Greetings From Virginia!

[Sean VHA #60013]

<p style="margin: 0px;">Hello! My 1st and introductory post - my name is Sean and I am an Emergency Room RN Charge Nurse here in Virginia. I stumbled across this site while doing research in Expedition Portal. </p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I am researching modifying my 1989 Dodge W250 Cummins into a vehicle I can sleep in and live in for 3-4 days at a time if I go into Travel Nursing, and also something I can take my Wife and children camping in if I do not go into Travel Nursing.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">My concept is to use a camper shell and have the exterior of the truck retain as much of a "normal" off road 4x4 with a camper shell look as possible for Stealth Camping, as if I use it to save on costs of living while Travel Nursing, I do not want to attract any attention while parked. I also would like to use it to camp along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Chesapeak Bay, etc etc and not attract attention. </p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I am primarily searching for threads about peoples interior modifications to truck beds with camper shells in order to learn what others have done to make such spaces more livable, including interior LEDs and inverter with plugs for laptop etc running off of auxillary battery, simple camp cooking while traveling, showering, laundry, etc. </p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I am also amazed at the number of clever conversions done to Vans on this site, and the variety of lifestyles site members have </p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I look forward to getting to know other members on line <img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="/images/boards/smilies/wave.gif"></p>

 

[Les H]

Hi Sean, welcome. You might want to look at akbob 's posts , as he had a homebuilt camper shell for years. And don't rule out looking at vans, car living and the rest. Most of the ideas will transfer over to a pickup shell with no problem, esp beds, water storage, electrical and so on.
Glad to have you here and enjoythe site. You might want to join
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/VanDwellers_Construction/ also.
Les

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<P>Welcome aboard Sean.</P>

 

[byeceeya]

Welcome, Sean...<br>I'm in Western Loudoun County, the land of sprawling horse farms and McMansions.<br>Still trying to find that "ideal" van.&nbsp; I'll keep the job for another year, maybe, then retire off to SC to hang with the older brother for awhile.&nbsp; <br><br><br>

 

[akrvbob]

That is a great truck!! I think those early Cummins were the best. I agree that for stealth, just a simple shell is your best choice. A camper would be much more comfortable, but the loss of stealth would be unacceptable living in the city.<br><br>There are two articles on the site that can help you. I think this one is the most helpful:<br>http://cheaprvliving.com/Ingenuiscampershell.html<br>I think most of his ideas would serve you really well. Like him, I would just get a regular shell and build a short wall under it to raise it. It doesn't need to be much, just enough to give you some extra comfort but not harm your stealth. That will mean building a whole new back wall/door, but it wouldn't be hard<br><br>The other article is here: I think you can get some help from it.&nbsp; <br>http://cheaprvliving.com/Survivalist_Truck_Dweller.html<br><br>One of our members lives in Canada in a Dakota with a shell, hopefully he will pitch in and give you some ideas. <br><br>As you do your build, keep us informed and keep asking questions, I'm looking forward to seeing it. Bob<br><br>

 

[Guest]

Welcome to our little online tribe.....<br>Bri<br><br>

 

[Sean VHA #60013]

<p style="margin: 0px;">Thank you for all the warm welcomes <img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif"></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I have read through the suggested articles - thanks! At this point, I am leaning towards a design that has a camper shell [probably with a high-rise back, and have shelves &amp; storage built into the sides, before &amp; after the wheelwells, while leaving the center space between the wheelwells for a futon or air matress, similar to this pic I found while doing research:</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><img border="0" hspace="0" alt="" align="baseline" src="http://images42.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/39835/10620010/TCs1-vi.jpg"></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">What I am trying to figure out is how the shelving was secured to the truck bed, in order that it does not bound loose or go from side to side.</p>

 

[akrvbob]

Love the picture you found! Do you have the web address it comes from, I'd like to go see it. Mounting things to the pickup bed is very easy. Just go to Home Depot and buy "L" brackets and sheet metal screws. Screw the one side of the L into the furniture, and the other leg of the L into the bed. It's just that simple. The bigger L brackets give you more holes to screw through. I keep a collection of them on hand, but I use the 2, 3 or even 4 inch ones the most.&nbsp; I prefer the self-tapping screws with a hex head. I put a nut driver in my drill and it makes quick work of going through the steel of the bed.<br>

 

[stude53]

<p style="margin: 0px;">Sean, Welcome!</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">You may find the build by Johnny Canuck instructive. </p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">A link:</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><a href="https://vanlivingforum.com/post/Simple-Survival-Expedition-5172482?trail=15" target="_blank" target=_blank target=_blank>https://vanlivingforum.com/post/Simple-Survival-Expedition-5172482?trail=15</a></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Bob</p>

 

[Sean VHA #60013]

<p style="margin: 0px;">akrvbob, this camper shell pic is from a thread I found while sifting through the search for camper shell ideas at Expedition Portal, and can be found here:</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/53551-found-a-great-camper-shell-camper-idea!" target=_blank>http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/53551-found-a-great-camper-shell-camper-idea!</a></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">stude53, thank you for the link - I really like the theory of that build, but not the aesthetics of the execution <img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif"></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I believe my focus is more and more directed at finding a "high rise" fiberglass shell which slopes from cab level at the front to high in the back, and copying the best features of the in-bed design in the picture I posted from the htread at Expo. Now to research materials options, like the best wood,&nbsp;how to charge an isolated Sears Platinum group 31 battery&nbsp;which would be mounted in the bed etc&nbsp;etc for the interior build. <img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif"></p>

 

[cargovanconversion]

<p>Welcome!</p><p>Not exactly what your looking for, but check it out.</p><p><a href="http://cargovanconversion.com" target="_blank">cargovanconversion.com</a></p><p><br></p><p>Van.</p>

 

[Sean VHA #60013]

<p><span class="status_offline" title="Offline"><font color="#000000">cargovanconversion</font>, very nice woodwork and cabinetry work on your site. I'd love to see the finished product! <img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif"></span></p>

 

[cargovanconversion]

<p>

cargovanconversion, very nice woodwork and cabinetry work on your site. I'd love to see the finished product!

</p><p>Thanks. Right now I'm preparing for the drawers installation, then some finishing and the hardware.</p><p>You can follow my progress at <a href="https://vanlivingforum.com/post/Finished-one-small-step-in-my-van-conversion-5733560" target="_blank">www.cheaprvliving.com/forums/post/Finished-one-small-step-in-my-van-conversion-5733560</a> or at <a href="http://cargovanconversion.com" target="_blank">cargovanconversion.com</a></p><p>Van.</p>

 

[Simran]

Welcome Sean<br>

 

[Ricekila]

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[WanderingRain]

Welcome! By the looks of your camper shell photo, it seems like the guy took out the plastic lining of the bed. if he did that, it would expose the screw holes where the plastic lining is installed and may have screwed the shelves onto those. (not to mention create extra storage space since you are freeing up the gap between the lining and the metal body.