Creative rigs

[Sikafishn]

In 1975 @ age 18 I started out converting a 63 VW bug into a live aboard by removing the pass. and back seat and putting in a platform and loved it. Since then I've had 2 VW buses, 2 mid 60s Ford vans a 97 Ford van, 2 mid 60s Dodge vans, a 46 Dodge school bus, 2 mid 70s International school  buses, a tipi, a yurt and the last 25 years have been spent on 2 different sail boats and 5 different commercial fishing boats in Alaska. Should be pretty apparent I don't  do well in conventional sedentary housing. Getting back too it by converting a 2002 Ford Econoline 150 van for off (fishing) season desert duty. Just curious what creative rigs people on here have come up with?

 

[bullfrog]

Take a look at ttnttt.com you will find all sorts. I have been through all sorts of camping situations and still use a large 10' x 14' Kodiac tent when in one spot for two weeks or more. I have used a few VW vans and the last ten years Baja Bugs to fish out of. I did the same as you on the inside but built an H shaped roof rack made out of 2x4 cedar with a 4' piece of plywood center 60" wide x 8' long that used large eye bolts resting in the rain gutters and ratchet straped to an eye bolt in the door pillar to hold two 30" x 10' Kayaks as well as rods and as many five gallon buckets ( that I just hung over the leggs of the rack by the handles) that I used for gear and ice. When arriving at the lake the kayaks were set parallel to each other about 5' apart and the rack was layed across them. Ratchet straps went from the outside eye bolts in rack under the kayak to the inside eyebolts front and rear of the seat in the kayaks. This made a catamaran with a 4' x 5' deck and provided a transom for a small motor ot electric trolling motor as well as a cooler, porta potty and camping gear. Once across the lake to a campsite the rack was detached and 4 painter's poles made legs at the corners of the rack which a large tarp was thrown over and staked to form a shelter. The kayaks could be used individually to get into the fish in the narrow coves. If day fishing open water the catamaran was stable enough to stand or if rough water sit on the padded ice chest top equiped with a basket and rod holders. It could hold two adults but had very little freeboard so we drilled 5 gallon buckets with spring loaded lids and an inner tube at the top as a live well we towed. One healthy person could load it but as I got older two became necessary, now I have a lot of friends that want to catch fish offer to take me out in their boats but I mainly dock fish nowdays.

 

[highdesertranger]

in the late 70's I lived in a 1951 GMC deuce and a half with a house built on the back. I can only find a couple of pics,




in this pic you can see the front of my 1960 Chevy truck,  it's hooked up to the deuce and a half with a tow bar.  that was my standard traveling set up.  it was creative.

highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

^^^I like this. Never thought of putting a shed on the back of a truck! But I was already into vans in the 70's.

 

[bullfrog]

There was a book titled "Roll Your Own" that influenced many with color photo's and how to's. Even told of how to keep open space to you could make money doing local hauling jobs. I wouldn't be surprized to see HDR's truck in there next to the bus with the sign on the front that read "Daughters Beware".

 

[Sikafishn]

Take a look at ttnttt.com you will find all sorts.  I have been through all sorts of camping situations and still use a large 10' x 14' Kodiac tent when in one spot for two weeks or more.  I have used a few VW vans and the last ten years Baja Bugs to fish out of.  I did the same as you on the inside but built an H shaped roof rack made out of 2x4 cedar with a 4' piece of plywood center 60" wide x 8' long that used large eye bolts resting in the rain gutters and ratchet straped to an eye bolt in the door pillar to hold two 30" x 10' Kayaks as well as rods and as many five gallon buckets ( that I just hung over the leggs of the rack by the handles) that I used for gear and ice.  When arriving at the lake the kayaks were set parallel to each other about 5' apart and the rack was layed across them.  Ratchet straps went from the outside eye bolts in rack under the kayak to the inside eyebolts front and rear of the seat in the kayaks.  This made a catamaran with a 4' x 5' deck and provided a transom for a small motor ot electric trolling motor as well as a cooler, porta potty and camping gear.  Once across the lake to a campsite the rack was detached and 4 painter's poles made legs at the corners of the rack which a large tarp was thrown over and staked to form a shelter.  The kayaks could be used individually to get into the fish in the narrow coves.  If day fishing open water the catamaran was stable enough to stand or if rough water sit on the padded ice chest top equiped with a basket and rod holders.  It could hold two adults but had very little freeboard so we drilled 5 gallon buckets with spring loaded lids and an inner tube at the top as a live well we towed.  One healthy person could load it but as I got older two became necessary, now I have a lot of friends that want to catch fish offer to take me out in their boats but I mainly dock fish nowdays.

 

[Sikafishn]

Would love to see a pic of that lashup.?

 

[Sikafishn]

There was a book titled "Roll Your Own"  that influenced many with color photo's and how to's.  Even told of how to keep open space to you could make money doing local hauling jobs.  I wouldn't be surprized to see HDR's truck in there next to the bus with the sign on the front that read "Daughters Beware".

 

[Sikafishn]

Another book Rolling homes was VERY influential to me.

 

[bullfrog]

Photography is one of the things like computors I'm not very good at and didn't have the space for when we downsized (we were serious about down sizing) but in my former life for a while I was an industrial arts teacher and would be happy to sit down with you and show you how to build one or draw it out around the camp fire. I may be going to the RTR this year PM me and we can figure out how to meet up, or if around northern Lake Powell in summer I'll usually be at the main launch ramp.

 

[Sikafishn]

Photography is one of the things like computors I'm not very good at and didn't have the space for when we downsized (we were serious about down sizing)  but in my former life for a while I was an industrial arts teacher and would be happy to sit down with you and show you how to build one or draw it out around the camp fire.  I may be going to the RTR this year PM me and we can figure out how to meet up, or if around northern Lake Powell in summer I'll usually be at the main launch ramp.

Cool Bullfrog...Am assembling the current rig with an eye toward RTR. But failing that I hope to be down there at some point this winter and would very much like to pow wow around the fire.

 

[travelaround]

Roll Your Own: Complete Guide to Living in a Truck, Bus, Van or Camper Paperback – August 1, 1974
https://www.amazon.com/Roll-Your-Own-Complete-Living/dp/0020810504
Only $55.95 for a used paperback copy today!

Rolling Homes: Handmade Houses on Wheels Paperback – May, 1979
https://www.amazon.com/Rolling-Homes-Handmade-Houses-Wheels/dp/089104129X
A bargain, at $8 . . .

There are some newer books with travel-home ideas. Obviously vandwelling is not a new idea. Neither is vanlife, or #vanlife as some like to call it.

 

[bullfrog]

I'm still putting together after years!!! PM me if you get down.

 

[Matildas mate]

In 1975 @ age 18 I started out converting a 63 VW bug into a live aboard by removing the pass. and back seat and putting in a platform and loved it.

It was around that time that i saw the same set up in a VW bug in Greeley, CO. I thought, “how cool is that!” I was traveling by thumb then and i thought the set up was the ultimate in luxury travel.

 

[Sikafishn]

It was around that time that i saw the same set up in a VW bug in Greeley, CO. I thought, “how cool is that!” I was traveling by thumb then and i thought the set up was the ultimate in luxury travel.

Coulda been mine. Sold it as is cuz the guy liked the concept and was gonna run with it. Started riding my thumb at 15 up and down the West coast looking for adventure. Mostly in the summer and was always back in time to go to school. Guess the biggest lesson I took away from those early  years after miserable cold rainy nights sleeping under overpasses was if a guy has a roof a meal and a dry place to sleep he's a rich man and you don't have to sell your soul to get the basics....Ergo the nomadic life cuz ya get all that and a room with a view. The soul selling comes in the form of a handful of expensive shiny new shit and a misguided sense of security....IMHO ☺

 

[Sikafishn]

I'm still putting together after years!!!  PM me if you get down.

Roger the "Still putting together`. Great analogy for life too cuz it ain't over til it's over. Will do on the PM Bullfrog.

 

[Sikafishn]

in the late 70's I lived in a 1951 GMC deuce and a half with a house built on the back. I can only find a couple of pics,




in this pic you can see the front of my 1960 Chevy truck,  it's hooked up to the deuce and a half with a tow bar.  that was my standard traveling set up.  it was creative.

highdesertranger

 

[Sikafishn]

Pretty classy rig ranger. Kinda has the same old school appeal as my 46 Dodge school bus....And some serious room to move. You moved it with the Chevy And a tow bar? Was kinda the lashup I was planning when I got started. Towing the van with my ram diesel and having a trailer that was driveable til you enlightened me on the drive line issue. Thanks again for that.

 

[WanderingRose]

In Natchitoches, Louisiana, some years back, we saw a little homemade TAB type trailer, tho varnished wood with painted on windows complete with filled flower boxes.

It was perfect, and adorable, tho appeared used for short camping trips as it had not a scratch nor marring of any kind.

The owners weren’t around, so didn’t get to talk with them or see the inside,

I saw a year or so ago a homemade camper on a trailer of some sort, and did speak with the young couple who had made it and saw the inside.

The exterior was wooden, they had outfitted the inside for sleeping and short term living, and did their cooking outside.

It was clever, and reminded me some of the old sheepherder wagons. Similar to this, but all the same varnished wood.

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[Sikafishn]

The stuff of dreams