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So I looked about and couldn't find a Camper / RV thread anywhere. So now I have created one! Whats this Camper poo poo all about? Campers are commonly vans that have been converted, either professionally or in sheds by goon type people, to provide accommodation whilst on the road. This can be a VW camper like http://imgur.com/4hlFhGC type, small and with the basics for a weekend away. Or it can be this http://imgur.com/PlGVgGQ which has literally more poo poo than the standard house and probably cost more! Why have a camper? The reasons for owning campers are as varied as the people who own them! Too poor to go on holiday and stay in a Bed and Breakfast every time? Want the comforts of home and don't like towing caravans? (http://imgur.com/tzGvTkE) Want to make something unique for a specific task, such as motor racing weekends? Campers can be the go to vehicle for just about anyone. OK So what types are there to choose from? There are Loads of main types of Camper: The Pickup Truck Topper http://imgur.com/Yv58pEg - So this type of camper is pretty unheard of in the UK, we don't get pickups really so its no surprise but they seem great for a quick huntong trip or something. Bolt it to the bed of you truck and off you go with all the reliability of your daily driver this is a great option for short stays. Some are professionally built and some are self built http://imgur.com/ETdBAT8 Most seem to have the same equipment of the VW type so not really suitable for an epic journey. (thanks to InterceptorV8) The VW weekender style http://imgur.com/RM7J5Lf - This is the most common to see about on the roads. Small enough to drive daily, when not in the garage getting worked on!, and easy to park in lay-bys and supermarkets. I have used the name VW style as it is not only VW who make these, Mazda/Ford make the Bongo/Freda http://imgur.com/HW2jfNV , http://imgur.com/TdzfLIF These are ideal for a weekend away as they provide cooking facilities and sinks alongside up to 4 berth sleeping. The Self Build Van http://imgur.com/uIfp1vC - This is probably the most AI of the lot! Take a panel van (Fords Transit is popular) and make it into the glorious bastard you want! Cut windows where you want them, add a shower if you have a body odor problem and a mini bar if your single and want to lure single women back.... The Pro Van Conversion http://imgur.com/4WDTMgj - Want something panel van sized but professional? This is the type for you. Its pretty much a panel van with windows and a professionally fitted interior. Warranty, build quality and speed are all the perks of this type but many look like vans with stickers... The Coachbuilt Van http://imgur.com/SQz80Lc - OK so similar to the Pro Van Conversion above but with one difference. The factory provides the base vehicle as a cab and chassis only. then the conversion company, such as Auto-Trail, build the back up from scratch. Often they have an overhang above the cab meaning more space. As they are fully custom they don't resemble a van at all. They contain washrooms with showers and toilets making them suitable for longer trips off grid. The Winnebago Type http://imgur.com/FgxxlvC - These bad boys are more often than not American, over in Europe these are a rare as hens teeth. They are simply massive and provide all the luxury you can afford. They require a specific license to drive here in the UK by your county will differ considerably. The Schoolie type http://imgur.com/IoLm8Yl - These converted school busses offer the same benefits as the self builds above but with LOADS more space. Double deckers are fair game too. Remember that licenses to drive such beasts may apply and getting into a car park ain't going to happen. The Toterhomes type http://imgur.com/n35dAVP - These are like winnebagos on steroids! They are based on truck rigs and converted into long distance camper wet dreams! (if anyone wants anything adding here please do say!) Thats a lot of choice what do I need? Well cowboy you start with what you want and then look at what vehicle you need to get it. If its overnight stays in the woods you need a smaller camper. Want to tour Europe with the mrs? Well a shower may or may not be important so look at Van conversions. Want to drop the money normally reserved for a house? Get a Winnebago complete with sports car? http://imgur.com/ODemBPA whats this thread for? What isn't it for! Show off your swanky van, post project logs of self builds and chat about the unreliability of the splitscreen. Need help with a split charge relay or sealing a shower, ask away. thegasman2000 fucked around with this message at 20:46 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 18, 2014 20:28
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Reserved for erm stuff?
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May 18, 2014 20:29
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I can justify something like a VW camper van or a small camper, but the bigger ones are literally homes. Might as well just live in that.
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May 18, 2014 20:48
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Yeah and with European iAds you couldn't drive one anywhere anyway! The Vw's are so expensive though with a decent condition splitty over. 20k bay over 10k and t25, which I used to have, over 6-7k. I am self building a 1989 ford transit 100 it's long wheelbase semi hightop is perfect for a 4 berth.
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May 18, 2014 20:51
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This must be for Euros because I see you are missing the ones that also fit into the bed of your truck.
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May 18, 2014 20:55
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InterceptorV8 posted:This must be for Euros because I see you are missing the ones that also fit into the bed of your truck. poo poo is this removable? We don't get trucks here! I will add to the op ASAP!
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May 18, 2014 20:56
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thegasman2000 posted:poo poo is this removable? We don't get trucks here! I will add to the op ASAP! Most are, that one might not be. Like this one is.
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May 18, 2014 20:59
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Added a new type for you dude thanks! Question time. Its an old self builders problem but do I wire before insulation and boarding up or after?
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May 19, 2014 09:22
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CommieGIR posted:I can justify something like a VW camper van or a small camper, but the bigger ones are literally homes. Might as well just live in that. The maintenance on a VW camper anything is going to be more than the payment on a real camper van of any type. I work at a VW shop, and can't believe that people put money into those piles of poo poo. It's a hippy thing, and has a following because of that alone. No person that has done actual unbiased research would build one aimed at reliable travel, end of story. I started looking for a camping rig recently, and people started asking if I was gonna get a bus, vanagon, or a eurovan (Because I work at a VW shop)... I had to reply that I am not looking for a novelty vehicle, I actually need a proper reliable vehicle for camping, and none of the above fit the bill. I ended up with this:  100X the vehicle over any VW for 1/10th the price? Yeah, I'll go ahead and go that route...
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May 19, 2014 09:37
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Budget Monty posted:I work at a VW shop For 99% of people your spot on that they are an image thing over a practical thing. However for someone who works at a VW shop you are in the perfect position to get a VW and make it awesome! parts readily available and what work you cannot do get mates to do at mates rates. I had a t25 and due to neighbours complaining to the local council had to scrap it. It had 3000 miles on a VEGE engine and I got £160 for it  so now i am converting an old transit. Parts are so much cheaper and due to the size I have more options. Still want a VW camper though.
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May 19, 2014 09:43
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I've been looking into buying a camper for a long road trip I'm planning and it's proving to be very difficult to find something decent at an affordable price, at least where I'm at. I completely agree with the sentiment toward VWs. I've checked out a few and people are asking big money for total junk. Not to mention they have awful driving characteristics. Anyone have any thoughts on specific brands to look for? Or at least some alternate methods of searching for the right vehicle. Craigslist is a crapshoot, Ebay pricing is outrageous and local dealers are just full of 50+' monsters.
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May 19, 2014 14:40
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I take it self building is out? That's the only affordable option I an see. The problem is cheap means old and old means rusty poo poo that has been bodged year after year. Would a ford Freda do you? I think they released it in the states.
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May 19, 2014 15:20
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thegasman2000 posted:Added a new type for you dude thanks! If it's like a house, you wire before. You using that R-whatever foamboard or fiberglass?
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May 19, 2014 21:22
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InterceptorV8 posted:If it's like a house, you wire before. You using that R-whatever foamboard or fiberglass? Probably going to use polystyrene boards and the bubble wrap foam stuff on with side. Rock wool falls down and is a rust magnet!
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May 19, 2014 23:32
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Budget Monty posted:The maintenance on a VW camper anything is going to be more than the payment on a real camper van of any type. I work at a VW shop, and can't believe that people put money into those piles of poo poo. It's a hippy thing, and has a following because of that alone. No person that has done actual unbiased research would build one aimed at reliable travel, end of story. I started looking for a camping rig recently, and people started asking if I was gonna get a bus, vanagon, or a eurovan (Because I work at a VW shop)... I had to reply that I am not looking for a novelty vehicle, I actually need a proper reliable vehicle for camping, and none of the above fit the bill. I ended up with this: I mean't more like the Vanagon or the Syncro van, not the 60s vans. 
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May 20, 2014 00:03
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thegasman2000 posted:Would a ford Freda do you? I think they released it in the states. I wish, we just got the transit a few years ago. The best option here for a self-build would be to get a Ford Econoline panelvan and fit it out as a stealth camper. The mileage will be terrible though. Put the wiring in first if you know exactly where everything will be going and how it is all going to work together. If you think you might be making changes run it in raceways instead.
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May 20, 2014 03:46
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Has anybody lived in an RV for a decent length of time? We are still trying to figure out logistics to relocate my wife and I and our two cats to Colorado. Lately we've had the very rash idea of selling all of our cars, buying a Class A motorhome and a toad hatchback, and just going. Serviceable ones seem to run about 4-9000 here in Arkansas depending on condition, and I can put a little more on top to put a shine on it. Is there some sort of middle ground between "old person RV park where you can't turn the TV past 1 or you get the manager banging on your door" and "just living in the woods, cooking meth and fighting bears naked" as far as lots/hookups go? Our ballpark time frame would be anywhere from 1-6 months in the RV, transitioning to a teeny tiny apartment after that. It's just a charming and fun idea, and seems like something that so many people wish they could do, but don't get a chance to until they're in their sixties -- we're dumping almost all of our possessions and do not want to own a home for _several_ years, no kids, hell, why not?
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May 20, 2014 17:57
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I grew up in a RV. that probably explains a lot. I also lived in the big rear end bus for 2 years or so. two people can full time easy. two people with a bunch of kids can full time a little less easy. parks can vary allover the map. from basic mobile methlab cheap parks (koa!) to high end parks that are like living in a resort.
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May 20, 2014 18:02
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cursedshitbox posted:I grew up in a RV. that probably explains a lot. We tent camped at a KOA outside of Chattanooga a couple of months ago and it wasn't bad at all. We just got a 1975 Serro Scotty Hilander camper trailer for $700 that pretty much needs to be gutted and rebuilt with all new wood. Basically, we bought a decent trailer frame and a good set of templates to make our own custom Hilander  . I started a thread about it a week and half ago, but I haven't updated since then, as the weather has not cooperated with dismantling efforts.Over the next couple of nights, I'll be measuring and documenting the dimensions for all of the poo poo inside so we can easily make replacement parts for the plywood poo poo that's falling apart. My wife works at an aircraft factory (in environmental engineering) and they have to use sheets of foam to protect parts in shipping, so we have tons of free, high-quality, high density foam to make cushions and beds. I figure the dismantling can be done in one day, then the tedious process of rebuilding the structure, rewiring, and putting in an interior can begin. I'm going to end up going apeshit on the frame, I just know it. It has some kind of undercoating all over it and while it isn't rusty, it looks like poo poo, so I'm going to strip it back to bare metal and paint it with either POR-15 or something like John Deere Blitz Black.
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May 20, 2014 21:15
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My Self build .JPG) Still not finished the interior yet (its totslly usable but not ideal) and I'm now 10 years in... May get it finished this summer depending how much paid work I get. Am fighting thoughts of remodelling the back body quite a lot by removing the rear doors, extending the rear by a foot or so and fitting a door in the side. This would also mean I would have to completely gut it and move all my furniture and fixings round from how they are now and probably not finishing for another 10 years... Tomarse fucked around with this message at 22:03 on May 20, 2014 |
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May 20, 2014 22:00
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Ive got one.  Lots of fun but dangerously underpowered. I am going to remedy that this summer. http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3628877
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May 21, 2014 03:49
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I was conceived in a van down by a river, can I post here? My dad had a 1980 Chevy cargo van he converted to a camper. I spent a very large portion of my childhood in that thing, hunting and camping all over Alaska. The van itself started going downhill about the time we got stuck 10 miles up a river (yes, dad drove a 2wd van ten miles straight up a river - it's an Alaska thing) and smashed up the body trying to get traction under the tires. OP, you forgot something we in the states call a 'Class C'. It's the front cab of a van mated to the back half of a motorhome. Those are what most people up here buy, since they can be purchased with fairly reasonable financing - the catch is that motorhomes depreciated approximately 50% each year. If you can find one that's just a couple of years old you'll save a A LOT of money, and the odds are high it won't have all that many miles. To anybody doing a conversion, I highly recommend cartridge-style toilets. You can dump them in any toilet or outhouse and they smell an awful lot better than the honeybucket style I grew up with.
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May 21, 2014 04:57
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We're taking a look at a 1989 Pace Arrow 37J later today. 57K, "Preacher Owned", supposedly everything works, washer/dryer, it's ridiculous. No slides but for my price range we can't be too picky. This...this would definitely be a different roadtrip experience than the 540.
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May 21, 2014 14:55
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Jonny 290 posted:We're taking a look at a 1989 Pace Arrow 37J later today. 57K, "Preacher Owned", supposedly everything works, washer/dryer, it's ridiculous. No slides but for my price range we can't be too picky. Washer dryer... Yeah that's gonna be like an apartment!
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May 21, 2014 15:04
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I picked up this bad boy about 6 months ago for $1,000. I needed something to deliver candy in, but renting a ford transit turned out to be cheaper once gas was factored in. I've pretty much stripped the inside already. Whenever I get the time I'm planning on doing the interior up like a hookah lounge. My wife abhors the thing and refuses to drive it, but my son loves it and currently uses it as his playhouse.
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May 21, 2014 16:07
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Leroy Diplowski posted:Whenever I get the time I'm planning on doing the interior up like a hookah lounge. My grandparents had an early-'80s Ford conversion van for years, that we took all our family vacations in. Ridiculous '80s stripe graphics like yours, blood-red velvet interior, venetian blinds and curtains on all the windows, swiveling captain's chairs in the second row, a nifty wooden cupholder/storage thing on top of the doghouse that I think my grandfather built, a space for a TV, card tables that fitted into sockets in the floor, and a built-in CB between the visors. I wish I'd bought it from my parents, but it had been sitting several years and had known issues before it was parked. If I could afford it, I'd get one just like it but also with the 4x4 conversion, and go camping.
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May 21, 2014 17:25
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Bad Angus! Bad!
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Tomarse posted:My Self build Tell me more...
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May 21, 2014 17:36
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Leroy Diplowski posted:I needed something to deliver candy in, Perfect.
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May 21, 2014 19:25
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Cool, glad someone thought about this! My rig is a 2004 Thor four winds 31p c-class. Ford e450 chassis with the 6.8L gas v10. Mostly I use it to tow this around the southeast: The boat is a J24. It, gear and rigging and the trailer combined are easily pushing 7500 by themselves. Fully loaded with water, gas, lp and foul weather gear for and with 6 people I'm approaching around 17 thousand pounds and 75 feet. If I keep my foot out of it, it will get 13mpg. How, I have no idea. E: well I guess there's generally two kegs onboard at all times too. SuperDucky fucked around with this message at 20:34 on May 21, 2014 |
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May 21, 2014 19:43
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SuperDucky posted:Cool, glad someone thought about this! My rig is a 2004 Thor four winds 31p c-class. Ford e450 chassis with the 460 gas v10. Mostly I use it to tow this around the southeast:  Isn't the V10 a 416CID? The 460 that I know is a V8.
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May 21, 2014 20:07
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Raluek posted:
Welp, you're right. I'm a bmw guy, those drat cubic inch measurements trip me up all the time.  Edited the above with the displacement in liters like I should have done in the first place.
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May 21, 2014 20:33
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Vindolanda posted:Tell me more... Seconded, Is that a Volvo? I've wanted to do up a Volvo, Unimog or Pinzgauer for a while now but the top speed issues and noise scare me off. We currently camp in a 1976 Mercedes van bought by my Grandfather which tops out at 50-something and can't climb hills at more than 35. For a while I considered swapping the 4-cylinder om-616 diesel for a 5-cylinder turbo om-617 which would basically double the HP but require some cutting to clear the turbo and still leave us with a 3-speed plus granny gear with no synchros. The interior layout wastes a lot of space and the propane heater is rusted out but it has fresh rebuild and a new coat of paint. However we have still had a great time driving it through the Canadian Rockies and down to Death Valley. I think we are just going to try to stay on top of maintenance and use it for short trips up the coast. Eventually we will build out something more modern, maybe once the new 4x4 sprinter vans show up on the used market we will fit one out or if we have another kid maybe go whole-hog on a cab-over commercial truck. My wife really wants that 6x6 G-wagen but I doubt I need to tell anyone here why that is never happening. Have a pic, the Dog loves roadtrips because he gets to sit in the passengers lap.
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May 21, 2014 23:46
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I helped some friends convert a bus into an RV vehicle. It was pretty nice to start with a bus, but it had its downsides too. I'd be glad to answer any questions about the process, feel free to ask. Quick recommendations about the process: titling old school buses can be tricky depending on where you live, you're going to need several batteries wired together, and sourcing an RV scrapyard is a godsend.
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May 22, 2014 00:35
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You know that wistful notion when you pass a neato RV just tooling down the highway and you get that daydream of just saying "gently caress it" and buying a big old behemoth and touring the nation, working just enough to put gas in your tank and steaks on the grill, visiting old and making new friends across the nation So, this just happened.  (Deal is done on a handshake cause we're the fuckin' South, I'm getting the 401k loan in the morning and it should be here by Tuesday, which I have taken off conveniently. i'll pay the 401k loan off with proceeds from the *sobs* BMW) all the specs I know right now: 1989 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 37J 37 feet length 454 Chevy drivetrain Tag axle (dead axle behind the drive axle, =15,000 lb towing capacity) The absolute best the preacher PO could ever get was 9.3 miles per gallon, average is 8 6kW Onan generator 100 gallon fuel tank 2x60 gallon freshwater tanks Propane/electric fridge/freezer Big shower with a real door and a skylight The bad: -One of the vent bubble windows on the roof is broken, there's been a tarp over it, there is no water damage and I've already found a $20 replacement -Carburetor. + to AI cred but - for high altitude driving. Will need to consider rejetting once we get to Denver. Megasquirt would be fun but I must be conservative for now, considering this is our home and needs good uptime -One messed up panel that has some lifted glue, the RV shop can sort it out like new for $300 -Master bedroom is set up with two twin beds (lol preacher PO). -90's as gently caress up in here. oak and brass. AAAAAAA. We are going to tear out the carpet and put in hardwood flooring, and probably paint the cabinets, and DEFINITELY redo all the wallpaper. -Backup camera is shot, big whoop its a janky old CRT, I'll replace with a $300 modern unit with an LCD. Until then I am not allowed to put it in reverse without a spotter cause oh god everything in our life just changed on a handshake with a friendly fella named Jim
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May 22, 2014 02:27
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Owns. That's going to look great with hardwood floors.
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May 22, 2014 02:38
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Jonny 290 posted:So, this just happened gently caress yes. And don't go crazy trying to "update" it. Live with it. It's fine. All RVs interiors are designed by the same 6 guys who have been living in a cave since 1976, only let out once a year to design a new interior. They are given a couple of modern design magazines to go by, but mostly just base things off of the last bordello they went to in the early 70s before they got locked way.
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May 22, 2014 03:19
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Edit: ^^ Congrats Jonny and have fun tearing into it! We almost sealed the deal on a 96 Pace Arrow but the guy just wanted too much for it. May I present what my 4-year-old son has dubbed "The Dragon"...  She's a 1998 Newmar Kountry Star and the price was right because of the paint job. That's a pic of the rig I drove from Virginia to California to relocate the family (wife, girl, 3 boys). If you're thinking about getting an RV, you should! It was awesome. I only wish we could have taken a little more time getting out to the west coast but we were kinda in a hurry. Got to see the Grand Canyon though.  We had talked about it for months and finally decided to go ahead and do it. We looked at about 8 or 10 RVs before we settled on this one. I would recommend buying an RV purchasing guide (just do it, the internet is too schizophrenic to give good advice). We've taken the Dragon out a few times in the past year (Sequoias, Big Sur, Point Pillar), and really enjoyed it. It helps to be mechanically inclined and handy with tools, but folks in the RV parks are always friendly and willing to help. Bacicot fucked around with this message at 04:05 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 03:55
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http://www.campingworld.com/ and Amazon will be your friend. Also: http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/fan-tastic-ultrabreeze-vent-cover-smoke/58896 http://www.amazon.com/Camco-45192-Sunshield-Insulator-Reflective/dp/B0024E6QX0/ Scott's single ply TP will also be your friend.
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May 22, 2014 04:08
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I've been camping my whole life, my parents tell me they took me out the first time when I was 3-4 weeks old in their old ford conversion van back in 81. Kept it going ever since, I've got a little pop up tent trailer, and I love it. My usual style of camping is to go to semi-rough forestry campgrounds and hang out for a week. The trailer doesn't have a bathroom, so I need a place with outhouses, and I need to be able to get there without 4x4, hasn't been an issue yet. 2005 Fleetwood colonial model. This was down near Longview, Alberta.  The floor plan is simple, but quite functional. It's very roomy inside. For some reason I don't have any pictures of the interior.  This was during one of my first trips with it nearly a decade ago, up near Caroline, Alberta.  The view from my campsite (I was standing by the campsite table when I took this) was amazing.  Same campground, different trip. This was my original tow rig, my lovely old 2001 dodge dakota, 2wd, manual, 3.9l v6. It was capable enough, got me over the Rockies 3-4 times and back without issue. The roof rack (I was a courier back then, worst job ever) came in handy to move the canoe.  The 'new' truck is much more capable. It was my grandfathers, but it's a 1990 Ford f-150 (only 144k km as of today!) and he used it to tow his 20 something foot long 5th wheel. Also 2wd, automatic (unfortunate, but whatever, it works well) with a proper overdrive and an overdrive shutoff for long hills.  The view from the top of one of the Cyprus Hills near Medicine Hat, Alberta.  This is up in Kananaskis country, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, if I remember correctly. (Like 90 minutes from my house.)  The country near me is perfect for camping. Outdoor activities abound, and the views are wonderful. Only downside is the weather, we get bad hailstorms out here, I've had to replace the roof on this thing twice because of hail. Small price to pay, imo. Bacicot posted:"The Dragon"... This is phenomenal. I love it.
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May 22, 2014 04:44
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thegasman2000 posted:
Where would you classify Schoolies and Toterhomes?
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May 22, 2014 06:13
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