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practical stuff ... build-your-own links ... sources of materials
Suppliers of materials, equipment, etc.
This is obviously not a comprehensive list of suppliers by any means. Self-builders are likely to source many materials locally (e.g. timber, steel or aluminium stock), but most of the following offer mail order and/or online sales.
• Alde - Alde heating systems and Smev cookers and sinks are available elsewhere but can be bought on-line directly from the manufacturer's UK site.
• Autocraft - aimed specifically at self-builders, Autocraft stock a large range of equipment and materials. Mail order and online service.
• Bansbach - probably of particular interest to self-builders contemplating a camper with a rising roof, Bansbach manufacture a large range of gas spring, hydraulic and pneumatic lift systems including the 'Easymotion' which can have multiple cylinders and can be manually or electrically operated. Although Bansbach do not deal directly with the public, the English-language website does include a distributors' list.
• Breakers, salvagers and dismantlers - if you're not fussy about wanting to use exclusively new equipment, fittings or materials, this link is to a very useful list of caravan and motorhome breakers on Richard Cole's 'Caravanning Now' website.
• C.A.K. Tanks - CAK do supply tanks, as their name suggests, but they also have a comprehensive catalogue of internal equipment. Sales by phone and email but not online.
• Caravan Panel Shop - as you might expect the Caravan Panel Shop fabricates and sells replacement panels for many UK-built caravans and some motorhomes. It might be a useful link if your demountable design would benefit from a stylish, plastic rear wall or other trim. They also offer a huge range of shower trays and sinks.
• Car Builder Solutions - a large catalogue of stuff, available online and by mail order. Some of it is specific to car building but much of it is also useful to camper builders and converters.
• C.R.Brophy - C.R.Brophy make many truck camper fittings including tie-downs, jacks and steps.
• East Coast Fibreglass Supplies - as their name implies, East Coast Fibreglass Supplies sell everything you could possibly need if you were thinking of building a camper shell in GRP, virtually all of it online. They even sell 2mm thick, pre-laminated sheets in an enormous range of colours. Build yourself a bright pink camper!
• Eltherington - Eltherington Stockholding sell aluminium, and some other metals. The range includes a wide variety of extrusions but, possibly of most interest to self-builders, would be their white-painted aluminium sheet. It's available in cut sheets (two sizes and two thicknesses) or on the coil.
• Foxwing awning - link to Rhino-Rack's UK website. Rhino-Rack in partnership with Australian Oztent have developed the 'Foxwing' awning - radically different from any other awning on the market and particularly suitable for rear-entry campers as illustrated by this article in Truck Camper Magazine.
• Happijac - another US-based manufacturer specialising exclusively in products for truck campers.
• iformuk.com
- iForm is a UK-based enterprise, currently manufacturing portable lifeguard stations for the RNLI, but about to enter the lightweight demountable camper market. Units can be ordered from 'shell only' for those wishing to build their own.
• Krake Technology Group - Krake Technology are specialists in plastic composites technology and, like Ormocar below, will supply panels and materials to those who are building for themselves. Although it's not immediately apparent from their website, they do have an interest in camper construction and actually produce a demountable shell themselves which you can see here.
• Magnum Motorhomes - Magnum claim to be "the largest selfbuild suppliers in the country". They certainly seem to sell most, if not all, of what you would need to build and fit out your own demountable. Virtually all of it can be ordered online.
• Marcle Leisure - Marcle Leisure sell air suspension systems for most available pickups, among many other accessories. The addition of air-assisted suspension can make a major contribution to the way in which a pickup/camper combination drives.
• Morland - among Morland's vehicle fit-out products are lightweight furniture plywood, wall boards, doors, tables, profiles and trims, all available to purchase online.
• O'Leary Motorhomes - O'Leary claim to be the UK's number one site aimed specifically at self-builders. They also build themselves. Online sales.
• Ormocar Reisemobil - as well as building a wide range of completed vehicles, German Ormocar will supply virtually any size or shape of empty shell for builders wishing to do their own fitting out. They also sell sandwich panels, grp mouldings and adhesives for those wanting to build their own shell. The website is available in English.
• Panther RV Products - unlike many other US-based suppliers, Panther RV of Vancouver, Washington claim to "ship world-wide". (And they do - I've had them send me stuff in France.) They have a very large range of products for sale including truck camper jacks and tie-down systems.
• Quick Hitch Systems - similar in some respects to the Truck Transformer (see below) Quick Hitch Systems is an Australian company offering interchangeable bodywork for light trucks utilising their unique mounting system. For lengthy bodies it can incorporate a lazy, tag axle which could be a great system for demountable campers which have a tendency to be back-heavy and to overload single, rear axles.
• Rainbow Conversions - as their name implies, Rainbow build and convert motorcaravans themselves but they also supply parts by mail order and online.
• Reimo - the Reimo catalogue has long been a source of parts for self-builders and includes materials, furniture, elevating roofs and even complete van conversion kits. They are distributed in the UK through Torbay Camper Conversions but can also be bought directly online from the German company. You can contact both through this link.
• S.B.M.C.C. - 'Links' page of the Self Build Motor Caravanners Club website. Includes a valuable list of suppliers and services recommended by club members.
• Siamax Contracting - if you fancy building an Australian-style 'tray-top' demountable (They certainly have advantages in terms of space and layout. See Millard's slide-on camper for example.), Siamax produce aluminium flatbed bodies for all the common pickups. Most can be d-i-y fitted.
• Stephen Stewart's Unimog - a valuable, although perhaps dated, list of suppliers and companies used by Stephen Stewart in the building of his Unimog-based campervan (not a demountable incidentally). The information in the rest of the site is also well worth a look - follow this link and then click on 'my Unimog'.
• Teal Camper - although not exclusively a demountable, Teal's innovative, modular design may be of interest to builders who are seeking a pre-fabricated body and maximum flexibility.
• Torklift - If you're thinking of building a demountable as large and heavy as some of the bigger U.S. campers, this may be a useful link. Torklift manufacture lifting and tie-down systems for truck campers including some very heavy duty ones.
• TruckTransformer - Truck Transformer is a "truck body swapping system" built by Simpson Innovations Inc. One of the suggested applications of their system is for a demountable "hybrid motorhome" which, presumably, could be based around your own home-built camper should you so wish.
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