Presenting WANDA! (M109 Camper Build)

[chris4amd]

I wanted to wait till she was "done" to make this thread, but after spending four months building her and another 3.5 months traveling around CONUS in her, Wanda is still a beautiful work in progress. Ah MVs, always something to do.

So, I wanted a no nonsense, go anywhere, do anything camper. My goals aren't aesthetic, they are purely functional - comfortable and dry in the middle of the woods. I started with a stock M109 and made the following upgrades:
- LDS 465-1A (Unexpected upgrade 1500 miles into my trip).
- Alternator replacement.
- 11x20s installed.
- Westfolk's Spin on fuel and oil filters.
- Fixing the truck gauges (speedo, tach, so many gauges).
- Parking brake assembly replacement.
- Tons of silicone caulking.
- So many things I can't remember.

Living quarters:
- Spent half my lifetime cutting, sanding, welding, Bondo-ing, and painting all the golfball sized holes in my Michigan M109 box.
- Replaced all fiberglass insulation with 2" Rigid Foam insulation.
- Installed speaker wire drops for 5.1 sound in in the box.
- Red Oak floors.
- Complete electrical rewiring of the M109 box.
- Installation of an RV style roof vent with 110v line for eventual electrical AC / heater installation.
- Standard RV style 30 AMP power input.
- Complete interior living space renovation.
∘ Complete queen size bed with under bed storage.
∘ Lockers.
∘ Stainless steel kitchen surface.
- Bedliner installation on the roof (no more water penetration ever again!)
- 2" hitch welded on the front bumper for my motorcycle carrier.
- Custom pintle towbar.
- Luxurious flat black Rustoleum applied to all external rusted surfaces.
- Hardened up my backside driving over 4000 miles on the original seats since I got the truck. 2500 miles in the last two months alone.

Things to do:
- Replace wooden bed braces with gas pistons for easy lifting.
- Add an extra bank of batteries and battery isolator.
- Solar panels.
- Add more 12v power points to the rear of the box. Add 12v power points to the front of the box for on the go device charging.
- Replace existing box lighting with low voltage LED bulbs.
- Troubleshoot rear box 24v lighting.
- Install silent fuel fired heater (Hunter SHS - Operating). (Anybody out there got a source for this?)
- CB.
- Over cab storage rack with lockable toolbox.
- Box top storage rack.
- Fix existing / make new air horn.
- Replace existing butane burner system with fuel fired burners (MBU-V3). (Anybody got a source for these? E-bay always has parts, some working, some not, but nothing complete.)

More updates to come!

Without further adu, here are some pictures.

 

[zout]

 

[chris4amd]

Friends and a beauty

Suffice to say, this couldn't have happened without a cast of many. My schedule was wrecked by the unbelievable amount of rust and the time it takes to rewire the rear box. I thought it would take a week to fix the rust issues and do the rewiring work with my brother. How naive. With a fast approaching date to move out of our rental, I called on the friend network and it delivered.

Not to mention, there was one particularly lovely lady helping every step of the way.

 

[chris4amd]

Externals

Lots of rust damage was all over the Michigan box. Including one seam that was completely rusted out. Took a long time to clean it all up and put it back together. The roof coating and RV vent help so much in the heat. Once another thousand miles is put on the truck that roof will turn grey all over again. Nothing like a new LDS.

 

[chris4amd]

Hondas, in front and behind.

Two Hondas come with me around the country. One in front, and one behind. Up front is a yellow 1969 Honda Trail 90. Behind is a Honda Element.

Courtesy of the custom motorcycle hauler and the custom tow bar.

I get nearly as many comments about the Honda 90 as I do about the truck.

[The picture of me working on the truck is during the Tucson incident.]

 

[chris4amd]

Box Internals

Two things that I never want to touch again. Spray foam and fiberglass insulation. But that 2" rigid foam sure is fantastic.

 

[chris4amd]

Completed Internals

This is WANDA, Mark 1. Kitchen area, plenty of storage, exhaust fan. Storage lockers. Queen size bed with plenty of storage underneath (plenty of room for parts!). Hardwood floors, red oak. And everything is attached to the rails and sitting on the floor with homemade rubber grommets. I have been up and down mountain trails in Crater Lake, Oregon. In the deserts of Arizona and Southern California, the muddy backwoods of Texas. Everything is warm, dry, wonderful, and not a thing has shaken loose yet.

I may put up some kind of travelogue on the site soon, but for now, this is what we've got. Oh, and here's a picture of the first place the truck went, Crater Lake, OR.

 

[yellobronc]

Looks cool....got some great ideas!

 

[hndrsonj]

How bout some more trip pics? What did you think of the trucks at Jacks in Tucson?

 

[chris4amd]

How bout some more trip pics? What did you think of the trucks at Jacks in Tucson?

Sounds like there's interest. I'll put up a travelogue in "Military Vehicle Road Trips" a little later.

Jack's was wonderful. He had every pedigree of military truck and even several helicopters. He and his son Josh are phenomenal people and knew every possible thing there is to know about MVs. I just wish his yard wasn't so expensive. Otherwise I would have left with a trailer full of parts too.

 

[Cucvnut]

cool build.

 

[DeucesWild11]

Great build, I am sure you will have allot of fun with her.. best of luck!

 

[Katahdin]

Nice work! Thanks for the pics of the interior panel tear down, that's on my to-do list for mine in the near future. I like your use of the rigid foam!

 

[hendersond]

Nice build. Very motivating.

 

[oddshot]

VERY cool!

What did you do for water, cold food storage, and bathroom stuff ...

oddshot

 

[wsucougarx]

Alright, you've motivated to get back on track with my 109.....thanks alot

 

[islandguydon]

Hello, In my humble opinion,You could have not found a better no nonsense, go anywhere, do anything camper than a M-109. I give you 2 thumbs up and 1 rep point from me for your ingenuity and perseverance on your project and trip.

 

[M1031CMT]

Good work and welcome to the M109 camper group

 

[chris4amd]

Thanks for all the kudos everyone!

Alright, you've motivated to get back on track with my 109.....thanks alot

Can't wait to see her at Aaron's get-together in July.

Hello, In my humble opinion,You could have not found a better no nonsense, go anywhere, do anything camper than a M-109. I give you 2 thumbs up and 1 rep point from me for your ingenuity and perseverance on your project and trip.

Thank you. Keeping busy with her. She makes for lovely traveling.

VERY cool!

What did you do for water, cold food storage, and bathroom stuff ...

For the moment, water is hauled in two 5 gallon jugs that perfectly stack and fit under the table in the kitchen area. I already have a locking RV water port in the side of the truck and plan to install water tanks and an electric pump under the bed in the future.

Cold food storage is handled by a very nice 7 day cooler. Even in the hottest of days in Southern California it kept ice for five days and kept everything cool for seven. Eventually I'm moving to a cooler with a compressor and coolant.

Bathroom stuff is handled by the inglorious bucket with seat. That said, the trip has been taking us to see lots of friends, so more often than not, we are parked on their land and visit the house to accomplish the 3 S's.

Good work and welcome to the M109 camper group

Thank you. Your build and notes were invaluable and have inspired many in the community.

 

[Gunner0311]

Great Jpb!

Love what you have done with the old girl!

Great to see you have a motivated crew working with you.

P.S. Cute puppy! I love the big fury canines.