considering a private business venture outfitting, Vans, RVs, and trailers..

[safarivan]

hey everybody,

I hope this is not unacceptable post here, Im new to the forum but not to the mobile lifestyle so if this post is inappropriate here, please forgive me and move or delete.


I have a very nice but low rent shop, an extensive professional background in automotive racing, service, customizing, etc. and have been mostly restoring classics on the side but also some RVs and vans here and there and I enjoy doing this. Im very skilled at it to FWIW

so I wonder if there is enough interest out there, since there are many things that require tools and skills most folks may not have available to them, for guys like me to fit in on the private side of it instead of commercial?

nothing against restoring classics but BTDT for a long time and honestly, I like Vans, RVs, etc. more now and see them becoming more popular as a lifestyle.

I am also thinking towards the future with this so that if I can make it work out well enough, I could find a shop with plenty of extra space for 'storing' boondocked vehicles for short amounts of time and maybe start up other locations to move the storage containers around a bit.

perhaps get more people involved to do the same and form up a private network for 'storing vehicles'?

some pretty big ideas that Im just wanting to kick around here. I hope its OK? Im not open to the public nor plan to be and not asking for business just to be clear.

anyway, sorry if I have mis posted and thanks if not and look forward to hopefully some discussion about this.

a private co-op? thanks

 

[eDJ_]

Back in the day (1960's - 1970's) Vans were tricked out to be flashy party mobiles that few people really considered living in full time.  I think most of the owners were still living with Mom & Dad and used these to
take some friends to Rock Concerts.  There were Van Magazines all over the news stands then but it ended
when the Van owner got married and started having kids.  Thus the end of a "fad".

Still it left it's mark on many of us yet today.  What I remember most in those magazines were the Ad's
encouraging the entrepreneurs to set up shop and build out the Vans for the Kids who had neither the
tools or ability to build for himself what he would drool over in the Van Magazines.   There were plan sets
for around $25 each that covered the Ford's, Chevy's, and Dodge's of he day where you received a paper tube with paper templates you could use to cut wood paneling for the walls, ceiling, and floor.   Those with some tools and skills could build out a fairly reasonable Van.

Ad's like this:

You may find some of these old magazines and look thru them and see some of these Ad's and get some
ideas that you could offer and possibly find some business.  You may also find an upholstery shop to partner with where they could cover any structural components you would build out.   I would strongly advise keeping building and fabrication/welding processes isolated from upholstery processes. 

You may also look at my Van Conversion website below (top link)  to see how I did my basic outfitting with a
plywood floor with carpeting on it,  a makeshift bed,  simple cabinet kitchenette,  and the like.  I was using my Van in the warmer months for camping and travel.   With a couple of good Coleman catalytic heaters I could survive a cold night if I had to....due to break downs.  Next morning I could make it to a parts store and do the repairs and then continue on.

 

[John61CT]

Rather than flashy aesthetics, I think a focus on good-value practical work would fill a stronger need these days

Taking a bare cargo van or trailer, different choices of layout, bed platform, kitchens removable chuck boxes, compact toilets and washup/shower rigs

Under-chassis storage, roof racks, cargo hitches.

Solar and other DC electrics a huge area needing help.

Heating, plumbing, hydronics, propane. . .

 

[safarivan]

Back in the day (1960's - 1970's) Vans were...

yes! this is my Dad when I was growing up! I even bumped an old custom vans thread earlier. I also remember my Dad getting so high on contact cement when he was carpeting one of them inside during winter he could hardly stand up when he got out HAhaha!


I literally grew up with in the '70s van scene and 'The Godfather' of God Fathers Vans was my Dads buddy (anyone remember the machine gun logo spare tire covers?

good stuff!

 

[safarivan]

Rather than flashy aesthetics, I think a focus on good-value practical work would fill a stronger need these days

Taking a bare cargo van or trailer, different choices of layout, bed platform, kitchens removable chuck boxes, compact toilets and washup/shower rigs

Under-chassis storage, roof racks, cargo hitches.

Solar and other DC electrics a huge area needing help.

Heating, plumbing, hydronics, propane. . .

this is what Im getting at here... transitioning out of the resto area into this one. its just more real life and I see lots of creative opportunities for more than just money.

money would not be my main priority. there is something special happening in this mobile living scene I would like to be a part of that and hopefully help make it better.

 

[eDJ_]

Had to laugh about your Dad and the contact cement.   My Dad and I were working with some solvents in his first Van.  We were in the Garage during the winter with a space heater in use.  I noticed the "wiener dog" walking about  "Buzzed".  I nudged Dad and he quickly realized the vapors were settling and she was much lower to the ground than we were. 

So I hopped out of the van and opened the door to let her and the vapors out.   The dog wasn't a happy camper and neither was Mom when she noticed the dog's condition.   But all was well in the world by the next
morning.

 

[Almost There]

Back in the day (1960's - 1970's) Vans were tricked out to be flashy party mobiles that few people really considered living in full time.  I think most of the owners were still living with Mom & Dad and used these to
take some friends to Rock Concerts.  There were Van Magazines all over the news stands then but it ended
when the Van owner got married and started having kids.  Thus the end of a "fad".

Hey, it didn't die back in the 70's - heck it was barely getting started. The kids that we started having back then now form about half of the attendees at van events still being held all over North America. And their kids are getting in to it as well now (and bringing their kids to events)...

And no, most of us didn't live with Mom and Dad, actually most of us were self supporting and living as adults.

The fad still exists today although not in the numbers it did back in the late 80's when attendance at the National Van Meets topped out at over 4,000 vans in attendance. Today attendance is still running between 500 and a 1,000 vans depending on where the event is held (it moves every year). Smaller local van events still pull a couple of hundred vans.

SafariVan - there is still a need, albeit much smaller, for those that can do customization work, both for the 'vanner' market and for the nomads. The problem is probably location. Much of the vanner market still seems to be on the east coast and the majority of the nomad market is probably on the west coast. Needs and wants are much different...show versus practical living space so doing both might be a bit difficult but necessary to provide a decent income.

 

[MrNoodly]

I have a friend who made surprisingly good profits buying and flipping sad looking old "canned ham" style travel trailers. Most of the work was just cleaning out the junk and dirt, patching, painting and new tires.

 

[eDJ_]

Almost There wrote:

Hey, it didn't die back in the 70's - heck it was barely getting started. The kids that we started having back then now form about half of the attendees at van events still being held all over North America. And their kids are getting in to it as well now (and bringing their kids to events)...

I'd love to see it again around where I live.   Most of the kids here just want those jacked up "Monster Pick Up's" with a couple flags hanging out of the  bed.   Their girl friends almost need small step ladders just to get in.   But that's trends.

When I was coming back from Paducah,  a month ago I pulled into a Denny's located in a Flyin J truck stop.  The woman who waited on me didn't seem like she was even from the region and when I asked she explained she was from Baltimore.   As we spoke she mentioned that she and her husband traveled on their Harley's but she had noticed me pull up in my Ford Hi Top and went on to tell me that she missed the "Van's" of yester years.

I explained that I hadn't finished mine out all the way yet but it still wouldn't be too finished so I could use it for cargo if I wanted or put it back together for camping/traveling.   She indicated that she would sell her Harley if she thought she could get enough money out of it to buy a high top and just travel some.  I told her about "Cheap RV Living" and what it's about here.  She may show up here yet. 

Shoulda put a step ladder in her purse.

yeah.

 

[Headache]

Man I hate those bro dozers! I'd need a 10 foot ladder!

Those ads for fitting out vans bring back some memories! Remember that movie Corvette Summer? There was a van in there that I was over the moon for!

The machine gun tire covers, I do remember seeing them but didn't pay much attention. I was into trucks at the time but after restoring a few old Impalas, a 64 Fleetside long bed Chevy and a few other orphans when I was younger I'll bet we could talk some shop.

 

[safarivan]

we always had dirtbikes so never got into the 4WD truck stuff but lots of them were around. couldnt go where we went offroad no matter how good.

a couple of old photos from back then


almost all the photos he took back then are on slides, even some I took with his camera are on slides and I dont know a good way to get those onto the PC but here is one he had just got, it was almost brand new in this pic. Im not sure what year this is but it was early '80s i think.

thatsa '56 chevy frame in front of it during a resto-mod.


here is a good one of the very popular GodFather Vans tire cover. Bill was his name, he sold out to Hal, then opened another custom shop called wild willies but this was after the van scene died out.


this was Dads last van he built from scratch too, just bought the dealer customs for years after that but they were actually pretty good by then and then the conversion companies started doing it.

cant even count how many vans Dad went through but they were fun. another great memory was him taking me and my gang to the skateboard park in one, it was wall to wall carpet but no furnishings and no seatblets back then and he was doing powerslides and slamming on the brakes like a maniac making us bounce off the walls and stuff! LOL!

I still have the rims on that frame in the photo.

 

[safarivan]

but what Ive been thinking about besides just getting more into the outfitting work is a private network and when i mentioned 'storage vehicle' I was referring to boondockers

I just see the outfitting and related goods/services as ways to get there. Ive been getting some really good ideas i think since participating here. I might have a few things to offer with special products for van and other vehicle dwellers probably need more than want before long. the portable kitchen is one, prefabbed, modular, cabinetry that anyone with a screwdriver and one had can assemble and stuff like that.

stuff that people in need can get without paying corporational type price tags or being taken advantage of by people who are too close minded to see the value in vanlife.

really just bouncing ideas around in this wonderful echo chamber here. in my newcomers post I wrote that I havnt participated in social media very much at all ever so its kinda nice to be able to here.

so thanks for that and also for letting this thread roll on a bit too.

anyone have any good ideas to share?

 

[Van Mama Wannabe]

Safarivan, What region of the country are you in?

 

[safarivan]

Safarivan, What region of the country are you in?

Im on the south eastern territory most of the time.

 

[echoscout]

 the portable kitchen is one, prefabbed, modular, cabinetry that anyone with a screwdriver and one had can assemble and stuff like that.

i've been searching for something like this.  for those of us that can swing a hammer but not hit the nail - pods, and pre-cut RTA stuff would be fabulous.  i've found it very difficult to find a 'builder' for my van.  i have the layout ready, and all the parts, etc. (including solar) but i need assistance to build and i'm willing to pay a reasonable price

 

[John61CT]

Around here a reasonable price would be $60-80 an hour, and that's them fitting you in around their big-job customers.

All the known-good chippies are now booked through October, all that's left are mostly unreliable fly-by-nighties or book through Home Depot.

 

[echoscout]

the hourly rate i was hoping for was around $60 -- the issue is finding someone.  this wouldn't be for a complete build though.  i'd do some of the grunt work (insulation, etc.) but it's the wood framing that i'm looking for.

 

[John61CT]

So get your design tightly spec'd and drawn, then try advertising on CL for a "handyman / carpenter", without giving any personal details use a burner.

Just don't expect sober professionalism

Meet in a fast food joint to check them out. Ideally work location separate from your home.

If you can provide the tools you can offer a cheaper rate, or maybe luck into a skilled guy going through a temporary crisis.

 

[echoscout]

to be honest - i wouldn't want to work with someone i had to take that many precautions with -- a burner?  sober professionalism?  i think i'll continue searching for some lol

 

[John61CT]

I live near major population centers, have little kids and am more cautious than most.

All depends on your area.