Backpacker/Travel Vans

[Anonymous No.1115691]

Anyone successfully do a conversion on a van for backpacking/travelling/camping. Please share with me your experiences, advice, layout designs, and must have essentials. I have a 2003 Toyota Hiace and im hoping start making some nifty modifications to it in the next week. Its only going to be a single bed. Im currently in Australia.

[Anonymous No.1115710]

>>1115691
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandwelling

Stick a fucking bed in. Stick some shelves in. Stick a solar panel on for charging.

Fuck is difficult?

[Vanguy No.1115742]

Bought my Toyota hiace 2000 model three months ago have been slowly doing it up more causal weekend camping in mind. It's my daily drive also.

[Vanguy No.1115743]

[Vanguy No.1115745]

[Vanguy No.1115747]

Rear roller drawers work great for my van and how I like too camp, cheap too, if you avoid buying premade draw sliders and just use nuts,bolts, and skateboard bearings you can crest a crude roller system like mine.

[Anonymous No.1115901]

#vanlife
#foreveronholiday
#swasia
#roadtrip

[Anonymous No.1115910]

>>1115743
how do you comfortably sleep in this thing. Are you a manlet? Do you chronically sleep with your legs twisted inwards or up? I'm serious, why the f do people sleep like this

the optimum easycamp setup is to have a couch/bed with space underneath on your driver's side, and a desk at the back of the van with drawers.

That's it, easy. Also if you're aus and you have no roof vent you must be baking like a potato in there, lmao

[Anonymous No.1115924]

>>1115910

faggot

[Anonymous No.1115935]

>>1115910
You assume because the pillows are there that's how I'd sleep? Well no obviously that'd be uncomfortable...
It's very comfortable, and I keep my widows a bit down if I'm sleeping in it, you don't need to over engineer a fucking camper.

[Anonymous No.1116395]

>>1115743
Nice one dude that what i wanted to see. Good work in progress. i do like the bed being in the back instead of the front alot of people tend to do it opposite to fit a kitchen in the back. a headboard be pretty good addition also

[Anonymous No.1116397]

>>1115901
>
Fuck yeah dude this. is a pretty damn good design gives provides alot of ideas. although my van is no where near as big as a sprinter, can still put alot of this information to use

[Anonymous No.1116410]

>>1116397
You're welcome anon. Enjoy it.

[Anonymous No.1117217]

>>1115910
Not everyone is the same, shorter people can sleep in different directions.

The bed also can be in a different direction to.

Its not that hard to think about what direction the bed needs to be in for your height.

[Anonymous No.1117399]

My ideall backpackers van/vehicle would be a completely electric one that I can charge with solar panels. This way I have a completely self sufficient vehicle. I'd also probably want the vehicle itself to be relatively simple in design for easy maitanence.

[Anonymous No.1118023]

>>1115742
east or west coast?

[Anonymous No.1118123]

>>1115691
No longer have it. No pics apart from possibly some 35mm stuff.
1983 Chevy C10 pickup, camper shell.
Solar wasn't invented yet. 300 baud modems ruled the world.
Built out the inside with storage and potable water. Added a small sink with 12v pump that drained out through the bed onto the ground. Rigged up a 12V distribution system with breakers to run lights and a small stereo.
Folding pads made the bed and I had some blackout shades with magnets to have privacy.

Eventually added a charging unit for those campgrounds that provided 120VAC hookups.

For the most part we only used it when it was too shitty to set up a tent or when it was just a rest stop on a long trip.

[Anonymous No.1118125]

>>1117399
>My ideal car would be a completely magical one that was free
cool story

[Anonymous No.1118157]

>>1118125
>Installing solar panels onto the top of a van is magic

Do you even know what board you're on, anon? Mounting and hooking up a few panels to a van is like two days work.

>>1115691
>They don't know about the Mazda Bongo

The Japanese are truly masters of comfy

[Anonymous No.1118171]

>>1118157
>completely electric one that I can charge with solar panels. This way I have a completely self sufficient vehicle.
learn how to read

[Anonymous No.1118184]

>>1118171
>Converting a car to run on electric is an impossible feat and could never be done

Stop being retarded Anon

[Anonymous No.1118248]

I did it this summer and drove around Europe for two months. It's rather cramped living, although perfectly feasible, even in a tiny japvan. Ventilation and insulation is really important, depending on your climate.

[Anonymous No.1118284]

>>1118248
>That terrible parking job

[Anonymous No.1118296]

>>1118125
>>1118171
Are you fucking retarded? Are you one of those faggots who denies reality for reasons unknown? Solar power is an actual technology that has been around for decades now, converting a car to solar power is not even outside the common mans abilities. It's not magic you technically illiterate backwater hickbrained moron, it's this thing called technology and yes, it makes shit easier for people to do. Fucking everything we humans make is something to make our lives easier, how hard is it to comprehend solar power? You phrase it as if it's something impossible, but the truth a magical car that's completely free is 100% possible. Guess what you cynical, pessimistic piece of shit, the world is going to become easier and better, whether you like it or not. Saying "things will always be shit" doesn't stop a damn thing. I don't deny life isn't a magical utopia, but assholes like you who also seem to wish the world wasn't going to get better really piss me off. Yeah, with that shitty attitude you sure aren't going places, but the rest of humanity is moving forward, slow though the progress is. Shut the fuck up and don't spout bullshit like you know anything when really you're just a fucking retard.

[Anonymous No.1118324]

>>1118296
Its obvious you know nothing about solar power.
Its not possible to make a solar powered car that actually functions.
And that won't change no matter how much you cry and whine, and how many frustrated tantrums you throw.
Real life cars are not some fancy university go kart ptoject.

Its not even possible to live (comfortably) in a van whare just the appliances are solar powered.
Even if you line the whole roof with panels.

t. a guy with a self installed 7kw system on his roof.

[Anonymous No.1118331]

>>1118324
I'm aware of the limitations of solar panels, and yes you can build a car running completely on solar power.

[Anonymous No.1118518]

>>1118324
Never go full retard, anon

[Anonymous No.1118522]

>>1118331
A toy car

[Anonymous No.1118524]

>>1118522
No you autistic piece of shit, a full size car that someone can sit in and drive that does not require any external power to drive. What, is it not a "real car" because it isn't a gasoline fueled pickup truck? Or is it the fact that it was built bu students? It's a real car, it works, how the fuck is it a toy car? What the fuck is your criteria for a "real car" if a completely functional vehicle that can carry people and drive for a sustained distance at a normal speed isn't one? Put the fucking goalposts down you fucking faggot.

[Anonymous No.1118531]

>>1118524
wtf those tires are so thin what the fuck how does it have traction

would not drive in snow

[Anonymous No.1118532]

>>1118524
Still an impractical closed-course or "ideal flat road" playtoy with no crash resistance. Totally worth doing to advance the state of the art, but the art has a way to go.

[Anonymous No.1118558]

>>1118531
Pneumatic tires are great for durability, shock absorption, grip, and general functionality, which is why virtually all cars use them. But solar powered cars face extreme power limitations, and the flexing of pneumatic tires as they turn (converting mechanical power to heat) is a major source of mechanical inefficiency. So solar cars use stiffer wheels to conserve energy (that looks like a very thin high-pressure pneumatic tire, but it may be solid).

Grip depends on the coefficient of friction between two surfaces, and that depends on the materials involved rather than the contact area, ignoring complications like snow/dirt/roughness. So it should handle just fine on clean, dry, well-maintained pavement, but snow would indeed cause trouble. However, it's probably extremely light for a car, so the smaller contact area wouldn't be as big an issue as it looks at a glance.

[Anonymous No.1118838]

>>1118331
yes you can, BUT you will NEVER get the mileage you need going ABOVE 30mph with such a setup. AKA back country roads and no interstate highways for you.
Seriously, its possible to have a compression fridgerator/freezer, small a/c, fully insulated, fan and lighting, direct voltage computer and wireless setup WITH an all electric van setup. Just can never go above 30-40 mph and have to pull over to recharge a couple hours before night. Maximum mileage a day would realistically be 130-180 miles.

Keep in mind no gas/fuel required. Not mountaineous terrain mileage. Having a wind turbine you put out during the night WILL increase daily mileage by 50-100 miles. Also reduce battery wear/tear.

Think oregon trail traveling versus money for fuel and room/board travel. Be careful of get off my property, locals taking your ride, fines and no camping in walmart parking lots towns/states.