Vagabound's Build-Out - 1993 Ford E350 Box Truck

[Every Road Leads Home]

Love seeing the updates. Looks like you barely had a half inch to spare when mounting that door between running out of space at either the top or bottom of the rig. I say great job getting that in there so nicely. I'm in a half finished house at the moment and cuss and curse at the lack of space or facilities at times and can only imagine that the inconvenience factor magnifies 10x when doing it in a vehicle. Hats off to you for taking on such a project with no dedicated shop or land to do it on. It's inspiring to watch it all unfold.

 

[rvpopeye]

X2^

 

[Vagabound]

I'm disappointed that this update didn't include the promised video of your flying side door dismounts.

That said, lotta respect for getting it done one step at a time while living in it...gotta get frustrating at times.

I appreciate the nice words. Frustration is right. Managing it is a separate task just like any of the others involved in the build.

Don't remember a video promise, but I'll work on that. Good, free cinematography help is hard to find. As soon as I buy a GoPro and figure out how to strap it to my head, I'll let you know. ;-)

Tom

 

[Vagabound]

Love seeing the updates.  Looks like you barely had a half inch to spare when mounting that door between running out of space at either the top or bottom of the rig.  I say great job getting that in there so nicely.   I'm in a half finished house at the moment and cuss and curse at the lack of space or facilities at times and can only imagine that the inconvenience factor magnifies 10x when doing it in a vehicle.  Hats off to you for taking on such a project with no dedicated shop or land to do it on.  It's inspiring to watch it all unfold.

Door:
You are exactly right about the door fit. When it was time to buy the door, due to various circumstances, I had minutes to decide if it was going to work or not / buy it or not. After some rushed measuring of the truck and the door, I decided to buy it. However, I was never sure it was going to fit until a week or so later when I cut the hole in the side of the truck. And it took me some part of three days of measuring and thinking before I finally put a saw on the wall. 

In the end, there is exactly one half inch between the top of the door frame and the bottom of the upper aluminum rail of the box. I'm amazed that you could spot that so exactly from my bad photo. What an eagle eye! On the bottom, the door frame rests right on the lower aluminum railing of the box.

One of the trickiest mental challenges was realizing that the door needed to be mounted in such a way that it would be lower than the interior floor of the box. Even though I knew it was an outward opening door, some reptilian part of my brain kept throwing up roadblocks with the thought that the bottom of the door and the floor inside the box needed to be at the same height. Not true, of course, because that only applies to an inward swinging door.  But it went beyond realizing that. 

I had to come to realize that, with the door needing to be installed below floor level, I had to cut out part of the brand new floor that I had just installed to allow the door to go into the frame. Talk about counterintuitive and red flags! Once I figured all that out, it was just grunt work from there. In the end, the door fit in that space hand in glove. I could not have been happier about that.

Inspiring:
Glad to know that the updates are worthwhile on the other end as well. I would say that this project inspires me about 10% of the time. About 80% of the time it's just relentless focus on the mission. The other 10% of the time the stress brings me close to puking my guts out. So, all in all, interesting project soup to swim in.

As always, I appreciate all comments, especially the encouragement from experienced people I know really mean it.

Tom

 

[rvpopeye]

You know.............this project is turning you into an experienced one.
Let that sink in for a while , then look for some newbie that you can help out.

We're just paying it forward................................................................

 

[LeeRevell]

Tom, the build project is looking very good! I'm looking forward to seeing more.

 

[Vagabound]

You know.............this project is turning you into an experienced one.
Let that sink in for a while , then look for some newbie that you can help out.

We're just paying it forward................................................................

rvpopeye: Thanks. Full disclosure, I had a leg up on some people who would try such a project. I already had long time experience building things, using tools, and solving building related problems. I had just never tried to build a house in a truck before. And you're right though -- this is the best type of experience. The kind that cannot be purchased with tuition. 

And as for paying it forward, that's always been my way. I think of it more like altruism, but pay it forward is a good way to think of it, too.

Lee: I'm a bit concerned. At some point in the future, it is inevitable that I will head back to Florida. Kind of a homing pigeon thing. Have I made my rig such a redneck roadster that even Floridians won't let me back in? ;-)

Tom

 

[Gary68]

Have I made my rig such a redneck roadster that even Floridians won't let me back in? ;-)

southern florida,yea
central and northern,you will fit right in

that se us heat and humidity is murder,i need to make a trip to northern georgia before everyone dies and no way am i going in summer

 

[LeeRevell]

rvpopeye: Thanks. Full disclosure, I had a leg up on some people who would try such a project. I already had long time experience building things, using tools, and solving building related problems. I had just never tried to build a house in a truck before. And you're right though -- this is the best type of experience. The kind that cannot be purchased with tuition. 

And as for paying it forward, that's always been my way. I think of it more like altruism, but pay it forward is a good way to think of it, too.

Lee: I'm a bit concerned. At some point in the future, it is inevitable that I will head back to Florida. Kind of a homing pigeon thing. Have I made my rig such a redneck roadster that even Floridians won't let me back in? ;-)

Tom

Haha! We'uns is raght friendly down heah. Come on down! ;-)

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Wow! Looks fantastic!

 

[Ballenxj]

Progress Update:
What makes a truck a house?

I'm not sure I know the answer to that, but I think that it has something to do with windows.

<----snip---->

Some photos are attached to show you a bit of the progress.

Tom, I really like the progress I'm seeing here. You're doing a great job.

 

[Vagabound]

Tom, I really like the progress I'm seeing here. You're doing a great job.

Ballenxj,

Thanks for the kind words and for reading my build-out thread. I'm working on the back wall now, which when finished, will separate the living space from the shed near the roll-up door. 

Although there will be a nearly endless stream of small tasks for the foreseeable future, that wall is the last large task requiring piles of lumber and saws, etc.  Remaining big projects will be adding a roof rack and then adding a solar system. I'm going to try to keep mine smaller than nine planets ... sorry, eight planets. Poor Pluto. 

Tom

 

[Ballenxj]

Ballenxj,

Thanks for the kind words and for reading my build-out thread. I'm working on the back wall now, which when finished, will separate the living space from the shed near the roll-up door. 

Hey Tom, I wish I had software to draw my plan and post the plans I had for the box truck that I no longer have. I went through a bumpy time financially and had to sell it before I got to build it.
I was going to take between 3 & 5 feet just behind the roll up door, and frame in a wall with an actual entry door and window that would be tied in with the  insulated and paneled interior. I also was thinking about a false ceiling part way in the back that would allow the roll up door to slide right into.
At that point I could use the outer area between the framed in wall and roll up door as a garage and or patio area, and when I left the box truck I would just close the roll up door and passers by would never know what was inside.
It sounds like you may have the same idea.

 

[Vagabound]

Hey Tom, I wish I had software to draw my plan and post the plans I had for the box truck that I no longer have. I went through a bumpy time financially and had to sell it before I got to build it.
...

I'm very sorry to hear about that. Don't feel pregnant though. I'm going through a bumpy time financially now as well; trying to build this truck and look for work and everything else at the same time. I intimately understand Michael Keaton in the movie Multiplicity now. Matters are not made easier by the fact that I've been gone from the country for almost 10 years and feel like Rip Van Winkle. All in all, my situation might turn out worse than yours. If I don't get my shit together soon, I might end up selling my truck after I build it.

I was going to take between 3 & 5 feet just behind the roll up door, and frame in a wall with an actual entry door and window that would be tied in with the  insulated and paneled interior. I also was thinking about a false ceiling part way in the back that would allow the roll up door to slide right into. 
At that point I could use the outer area between the framed in wall and roll up door as a garage and or patio area, and when I left the box truck I would just close the roll up door and passers by would never know what was inside.
It sounds like you may have the same idea.

I have a very similar idea, yes, but not exactly the same. I'll post some pictures when I get far enough along. I do like your idea of a window in that back wall door. In my case, I've decided that space is going to be taken by medicine cabinet.

Tom

 

[Gary68]

day labor-temp agency,employment office,craigslist,mostly crap jobs but sometimes something o.k. that you might get a couple days/weeks of work from

i have heard that there is some good money to be had at truck stops after dark,if you can stomach it :angel:

 

[Ballenxj]

i have heard that there is some good money to be had at truck stops after dark,if you can stomach it :angel:

Now you're living up to your avatar Mr Hill.

 

[Vagabound]

...

i have heard that there is some good money to be had at truck stops after dark,if you can stomach it :angel:

With friends like you ...

;-)

Tom

 

[Gary68]

With friends like you ...

;-)

Tom

somebody has to walk up to the big red button that say dont push and push it

 

[rvpopeye]

On another note , bet it wouldn't be hard to sell here but,,,,keep it.
I wouldn't be able to sell after all that blood and sweat...workamp , sell pumpkins , Christmas trees , fireworks , go to an Amazon fulfillment center , beet harvest , just be a greeter at wallyworld , you CAN find something !

 

[Vagabound]

On another note , bet it wouldn't be hard to sell here but,,,,keep it. ...

I am not seriously contemplating selling the truck. At this point in my overall project to get reintegrated into the States, losing it would be more or less catastrophic. I just wanted to make the point to Ballenxj that his problem is more common than he might think.

Reasonable ideas for generally available work that would apply to a grumpy old middle-aged guy living in a goofy box truck are welcomed ... from anybody except Gary.

Tom