New "Opera" Camper... Fabulous!

[Hoges]

This product shows just how far behind the local camper trailer industry is in terms of design... even the top names are still derivatives of the horse and buggy era by comparison. According to the press it's about $55 thou in A dollars (Euro 33 thou). Shows what can be done with a bit of flair.

I want one!! :D

Opera offers freedom in nature with 100 percent luxury (http://www.yoursuiteinnature.com/)

[Outlaw]

Interesting :)

[Chucaro]

Looks good but not for off road behind the Defe

[VladTepes]

Shows what can be done with a bit of flair.


... and a truckload of cash !


It looks swish but anyway with a bit of height to them would hit their head on the canvas when standing at the sink etc. i reckon not as good in practice as it looks.

Also if you get a tear in that canvas god help you !

[loanrangie]

That would have to be the ugliest waste of fibreglass and canvas i have ever seen, i would truly be embarrassed to roll into a campsite and set that up.

I will never agree with the imported is best mentality and that just sealed my point, there are hundreds of designs of locally built campers and plenty that are more practical than that mobile Chapel St monstrosity.

[101 Ron]

A nerw Jayco camper van with the works is about 35 K.
the weight is the same and sleep four.
the specs are wrong for aust ....like the too small water tank.
the set up if up look carefully is not what it seems .
I currenty run a jayco outback hawk running 220 watts of solar, electric/gas 22 litre hot water with a out side toilet and shower under a quick set up fiama orning,180 litres of water, inverter,high ground clearence,independant suspension,acess inside and out to the storage area,electric/ gas stove,quick set up , twin gas bottles,two jerry cans,same weight,and less canvas,more inside space,and folded up size is about the same.
the cold weather heater is a stove burner left on ....simple
That opera thing only beats the aussie stuff in electric gizzmos and build quailty.
option up a aussie corrimal, gold stream or jayco.......lest money and better suited to our conditions.

[101 Ron]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/03/414.jpg (http://s131.photobucket.com/albums/p299/101Ron/?action=view&current=DSCF0487.jpg)

[Shonky]

Swanky, but looks quite impractical for Australia and I would be embarrassed setting that thing up!

I'm sure it would do nicely in the manicured holiday parks of Europe, but I somehow don't think it is suited to a week at say... Ball Park in Corowa. :wasntme:

[Drover]

,high ground clearence,independant suspension,.[/QUOTE]


Hey 101Ron

Did you fit the independant suspension your self, I didn't think Jayco's came out with it.

I would be interested in your mod's ! Photo's ?

[solmanic]

Love the design but for $80K (E40K) I think most Australians would want a hard roof and more than two single beds..... and air conditioning, and a full ensuite, and a full size kitchen, and storage for their trail bikes, and a boat rack, and a full annexe, and solar cells, and bowling alley, and indoor ice rink, and 50" flat screen TV, and satellite broadband and so on...

[101 Ron]

The jayco is a 2005 model and the ALKO rubber off road suspension was a factory option.
The 22 lt Suburban gas/ electric hot water and 110 lt Waeco two way fridge were factory options.
I added a extra water tank and up rated the solar from 64 watts to about 220 watts.
Also fitted the inverter and rear hot shower/ tap outlet.
The fiama wind out orning was a factory extra.
cost 25k on road in 2005 and the extra i did cost about another 2 k.
jayco stuffed up all the extra stuff as they can only handle standard punched out of the factory stuff.
build quailty is poor.
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p299/101Ron/jayco2005campervanhawk2612200703-1.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/03/337.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/03/338.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/02/836.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/03/339.jpg

[101 Ron]

The battery I relocated from the side under seat compartment to a unused area under the rear seats in increase storage space and reworked much of the storage areas as alot of it is wasted to make building the thing quicker.
A wheel arch which protrudes into the foot area under the table was reworked and reduced in size by half.
The Inverter was located just near the now relocated battery and and is accessed from inside or out side.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/03/334.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/03/335.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/03/336.jpg
Using a two way fridge allows operation of the fridge when the top is down which cannot be done with a gas fridge.
The two way pulls 4 amps and cools better and also fits in the same space with 20 litre extra capacity.
On a good day the solar will punch out 12 amps with the up rated system which more than covers the fridge drain.( and gives some out put on overcast days)
The tow vehicles both have twin batteries and can supply the fridge via the trailer plug if there is a few days of cloud.
The factory option 22 lt hot water system is extremely good / efficient and you will never run out of hot water.
I fitted a extra jerry can holder on the rear bumper and the spare wheel has been set up so it can pivot up wards if required should it scrape the ground in bad going.
A 175 amp anderson plug is fitted to the rear bumper these days with battery cable so the vans battery can be accessed easy to jump start other vehicles or run 12 volt stuff.
A over ride only factory option brake system is used instead of electric for simplicity and I fitted a lunnette for use with pintle hooks as they are easy to drop on the vehicle than stuffing around with pins on most off road hitches.
I sealed under the thing with varnish and bitumus paint so in stock condition a few good water crossings would start rot.

[Cap]

I suppose you have to pay extra for the soft photography used on the site :p

[justinc]

Some really good upgrades with your J**co there 101Ron, and I agree 100% with the poor build quality:( Beats me how they can 'command' a decent market share with the materials and construction methods they employ:mad:

Hired a few in the past, one was only 3 months old, bits were coming off it and breaking etc regularly.

ALKO independent suspension is one of the better parts of it.

JC

[Lyle]

Where do these frenchies get off? Stealing good aussie names for their colours. "Quokka Brown, Koala Grey, Dingo Beige" A bit rich given we had to change the names of our wines a few years back.;)

[VladTepes]

Where do these frenchies get off? Stealing good aussie names for their colours. "Quokka Brown, Koala Grey, Dingo Beige" A bit rich given we had to change the names of our wines a few years back.;)

Good point. Time to take on the cheese eating surrender monkeys at their own game and reclaim the names !

[Hoges]

Where do these frenchies get off? Stealing good aussie names for their colours. "Quokka Brown, Koala Grey, Dingo Beige" A bit rich given we had to change the names of our wines a few years back.;)

Frenchies? :eek:
The design team is from Antwerp!..I guess my point, and it still stands is that if you're working in Europe and earning Euros, what you can get for 40k Euros is miles ahead in design for what A$40k buys here...

The names are totally appropriate to the Opera House inspiration for the tent design... (Holden has no trouble pinching "Berlina" and "Calais" for the Commodore)

I think it's a compliment to Oz...given that "our" Opera house is the result of the inspired design of a Dane... ;)

[DiscoCam]

From an aesthetic design perspective I like it. For the money though I'd rather have a T Van or similiar that will still be working 2 weeks into being towed around here.

[spudboy]

Interesting and innovative concept, but looks pretty flimsy.....

[adm333]

I think the Ultimate Camper has similar design principles and is actually rugged enough for our conditions.

Still number 1 in my book.

About : Ultimate Campers - Ultimate Off Road Camper Trailers (http://www.ultimatecampers.com.au/about.asp)

Dave