DIY wooden camper build

I have my 6ft bed in my extended cab first gen and I’ve had such a hard time finding a high rise camper shell that has enough height for me and my girlfriend and my dog to travel in for long periods of time. I have a cab height camper right now and it’s just not tall enough for us anymore. I’m looking into starting a DIY wooden camper so I can customize my own needs but I had a very important question that I’m sure I’ll get answers for lol how could I attack the camper to the truck without damaging the bed or drilling? Is there a reliable and strong way to attach it as I’m building the frame or is drilling and mounting to the bed sides by best option? Id prefer not to but if it’s my only option I can work with it. Thanks!

 

I would go with a flatbed first, and then build a wooden camper on top of that and secure it in a removable way (like heavy duty ratchet straps secured to the eyelets built into the flatbed). There's a YouTube channel (name escapes me at the moment) where the guy did exactly that on an old F350, and it came out awesome. Not so sure a Tacoma is well-suited for that approach though

*Edit the YouTube channel is: Truck House Life

 

If going flatbed isnt the move for you, just notch the "bottom plate" of your wood camper so you can get a cap clamp on. Or use something like 5/4 decking that wont need a notch.

Id also heavily advise against build a camper like an exterior wall, bc with framing sheathing and siding youll have a heavy cap. My current cap is made from 3/4" ply for the walls, skinned in aluminum, and has 2x2 "rafters" that the roof is supported by. I wouldnt want it any heavier.

 

I've been doom scrolling the DIY channels looking for similar things. I valued the manual transmission over the 6 foot bed, so I'm stuck with a shorty. I binge watched a series by Travelling By Tacoma where he put together a very nice build out of wood.

@Ripcord here on TW has an extensive build thread for an aluminum cap and camper shell, as well as plans available on his website IIRC.

 

If you want to keep the bed, and diy it, I would definitely go the Ripcord route. Most cost effective most likely as well.
Or if you're stuck on a wood build, do a flatbed first.

Theres also prebuilt options like GFCs, Wildernests, Flippacs (flippacs are the coolest)
Or get a shell support fabbed up and put an RTT on the one you have.

 

the weight of the wood/wood wear/deterioration would scare me

any RV has same issue(weight)

RV companies use 2 materials (one is a bonded wall...WAY TOO expensive...a sandwich of filon(thin fiberglass)/1" foam/thin luan(wood))
the other is a simple filon sheet:

https://www.recpro.com/rv-fiberglass-filon-siding-8-5-wide-arctic-white/?
utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=primaryshopping&campaignid=10108288062&adgroupid=107415455739&keyword=&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7O-cseXvhQMVvEdHAR3-UgODEAQYASABEgLV0_D_BwE

the other material is used for enclosed trailers
8X4 aluminum sheets

https://www.elitegaragefloors.com/a...MI5_zBk-rvhQMVhEVHAR2a2AxBEAQYASABEgIbPvD_BwE

both the above would solve the wood weight issue
hope this helps!