Instead of a trailer, how about this

[Dirtyhip]

I am liking those step vans.  Like a previously used mail truck or delivery truck. 

We could custom it out with a fridge, water heater, and all the mini home requirements.  We want to just use water cubes and keep attaching them as needed, instead of having one water tank that you continue to fill and drain,  

The camper is cool, and kit serves most of our needs.  I do like the idea of being more mobile and a smaller rig.  I am not comfortable driving the truck and trailer. I would really love a smaller school bus too.  There are advantages to having one unit.  We can get into smaller camp spots.  Parking is annoying and troublesome with a trailer.  With a van type unit we just pull in most places easily.

A delivery truck is more incognito as well.  It doesn't immediately look like a camp rig.  On the other hand, I could not care about being incognito, and paint some dope ass murals on the side of it.  

OK, wise people, what problems do you see with this?  

Issues I see are safety.  No air bags and a passenger seat and infrastructure would need to be installed.  Usually they only have a jump seat for the passenger.

 

[donkpow]

One of my great uncles converted an old ice cream truck to camper.

[Dirtyhip]

5 minutes ago, donkpow said:

One of my great uncles converted an old ice cream truck to camper.

Tell me more.  

So, the plan came about as I expressed that the rig is too large for me to happily drive.  I love the Sprinters, but my budget minded self hates the cost of those things.  Nice, but over priced IMHO.

[petitepedal ★]

I think about doing that in a van..or even an SUV...there is a benefit to being on the short side

[Longjohn ★]

24 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

I am liking those step vans.  Like a previously used mail truck or delivery truck

How about something like this?

i have had it for many years. A guy I used to work with talked me into selling it to him a couple years ago and I never heard from him again. If you want it come and get it. I’ll just consider the money he gave me a storage fee. I still have the title.

[Ralphie ★]

Ooh, that has Hip's van down by the river written all over it.

 

[Ralphie ★]

18 minutes ago, petitepedal said:

I think about doing that in a van..or even an SUV...there is a benefit to being on the short side

On our LAST camping trip we slept in the minivan while it was pouring ootside. :D

[KrAzY]

There is not one issue with it.. I had a work truck like you were talking about and I made a living area in it for when we were working off the grid. I even attached an eye bolt to the side in case I wanted to sleep in the hammock I had at night. Just needed one tree in the field.

All cooking was done with a small BBQ I had or just by boiling water. 

[Prophet Zacharia]

33 minutes ago, donkpow said:

One of my great uncles converted an old ice cream truck to camper.

Was your great uncle Borat, or Azamat?!?

 

[smudge ★]

I drove one of those delivery trucks for three years. I worked a vending route. My mom has a pic somewhere.

You'll definitely need to insulate the SOB. They just have aluminum walls.

Excellent point about passenger seat. My truck didn't have one, but the guy's trucks did.

Keep in mind you'll be sitting basically on/with the engine. The cowel works great for setting lunch on, but you may be sucking fumes. (Then again I think my truck was from the 80's)

And I would expect nothing less than a dope ass mural on the side of a DH camping van. 

[Longjohn ★]

When my boys were little we had an old many passenger van (I think 15). I took out the back two rows of seats to make enough room for a full size mattress. My wife and I slept in the van and the boys slept in a tent next to the van. One night it rained all night, my wife had me check on the boys, they were fine. 

[smudge ★]

Would an instant hot water heater work in there to eliminate the need for a hot water tank? We've got a couple of the instant water heaters at camp. 

[Dirtyhip]

6 minutes ago, KrAzY said:

There is not one issue with it.. I had a work truck like you were talking about and I made a living area in it for when we were working off the grid. I even attached an eye bolt to the side in case I wanted to sleep in the hammock I had at night. Just needed one tree in the field.

All cooking was done with a small BBQ I had or just by boiling water. 

Our state is lenient with how they classify this.  You can register it as a passenger vehicle.  This helps with insurance.  Some states are not so generous and only see it as commercial.

5 minutes ago, smudge said:

I drove one of those delivery trucks for three years. I worked a vending route. My mom has a pic somewhere.

You'll definitely need to insulate the SOB. They just have aluminum walls.

Excellent point about passenger seat. My truck didn't have one, but the guy's trucks did.

Keep in mind you'll be sitting basically on/with the engine. The cowel works great for setting lunch on, but you may be sucking fumes. (Then again I think my truck was from the 80's)

And I would expect nothing less than a dope ass mural on the side of a DH camping van. 

Girl, you have done so many things.  HAHA.  Why am I not surprised?  

Thanks on the tip about the engine fumes.  That is concerning.

[Chris...]

[smudge ★]

2 minutes ago, Chris... said:

FTW

[UglyBob]

I think you guys need a Unimog camper.

[KrAzY]

Maybe get a short bus. Slap a couple stripper poles in it and you can not only have a camper, but also a business. 

[Chris...]

https://www.carsforsale.com/vehicle/details/40535882

[late]

The question is what the actual problem is.

You can get used to a trailer, or a bus. It's not really that hard.

So what's the actual problem? Why not a tent, or a pop up? Both would involve a lot less work and money.

I'm no fan of used motor homes, but why not?

[UglyBob]

Here you go. It's in Medford. You can use the lift gate as a patio.

https://medford.craigslist.org/cto/d/2002-freightliner-grummans/6684862614.html

[KrAzY]

12 minutes ago, UglyBob said:

Here you go. It's in Medford. You can use the lift gate as a patio.

https://medford.craigslist.org/cto/d/2002-freightliner-grummans/6684862614.html

Sweet.. it already is set up to sleep 4 people with the fold up shelves. 

I have slept a few nights on shelving like that before. A lot more comfy with an air mattress.

[team scooter]

The problem with many smaller delivery trucks (mail, ice cream trucks, etc) is they were geared for door to door deliveries, not running out on the interstates.  Extended highway speeds much above 50 mph, they may start wheezing or even overheat. I used to drive an old work truck that I could not drive on the expressways because it was too slow and would overheat. Good thing I got paid by the hour. 

[Prophet Zacharia]

Lightly used U-Haul.

 

[Ralphie ★]

1 hour ago, KrAzY said:

Maybe get a short bus. Slap a couple stripper poles in it and you can not only have a camper, but also a business. 

Windows are highly underrated.  Windowless vans seem depressing to me.

[Chris...]

I think I would prefer this setup

[Dirtyhip]

2 minutes ago, Chris... said:

I think I would prefer this setup

We would be back to popping up and down all the time.  Our pop ups always start to break down.  I like the permanent structure.  

Our camper has been lived in about 1/3 of the year.

[Chris...]

[Dirtyhip]

We are not fans of the cab over.  Bike transport and shuttling becomes a problem with those.

[donkpow]

3 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

Tell me more.  

Sorry, I don't remember the details. It's been more than forty years since I saw the vehicle.  Back when I was a kid, guys would convert anything on four wheels to serve as a hunting vehicle. You would see propane stove vents out of the top of anything enclosed and you knew it was a hunter's vehickle.

https://gearjunkie.com/10-custom-camper-builders-to-make-your-van-life-dreams-a-reality

[Further]

With an older delivery truck or school bus you are probably looking at 5 or 6 mpg. 

Ford Transit vans in the longer wheelbase, higher roof models are a less expensive alternative to the Sprinter. 

[BR46]

There was a rig like this for sale at the last road race I was at. You could probably pick it up for under a half a million. 

[Airehead]

I would worry about safety of a passenger

[Randomguy]

12 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

I am liking those step vans.  Like a previously used mail truck or delivery truck. 

We could custom it out with a fridge, water heater, and all the mini home requirements.  We want to just use water cubes and keep attaching them as needed, instead of having one water tank that you continue to fill and drain,  

The camper is cool, and kit serves most of our needs.  I do like the idea of being more mobile and a smaller rig.  I am not comfortable driving the truck and trailer. I would really love a smaller school bus too.  There are advantages to having one unit.  We can get into smaller camp spots.  Parking is annoying and troublesome with a trailer.  With a van type unit we just pull in most places easily.

A delivery truck is more incognito as well.  It doesn't immediately look like a camp rig.  On the other hand, I could not care about being incognito, and paint some dope ass murals on the side of it.  

OK, wise people, what problems do you see with this?  

Issues I see are safety.  No air bags and a passenger seat and infrastructure would need to be installed.  Usually they only have a jump seat for the passenger.

 

I saw a lot of conversions in CO, and they look handy as hell.  I would get one way before I would a trailer.  Trailers are cool, too, but maybe a bit fussier than a nice sprinter.

[Longjohn ★]

One of the last times I had “The Deerslayer” out at the lake the next campsite up the hill from us they had a custom built motor home  on a Kenworth base. The owner was a retired long haul trucker and just liked the Kenworths. He had a crapton of money tied up in it. He said he had no regrets, he loves it.

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

The advantage of a converted delivery van style camper is it's all-in-one: no trailer to drag about and a compact camping style.

The disadvantage of a converted delivery van style camper is it's all-in-one: once you set it up and then have to drive anywhere - the store, visit friends, a trail head to far away to bike to - you have to pack up or stow your living space/gear to move the vehicle and then set it up again when you return to your campsite.

 

21 hours ago, KrAzY said:

Maybe get a short bus.

Wisdom.  I've 'ridden the short bus' most of my life.  It's a great way to go.

[Airehead]

6 hours ago, Longjohn said:

One of the last times I had “The Deerslayer” out at the lake the next campsite up the hill from us they had a custom built motor home  on a Kenworth base. The owner was a retired long haul trucker and just liked the Kenworths. He had a crapton of money tied up in it. He said he had no regrets, he loves it.

Lots of pro dog handlers have rigs like this with crating and human room too. End of season in Nov you will see them for sale. People either upgrading or retiring. 

[Airehead]

[Randomguy]

Seriously, the van conversions look so good for camping.  Sprinters are good because they are good in crosswinds and you can stand up in them.

I can see you in this or something like it:

 

 

[Randomguy]

More for you guys:

 

 

[jsharr ★]

Lots of DIY options

https://www.curbed.com/2018/8/1/17640472/camper-van-vanlife-diy-kit-for-sale

[ChrisL]

On 9/8/2018 at 6:04 AM, Dirtyhip said:

I am liking those step vans.  Like a previously used mail truck or delivery truck. 

We could custom it out with a fridge, water heater, and all the mini home requirements.  We want to just use water cubes and keep attaching them as needed, instead of having one water tank that you continue to fill and drain,  

The camper is cool, and kit serves most of our needs.  I do like the idea of being more mobile and a smaller rig.  I am not comfortable driving the truck and trailer. I would really love a smaller school bus too.  There are advantages to having one unit.  We can get into smaller camp spots.  Parking is annoying and troublesome with a trailer.  With a van type unit we just pull in most places easily.

A delivery truck is more incognito as well.  It doesn't immediately look like a camp rig.  On the other hand, I could not care about being incognito, and paint some dope ass murals on the side of it.  

OK, wise people, what problems do you see with this?  

Issues I see are safety.  No air bags and a passenger seat and infrastructure would need to be installed.  Usually they only have a jump seat for the passenger.

 

I am not mechanically inclined so can't offer any how to's but I would have a concern converting a used delivery vehicle.  Miles & miles of stop & go in city driving is hard on vehicles.  Corporate fleet vehicles generally are not maintained well as they hope to get 3 years of service (usual amortization) with as little maintenance as necessary to save cost.  I've done it hundreds of times on fleet vehicles.  I put just enough maintenance in them to keep em running and safe and then return them after 3 years.

This is the type of vehicle you are looking at to build from...  I would be concerned you are looking at mucho time, money & frustration in a conversion of this nature.

[Razors Edge ★]

Among other sites, Outside Online has lots of fun videos you should check out.  A surfer in a box truck. Or a Sprinter conversion.  Or just lots of different #vanlife stories.

Tom

[Razors Edge ★]

18 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

Among other sites, Outside Online has lots of fun videos you should check out.  A surfer in a box truck. Or a Sprinter conversion.  Or just lots of different #vanlife stories.

Tom

And some other interesting stories (these folks relatively near you), etc..  And this "Sprinter" search gives a few cool ideas like this one:

Tom

[Dirtyhip]

Yeah, I think we are leaning towards the sprinter van.  The gas mileage doesn't scare me about the step van.  It's the safety, and noise factors that are more of a concern.  The. 

We could easily afford a sprinter.   It would be our only vehicle tho.  The good news is that they just opened a grocery store that is walking distance for us.  We don't really need a vehicle. Our vehicle tends to be for fun only.  

[Parr8hed]

I love the sprinter vans.  A ton of people show up to cross meets with them.  One of the kids on G's team has one.  So much room inside.  You can make a loft in the back to sleep., Keep the bikes under that.  Still plenty of room for sink, stove, fridge.  Or just use coolers.  Generator and roof AC would be very nice for sleeping.  Outfit with a generator, holding tank, on demand water heater and outdoor shower would be fairly easy and be dope as shit for what you guys do.  Are you on the instagram.  There are a bunch of them.  I follow one chick called vacayvans.  She did one up pretty nice.  She's hot too.

[Dirtyhip]

4 minutes ago, Parr8hed said:

I love the sprinter vans.  A ton of people show up to cross meets with them.  One of the kids on G's team has one.  So much room inside.  You can make a loft in the back to sleep., Keep the bikes under that.  Still plenty of room for sink, stove, fridge.  Or just use coolers.  Generator and roof AC would be very nice for sleeping.  Outfit with a generator, holding tank, on demand water heater and outdoor shower would be fairly easy and be dope as shit for what you guys do.  Are you on the instagram.  There are a bunch of them.  I follow one chick called vacayvans.  She did one up pretty nice.  She's hot too.

Maybe my van life dream may become a reality.

Can I park on your curb for a month (time TBT)  ?

 

[Parr8hed]

13 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Maybe my van life dream may become a reality.

Can I park on your curb for a month (time TBT)  ?

 

sure

[Dirtyhip]

1 minute ago, Parr8hed said:

sure

 

I would pay for our space rent by riding with G and E. 

[Parr8hed]

Just now, Dirtyhip said:

 

I would pay for our space rent by riding with G and E. 

G would drop you.  ?

You can catch Emmy for me.  How good are your glove skills?  Her fastballs come at you pretty quick. 

If you are serious then you need to do this around May.  The first Sat in May (and the weeks before) are pretty magical around here. 

[ChrisL]

1 hour ago, Parr8hed said:

You can catch Emmy for me.  How good are your glove skills?  Her fastballs come at you pretty quick. 

So not worth it @Dirtyhip don't do it!!! We've all seen the carnage Emmy put on P8!