Pre Retirement build questions

[steveca4]

I have plans to semi retire in a few years, now 62. Some of my bucket list goals are to spend whole summers on the coasts of Canada and winters touring the southwest USA and Baja, while I'm still in reasonable shape to go nomadic. Travel insurance later on. 

I currently have a 4x4 2dr 1994 B3000 V6 Mazda truck with cap, in good mechanical shape, bit of body rust. I plan to convert this into a simple camper as soon as the weather gets above freezing here on the Canadian Prairies.  

The truck camper will allow me to do try out back country free camping and living off grid, which would make any kind of more easier camper seem wonderful. 

However when I am able to go for month/s at a time, hopefully a whole summer (July-Aug) or winter (Nov-March) I would like to have a comfortable and spacious living space. Note I'm married but my partner does not enjoy camping or anything without normal home faciliites. Its not a problem as I do a lot of hunting, fishing and camping solo now. 

So.....right now I'm trying to decide between making a cargo van into a home (when my truck is done, its at 320,000 now) or do I buy a tow vehicle, truck or van camper and also buy and build a 6x12 new cargo trailer converted to a mini nomadic home. 

Notes: I do want whatever I build to have two single sleeping berths. If I go the cargo trailer route I'd still make the tow vehicle into a back country basic camper too. In future I may want to invite other travelers on my journeys and now I'd take my hunting and fishing buddy with me on local trips. Almost all of my planned adventures and travels will revolve around the pursuit of my keenest interests which include: cooking up fresh wild land and sea foods, I'm a forager, hunter (waterfowl), fisher and wannabe explorer. I'm not a hermit but comfortable going solo.

I would appreciate and welcome any and all feedback, suggestions, ideas and guidance toward great build designs. Ideally I'd like to keep the systems as practical and simple as possible. I grew up with out houses and living at a wilderness fly-in Fishing Camp so I'm quite comfortable with the basic essentials. 

thanks in advance everyone.

Steve 
Manitoba, Canada

you can contact me via responses here or my email is steveca4 at hotmail dot com

 

[WanderingRose]

I, personally, like the space economy of a conversion van, having had one now 12 years.

You can get into any campsite, can easily pick up and leave if you need to, and if weather is foul simply park and step behind you to your living space.

 

[Gr8ful]

I have & like an ambulance because of the huge quality upgrade in build quality but if you do a trailer buils comsider an aluminul snowmobile trailer for a base. I have one the deck is 101" wide x10' long with no wheel wells to deal with, all flat usable space. Mine is a tilt for my powered parachute but 1 just sold a 20' tandem axle that didn't tilt. Mine weighs 450# emply with a gross weight of 2000# so 1550# payload. you can get tandem axles starting at 12'. You can get enclosed also, open or enclosed you can get v noses or flat. V noses get getter milage & have more enclosed space. Key is you get more usable space because of the width & deckover design. You have time so I'd search for a low milage amulance as they're so well built & must be maintained by law. This is close to mine but mine has the one tall locker for the oxygen bottle & the rest of the storage inside. I have to take out good storage. Get a diesel, mine is a 7.3 IDI rust free 80,000 actual miles owned by a small fire dept as their 2nd unit. New tires, batteries & 250 amp altonator last year, front & rear heat & air all for $2000. Again this is not mine but close
I'll pull the alum trailer with the PPC & other things like solar panels as I want to park in the shade & put the solar in the sun. You have time to find one if you like it & very little conversion to do. Good Luck!