The never ending search for...the BOV!

[pengyou]

Latest idea...20'box truck, 4x4, turbo diesel but hopefully before electronics became necessary (considering the emp stuff and the $$ required to fix something with circuitry). All of the 4x4's I have seen are 10 years old or newer Doesn't mean that they are not out there, just that they are not as common, or no one is willing to part with them. Ideas? I have seen some of them with air brakes...better than hydraulic? Also some of the older ones (15+ years) I have seen for sale have higher gvwr, some at almost 30K - that is appealing bcuz towing a nice trailer becomes possible. The initial purpose will be to serve as my tiny house for 2+ years until I get the funds together to build the shell for my house. Once I have the house, the truck will be used for long term road trips - preparing to live the retirement dream. 4x4 is important in that it would be necessary to get to my bol, especially with rain or snow. Cost of the conversion, using used parts, would be at least $5K Looking for feedback on any and all of this.

 

[Brent S]

Wouldn’t buying a camper of some sort be easier? I got a 12’ towable camper with all the comforts of home and a 4 wheel drive vehicle to pull it. I only kill the gas mileage while towing the camper and then park it somewhere freeing up my transportation.

 

[lonewolf]

need something small around here, Devon's lanes are deep and very narrow- one vehicle wide in some cases- with deep ditches and granite walls either side.

 

[pengyou]

That is a good point but i have never been comfortable towing something that was more than 12 feet long or so. I have been with friends when they were towing a 16' off the pavement on forest service roads and...well, it was not a pleasant experience I would not want to tow a trailer on the roads to my bol. Seems there are people that like motor homes and people who like camping trailers.

 

[DrHenley]

Depends on how far you will be driving it and what kind of road clearance you will have. Like bigpaul said, at our BOL, a big long vehicle would have problems, the mental picture of it trying to make the last turn is UGLY. (Think upside down in a ditch with cottonmouths swimming in and out of it, LOL)

When we brought the trailer in that we use as a temporary camp, we had to pull it a mile across cotton and soybean fields in late summer when things were dry because there was no way to get it down the road.

 

[pengyou]

Depends on how far you will be driving it and what kind of road clearance you will have. Like bigpaul said, at our BOL, a big long vehicle would have problems, the mental picture of it trying to make the last turn is UGLY. (Think upside down in a ditch with cottonmouths swimming in and out of it, LOL)

When we brought the trailer in that we use as a temporary camp, we had to pull it a mile across cotton and soybean fields in late summer when things were dry because there was no way to get it down the road.

Yes, I am also thinking about the length. A 20' Isuzu box is about 27' long, maybe less. A 20' box truck with a regular pickup style front is going to be about 30'. A pickup pulling a 20' trailer is going to be more than 40' or so, including the length of the hitch.

 

[lonewolf]

the trouble with a lot of trailers is they get stuck on corners if they are long enough.

 

[DrHenley]

With a trailer, it's easier to make a turn than in a vehicle of the same overall length.

We did have a camper at one time that was built on a dual wheel one ton frame. It was able to go everywhere, even in the woods.
Something like this but not as tall or wide, and the door was in the rear. It had an opening from the cab to the camper. We actually drove it into the woods to sleep at night and my father used the roof as a deer stand, LOL.

 

[BillMasen]

Your FIRST and foremost criteria must be Geography, WHERE will it be going, IE if you are going to be bugging out along forestry trails only 6ft 6 wide than 7ft plus wide vehicles are no good. Are the turns and corners severe if so vehicles with wide turning circles are no good. Some vehicles new and old need to be rejigged or tweaked above certain altitudes because they just choke out in thinner air. Whats the winter like in that area and does it turn into a bog when it thaws / rains if so 4x4 is a must. If its very cold you need to cache or have the chems needed to create winter diesel. if the ground is very harsh or rocky you will prolly need to improve the suspension travel and spring rating. Same with the tires you will prolly need 6ply re-enforced truck tyres rather than the more delicate light truck tyres. If your BOL is frequently HOT or Cold you will need fully insulation. If your going out into places like Nevada, Utah, Arizona, TX you will prolly need much more water storage which again means uprated suspension.

If you are towing a trailer / caravan ideally it needs to be the same track width and use the same size wheels and tyres as the prime mover.

Note if you check out overlander vehicles you will see they are nearly all converted to SINGLE rear wheels as twin rear wheel setups get destroyed by rocky off road trails as stones and rocks get between the tyres and shred the side walls. Try and get a copy of John Speeds book Travel Vans to gain useful tips.

 

[BillMasen]

 

[DrHenley]

Note if you check out overlander vehicles you will see they are nearly all converted to SINGLE rear wheels as twin rear wheel setups get destroyed by rocky off road trails as stones and rocks get between the tyres and shred the side walls.

And that's why geography is important. There are no naturally occurring stones and rocks in the Mississippi Delta, it's an alluvial plain as far as the eye can see (and then some). We do have soft soil that single wheels sink in. Dual wheels too, but not as badly. Rellgar probably doesn't have stones and rocks either.

 

[Proud Prepper]

And that's why geography is important. There are no naturally occurring stones and rocks in the Mississippi Delta, it's an alluvial plain as far as the eye can see (and then some). We do have soft soil that single wheels sink in. Dual wheels too, but not as badly. Rellgar probably doesn't have stones and rocks either.

Oh I got some Stones! And my father always told me I got rocks in my head..

 

[pengyou]

And that's why geography is important. There are no naturally occurring stones and rocks in the Mississippi Delta, it's an alluvial plain as far as the eye can see (and then some). We do have soft soil that single wheels sink in. Dual wheels too, but not as badly. Rellgar probably doesn't have stones and rocks either.

That is good advice. I am still hoping to fix my situation so that I will be able to bug in, but there are always situations, especially natural, that will require it.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Even with 4 wheel drive and chains a truck like that would never make up my road: too big, too top heavy, too wide and too tall. I'd opt for something no bigger than an F250 4×4 with either a pop-up camper or a pop-up trailer. Of course it all depends on your particular location, terrain, weather and needs.

 

[Maudite]

Currently looking...these are the choices being considered...all used
Brink's Armor Truck
Fuso 4x4
24 passenger Shuttle Bus
Class C RV

 

[Brent S]

I think small, light and fast are better options. You won’t be able to carry as much gear but can travel further on the fuel that’s likely to be hard to source. You’re also less of a target than something that looks like it’s full of supplies that people want. I kind of think traveling by road is like the hurricanes in Florida. If you didn’t leave early and miss the masses clogging the roads then your better off hunkering down and ride it out where you are.

 

[DrHenley]

Currently looking...these are the choices being considered...all used
Brink's Armor Truck
Fuso 4x4
24 passenger Shuttle Bus
Class C RV

I mean, sure, if someone is still maintaining the roads, and you can still buy gas at less than $2 a gallon, those are fine.

On the Class C RV: We had shares in a smaller RV built on a 1 ton stake body that technically was a Class C. It was about the size of a pickup camper but with a wider base since it didn't have to go into a pickup bed. That allowed room for a shower/bathroom that would not have been possible with a similar sized pickup camper. It had dual wheels that would take us across bean fields to the woods and had some maneuverability in the woods. Space was bare minimum for two people, but was adequate to serve as a mobile deer camp for me and my father for a while. It had a ladder in back and my father used the roof as a deer stand.

 

[Maudite]

I mean, sure, if someone is still maintaining the roads, and you can still buy gas at less than $2 a gallon, those are fine.

On the Class C RV: We had shares in a smaller RV built on a 1 ton stake body that technically was a Class C. It was about the size of a pickup camper but with a wider base since it didn't have to go into a pickup bed. That allowed room for a shower/bathroom that would not have been possible with a similar sized pickup camper. It had dual wheels that would take us across bean fields to the woods and had some maneuverability in the woods. Space was bare minimum for two people, but was adequate to serve as a mobile deer camp for me and my father for a while. It had a ladder in back and my father used the roof as a deer stand.

Agree...it's why the Fuso is at the top of the list, it'll run on bio diesel

 

[DrHenley]

If money is no object...

 

[Maudite]

If money is no object...

Will need "a go fund me." The boss has the cheque book, and pass code in

 

[DrHenley]

I found out what that 8 wheel RV was. It was built on a German made Man M1001 truck. They were used for mobile Pershing II Missile launchers.

 

[TexasFreedom]

Let me ask... where are you going??? If SHTF, roads will be perilous. If they aren't blocked with dead vehicles, they'll have snipers every few miles with vehicle-traps.

I've been through the various options with this. Only use for a vehicle will be running around the ranch, or going ranch-house to ranch-house. Further travel will be nonexistent if SHTF... Now, if you're wanting to go through some of these antifa road-blocks, then a wide range of vehicles will give that 'thump thump" satisfaction of turning them into road stains.

 

[pengyou]

Wow! Looks awesome...but I am not related to either Bill Gates or Warren Buffet It is difficult for me to envision the future. I can see the advantage of going light on a BOV. What I am hoping my future will look like after I am 65...if 5G catches on, I would like to teach online to supplement my retirement income....and to have a vehicle that is significant enough to let me travel around the US and live comfortably for most of the year. I love wilderness photography...have done a bit of fishing and would like to do more...I like to take dirt roads/fire service roads, etc as much as possible when I am traveling, hence the need for the 4x4. AWD just doesn't cut it, and has more electronics, making it more expensive to both buy and repair. Getting a 5G signal will limit some of that. That is the first purpose of the vehicle. The BOV is added to that..considering that fact that I may already be living away from home when the next SHTF happens. BIG problem...if the liberals take the government seats...the EPA is going to be elevated to the height of a deity (it already is in California)...I think diesels - especially older ones that don't have 400 pounds of electronics and smog devices on them and don't need DEF (yes, the older ones that already run efficiently) will be scrapped....leaving a lot of people high and dry. I am looking at 1 ton vehicles because they license as commercial...maybe they will be spared from the diabolical EPA's wrecking yard for a few more years. I always lean towards diesel because it has a longer shelf life to store and doesn't explode as easily as gasoline in an accident. I am sure there are some but all of the backroads I have encountered in the west are not narrow, so an 8' wide vehicle would not be a problem.

 

[Joe SA]

Looks like it's working

 

[user 6493]

the perfect BOV is the one you have when it all goes to hell,,for many it will be the family car or truck there will be those thrilled if they have a bicycle ,,,,,for me it's my trusty ATV and a Ford Ranger


all those fancy rigs pictured here are all on the wish list,,,like I wish I had the cash to buy that.........................

 

[Morgan101]

Looks like it's working
View attachment 10935

Looks like a combination of the Munster Mobile, Jed Clampett's truck (which I have seen), and Mad Max.

I'm with Grayghost on this one. Use what you have, and make minor modifications if need be. Who has the money to buy and modify a vehicle just to bug out. My money will be spent on, IMHO, much more useful things.

 

[Maverick]

ATV's w/trailers and horses w/pack mules are my BOV, no 4x4 truck can go on the path I'll be using.

 

[Mountain trapper]

the perfect BOV is the one you have when it all goes to hell,,for many it will be the family car or truck there will be those thrilled if they have a bicycle ,,,,,for me it's my trusty ATV and a Ford Ranger


all those fancy rigs pictured here are all on the wish list,,,like I wish I had the cash to buy that.........................

Even if I had the money to buy one of those monstrosities I wouldn't. Too big and heavy. Plus they'd only go far enough off road to get stuck. Then what? A small pickup, Jeep, atv/utv or horse would be far more useable.

 

[Mountain trapper]

ATV's w/trailers and horses w/pack mules are my BOV, no 4x4 truck can go on the path I'll be using.

Same here. This is steep country around my place. My Jeep won't get very far off road. ATV or horses are the only real choice here.

 

[Helen Back]

Too much trouble and expense. I'm investing in one of these.