Light at the end of the tunnel

[tx2sturgis]

Hello fellow rubber tramps, I am in Texas and approaching retirement, around January of 2018...but it's a moving target so we will see.

Anyway, I thought I'd join up here once I found this place, previously I have been active on Bob's channel on Youtube.

I currently own a 2009 Ford Cargo van that I converted for camping/grocery getting/drone flying/motorcycle hauling, and also a cargo trailer that I converted for motorcycle hauling/ham radio comm-trailer. Of course the van has solar and sleeping arrangements, but so far, only a portable stove and an icechest, and not much more than...well... you know...a bucket!

I do still own my home, (its been paid off for 25 years) and will need to radically downsize, but I plan to finally become an amateur nomad after 35 years of being a professional nomad (truck driver).

I've lived and slept on wheels for a very long time, it feels 'normal' to me....I sleep better in the big truck or the van that I ever do at home. I also prefer the changing scenery of the mobile lifestyle, so..for me..waking up in the same sticks-and-bricks and looking out the window and seeing the same sticks-and-bricks gets old.

So at the same time I'm a newbie here, but not in any way new to living on the road, hauling cargo and pulling trailers, dealing with the challenges of traffic and long distance travel, showering at truck stops, or living small when needed. I have about 3 million miles of trucking experience, and I have been in the transportation and warehouse industries for 40 years!

I plan to upgrade my van since I cant stand up in it and I just need more room if I decide to commit to full-time van/RV life.

I will be pulling my 6x12 cargo trailer with a motorcycle inside, and lots of gear, so I will need a van or RV with the power to pull it, in the mountains, so any of the smaller engine modern van designs are out.

I will retire with some folding money, the piggy bank will be cracked open and I am focused on buying new, I plan on this probably being my last large vehicle purchase to last me awhile, and I want a full warranty and peace of mind for years to come. So.....

I have narrowed the options to a new Nissan NV 2500 high roof with V8, or a new Ford or Chevrolet cutaway-cube van or box truck also with V8, and do the conversion on either of those myself, OR...possibly, buy a new class B RV with a V8 or V10 and have an almost ready to roll combination but at TWICE the price of doing it myself, but can be done in much less time.

Decisions, decisions...

Anyway, I have been reading thru the conversion threads and I enjoy the pictures and the craftsmanship...amazing. I have good basic skills in a lot of areas, wiring, plumbing, electronics, woodworking, mechanics, etc, but as the saying goes, I'm a master of none. So anything I would build, as my last two conversions show, would be functional, but not very 'pretty'...

And any of the commercially made class B and class C stuff is not always to my liking. I owned a class A RV for 16 years and I know all about how they are made and how they tend to fall apart after awhile.

So anyway, I just wanted to intro myself and also, say hello to Bob, I had no idea you had this little corner of the internet until I 'swerved' into it the other day. Just for info, I have posted several videos on Youtube over the years, none of them deal with vanning, or the RV life, and lately I have lost interest in making videos...it takes a LOT of time to produce good content and I find I am usually too busy...or maybe just too lazy!

So...anyway, hello to all 'newbies'..... (you good folks who are living on wheels less than 35 years, lol) and I will be mainly lurking and learning.

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome tx2sturgis to the CRVL forums! 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. nice rig love the porthole windows. highdesertranger

 

[gargoyle]

Welcome.
Lets see some pics in your set up. Looks good.

 

[ArtW]

Welcome!

 

[Dennis]

Looks like you are pretty well set up and know the ways of the mobile life already. All you need is more free time that is coming. I hang out in Texas most of the time. For now anyway....

 

[tx2sturgis]

Thanks all for the welcome...

 

[eDJ_]

Welcome to the CRVL Forums    

I think you could serve as an inspiration to many who come here.   Glad to see you found this great little oasis
and hope to hear more from you. 

Who knows, you may find some intrigue with making some short Video's once again as an eager audience & following builds here. 

What I've enjoyed most in reading your story and looking at the photos of your rig is the combination of the Van with the Utility Trailer.   This seems to be a logical and practical solution to living on the road.

In my first site below regarding Van Conversion,  I designed a utility trailer as a support vehicle to the Van.  You're welcome to give both of the sites below a look over.   The lower site is a portal of handy information to make life on the road more comfortable. 

I'm running a Ford E 350 351/AO extended high top when I go out.  Still in the home on the river for now.  But I'm shopping for a Cargo Trailer.   Not sure of the length.  Whether a 6x10 or 6x12.

 

[ClassyGlobal]

Welcome tx2sturgis to CRVL.  I hope you find a cozy corner as you enjoy all the great people, stories and wealth of information this forum offers.  Be safe and enjoy the roads ahead.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Thanks, not sure about the inspiration part tho...maybe a lot of perspiration!

I looked at several sizes of trailer and for me the 6x12 is perfect. Its fairly light, its the same width as my van, and it has enough room for my bikes, either one or the other, but not both, and still plenty of room for a folding desk and storage.

One thing I will mention is that if I had it to do over again I would have ordered the trailer already insulated and equipped with windows and an RV side door, from the factory, its a lot of work for one person to pull all the paneling and trim, install windows and insulation, and then reinstall all the paneling. The upside to pulling all the interior panels is that the factory trailer wiring is a mess. Wires are stretched tight against sharp metal edges, and scotch blocks are used everywhere.....well I fixed all that!

Most of the build inside is simple and whatever worked, I was on a timeline getting it ready for an HF Ham Radio contest at the end of this past winter and I needed to get it all done between my job, bad weather, and the shorter days of winter.

Also, this trailer is easy for the van to pull and stop, but my van has the small V8 and it works pretty hard, and the fuel mileage does suffer. Thats why my next van or RV will need to have a larger motor.

Many people who have seen the trailer mention that I could add a bed to the trailer and sleep in it...heck no! The trailer is my 'man cave' on wheels, and the van is my bedroom!

Best of both worlds!

Take care and thanks for the links...

 

[user 37446]

Welcome,

Well you are are about on the other end of the scale from a newbie both for already having used a van/trailer and experienced the small nomad lifestyle. Props to you.

I'm not sure what you really need help with other than maybe some of the specialty subforums like electrical, heating and cooling, cooking on the road etc.  If you want advice from Nissan or other van owners, try their respective forums.  That will give you platform specific likes and dislikes as opposed to a general forum like ours where many members have the 3 US made vans, a few have the newer euro vans (to include older Sprinter) and Misc vehicles have, well, misc vehicles...

Sounds like with the cargo weight and trailer size you need a v-8 or an ecoboost (Ford Transit) v6. Maybe a newer euro diesel would do.  The plus for the euro's are standing room from the factory (you could afford a new one).  The Nissan gets poor gas mileage according to the forums.

If you don't care about standing height then maybe go purchase a new or newer Chevy 2500 cargo. Several, including Bob Wells, have done so.

When you decide to jump into the solar thing, go on the electrical subforum and pay particular attention to the above 10 reputation members, some have reps of 50-80, and they are obviously deserved.  You'll read a few disputes but nothing like the flame wars on the house solar forum.  Another good place for solar and alternator info is the sailing or "cruiser" forums.

Anyway, nice to have you here, have fun with your choice, don't worry about buying new since you've obviously got the means and if so, why not?

 

[tx2sturgis]

A few more pics:

 

[tx2sturgis]

Thanks Twih, yes, I'm not really a newbie to the bits and pieces to make it all work, but leaping off the edge and going fulltime nomadic, with no home base, WOULD be the new chapter, and I figured I would settle in here and listen and learn, more about the lifestyle, and maybe not as much about the hardware involved.

I certainly wont be trying to step on any toes or blasting opinions all over the forum, but maybe now and then I could provide some guidance when it comes to the technical aspects involved.

As far as 'means'...well that's always relative, of course. I'm hoping the nestegg will carry me though the process, I just have to be a bit frugal, but on the other hand, I dont want to be fixing things or spending time in shops that might or might not know how to fix an older vehicle, or even a more recent diesel. Gas engines are well sorted these days, for the most part. All the new whiz-bang, clean burn technology on the newer oil-burners is nice when it works but a pain when it breaks.

The main reason the NV is in the running for me is because of that larger V8, but you cant get it with limited slip rear, so right now, its not a front runner.

The cutaway cube vans with a V8 and limited slip and with a 12 foot box, are only a bit more expensive, but I also worry about titling and insurance, so I need to do some looking into that.

The RV that I'm really interested in is the GulfStream BT cruiser, model 5210 or 5230. They are not cheap by any means, but they look to be just about the right size for me, they use a V8 or V10, they look good, and pretty much have what I would need for boondocking...just add solar!

Anyway, thanks for the welcome and I will do my best to lay low as a noobie...I would not want to wear out my welcome.. :angel:

Cheers from Texas.

 

[rvpopeye]

Welcome aboard T2S !
As another who has lived on wheels for 35+ years I have to say you are NO newbie ....Your rigs are lookin' good from here.
It sounds like you will have plenty to offer here and won't need to ask too many questions but ask away whenever you need to , lots of experienced answers will flow back atcha .

Looking forward to seeing ya out there on the road and if you're ever up in the northeast corner let me know.
40 roger?

 

[Txjaybird]

Soooooooooooo  Hello and Welcome!!.  Better late than never I reckon   

 Being born and raised in Big D and having had two little houses  in SD  I don't know how I missed your handle!  Maybe that sack on my head?  So have you checked out the "YOU AIN"T RIGHT" thread??  Any 4 legged critters travel with you?

Jewellann

 

[GHostRiDer]

Welcome,

Well lets see, truck driver, motorcycle rider, van builder, ham radio operator, ex..youtube persona, house paid off, money in hand. If I had half of that I might have something figured out, instead I keep reading and watching and hoping somewhere to get my mind made up on type of RV, etc.

You sound like a handy fellow to have around. I am sure you will find many friends here. Best of luck for your future, just remember, unlike trucking you can now slow way down....way down and enjoy things off the beaten path.

 

[tx2sturgis]

unlike trucking you can now slow way down....way down and enjoy things off the beaten path.

Sounds good to me, yeah after all those miles, (about 3 million) I'm ready to slow down a little bit. But the road is in my blood, it really is...I dont want to remain in a 'sticks-and-bricks' waiting to die...

 

[tx2sturgis]

Soooooooooooo  Hello and Welcome!!.  Better late than never I reckon   

 

Yeah I reckon!

But never ask a person if they are from Texas, right? We've all heard that one huh? If they ARE, they will have already told you, and if not, dont make them have to admit it.

(where is that smiley with the 10-gallon hat?)

Well I have to tell ya, Dallas and the Metro-Mess is 180 degrees and a half million miles from the REAL Texas...lol....

So maybe we crossed dust trails in South Dakota...I love it up there. I've roamed the Black Hills for two weeks almost every summer for 21 years...I do plan to eventually become a legal, if not full-time, resident there.

No pets currently, I've enjoyed being the servant to a couple of cats over the last 25 years, but nothing presently.

When I do retire, and dont have the logistics of pet care to deal with while driving truck, I plan to find me a nice small to medium sized dog, because I grew up with dogs and I just love the companionship they provide. I sure dont want a puppy tho...I need to find one thats a few years old and not as active as a puppy.

And thanks for the welcome!

 

[Gunny]

Light at the end of the tunnel 




Rob