Top-end teardrop camper turns heads

Customisation is the main game of many Melbourne-based caravan manufacturers, but few have taken it to such retina-burning levels as fledgling Queensland teardrop camper manufacturer Wild Monkey.

Ramping up its one-man production line in early-2020, Wild Monkey is the brainchild of Sunshine Coast-based Ben Culley, who had a 20 year career in construction and bespoke furniture design before deciding to turn his skills to designing and building top-end teardrop campers.

Available in three model grades, the light and compact Wild Monkey camper is very much of the old-school teardrop design, from its cute egg-shaped profile to hot rod-style exposed wheels and guards.

However, Culley says his Wild Monkey campers stand out with their fully customisable exterior and interior colour schemes, along with fine workmanship in the body and furniture made from European birch plywood, and bespoke CNC-cut aluminium and acrylic fittings.

All parts of the camper except for the Raptor-coated steel chassis are made by Culley at his Sunshine Coast factory.

"I have machinery here to pretty much fabricate anything I want, including bespoke aluminium brackets for things like the roof rack and gas bottle holder," he says

Customers appreciate the handcrafted final finish, along with unique features like wine bottle holders inside curved drawers finished in marine lacquer.

"There's not a straight line in my campers, unlike some of the other (teardrop) manufacturers doing what I call kitchen cabinetry," he says.

Culley doesn't skimp on hardware either, from sourcing top-notch stainless steel screws to fabricating special bezels for the switch panels.

"The construction is incredibly strong but also aesthetically pleasing to the eye," he reckons. "I'd liken the joinery and attention to detail to the interior of a luxury yacht."

Buyers can choose from a range of different colours and finishes for the aluminium composite exterior skin, or a number of eye-catching vinyl wrap designs including 'Surf', 'Hotrod', 'Forest', 'Woody' and 'Spiral', to really stand out at the campsite.

The Wild Monkey campers measure 3960mm (overall length) by 2020mm (overall width) and 1775mm (overall height). They weigh in from 600kg (Tare) with an ATM of 1000kg on the entry-level model.

Pricing starts at $23,990 for the Splendour DX model which features leaf spring suspension, 14in steel wheels and 10in electric brakes, along with a memory foam queen mattress, 100Ah Enerdrive lithium battery system with DC-DC 40amp charger, interior/exterior lighting, electric roof vent and power outlets.

As well as drawers and a benchtop, the tailgate kitchen includes a slide-out for an esky or portable fridge and space for a two burner gas cooker.

More up-spec variants including the Splendour LX ($27,990) and Splendour GT ($31,990) add a front toolbox, along with other features like a 65 litre water tank and pump, gas bottle, 40 litre Dometic fridge, TV/entertainment system and bigger 125Ah lithium battery system, depending on the model.

Options include a Smarttek hot water shower unit, Transcool evaporative cooler, roof racks, side table and water tank gauge.

While Culley is only capable of producing a camper every six weeks or so, he says the business is growing with a couple from Cairns recently flying down to check out the factory in person.

Find the full details here.

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