New NYC transplant w a dream

Bluedogz · Sep 17, 2024

Hi everyone!

I'm born/raised in the bustle of NYC, so... used to small spaces, don't get cramped too easily, and have a high tolerance for background noise.

When I was little (like 4 YOA), my (then very energetic) parents packed me in the back of a 1970 Buick Skylark and did a summer over-the-road trip from NYC to Niagara Falls to Detroit to San Francisco to Disneyland to Pikes Peak to the Painted Desert and all the way home. Since then, I have absolutely yearned to do it again as a grownup. Also, I've grown into a very DIY-friendly guy who is comfortable with most any job.

I've owned a travel trailer in the past (a 16') and found that it was just too much stuff! I didn't need or use the lion's share of its "features". A minivan conversion seems like an ideal solution. So, I'm here to learn.

Thanks for having me.

Catalystgrrl · Sep 17, 2024

Well welcome! That sounds like an epic trip! I'm from the Niagara Falls area and drove myself across the country to CA as a teenager. Still here today. Not sure if it was that trip that gave me wanderlust or if I've always had it, but it's a good thing to have if you're into vanlife. Enjoy the forum!

eDJ_ · Sep 17, 2024

Welcome to the Van Living Forum Bluedogz. You've found a great place to learn of all the stuff you want to know about. Since you're in Texas, I'd suggest considering a vehicle durable enough to hold up to lots of travel. I have family in Texas and have been all over the state so I urge you to consider a durable platform if you want to invest in a build out. All the best !

Bluedogz · Sep 17, 2024

eDJ_ said:
Welcome to the Van Living Forum Bluedogz. You've found a great place to learn of all the stuff you want to know about. Since you're in Texas, I'd suggest considering a vehicle durable enough to hold up to lots of travel. I have family in Texas and have been all over the state so I urge you to consider a durable platform if you want to invest in a build out. All the best !

100% accurate. ATM I'm in Texas by chance and not design, so staying here is really not on the radar in the long run. That said, getting something durable is a no-brainer. Like I said, I'm DIY-friendly so maintaining a vehicle on the road is quite doable until it gets major- I kept a V6 Camry running for 300k before it needed a major repair and in a van-life context even that repair would have been an inconvenience but not a killer.

INTJohn · Sep 17, 2024

bullfrog ! · Sep 17, 2024

Welcome!

eDJ_ · Sep 17, 2024

In my more recent visits to my Texas cousins, I was impressed by the number of heavier Pickup Trucks with Slide In's (campers) I spoke with a few who were driving 3/4 and 1 ton rigs with add on engine oil & transmission coolers mounted to the radiator. Some even towing fishing boats with outboard motors. (Piney Woods area)

That way they could nomad when they wanted and resort to the sticks & bricks during certain times of the years. The Pickup could pull out from under the camper to be left in a shelter. I guess that if you were around the coast you could tow a sailboat to do some lite sailing to get your boating skills & seamanship honed in.

A setup like that could get you on the road immediately until you figure how you really want to roll.

Bluedogz · Sep 17, 2024

eDJ_ said:
In my more recent visits to my Texas cousins, I was impressed by the number of heavier Pickup Trucks with Slide In's (campers) I spoke with a few who were driving 3/4 and 1 ton rigs with add on engine oil & transmission coolers mounted to the radiator. Some even towing fishing boats with outboard motors. (Piney Woods area)

That way they could nomad when they wanted and resort to the sticks & bricks during certain times of the years. The Pickup could pull out from under the camper to be left in a shelter. I guess that if you were around the coast you could tow a sailboat to do some lite sailing to get your boating skills & seamanship honed in.

A setup like that could get you on the road immediately until you figure how you really want to roll.

The slide-in idea seemed like a great one for a bit... research shows they're better suited for huntin'-and-fishin' type folk. If I'm gonna spend that much plus a vehicle to carry it, I'd just get a good TT and call it done.

I don't have a clear idea where the sticks-and-bricks are going to be, or when. Right now, I'm still on the whiteboard.

maki2 · Sep 17, 2024

If you do not know what the future holds for you just buy a cargo van. They hold their value pretty good for resale and are versatile for camping inside of them including being able to put some low profile solar panels up top.

Bluedogz · Sep 17, 2024

maki2 said:
If you do not know what the future holds for you just buy a cargo van. They hold their value pretty good for resale and are versatile for camping inside of them including being able to put some low profile solar panels up top.

This is a great idea. Now, my idea in replicating that trip is to be able to have a reasonable daily driver both until and during that expedition. Further, all the cargo vans I've seen in a modest price range are either 1) quite expensive for their size, 2) gas hogs, 3) ragged out by a tradesman, or 4) all of the above. So, it seemed like a Toyota Sienna or similar might be a good start.

abnorm · Sep 18, 2024

^They're SMALL............I build a lot

Bluedogz · Sep 18, 2024

abnorm said:
^They're SMALL............I build a lot

What, minivans? Yeah, that's a good part of my point. I need very little, and don't mind "overflowing" outdoors for cooking etc.

LargeMarge · Sep 18, 2024

Bluedogz said:
The slide-in idea seemed like a great one for a bit... research shows they're better suited for huntin'-and-fishin' type folk. If I'm gonna spend that much plus a vehicle to carry it, I'd just get a good TT...

.
a)
Chris and Elisabeth -- YouTubers 'CandE Adventures' -- full-time live-aboard their TruckCamper.
Former game-wardens, they eat good!

.
Eric and Marissa -- YouTubers 'The Cummins Campers' -- full-time live-aboard their TruckCamper.
While traveling, they operate two successful businesses!

.
Alicia Ard -- YouTuber 'Alicia Ard' -- is a full-time live-aboard in her TruckCamper while working on-line as a Graphic Designer.

.
.
b)
That 'good' and 'TT' in one sentence is an oxymoron.
They simply don't go together.
.
Ask around, most full-time live-aboard folks advise against a factory RecreateVehicle for full-time live-aboard.
They are assembled from low-bid components, engineered for profit instead of longevity.
The worst of a factory RecreateVehicle?
They are designed by committees of non-camping accountants.
.
Unless, of course, you just must have dual wine-chillers in your 'Entertainment Center'...
... and don't mind camping in the repair-shop parking-lot for months.
And months.
And months.
.
"Well, I will just buy a used rig, avoid all those warranty issues!"
keyword : staples into particle-board
.
On our preferred rough logger tracks to remote mountain lakes or across deserts to isolated Baja beaches, a factory RecreateVehicle would crumble to dust the first five minutes.
.
As you might imagine, the much-touted 'hurricane during an earthquake with rioters' describes every minute of every mile in any vehicle.
A used RecreateVehicle has those experiences under its belt, coupled with popped seals, probably has some rot.
Look for trampoline floors and the exciting inconvenience of a 'low' ceiling impending your initial examination.
.
Broken welds seem popular, too.
But those chinesium tires should be good for another [twenty-minute rant deleted].

LargeMarge · Sep 18, 2024

Bluedogz said:
... used to small spaces, don't get cramped...
...a travel trailer... (a 16')...it was just too much stuff! I didn't need or use the lion's share of its "features". A minivan conversion seems like an ideal solution...

.
a)
We understand small.
Our ExpeditionVehicle is three paces across by seven paces long about 600cf/16 cubic meters(metres).
https://vanlivingforum.com/threads/expeditionvehicle-build.44908/#post-576110
.
.
b)
July 2024, an acquaintance returned from Baja, was faced with losing his factory RecreateVehicle, a 1999 36' Bounder, Cummins pusher.
We got the title, paid it off, and are amazed at the interior cubic space!
The thing is massive!
.
Now, before we lose all credibility with our beloved TinyHomeOnWheels bunch, we are using it for storage.
.
However, we are keeping the center walkway open.
Always wanted a combination drag-strip/ rifle range...
.
.
c)
I see your word 'solution', and must issue a warning:
* every rig is constantly evolving.
Today's solution is usually only temporary.
You change, your vehicle needs change, too.

LargeMarge · Sep 18, 2024

Bluedogz said:
...cargo vans...are either 1) quite expensive for their size, 2) gas hogs, 3) ragged out by a tradesman, or 4) all of the above. So, it seemed like a Toyota Sienna or similar...

.
a)
(1991?), we had a (1984?) Chevrolet Astro van.
4.3 engine, 700R4 automatic.
We acquired it half-beat-to-death from a plumbing contractor.
.
After five new tires plus hoses and serpentine, we traveled with our usual caravan chums -- multiple times -- from Oregon to Central America for SCUBA and surfing.
Zero issues with that gallant steed for the years we owned it.
.
We prefer common American-built vehicles with a history of reliable acquisition of parts.
That excludes most computer vehicles.
That definitely excludes anything after 2006.
That absolutely excludes anything with Exhaust Fluid.
.
An aside:
A couple years ago, my neighbors acquired a 2011 Chevrolet 1-ton pick-up with a TruckCamper.
Returning to Oregon from a Texas wedding, they got stranded in Albuquerque with sensor failures.
Tow to the dealership.
.
Six grand in parts-n-repairs and a week later, they finally got back on the road home.
They were glad they bought the ExtendedWarranty® for four grand over the price of the rig...
[shakes head in dismay]
.
.
b)
Fuel efficiency?
We rarely travel more than a hundred miles a month.
Fuel is a very minor part of our budget.

Bluedogz · Sep 18, 2024

LargeMarge said:
.
a)
Chris and Elisabeth -- YouTubers 'CandE Adventures' -- full-time live-aboard their TruckCamper.
Former game-wardens, they eat good!

.
Eric and Marissa -- YouTubers 'The Cummins Campers' -- full-time live-aboard their TruckCamper.
While traveling, they operate two successful businesses!

.
Alicia Ard -- YouTuber 'Alicia Ard' -- is a full-time live-aboard in her TruckCamper while working on-line as a Graphic Designer.

.
.
b)
That 'good' and 'TT' in one sentence is an oxymoron.
They simply don't go together.
.
Ask around, most full-time live-aboard folks advise against a factory RecreateVehicle for full-time live-aboard.
They are assembled from low-bid components, engineered for profit instead of longevity.
The worst of a factory RecreateVehicle?
They are designed by committees of non-camping accountants.
.
Unless, of course, you just must have dual wine-chillers in your 'Entertainment Center'...
... and don't mind camping in the repair-shop parking-lot for months.
And months.
And months.
.
"Well, I will just buy a used rig, avoid all those warranty issues!"
keyword : staples into particle-board
.
On our preferred rough logger tracks to remote mountain lakes or across deserts to isolated Baja beaches, a factory RecreateVehicle would crumble to dust the first five minutes.
.
As you might imagine, the much-touted 'hurricane during an earthquake with rioters' describes every minute of every mile in any vehicle.
A used RecreateVehicle has those experiences under its belt, coupled with popped seals, probably has some rot.
Look for trampoline floors and the exciting inconvenience of a 'low' ceiling impending your initial examination.
.
Broken welds seem popular, too.
But those chinesium tires should be good for another [twenty-minute rant deleted].

Oh, I'm not suggesting a camper rig couldn't work, but for the cost of that plus the vehicle to carry it, I'm way above any budget I'll have. So, it wouldn't work FOR ME. Also, I don't expect to go the logger-track route (though I get those that do.)

And yes, having owned the TT, you couldn't get me near another one on a dare. One of the attractions of a DIY van conversion is that I know EVERY INCH of the vehicle before I ever hit the road. I'll have oodles of time to build it out. That's why my questions are gonna get real granular.

maki2 · Sep 19, 2024

abnorm said:
^They're SMALL............I build a lot

And even more reasons you have a larger, tall, van… You are married. A minivan just can’t provide enough space for the two of you.

bullfrog ! · Sep 19, 2024

I saw an old friend of mine today in his old rusty1990 Toyota truck with a manufactured topper what now looks like a home built as it has been repaired and seal coated so many times. Rear cab slider window open and cab windows cracked to get a little breeze, snoring away in the back not a care in the world. Parked in a 14 day parking lot overnight where you are not suppose to camp but gone by 8 AM. He bought the truck new along with the topper and works seasonally when he gets short on money and eats and stays healthy long term hiking and rock climbing. He has been doing that almost 35 years now. I believe he is in his late 50’s and told me last year he was considering getting an apartment and a part time job at a used outdoor supply store in Moab now he is getting older. It doesn’t take much to live this lifestyle just a strong will to do so.

maki2 · Sep 19, 2024

bullfrog ! said:
I saw an old friend of mine today in his old rusty1990 Toyota truck with a manufactured topper what now looks like a home built as it has been repaired and seal coated so many times. Rear cab slider window open and cab windows cracked to get a little breeze, snoring away in the back not a care in the world. Parked in a 14 day parking lot overnight where you are not suppose to camp but gone by 8 AM. He bought the truck new along with the topper and works seasonally when he gets short on money and eats and stays healthy long term hiking and rock climbing. He has been doing that almost 35 years now. I believe he is in his late 50’s and told me last year he was considering getting an apartment and a part time job at a used outdoor supply store in Moab now he is getting older. It doesn’t take much to live this lifestyle just a strong will to do so.

How did 1990 get to be considered old?

bullfrog ! · Sep 19, 2024

maki2 said:
How did 1990 get to be considered old?

Any vehicle with over 500,000 miles is old! Lol!!!

Everything I drive is older! lol!!!

New NYC transplant w a dream

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