2015 was an awesome year for me. There were some low points but there were many more high points. I'm also proud to announce that my D2 build is more than half way complete. With the new block paid and on its way to the shop to be fitted into my D2, I can finally take a breather and shift my attention to a new exciting project build.

For years Ive wanted to buy and live out of a full size camper or RV; I just hate the idea of renting an apartment and being dependent on utility companies for heat, water and electricity. In recent months though, I have also become obsessed with the overland lifestyle and would really like to spend alot more of my free time exploring this beautiful world. There is so much for me to experience and I'm just not ready to bunker down yet. So come 2016 my goal is to purchase a mid to full size RV and begin the overhaul process.

My first priority will be to find a RV that is absolutely rust free, the chassis must be flawless. Do a full service, change all the fluids, check all the lines, change plugs and wires and coils, filters etc. The first and most important modification will be to winterize the RV and get it fully prepared for Alaskan winter. The pipes, flooring and walls will have to be insulated and the roof will have to be reinforced and made leak/water proof. I also want to update the heating system on board and install a small RV compatible wood stove, ensuring all fire hazards are resolved.

Ordinary full size RV





or a mid sized RV











But here is where things get interesting. I need this RV to be capable on road and off road... lifted HD suspension with tall skinny mud terrain tires, updated brakes, exterior lighting (LED light bars), custom fabricated HD front and rear winch bumpers, winch front and rear, custom fabricated half length roof rack/roll cage that is welded down to the chassis, solar panels and battery bank etc. I would also want to reinforce all the windows and doors so that the RV cannot be easily broken into.


Some inspirations I found on the web

















I also need to invest in a trailer that is big enough for my D2 to sit during long road trips. I plan on living in an RV like this for several years. The initial investment will be probably be in the teens as I will be buying an older RV and the fab work would be the most costly I believe, along with the solar panels and installation. Everything else should be affordable. But long term I think the savings of living out of a highly capable mobile home would out weigh the up front cost for the build. Plus with all the seasonal work I do, Im forced to bounce around back and forth so having a mobile unit I can just drive around in would be perfect.

Just felt like sharing. Ive been thinking about this for a long time and did not think I would be able to start this next build for afew more years, but this year has been good to me. I will update and make a "not a rover" build thread once I do find the right RV.

 

Interesting...............
Where exactly do you plan on going? An offroad capable RV will run you upwards of $100,000 and its sheer size will prohibit it from going to the best places. Seems it would be more economical to rent a small 1 Bed apartment as a home base, then take your newly rebuilt D2 everywhere you want to go. Stay in hotel/motels and build a sleeping platform in your D2 for when no other accommodations are available. Light and fast is the way to travel IMO.

 

Heh Julian! OK so I have a couple of ideas to throw at you while you're planning this out.

As mentioned above, an RV is big, wide and will need a lot of time and money thrown at it to suit your purpose.
If you could imagine living in a smaller space, check out Sportsmobile, Pinzgauer,s Unimogs, Land Rover 101 Forward Controls. You most likely won't find a Syncro Westfalia in the teens price bracket (i've seen them go for ~30K)

Advantages are a more capable vehicle that you can retrofit inside to fit your needs. I suspect you'd be disappointed with the lack of body strength in an RV. My mum has a 40ft diesel pusher that she spent a ton of money on, and you can see the insides of that thing flex when it goes round corners!

If the above referenced vehicles are too small for your needs (because you're going to be full time boon docking) then how about taking advantage of your towing capacity in your Rover and that awesome new engine and get a travel trailer ? It'd be significantly easier to beef up the axles on a travel trailer and put a set of beefier springs on it and you'd have one less set of mechanicals to worry about. My neighbor had a pretty sweet travel trailer / toy hauler that he converted for offroad use. I think he paid ~20k out the door for it brand new.

If it were me, i'd be buying myself a sweet used Airstream, throw some taller tires on it and call it good

One last idea. How about a standard American fullsize 4WD truck with a camper on it ?

 

Alright so the first thing we need to do is bring down that estimated price you listed above. Without doing any research into companies that supply parts for RV's and fab shops here is how I envision the investment.

Mid sized RV camper $5,000 in good shape not winterized, $15,000 excellent shape and winterized

Retread mud terrains $1,500?

Suspension update/lift kit $2,500?

Light bars and additional exterior lighting $2,000

HD front bumper $1,700-2,000

HD rear bumper $1,700-2,000

Fluids, filters, lube $300

Insulation $500-$1,500?

Solar panels and battery bank $3,000

fabricated half length roof rack $1,500-$2,500?

Safe small wood stove assembly $200-$500?

reinforced leak proof roof modification $1,000?


Roughly $38,000 USD though I my goal is around $22,000 total for a fully built up mid sized RV. The mid sized Ford RV is basically what? a F350 with a camper unit attached? If so the suspension and hd bumpers may be readily available and for cheaper than my estimated prices for custom fabrications. Brakes and fluids on a Ford would likely be the same as a standard F350 I imagine. Most of the accessories are cheap and I over estimated quit a bit on the solar panel/battery bank kit. So I dont see where you are getting $100,000. Maybe I should be clear that any RV I do buy will be an older unit between $5,000 and $15,000. If the RV comes already insulated and winterized than thats less money I would have to invest in the build. I've been eyeballing RV's on craigslist for afew years now and Im amazed at how cheap the older ones are.

I imagine I would be doing most of the labor myself except the installation of HD bumpers and the roof rack and wiring of the light bars and battery bank system. Retreads are dirt cheap. Obviously these RV's already come with a refrigerator, stove, shower and bathroom so all I would need to figure out is a water source.

One thing though, Im leaning towards the mid sized RV vs the full size Pace Arrows. Those are simply to large and I imagine parts are not as readily available. The benefit of the mid sized RVs is that some of them are like I said above, just a Ford or Chevy truck with a camper mounted so most of the mechanics should be the same and parts easier to get. Plus if its mid sized than I can go more places with it whereas a 31 foot long RV would not be taking me very far off road.....

Im not interested in pickup trucks and I do not want a truck bed camper. To small for a year round home. A mid sized RV is about the same size as the living quarters provided by my work so I think mid size is the way to go. I can see myself living like this year round.

 

Very limited access in most places. Additionally I would hate to get stuck in the boonies in one of those rather than an old D2 I can afford to abandon.

 

That old D2 is one thing I CANNOT afford to abandon... I have never added up the invoices but honestly I don't dare to!

I'm sure anyone with an of road camper weather it be a DIY camper or a Unimog, have to consider the possibility of their large vehicles getting stuck out in the middle of no where and having no means to recovery it. Its a risk but life is full of risks. Anyone driving a D2 with the original motor is at risk...

 

I used to live in Colorado, near an EarthRoamer facility. Those things are ridiculous.
EarthRoamer

 

I see pics of them posted all the time on expedition portal and on overland campers FB page. I dont like them but please elaborate on your opinion. This could turn into a thread for anyone else interested in 4x4 campers on a budget.

 

I'd go this route.

One less set of mechanicals to worry about and service. It'd be much simpler to address taller suspension on the trailer to accommodate bigger tires than to have to try and make an RV suit your intended purpose.

Disclaimer, I'm buying a travel trailer to use as a "home base" for extended camping trips for my family so i'm already sold on this route

 

Here you go Julian!

a little tongue in cheek, but you could imagine that bigger tires, and a little more respect for the trailer and you could have quite a useful combination