So long story short, an 1989 International Harvester van that looks like this (picture in the ad was just thumbnail resolution, this image related is a GMC van but it looks almost the same) is for sale and I'm overwhelmed with feelings of just putting all my stuff in there and driving to the other coast. I'd have enough room for a bed and the one for sale even has a spot for a generator. So /o/, I have a few questions.
>How crazy is this?
>Anyone here ever live in a van or go on a very long road trip in this kind of way?
>How hard or expensive would it be to fix common issues on this kind of vehicle?
>What's gas mileage like on this diesel engine?
Thanks fellas.
>>14907570
Look up Mercedes Benz Sprinter RV conversions. You can learn all you need from those.
International vehicles are simple to repair and their parts are not particularly expensive but they are uncommon. You may end up stuck for days waiting on a part. Haul a moped or other small motorbike with you for emergencies or just to save fuel on short trips. Diesel fuel economy isn't great.
Too bad Vandweller doesn't post anymore.
>>14907633
He's a semi driver now which is the ultimate destiny of these type of people
>>14907611
this.
OP here, I would also first have to go check out the van in person to see if it's worth it. The ad doesn't inspire confidence as it states "51 000km", and that seems impossibly low.
I may simply opt for a more common cargo van model like an Astro or Ford econo something; a model that has less windows, longer wheelbase, less seats, and possibly mounting points on the inside for shelving/toolbox.
>>14907611
Looks expensive. I'm not huge on the RV-style stuff, I don't want a tiny apartment in a van with a little kitchen and a little living room and a little sunroof. Just lots of space with all my things and a cot crammed in somewhere to sleep in.
>>14907719
You need both food storage (refrigerated and normal) and a place to cook or your living costs will grow exponentially. You need adequate hygiene facilities, which means some kind of shower rig even if it's just a water tank, a shower head and a curtain bolted to the outside of the thing. A toilet wouldn't be amiss either unless you enjoy shitting in filthy rest stop toilets forever. These are basic survival amenities you need not to become a hobo with a huge gas bill.
>>14907746
>You need food storage
I'm used to eating stuff that requires little cooking or refrigeration. Also, stopping at grocery stores for fresh vegetables and fruits every couple of days and eating all that you buy isn't more or less expensive than stopping at a grocery store and getting a week+ of vegetables and fruits and refrigerating them.
>place to cook
Lots of fruits and veggies can be eaten raw, etc.
>shower
Bucket+soap+sponge
>actually using rest stop toilets
That's dumb, there are tons of nice toilets in stores, shopping malls, restaurants, etc.
I'm also looking around for gym memberships at chains with locations across the country.
In a bind, some hotels have "day rates" where you can just go in a room for a few hours.
tl;dr thanks but it's not my first rodeo, so again not looking at some bloated RV silliness. When I was growing up camping was done by packing necessities on a bicycle and going camping, not driving a fucking house to an outdoors site.
But I digress. I know you're trying to help, so thank you but I am okay with the living thing, I made this thread for my lack of knowledge on vehicles.
>>14907779
>In a bind, some hotels have "day rates" where you can just go in a room for a few hours.
Look around
There's always some places that have "Hourly Rates", typically those rates are good from 10:00AM to 5:00PM.
why would you want an ice cream truck as a daily driver?
>>14908270
>>14907973
I wish I could live in a vehicle. I wish showers and internet and electricity were at the level of just being inside your room all day and I could just shit post on 4chan all day.
My buddy had an old ambulance he turned into a stealth camping rig, and did exactly what you did. Doing the same thing with my Suburban, but on a smaller scale.
Kinda jealous though... I've always wanted a step van for some unexplainable reason.
This used to be a fantasy of mine, OP.
The major problems you'll encounter are that step vans are usually geared low for local routes and will be awful on the highway, and the suspensions are extremely stiff and will shake all of your stuff apart.
A better option would be a short bus type thing built on a van chassis.
If you do go for a step van, look for one with highway gearing and a diesel engine.
my project grew in scope and I ended up getting a 35 foot school bus, turning it into an RV.
>>14907627
>internationals are simple to repair
That's convenient seeing as they break so often
I would go for a cargo van instead OP. Way better fuel economy and it would probably be cheaper to maintain. Assuming you're single and able to keep your space at least a little organized, an econoline or similar should be plenty of space.
I have been living in a 2005 grand caravan in california that i purchased in ohio for 800 bucks.
If you decide to get a minivan make sure to get tinted side windows, then run some curtains all the way around so fuckwits cant see in, ive had cops called on me three times because nosy people looked in through the tint and saw me sleeping during the day. You can either get the fold down seats or do like me and throw out the two rear bench seats so you can put a single or double mattress.
As for showers, go to an anytime fitness in the most run down ghetto area you can find and purchase a membership, upscale one priced it 50 per month, ghetto ones are desperate and gave it for 30 per month and anytime memberships are worldwide so you can enter any with your key fob
A battery operated fan will help on hot nights, i use rechargeable batteries and top them off along with all my gadgets in the gym
Other than that just purchase cheap sandwiches/ eat from dollar menus ect and your good
Google stealth minivan camping for more tips and ideas
Good luck op
Pic related, the view from my anytime fitness parking lot where i stay during the night
That's a Grumman Kurbmaster.
Drafty. Hot in the summer, cold in the winter. The joints in the body aren't water tight- rain and spray from other cars leaks down the inside walls. In winter months I always made a floor of pallets and cardboard so my stuff didn't get wet.
I drove one for work for two years or so. Fairly capable truck- but lightly built body made from mostly aluminum. Mine had a small block chevy 350 and a 3speed plus-granny transmission. Weak spots are the front spindle bearings. if the bearing fails- and they do- it'll damage the spindle which was $1200.00 bucks twenty or thirty years ago.
Mileage- maybe 12-15 best, usually less on mountain roads, which is where I spent most of my time doing deliveries. Spent quite a bit of time grinding along in SF Bay Area stop and go traffic, so my left leg go a workout.
They don't handle as bad as they might look. I drove Hwy 1 quite a bit, and if you're smooth you can go 85 mph down windy roads all day.
I wouldn't mind owning one that was setup from the get as a camper, but setting one up sounds like a lot of work to me.
