Greetings All :) Chevy 1500 AWD van and 15ft Fiberglass TT

[accrete]

Hi all. Joined the forum after much reading and realizing i was among kindred spirits : ) <br><br>The Cheap RV Living sites and this forum has been comforting in that the systems in place by so many members are soooooo in tune to what my wife and i have in our rigs. Yet over at the "Other" forums i am a minority and some of my ideas and systems are looked at as one-taco-short-of--a-combination-plate ; ) So i feel at ease and at home here.<br><br>Before i get into an overview of our adventure rigs a bit about me and my family.<br><br>My wife and i have two great kids currently serving in the US Air Force. We homeschooled and homechurched both. She and i live full time in a _<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.490753267623040.114732.100000651126034&amp;type=3" rel="nofollow">38ft 5th wheel Mobile Suite_</a> with all the trimmings currently on the Oregon Coast. We still work, but our lifestyle is so easy to maintain the majority goes into savings. We spend about every third week from Spring to Fall on camping trips (mainly gold prospecting) in the Pacific Northwest.<br><br>We downsized from an acre of land and 3 bedroom farmhouse...sold everything we had, and moved into a ~500 square foot home on wheels to live a simpler life. <br><br>OK our rigs, and why we feel like we are among friends : )<br>Pre current setup...we've been rv camping off grid for nearly 25 years. Our first was a 1980 WESTY. Never plugged in to shore power. Then came a Tacoma and A-Liner. Again, never plugged in easily maintained. All our rigs had simple systems in common, and our current rigs are the same way:<br><br>Our "Van" is a 2010 Chevy 1500 AWD van. We have a _<a href="http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&amp;t=5996" rel="nofollow">build thread at the Sportsmobile forum_</a> if you wish to dig deeper. Basically it has no need for solar or extra power since there are no on-board appliances hogging excess power. Yet we can sleep/cook/bathe/shower/etc. Behind that, come April of this year we will be towing. . .<br><br>A 15 foot Fiberglass travel trailer built by _<a href="http://www.parkliner.com/" rel="nofollow">Parkliner_</a> in NC USA. We will be taking delivery in April 2013. The trailer, like our van, will be powered by batteries and the sun. No propane. We do have a small gas generator, but its use is rare so far at camp. I have begun a _<a href="http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f51/a-2013-parkliner-for-thom-and-cari-56219.html" rel="nofollow">build thread at the Fiberglass RV forum_</a> if you wish to dig deeper.<br><br>I'll update both build threads as needed. <br><br>OK so you are saying to yourselves what part of "living" is taking place here? Well the Van+15ft we are prepping for our exodus rig. We believe the combination will be great for life on the road when we cut the ties to our jobs. We chose a two unit rig because at times it is necessary to leave something behind at camp to make-claim to the site and we take the van into town to re-supply. ALSO, and most importantly, it allows us to have two completely separate areas, both of which can do all daily living. If one wants to take a siesta they can relax in the van while the other reads a good book in the trailer : )<br><br>Happy Trails,<br>Thom<br><br><br><br> <br><br>

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;Hey there.. the more the merrier here. Was kinda wondering what are your thoughts on living in that <span id="post_message_1276632919">A-Liner. ..Willy.<br></span>

 

[accrete]

Greetings Willy.<br><br>The A Liner we had was a 2009 17ft with full bath, galley. Nice unit. BUT the biggest issue for my wife and i had to do with the number one reason we got it in the first place. The ease of rolling down the road with a ~5ft high rig was great...BUT the only reason it was ~5ft high is that it folded (as you are aware). Well between folding up/down in rain, wind, and snow was one thing. But the big thing was that it was HEAVY and tiresome to do every trip. Now we are fairly healthy and strong 50 somethings, but it really got to be to much for us. So we moved on.<br><br>We demostrated to the purchasers (a retired couple that had done their homework, and had a similar tow rig - tacoma) that the up/down had to take place on a trip/use basis. They insisted after trying it that the rig would be great for them. We waved goodby to their smiling faces and wished them the best...but we will never go back to a folding rig. The interior size, amenities and floor-plan was fantastic but the up/down too much.<br><br>Getting the 15ft Parkliner will be a refreshing solution. Same general size/amenities but no more up/down!<br><br>Did i say we really didn't like the up/down thingy <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>Cheers,<br>Thom

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;I was thinking of building an A-Liner setup for the back of my truck, with those rear hatch lifts to pop the roof/sides up, or get an Alaskan pop-up camper. I want the fuel economy from less frontal area but, if the penalty is much more weight, I might give up on the idea. I had a small fiberglass camper that had a pop-top and that thing was a heavy pig. Needed over 160lbs worth of hatch lifts to get the roof up and it still had to be propped up lest it come back down. With the solar panels on there things got even more fun! ..Willy.

 

[accrete]

The <span id="post_message_1276634051"> Alaskan factory in Washington state was an informative visit. We really liked the concept and fit &amp; finish. IF the A Liner had operated in "Alaskan" fashion we would still have it! BUT, raising/lowering the A Liner in high winds was a nightmare, and in the rain? . . a soggy mess!<br></span>

 

[blkjak]

welcome .... blkjak

 

[papas34]

Welcome......Thom....<br><br>sounds like a plan

 

[Elf]

Welcome! I have a little 14ft TT and love it.

 

[accrete]

It's been a while since i posted any update on our AWD van and thought some would enjoy the look/see.

Here is a recent shot of our rig:

This year's mods included a ~2.5" lift kit from Boulder Off Road Vans, Rhino Liner applied to bumpers/rockers/wheel-wells, Truck-Lite 5"x7" LED Headlights and a fairly complete overhaul of the interior. All professionally done (and paid for in cash < that is a happy feeling).

We are luvin' the van all the more and Cari (my wife) is asked lots of questions just about every trip out and about (her daily driver).

This year we spent about ~80 nights camping in the Van+Fiberglass Trailer...plus of course all the _other_ nights of the year in our full time rig (our 38ft 5th wheel). We are TOTALLY in luv with living large in small spaces with wheels [smile]

Cheers,
Thom

 

[Pikachu711]

Welcome to the group accrete!

 

[accrete]

Wow, i am seriously lost with this forum move! i posted over at the old thread this afternoon thinking i was at the new forum. Well here is that post again:

THX for the good cheer.

One of these days we'll have to make it down to Coos Bay (and Gold Beach with the prospecting gear)

The Parkliner is a nice fit for us!

Towing 5th wheel with van...LOL
...we hire somebody to do it for us when we pick up maybe once a year or so. A buck-a-mile is less than a month's truck payment to pull that 18,000lb beast!

Yup...that picture you found was our rig on its maiden voyage with the Parkliner...here is another from the other side at a forestry campground:

 

[Unchained]

Glad to see you over here, Thom

 

[ilovemyvan]

Hi Thom,

You and your wife certainly know how to live it up. Congrats. I love your van. Do you have a picture of the TT? I :heart: pictures.

Cheers

Nicole

 

[TheMadTitan]

Great stuff! Somebody linked to another of your threads on another board and I devoured the entire thing last night. I'm about to start my build on a 2500 Express, and seeing your stuff has been very helpful.

 

[accrete]

... I love your van. Do you have a picture of the TT? I :heart: pictures.

Compliance

Here is our Parkliner (hull #35) parked next to our home on wheels:
(this shot was taken before we powder coated the wheels black to match the van... details, details)

This one is looking toward the rear window & seating area (which makes into either a U shape as seen, a queen bed, or table for two, or four adults)

This one showing it set up w/table for four:

This one looking forward from rear seating area showing center-doorway into shower/bath:

Door open:

Detailing street side two seat dinette (which converts to single bed or optional twin bunks)

Honestly, once inside this little gem (12 feet from front to back wall) you would think you were inside much larger trailer!

and a shot during one of this summer's adventures (Fiama awning was out on van + two Kelty Noah's Tarps on TT...it rained. HA! It's Oregon Camping):

and what the view from camp was:

and one last parting shot that is a _link to a panorama_ on same river showing camp & view all in one.

Cheers!
& Thanks for the kudos, comments and chat.
Thom

 

[Mac J]

Nice looking rig Thom.

 

[ilovemyvan]

Hi Thom,

Thanks for the photos. What a great set up.

Enjoy the adventure.

Nicole

 

[ilovemyvan]

Sorry posted twice by mistake :-/

 

[Lostinspace]

Looks like my ole "Love Bug" I had back in the mid 70's. Mine was only 12' outside though. Room for a dinette on one end that changed into a double bed and the other end was a bunk bed for our two kids at the time. In the middle an icebox, three burner stove and small'ish closet on the other. Pulled it with our 74 Datsun 4 cylinder pickup. Wend to Alcopuco, Mex and up into the mid west. Great little trailer. Wish I still had it.