Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

syntheti.cc

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 351 posts

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#81

Post by mikestew »

hx87 wrote: post #70
mikestew wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because RVs suck for a lot of things. First, you're restricted where you can drive. You won't be touring the finer dispersed camping sites down some bumpy, rock-strewn forest road in an RV. Or even (for example) Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier NP if your RV is outlandishly large. Second, anything bigger than a camper van and your choices of paid campsites is reduced. For instance, over the U. S. Labor Day holiday I'…

> What I really want is a brand new VW pop-top van, as are still sold in Europe. But those don't go to the U. S. You could probably get a Ram Promaster SWB with pop-up roof for about what an equivalent VW van would sell for, were they sold here. If that's too spend, there are always 10-20 year old Roadtreks that are in good shape for under 30K, and if you get a Ford or Dodge based one it's even quite good off road wi…

Meh, the quality of Roadtreks hasn't impressed me much; but I get your point.

The Promaster looks to be the sweet spot between size and expense. But holy cow, Sportsmobile wants $9K for the pop-top option, on top of an $80K build.

I guess I have to admit that there's a bit of sentiment attached to that "VW" badge, too. Ignore the fact that VW vans haven't been the quirky little beasts we fondly remember in over 20 years. Now you'd have to take a second look to distinguish it from a Chrysler (in fact, the U. S. vans were Chryslers for a short time).

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#82

Post by [deleted] »

rubicon33 wrote: post #54

I am having a hard time with this article. On the one hand, it resonates with me DEEPLY. "Sure, it's cliché, but it's cliché for a reason -- this subconscious drive for freedom is hard-wired in our DNA. No modern comfort or toy can take the place of true autonomy." On the other hand, I can't deny certain life comforts. Relationships come to mind when considering a life like this. Sure, living frugally on the road whi…

[deleted]

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#83

Post by pilom »

mcone wrote: post #26

I love the idea of doing something like this, but I'm wondering about how to get dependable, high-speed internet access. Anybody have any ideas?

Subscribe to www.rvmobileinternet.com. That site will answer every single question you could ever possibly have about how to make it happen. I work full time with a grandfathered Unlimited Verizon plan and a Cricket Wireless cell phone (on AT&T's towers) and I use a cell booster when needed (http://amzn.to/2c52cSG). In the past 4 months I've only needed to move twice for lack of coverage.

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#84

Post by gnarcoregrizz »

dominotw wrote: post #36

>, I have a pee bottle and a 5 gallon jug. Line the jug with two trash bags, and cover the poop with kitty litter. Then toss it in a dumpster. 1.is this legal to dump trash in somone else's dumpster without owners permission? 2. Is it ok in the US to dump poop in dumpsters? I know nursing homes incinerate poop but not sure if there is a law specifically against dumping human waste.

There are lots of sewers for human waste at truck stops, some gas stations, and parks that he could dump it down, I would rather do that than throw it in a dumpster.

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#85

Post by cko »

I'm a full-time pharmacist working 50 hours a week, with several investment rental properties.

Since April of this year I've been sleeping in my 2002 Toyota 4Runner in the parking lot at work. Shower at the gym, infrequent laundry runs, hang out all day at the library with all the other strange people. Pros: feeling of simplicity and freedom; enough said. Cons: a mid-sized SUV is too small and not private enough. I want privacy when I first wake up and put on my contacts and get dressed. I want to wake up, sit up and meditate for 30 minutes without anyone seeing me.

I'm getting a Ford E-150 van for $1500 next week. Going to put in hardwood flooring, maybe insulation and plywood on the walls. Excited.

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#86

Post by anoplus »

Beautiful and inspiring read about exploring one's individual freedom. May society find it's freedom by collaboration and sense of community.

We as a society have the resources and technology to achieve much more freedom. Freedom enables the creation of even more freedom.

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#87

Post by rascul »

masklinn wrote: post #55
sliverstorm wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think you really have to do it in a van. If you're going to work remote and don't mind being lonely, you can buy a house just about anywhere in the country, which means you can find a house for $50k instead of $500k. If you check out his list of things he likes about van living, most have more to do with working for himself rather than all the traveling. He doesn't come across as one of the wanderlust folks.

> you can buy a house just about anywhere in the country, which means you can find a house for $50k instead of $500k. Hell, depending on weather you can buy naked land and live in a shack or a tent.

This also depends on what regulations there might be where said land is at. In some places, living in a tent, even on your own property, is illegal.

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#88

Post by mod »

jordanlev wrote: post #46

I absolutely loved reading this. I liked how he went into it cautiously, testing out whether he could get by with a small fridge, small bed, less possessions, etc. And I also appreciate the web page design itself -- one long vertically-scrolling piece, very easy to read through! One thing I find ironic though is the attitude towards other people who make a different decision about the worth of a home and the mortgage…

That's not exactly true. He could have done the build-out in plenty of other manners, some less efficiently. With some extra money, he might have had it done more quickly, even.

Camping out during the build time, or getting a hostel/hotel for 40 days, renting a room, building it ahead of time, etc. Lots of reasonable options.

I noticed on some page he mentioned "focusing on building less expensive homes" and then pointed at tumbleweed homes, they build those "tiny homes" on trailers. Those things go for like 3x the most inexpensive mobile homes.

We've already solved this problem, we're just changing the paint to avoid the social taboo.

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#89

Post by rascul »

jandrese wrote: post #38
sliverstorm wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think you really have to do it in a van. If you're going to work remote and don't mind being lonely, you can buy a house just about anywhere in the country, which means you can find a house for $50k instead of $500k. If you check out his list of things he likes about van living, most have more to do with working for himself rather than all the traveling. He doesn't come across as one of the wanderlust folks.

All of the work to make this van livable could have just as easily been done to a shack in the woods. The biggest hurdle these days is reliable internet if you want that. You would need a better bathroom situation than "the nearest McDonalds" too, but well water is often an option. The one question he didn't answer is how he bathed. It's very easy when you're living as a lonely bachelor to slowly morph into Grizzly A…

I've found that the $8 solar shower from Walmart works quite well. Much nicer than sponge baths.

Re: How I Built a Custom Camper Van (2015)

#90

Post by monknomo »

gnud wrote: post #65
dublinben wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Arguably, it means just that. If you only use a tool once a year, you should just borrow/rent them when you actually do need them. Our lives are cluttered with occasionally used 'just in case' items that we really don't need.

If everyone followed this logic, who would you borrow from?

The guy in town running the (presumably) lucrative home tool rental store?

Do these things exist in urban areas? Seems useful for apartment dwellers who don't have the space for anything more than a tiny toolkit anyhow

Post reply on HN