Box truck suggestions wanted for open access to back, diesel, residential parking?

[aaroni]

Hi. I've been living in my Nissan frontier trick with a canopy for most of several years now. Having some health issues again, 42 hears old and have had 4 open heart surgeries due to a congenital birth defect, having some issues again it is, focused in rebuilding my massage and qigong clientele & income after moving too many times, owners of homeshare o was renting from suddenly moved out of the country at the same time a job i had at an organic farm ended, and I'm still not making nearly enough even for rent from massage business as takes a year or more to build a more stable clientele or seems. So in a challenging financial situation, as many of you likely empathize.? So figuring healthier to plan that ill be living in vehicle for some time yet.

So really needing more space ( even for health reasons as sitting to much in tiny space in Nissan can create blood clots which die to my heart i am already at risk for.
including standing head room!! And considering finding someone to trade my Nissan truck with for a box truck.? Specifically one in excellent mechanical condition, at least 18 miles to gallon, diesel preferred, with open access from cab to back inside, no rollin back door but swing open door from back, legal size to park in residential neighborhoods stealthily, reliable for many years with no major monetary investments needed, able to build a bed, sink, open space, desk, cabinets in.

Any suggestions on which trucks are best suited to look for, or even leads on someone with a suitable truck to trade for in the San Francisco, California Bay Area? Pic of my truck is attached.

 

[Lostinspace]

Welcome to the menagerie aaroni. I can't help you with the box van. Although I think you are on the right track. Although getting 18 mpg is a bit optimistic I'm afraid. It's all a function of weight and wind resistance for mpg. There is a member on here that has an all aluminum box he takes to car events and sells out of. He's the one to talk to about box trucks.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Hello and welcome.  I don't know much about box trucks, but i wish you luck.  I know a couple of people on here have or plan to go the box truck route.

 

[Scott_1776]

You might want to consider a Sprinter van, they have a turbo diesel I5 engine that suppose to get 20+ mpg.  They have extended WB's and high tops for 6 footers, lots of room and again very good on gas. They can be a little pricey, but the engines can go 500K with some regualr maintenance, reportly.

 

[IGBT]

You might look for a mitsubishi or isuzu reefer with a 16 foot box.&nbsp; They usually have barn doors and a side door.&nbsp; Very easy to drive around the city, and 18mpg is certainly possible.&nbsp; My Isuzu 20 foot flatbed is getting near 18mpg driving around town (but less on the hwy at 60mph).&nbsp; They are geared for efficiency at city speeds.<br><br>Not super cheap though...but perhaps you can find a deal.&nbsp;

 

[bee]

Sounds to me like a sprinter is closest to your criteria, stealthier then a box truck in residential areas and meets all your requirements except for the fact that it isn't a box truck.<br>IGBT makes a good point, He is referring to cab over refrigeration trucks. &nbsp;They aren't really meant for highway but they can do it. &nbsp;Offer more room then a sprinter, come insulated, reliable no frills.

 

[rokguy]

<EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Come on bee, not meant for hwy?</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Cabover japtrucks are perfectly suited to hwy running all day at 110kph (70 mph) that why there are 10 of 1000s of em running around Oz. older ones (1980's) were geared down more for the city.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Modern 3ltr to 4ltr, intercooled, turbo diesels will sit&nbsp;on 65mph at 3000rpm no problem and you'll get 400 000reliable kms per rebuild easy. I know I've owned several over the years&nbsp;</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">I like the Sprinter to, their&nbsp;engines are more economical but they are still only 6ft wide where as most box trucks go from 7ft to 8ft wide with up to 7ft headroom.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">The cabover box trucks gives you more space in the box cause there is no bonnet taking up valuable wheelbase area plus are much cheaper/easier to repair/service due to tilting cabs. Mechanics love em.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Geoff</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><BR><IMG class=bbc_img src="http://stonemasoncarver.com/sitebuilder/images/side_profile_wheel_covers-511x381.jpg" rel="lightbox"><BR>Above no wasted bonnet taking up the boxes payload wheelbase<BR><BR><IMG class=bbc_img src="http://stonemasoncarver.com/sitebuilder/images/LH_tilt-272x195.jpg" rel="lightbox"><BR>above tilt cab. stand right next to the engine when servicing

 

[Wild_E]

Rokguy,<br>actually Bee is correct in this case. They change vehicles when they come to North America for some odd weird damn reason. They offer those vehicles with a Highway package or a City package. Different gearing ratios in the transmissions and rear ends, mean that the City version screams down the highway with high RPMs whereas the Hwy version with a different rear end, floats down the highway with much better fuel efficiency.&nbsp;

 

[IGBT]

I dunno about screams...my Isuzu 5.1L 4 cyl cabover turns at 2600rpm at 60mph on the flat.<br><br>Still, I get about 18mpg in the city and only around 15mpg at 60mph, so it must be either wind resistance on the cab or the gearing is a bit better for city driving.<br><br>18 or 15, still a lot better than my gas Toyota Tundra truck, which gets about 17mpg on the highway at 60mph, but would get about 8mpg if I pulled the weight the Isuzu can.

 

[rokguy]

&nbsp;<EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">That would be wind resistance causing the lower economy. Cabover beds (C class style) has that trapped pocket of air under the overhang. My fuel economy&nbsp;improved significantly going from a C class style to a B class.<BR>And agreed some trucks were city bound......my older japtruck (3.4 ltr 1983 Toyota) had really goofy gearing, a 5 speed where you only used three gears, start off in second, forth, fifth OD. 1st was to low even on most hill starts and third would rev the rings out of it but since the 90's up japtrucks have made vast improvements.<BR>My favs are 1991 to 2001 as most weren't computer controlled.<BR><BR>I know you all like pics so...below is the old Toyota after taking the motorhome box off&nbsp;before selling&nbsp;her, thought I would have to give her away. and the reused MH box.<BR>Geoff</SPAN></STRONG></EM>