Jim Jeffries: Right Fit For a Phoenix |
| Angela White | Monday, 05 October, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Jim Jeffries had a vision for a pop-up truck camper that would fit into his garage while mounted on his truck. This is one story that didn't have an inch to spare.  More often than not, people discover truck campers because there's something very specific they want to do. There's a vision to go salmon fishing in Alaska, boondock off-road on BLM land, tow a boat to bass fishing tournaments, or park in their friends and families driveways across the country. After looking at motorhomes and towables, they find out what we already know. Truck campers are the most versitile RV solution available. Jeff Jeffries had a vision to be able to park his mounted pop-up truck camper in his existing garage. Robby Rowe and Phoenix Campers were up to the challenge.
TCM: Tell us how you got into truck campers. Jim: We previously owned three different models of VW Campers. We started with a well used 1960’s model with a 6V DC system, and our last VW Camper was a 1984 model. During the interim, we camped in a 1994 full size Ford conversion van that we made into a camper. And just before buying our Phoenix camper, we even camped in a 2005 Toyota Sienna van. We were camping in our Toyota van when we saw a small Northstar pop-up camper. That night it rained. From our van we could see our neighbors sitting at their dining room table reading and enjoying their truck camper. That was the decision maker. When we got home, I started my research to buy a pop-up truck camper. My research went on for about six-months using the internet. During that time I contacted Northstar, Alaskan, Four Wheel, and Phoenix to look at their layouts and get their brochures. I studied every detail and specification.
TCM: What criteria did you have as you were shopping for a camper? Jim: I wanted a camper that we could get in and out of traffic with safety and ease. I was also looking for a light-weight camper that wouldn’t extend past the truck bed for optimum fuel mileage and handling on the road. Additionally, I wanted to get a pop-up camper that would fit into our garage to comply with our home owners association rules. This was the number one priority. I also wanted to avoid off location storage which was several miles away from our house. I narrowed our truck options down to the Nissan Frontier and the Toyota Tacoma. At that point, I measured the trucks to see how they would fit in the garage. After finding the dimensions of the truck, I started writing to the camper manufacturers to see if they had the ability to modify or control the height of the camper. Only Robby at Phoenix Campers was able to do it. I sent a drawing to Robby with the truck and the clearance to the garage. When we got home with our new camper for the first time, we slowly inched it into the garage, and we were able to get it in with a half inch clearance. The planning, measuring, and working with Robby really paid off.
TCM: Did you travel to Phoenix Campers to meet Robby before buying your camper? Jim: Yes. I work for an airline, which made flying to Denver inexpensive. I had a preconceived notion that Phoenix Campers had a large factory with an assembly line, but it was actuality a small factory. When we showed up, Robby had an older camper that someone had brought back for him to refurbish and he also had a camper that was 80% complete. Robby gave us a tour and showed us how the aluminum tubing and welding fits together. He showed us the fiberglass siding and the adhesives, and explained all the construction details. As a retired engineer, I really enjoyed that. We also went inside the camper that he was going to refurbish and he showed us how easy it was to lift the camper roof up. When we left Phoenix Campers we were ready to give Robby a deposit. Working with Robby was a pleasure. He is easy to talk to and very knowledgeable. He listens well and will give his opinion if asked. He is not an overpowering person and has a quiet confidence from his years of experience. I probably drove him nuts with all of my emails and engineering type questions. Robby values his customers’ opinions and is always willing to listen. Building campers is a labor of love for him. TCM: How long did it take for your Phoenix camper to be built? Jim: We sent Robby a deposit in February, but we didn’t want to pick the camper up until June. We didn’t mind because I was working and knew I wanted to take a mini-vacation in June; a pretty time to be in Colorado. We wound up picking it up in early June and camping on the way back to Tucson. TCM: Other than your camper height, what is custom about your Phoenix camper? Jim: We ordered a larger refrigerator in it. We also have an optional fixed bed with a thicker queen-size foam mattress that extends over the cab a bit more. This allows us to sleep north-south instead of the standard east-west. We also picked our own interior fabric and had it shipped up to Phoenix Campers. The lady who does the sewing for Phoenix is really excellent.
TCM: What was your first trip in your Phoenix camper like? Jim: We wanted to test the systems of our camper, so we camped in Rocky Mountain National Park just outside of Estes Park. If something needed attention, we were close to the factory. We checked the battery, refrigerator, stove, and heater. We raised the top. Everything worked perfectly. We stayed there for two or three days taking hikes in the park and using the camper. We just enjoyed the newness of the camper. And we were pleasantly surprised about the way the truck handled. It hardly changed with the camper on top of the truck. I could feel a little difference when turning or stopping, but less than I had imagined. TCM: Tell us about your experience in Alaska in a pop-up camper. Jim: My wife and I had to adapt to the space available in a small camper, but it didn’t take too long. We cooked and ate outside using a propane camping stove so we could enjoy the outdoors. In Alaska, it was the beginning of mosquito and black fly season, so we had to cook and eat inside some days.
TCM: How did you get passenger car rates on the ferries? Jim: We probably saved well over a thousand dollars by taking the camper versus a motorhome on the ferries. We didn’t have to reserve a spot because the camper doesn’t extend past the rear bumper of our Tacoma. And with our height being so compact, we were charged as a passenger car. We took two ferries while traveling up north. I had always wanted to go to the Queen Charlotte Islands, which is an eight hour ferry ride. We spent about a week on those islands. We also went on the Alaska State ferry from Prince Rupert to Juneau. While in Juneau, we took a boat ride into a fjord, viewed glaciers and wildlife, and stayed at the Mendenhall Glacier Campground. We continued on the ferry to Skagway, and then headed east to Banff and Jasper and then into British Columbia. On our way home we drove through Idaho, Montana, through Salt Lake City, and back home to Tucson totaling forty-one days on the road. TCM: That sounds like quite an adventure. What future trips do you have planned? Jim: We are hoping that our next major trip will be to Glacier National Park. TCM: Thanks, Jim. Keep us in the loop with your travels. Jim: I will.
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