Thinking of buying a utility shell for a stealth/adventure vehicle camper.

[Telcobilly]

Got this Big Joe bean bag chair at Wal-Mart a few weeks ago. It gives me a comfortable place to sit in the shell during inclimate weather. I test sat in it, no head room issues. I paid $30 for it.

 

[Telcobilly]

I'm going to do a revamp of my set up in the shell. Mostly it will be purging and relocating stuff to keep the main area as open as possible. I want the stuff to fit in the basement below the deck and in the cabover compartment. I want to be able to easily raise the deck to do sponge baths and use the sealed potty bucket.

 

[supertramp]

Awesome rig and great thread! 

I just read the thread through and will study it more carefully when I start my own project.

All the best to you, hope you drop by and update from time to time.

 

[Telcobilly]

Hi Everyone, I've been trucking since last December to rebuild my war chest. I'm getting off the truck in November for about 4 months. I'm working towards a 6 month on 6 month off schedule.
I did some more organising this weekend. Solar will be my next project. I'm learning a lot by living on a big truck which applies to the vandwelling lifestyle.
More organising my clothes on the left side:
<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/user/telcobilly/media/20150919_121911_zpslgk9gnha.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/telcobilly/20150919_121911_zpslgk9gnha.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20150919_121911_zpslgk9gnha.jpg"/></a>
Food prep on the big truck using an electric skillet, microwave and  a 1500W inverter:
<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/user/telcobilly/media/IMAG1276_zpsfu1lnwbw.jpeg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/telcobilly/IMAG1276_zpsfu1lnwbw.jpeg" border="0" alt=" photo IMAG1276_zpsfu1lnwbw.jpeg"/></a>

<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/user/telcobilly/media/20150413_104823_zpshcf0a5ob.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/telcobilly/20150413_104823_zpshcf0a5ob.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20150413_104823_zpshcf0a5ob.jpg"/></a>

 

[highdesertranger]

hey Telcobilly that's a nice looking bumper. highdesertranger

 

[Telcobilly]

Thanks highdesertranger, the front and rear bumpers were made by Tough Country south of Houston. I bought them when I was in the oilfield and then got laid off. They are tough, but HEAVY..
http://www.toughcountry.com

 

[Telcobilly]

As stated earlier, I'm getting off the big truck for a 4 month hiatus. I plan to hit the road in the Tacoma. I want to head out from San Diego to Texas you see family and continue across the country to see my mom and sisters in the Northeast. I'll be camping in the rig and I guess I'll join Planet Fitness to have my showers covered. I'd like too see Mt Rushmore, Grand Canyon, Blue Ridge Parkway along the way. Any site & routing suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Telcobilly]

Sorry for the typos, edit wouldn't let me back in.

 

[Telcobilly]

As stated earlier, I'm getting off the big truck for a 4 month hiatus. I plan to hit the road in the Tacoma. I want to head out from San Diego to Texas to see family and continue across the country to see my mom and sisters in the Northeast. I'll be camping in the rig and I guess I'll join Planet Fitness to have my showers covered. I'd like to see Mt Rushmore, Grand Canyon, Blue Ridge Parkway along the way. Any site & routing suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[highdesertranger]

sounds good telcobilly keep us up to date. highdesertranger

 

[myke]

As stated earlier, I'm getting off the big truck for a 4 month hiatus. I plan to hit the road in the Tacoma. I want to head out from San Diego to Texas to see family and continue across the country to see my mom and sisters in the Northeast. I'll be camping in the rig and I guess I'll join Planet Fitness to have my showers covered. I'd like to see Mt Rushmore, Grand Canyon, Blue Ridge Parkway along the way. Any site & routing suggestions would be appreciated.

Sweet! but you may be coming to the northeast at the wrong time... already starting to get a bit cold here...

 

[Telcobilly]

Cleaned the truck up last time I was home in Sept.
<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/user/telcobilly/media/20150919_173356_zps5ruj9kvd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/telcobilly/20150919_173356_zps5ruj9kvd.jpg" border="0" alt="BOV Sept 2015 photo 20150919_173356_zps5ruj9kvd.jpg"/></a>

 

[WriterMs]

That is a cool set up. Most of this thread was written before I joined the forum, but I had to go back and see exactly what your big white cocoon was all about.

I suppose the room in the double cab lets you hang out up there and have windows as much as you'd like.

I wondered about weather as well. Plan on using lots of heat if you visit Mt. Rushmore beyond October (and maybe before). I think Bob and several from the forum are still now near Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon --- tho he's said they may not be there all that much longer. Check out the blog posts if you don't follow those already.

 

[masterplumber]

Yeah, here in CO we went from Summer to Fall overnight. Highs are now running in the 50s and 60s with lows in the mountains already down in the 20s. Not too bad yet, but definitely getting cooler. This time of the year I think I would travel the very southern route aß much as possible. Maybe see places that are too hot during the summer, like Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands.

 

[Telcobilly]

I purchased the current Tacoma in Boulder CO at the end of Nov, 2012. In the thread I detailed how I dealt with cold with a 0° rated sleeping bag and a Mr Buddy heater. I got thru 3 weeks in Boulder just fine. I have an extended gas line and plan to get a larger propane tank. I have a propane sniffer and an CO sensor? Any suggestions on a quality battery operated monitor?

 

[Telcobilly]

I purchased the current Tacoma in Boulder CO at the end of Nov, 2012. In the thread I detailed how I dealt with cold with a 0° rated sleeping bag and a Mr Buddy heater. I got thru 3 weeks in Boulder just fine. I have an extended gas line and plan to get a larger propane tank. I have a propane sniffer and an CO sensor? Any suggestions on a quality battery operated  propane monitor?

 

[Telcobilly]

Sorry for the duplicate posts, having a hard time with the edit function.

 

[B and C]

There are a lot of co, smoke and lp gas detectors made for Rv's.  They have the added bonus of tying into your existing 12v system.  A search on rv xx detector will get a lot of hits.

Brian

 

[Telcobilly]

As stated earlier I'll be off the big truck soon. I have been mentally running the gamut of ideas for a long range plan. I considered a RV, travel trailer or a sailboat as a more long term plan. I keep going back to the KISS principal. Any of those ideas limit my freedom and flexibility by increasing cost and losing stealth.

I think I'm going to do a big makeover on the shell along with banking my money. I want to make an easily accessible well in the shell so I can almost stand up (67" standing room). That will make changing clothes and sponge baths easier. I could keep my potty bucket down below and easier to use.
I want to assemble some type chuck box to hold my dishes, dry goods ect. It can stay on the passenger side of the truck where my fridge and microwave reside.

Basically, I want to extend the time off the truck by making what I have work better for long term use. Any & all ideas are welcomed.

 

[highdesertranger]

explain the well to give you more head room better. do you mean making the whole shell taller or cutting though the floor? highdesertranger