Howdy!

[Vesper]

Hi!
I go by Vesper in cyber country, married long time. A disability shortened my work life ahead of time,contracting income and savings. Trying to work out a way to live and travel within our restricted means and abilities in the coming years. A van to convert would be ideal for long postponed travel dreams. We have most camp gear and bits usable for conversion . 
Saving for van, looking planning and still dreaming.

Vesper

 

[Txjaybird]

  Hello and Welcome.  You guys sure have been quiet since you joined. 

 I too had my working life cut short back in 2000.  Have you been looking for a van for a while?  I urge you not to give up hope of finding one.  I did lose hope after months of looking and trying to figure out how to pay for one if I did find it.  About 6mo ago my Mom offered me her 1998 GMC Safari high top conversion van.  I traded my 25yr old 4x4 Ranger to my mechanic shop for about $800 in repairs to the van and also rigging the Safari to tow my Aliner TT.  They are still a work in progress.  It's a relief to know that I'm very close to being able to have a choice in where and how I choose to live and/or travel.
  I too had plenty of things that can be used to rig the van and T.T.  Whatever type of rig you want I hope you find it and are able to travel when/where ever you chose to go.

Jewelann and Queenie a Chihuahua with Attitude

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Vesper! Good luck with your search. Let us know what you find!

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Welcome, Vesper! Lots of great ideas here for finding the perfect rig! Enjoy!

 

[eDJ_]

Welcome to the CRVL Forums    

I agree that a Van would be the most likely solution if you can find a deal on one.  Older members usually like to have some room to stand up in them and some space front to rear.  A high top is really nice if you've never had a Van before.  I started out with short low top stock vehicles when I was young.  Still it cramped for me being 5' 11" tall. 

I've come to decide on using my rig with a converted Cargo Trailer that is 6 X 10 or 12.  The trailer will be a utility platform and the Van the Kitchenette & Bed.  Thus I can be quickly mobile in the Van to go touring while docking the Trailer somewhere that is safe and secure.   This would provide flexibility for touring and ease of parking for inner city visits.  Then if out in in rough camps or Boondocking the combination of both units would provide better sustained living.

My rig backed up to 6X12 for example.  I would want a taller trailer perhaps 6'6" high and 10' long would be plenty.  

My first site below describes my Van and there is info on my proposed Trailer. 

This could be a livable solution for travel and living in a warmer or cooler climate for part of the year. 
The Van could be outfitted easily.  Should it have to be replaced it wouldn't be difficult and the interior
components be fitted into a different Van quickly before resuming travel.  Swapping components in the Trailer would be more time consuming.  But this would offer the comforts of a larger Class A or C RV  with the
flexibility of being able to break it in half for lighter travel & touring.

 

[BobBski]

Welcome and good luck with your quest; look forward to hearing all about it.

 

[rvpopeye]

Welcome to the serious side of posting Vespa !
There are plenty of people that have made their travel dreams come true . You CAN do it too..

 

[Vesper]

Well,, thank you all kindly!
This may be a several year project. My husband still works, and we manage a small older suburban apartment building . Access to old parts, discarded furniture and the like can make this a very economical "build" .
I like the idea of a trailer for utility stuff, even a small one would keep too much stuff from piling up in the van. The safety net of having a "camper van" should anything happen economically, or with the apartment gives one peace of mind as well . We have 8 acres in southern Missouri, all paid for,but it is unimproved woodland. Our original goal was to build a house there, but with my arthritic hands, that possibility is dimming. Van living and travel sounds much funner than turning rocks into a garden anyhow.
So I'll get to reading, planning, and asking questions.
Thanks for sharing your stories, and we'll see you out there in a few!
Vesper

 

[Putts]

Having a base station rocks! You could drop trailer there for nimble trips; or drag it along for distant vistas.

Or you could arrive at your land in spring and do a garden with chickens for the summer season,
then snowbird south with preserves for the winter.

I'm jelly.

 

[eDJ_]

There are three photos at the bottom of the first post in this thread that you should look at if the idea of a Cargo Trailer appeals to you.  The little guy is probably a bit eccentric,  but this is what really sold me on the idea of building a combination Cheap RV as I detailed above In post #5.

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Here-s-a-nifty-rig-I-saw

I'm sure his outfit was put together on the cheap.  He's using a Shuttle Van which has a dubious track record with Car Salespeople as the market for selling one is limited.   Can it be sold to a Church,  School,  Club, Fraternal Lodge, or to a wrecking yard.  So they can often be had quite affordably.  In my area they sit for sale for some time. 

It wasn't till I saw this guys site that I realized why the little guy in the above link had a Shuttle.

http://www.fatherof11.com/shuttle_bus.html

But if you buy a Ford with a Diesel,  avoid the 6.0 Ford Diesel engine at all cost.  The 7.3 (earlier engine) has a great track record.   If you're going to be in the South like below Tennessee the Diesel may work better for you.  But the Shuttle is build heavy duty and they will roll a lot of miles.  

As for a Cargo Trailer,  we've talked about converting old Horse trailers for this Utility function.  They are pretty rugged and can handle the weight.  Just a good cleaning and some paint may make a bargain find look decent.   If I were to find a suitable Horse Trailer,  I may go with one of them.  Some have all aluminum frames
I understand so they would be strong and light.

 

[ArtW]

Welcome!

 

[Vesper]

What great ideas! Thank you for the links. Lots of brainfodder there! Lol. My inkling is that we will end up buying an ordinary cargo or full sized passenger van, and "stealth build" the furnishings in our apartment. If we could do that without neighbors suspecting, it would be unlikely to have trouble stealth camping. 
Im going through the camping gear downstairs in the storage closet this week, and start some lists...