Thread: Mild camper conversion of No 5 trek trailers (Ex-North Force).

Originally Posted by DT-P38

The intent being to roadworthy then put a light & low cost frame in that can hold our rooftop tent. At this stage just gonna put tubs/boxes inside for moving/storing camping gear and then bung a sympathetic canvas tarp over it all and start using it.

How dare you ruin them!
Sacrilege!
Give them to me, NOW!

(Reckon that'll stir 'em up Dave?)

What do you think of a frame, hinged on one side like a book. with gas struts. Fill the top part with marine ply as a base for the tent. Have the bottom part of the frame (which is a bit bigger than the trailer) clamped on the trailer.
Another thing you may consider, is fixing a stabilising leg to the rear.

Hey Mick,

If I end up with the last one of these I pledge/ to all who care that I will restore it to better than new condition and donate it to the most appropriate ADF Trailer museum around at the time!

Also that "book hinge" design has me thinking about it all again... I just can't visualise it too well. Can you sketch?

Dave

I would assume you would do it like a typical camper trailer tent. You hinge the board on one side with some sturdy hinges (I've used gate hinges on mine as there cheap and strong), and on the other side use some pull down clips to hold it down. Then you add a shocker or two to make it easier to lift and stay up when accessing the trailer.

I can send pic's if requied.

Except it's only a No.5 (not a trek) trailer, there are hundreds of them out there, go for it!

Probably a bit more than you want to do, but have you seen the build on Disco3 performed by one of the forum members on an ex-army Sankey trailer ?

DISCO3.CO.UK - View topic - My Sankey off road trailer build

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There's a few others who've done the same, only kept the Sankey tub as well.

Not quite Landover, trying for a different set up using stuff we already have...

Yes, Mike S same principle of a roof top tent above an old army trailer however, ours will be very, very rudimentary and will retain as much of its current state as possible.

I have been getting annoyed with all the "mod cons" we are dragging around for camping these days and want to teach my kids to travel a little more lightly when getting away... sort of heading more toward Bear Gryll's style survival camping than what the ladies now call "glam-ping".

On the remlr site there is a photo of a No.5 with a tall "office"(?) tarp/tent on top that I will be trying to mimic for a cover. That way it should look very plain and discreet when packed away. When open our rooftop tent is very similar to the disco3 one in that it has an awning under and around the ladder... then I just want to ensure that the new tarp sides can also extend out onto poles for a usable awning style coverage around the three other sides. Maybe after that we'll source a big bugger cam net to go over the lot and the tow vehicle and that will do it. All gear and other bits in bags and boxes and away we go!!!

Cooking on open fires, travelling with minimal perishable stuff in one fridge that stays in the car... wash in a bucket or the creek, you know... "Old school" style camping not all this fluffy stuff we have all been heading toward for the last decade or two. I feel like these days I spend more time setting up and packing up (and loading and unloading) than enjoying the outdoors. Oh yeah and don't forget the maintenance and cleaning of all the extra kit. Bloody glam-ping? Bah, humbug!

I know its going to cause a stir, but if the girls dont like it, well stiff ****! They can stay home and arrange cabin, holiday home or hotel/motel holidays.

Sounds good (and cheap, I like cheap )

This one looks very simple, tbh the top looks like a Defender Utility rear end

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Except it's only a No.5 (not a trek) trailer, there are hundreds of them out there, go for it!

You're thinking of Track Dianne. These No5 trailers were advertised as Trek.
Dave, this is of interest to me. Who were the trailers manufactured by? Is there a dataplate that says Trek?
My Crump and Cornish 1 ton cargo trailer was made by Crump and Cornish (no surprise there). The ones in Darwin and quite a few in Townsville were advertised as Haulmark as they were made by Haulmark. A fellow who lives not far from me has several 1 ton cargo trailers made by a different manufacturer again.
Who made your trailers Dave?