Overview

Available Bodies

This document defines the OpenOverland body as a standalone architectural object.

The body is the enclosure and load-carrying interface that sits above the sub-frame. It houses the camper, distributes camper load into the sub-frame, and presents clean structural and service interfaces in both directions.

Purpose of the Body

The body exists to:

• Provide a flat, rigid load surface for the camper
• Distribute camper loads into the sub-frame through defined attachment points
• Carry auxiliary systems — storage, water, electrical, air — without compromising the camper interface
• Define a clean mechanical interface between the camper above and the sub-frame below

The body is not:

• A structural part of the sub-frame
• A camper itself
• A decorative shell

The body must remain valid as camper models and sub-frame variants change. Only the camper interface and the sub-frame bolt pattern need to adapt.

Design Posture

The body is conceived as a flatbed-style aluminium structure, bolted to the sub-frame at the outrigger pattern.

Key assumptions:

• The body adds no torsional stiffness to the chassis — the sub-frame already isolates torsion
• The body is fully bolted, not welded to the sub-frame, so it is serviceable and reversible
• Aluminium is the default material — corrosion resistance, weight, and finish
• All attachment points are explicit and documented

Interfaces

The body defines interfaces, not implementations.

Interfaces include:

• Sub-frame interface — the outrigger bolt pattern below
• Camper interface — the tie-down and contact pattern above
• Service interfaces — water, electrical, and air pass-throughs to the camper and sub-frame
• Storage interfaces — under-deck box geometry and access doors

Interfaces are explicit, documented, and conservative.

Open Source Intent

All body designs published under OpenOverland are released under an open license, alongside the matching sub-frame.

This includes:

• Complete engineering drawings in DXF and STEP format
• Bill of materials with supplier part numbers
• Fabrication notes and lessons learned
• Real cost data from verified builds

The goal is not a product. It is a standard — an engineering baseline that any builder can take to any competent fabricator and get a correctly built body at a fair price.