The Lifeboat: A Toyota Hiace Conversion

[Guest]

After over a year of talking about buying a van and travelling around Australia, I've finally taken the first steps by buying a 1993 Hiace van.<br><br>I'm currently living in The House of Pirates, a share-house of swashbucklers in Sydney's Inner West, so I thought The Lifeboat would be an appropriate name for my baby. &nbsp;It was used as a cargo van for its entire life before I purchased it and so I'll be pretty much starting from scratch in terms of a camper conversion.<br><br>My basic layout involves a removable kitchen unit at the back with sink, stove and fridge. &nbsp;I'd like to be able to stand at the back of the van to cook and clean if I'm parked somewhere overnight, or set up a kitchen area outside under the awning if I'm camped somewhere for a few days.<br><br>Inside will be a single bed that can be set up as a table and two seats, along the driver's side of the van. This bed will also be extend-able width-ways into something a little wider than a king single and a little narrower than a double, for when I need a little extra sleeping space. &nbsp;When set up as table or single bed, there will be a narrow walkway down to the kitchen unit at the back.<br><br>The rest of the available space will be given over to storage. &nbsp;<br><br>This will be a budget conversion, as I've quit my job in order to be able to do this. &nbsp;I'll be using a lot of recycled and reclaimed materials.<br><br>I look forward to sharing my progress with you all and swapping tips and hints as I go!<br><br>By the way, I'm planning to start my trip around Australia at the Rainbow Serpent Festival in Victoria, just under a month away! &nbsp;I'm really going to need to get cracking on this...

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Nice van and cool plan, good luck!

 

[Lifemagician]

Where in Victoria is the Rainbow Serpent Festival.&nbsp;&nbsp; I'd love to see your van.<br><br>Lifey in Melbourne

 

[bk2valve]

Is that a diesel van? I like it!<br>bri

 

[Guest]

Thanks,&nbsp;DazarGaidin

 

[Guest]

Lifemagician: Rainbow Serpent is in Lexton over the Australia Day long weekend.<br><span style="white-space: nowrap;">bk2valve: It's petrol.</span>

 

[bk2valve]

Anarquistador....It is still cool! Do you folks have the diesel Ace van in your country? We don't get them in the US...Bri

 

[Guest]

Hi Bri, We do have the diesel HiAce here. &nbsp;I saw a few while I was looking for my van.

 

[bk2valve]

Drool......thanks...<br>Bri

 

[Guest]

<div>OK, so off to a pretty good, if somewhat slow, start yesterday. &nbsp;I removed the rubber cargo mat to find a decade or so worth of dirt that had worked it's way underneath. &nbsp;Cleaned it out with a&nbsp;high-pressure water cleaner and discovered that there&nbsp;was some rust underneath. &nbsp;I'll be getting rid of&nbsp;what I can with a wire brush and and applying&nbsp;some metal primer before I put the mat back in&nbsp;place. &nbsp;<br><br>I've started building the base for my bed&nbsp;out of 20mm x 40mm timber that I'd reclaimed&nbsp;from a previous project (a set of corner shelves&nbsp;that I no longer have room for). &nbsp;The basic set up for the bed is going to be two seats facing each other with a table between.&nbsp; The&nbsp;table will fold down to act as the middle of the&nbsp;bed base. &nbsp;The&nbsp;measurements are based around some sofa&nbsp;cushions that my parents found for me out the front of a&nbsp;neighbour's place. I'll trim one down to make a bed that is a little bit shorter and narrower than a standard single since I'm not a big guy and any extra space to move and store things will probably be good to have.<br><br>So far I've got a box frame for one seat&nbsp;nearly completely assembled. &nbsp;There was a discarded timber bed frame a couple of blocks away from my house and I've salvaged the slats from that to use for more framing.</div>

 

[Ballenxj]

Looking at those windows, I'm betting the van started life as a passenger van? <br>Never the less, your plan is good, and I can understand your need for a lifeboat. <img rel="lightbox" src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" class="bbc_img"> <br>HAPPY NEW YEAR! <img rel="lightbox" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce

 

[pawsaroundoz]

Hi<br>In 2007 I had to re fit my ex Britz Hi top Hiacefollowing a very wet trip up the Stuart Hi Way to Darwin when I had to drive through some no lots of water over the road.<br>When I did the re fit I got some ply to put down on the floor and waterproffed it, then as it was cut to (very) roughly the shape of the floor with cut outs for the wheel arches etc I could use the floor to anchor a lot of my storage and bed etc.<br><br>just an idea...<br><br>annie