interior, as a Class C motorhome does.

The Earthroamer design deliberately does not integrate the cab and coach, so it really is more like Lex's trailer-on-Transit than the typical Class C. Earthroamer expects off-road use, and wants the coach body to be able to move on the flexing frame without getting damaged by twisting. In that way, it is very much like a trailer body, and thus relevant to us. The cracking problems found in some fiberglass travel trailers when the frame twists might be avoided if the body was a complete structure in itself, and the frame just connected suspensions to hitch and carried the body on three (not more) mounting points; that's how a stock Earthroamer body could be used to make a trailer, although it would be really high unless the fenderwells were raised.

The Earthroamer chassis is a Ford F-450 or F-550 - buyer's choice. To put this in perspective, an F-350 is a one-ton, like the biggest Ford pickups. Class C motorhomes use the short-nose cab style like a van, and only the larger ones need to move up from an E-350 to the higher-capacity E-450. Were talking commerical trucks here. According to my reading of their website, Earthroamer uses the truck as purchased new, without mechanical modification; specifically, the major differences between the F-450 and F-550 are identified as rear springs and axle ratio, so those features are not changed by the RV manufacturer.

Diesel - now there's a whole discussion in itself, and not one I'm going to re-start in this thread!

In previous discussions in this forum, many members report approximately 13 MPG fuel consumption while towing their eggs - similar consumption for a motorhome with similar accomodations plus off-road capability doesn't seem so bad in comparison, although I have no idea if the claimed Earthroamer mileage is realistic.
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