Living In A Van

[subcal]

Just wondering who else has given this a go. I have a combi van (combee as its known) and have 12v and 240 v capability, haven't got a solar charger yet but I trickle charge from the alternator and have a charger for 240. I have 300LT water storage, 4 9kg gas bottle storage. Gas / electric stove and fridge / freezer. Built in sink (the water pump is playing up there so I will have to sort that out)

I have a food box setup behind the rear seat and a safe for my fire-arms under the bed. Have a few more mods I want to make before letting loose again for a year or so around australia.

Anyone got any idea of some good cheap upgradeds to make my life easier? The first one was to spray over the anrachist symbol on the door (from a friend when he owned it)

[apathy maybe]

Firstly, a car is considered a public place in Australia. And you are not allowed to carry dangerous weapons in public. So watch the cops don't get you with the guns.

For your bed, have it so that under the bed can slide out like a table (draw even), and have stuff on it as well.

Post a pic of the inside, I want to see how you did it up. Also, how did you put the sink in?

[subcal]

Nah I have it a declared storage facility still (so yes my firearms liscence says MrX of no fixed address) But I have to report to police within 14 days of when I grind to a halt. On your application form there is a part where you can apply for an exemption. And as its a dwelling according to the police they were happy with the fact I was going to be working seasonal and would secure it inside the vehicle inside the safe.

I was looking at a draw system like you see fitted to 4WD's these days. The inside is a mess, the sink came factory as its a factory camper and the top lifts up for more room inside.

I'll take some more pics

[Rollo]

Gave your van a paintjob.

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/5084/newpaintma8.jpg

[subcal]

thanks for the air-brushing, if you want to do it for real.... haha

I spoke to a bloke about that and he said I would have a hard time matching the paint as its faded from the original colour. For a couple of hundred bucks I could spend on more worthwhile things I think I won't. But thanks for the input!

[ahab]

that van is fucking awesome lol, I knew a guy who lived out of a winnebago. He was a paranoid son of a ***** and had all these escape routes out of his 'home' lol.

[Epoche]

and had all these escape routes out of his 'home' lol.

That's funny.

How many ways are there to exit a van....

"Quick...they're at the front door....jump out the back!"

"Shit...they're at the back door....jump out the front!"

[Rollo]

Probly a little drop hole to fall through the floor aswell.

[R_P_A_S]

Originally posted by [email protected] 3 2006, 08:29 AM
Probly a little drop hole to fall through the floor aswell.
maybe you can get one of them sun roofs like the school buses!

[subcal]

Originally posted by R_P_A_S+Aug 3 2006, 08:34 AM--> (R_P_A_S @ Aug 3 2006, 08:34 AM)
[email protected] 3 2006, 08:29 AM
Probly a little drop hole to fall through the floor aswell.
maybe you can get one of them sun roofs like the school buses! [/b]
I already have a lift up roof, it adds about an extra 8 inches to the roof height and has canvas sides with zip windows & fly mesh.

Don't think I would be jumping out of it however. :huh:

[Xiao Banfa]

You should put laser cannons on the roof.

[homeo_apathy]

hah, attach a port-a-loo on the side ....

[piet11111]

and chainsaws you never know when zombie's may attack.

also a nice hole in the side when you need to take a leak but are not willing to leave the van (say its raining)

[Comrade C.A.]

am I the only one who wants to buy a van now?

[Sugar Hill Kevis]

Originally posted by [email protected] 1 2006, 05:00 AM
Gave your van a paintjob.

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/5084/newpaintma8.jpg
you painted over the handles

idiot

[Rollo]

I got extremely lazy, idiot.

[subcal]

Just got back from giving the last 3 weeks of life a chance inside the van.

Took some photos to share with you all, managed to get to some pretty remote areas. The clearance of the belly of the beast helped a bit with that. So did having the engine over the rear wheels, the humble little air cooled engine chugged away nicely and got the torque required for some off road work.

I have decided to add another spare tyre, taking my capacity to two ( i also have a foot pump and 12v cigg lighter compressor to pump up tyres)

another 20lt fuel capacity, I have a 44lt tank and currently another jerry can.

a better shower arrangement (more female friendly version) I have a gravity fed arrangment, the head sits on the roof of the van and you place the water on the roof into the black bag for solar heating during the day. Lifting 10lt / kg's of water above your head height isn't everyones idea of fun. More then likely will use a 12V pump (like for the washer bottle onto the windscreen) to feed the water up to the bag. The plastic container that you stand in catches most of the water to be re-used washing clothes.

Toss out the generator, peice of crap. I have an 850 watt 2 stroke generator. So I have to take oil and a 5 litre can to pre-mix my fuel / oil, It also trickle charges the twin battery set up while its running and for 3 weeks out I only used it for about 10 hours. Its as large as a carton of beer, twice as heavy and pointless. I can push start the car if I need to (as its a manual) and I always try to park flat. Next trip I have to take it as my dreams of solar haven't appeared, my partner for that trip will also need it to charge a laptop to continue his study.

A vertical rack to store fire-arms inside the sliding door near the entry, I have my safe (horizontally mounted) in the rear, but most of the last trip I had them sitting on the dash board. Even though they were in a bag I didn't like thier position.

Maybe a third gas bottle. Currently I have two 9kg gas bottles. They do the fridge and a gas burner cooker easily for the duration of the trip. A smaller bottle would be good for an emergency set up maybe???

My blog on the trip is http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php?act=blog&id=16149 and I will start putting up more indepth looks at how its going and photos.

[homeo_apathy]

roughly how much has this cost you, all up?

[subcal]

i've still got a couple of hundred left over from the initial 5 grand I put aside for the project.

[Proletar]

why even carry firearms in your van?

[Tommie]

Good question.

[which doctor]

Originally posted by [email protected] 12 2006, 02:39 PM
why even carry firearms in your van?
In case someone tries to rob you or rough you up. Vans are less secure than houses, apartments, etc.

[subcal]

Originally posted by [email protected] 12 2006, 07:39 PM
why even carry firearms in your van?
Never leave home without them, your not another 'revolution by vote' moderate are you? I explained that in my blog on this site, revolutionary vs reationary. Armed can resist.

Also australia is the last frontier in many ways, live wild or die....

here are some more photos from my last trip

[subcal]

this is the drivers rear of the van, you can see the gas electric fridge and sink / cupboard arrangement. Most food is kept inside this area.

[subcal]

this is the hall way between the drivers / passengers seats and the rest of the van. The curtains are a lady's touch, they do make a difference in keeping heat in or out. I want to put a vertical rack in teh entrance of the van for times like these

[subcal]

and this is the floor, for the moment. I'll get onto that rack. Atm I am folding up a cooking box to place above the motor. I had aluminium foil wrapped frozen food cooked on the drive home by placing it in the engine bay. Made me think of a free oven on the way out / driving around. I hate to waste energy!

[subcal]

and this is the region I was in, an action digital photo by my passenger. I still use analogue so these photos are hers. Once I scan my own you will see more

[apathy maybe]

This would have to be a great reason to get a licence. I am currently "learning" to drive. In the future I want to get a van like this so that I can travel around just like you have.

Who needs to pay rent when your car is your house?

[subcal]

Originally posted by apathy [email protected] 13 2006, 11:09 AM
This would have to be a great reason to get a licence. I am currently "learning" to drive. In the future I want to get a van like this so that I can travel around just like you have.


there is a passenger seat buddy, aslong as you can handle long rants on the road to discovery your welcome to fill it.

You could learn some pretty nifty driving tech. offroad, PM me sometime

[Fawkes]

Originally posted by [email protected] 02, 2006 03:54 pm

and had all these escape routes out of his 'home' lol.

That's funny.

How many ways are there to exit a van....

"Quick...they're at the front door....jump out the back!"

"Shit...they're at the back door....jump out the front!"
For some reason I found that really funny and I actually laughed out loud for like 5 minutes.

[Rollo]

Remind me never to come into your van. Ever.

[anarchista feminista]

I could be driving. But I'm still on my L's. Haven't gotten enough hours yet :( Someday. Someday. And I shall drive away from home and it'll be great. Hmm I may just get a new bike. So I can ride off into the sunset :)

[subcal]

Originally posted by anarchy_oi+November 27, 2006 01:13 am--> (anarchy_oi @ November 27, 2006 01:13 am) I may just get a new bike. So I can ride off into the sunset :) [/b]
Yeah don't forget the obligatory saddle bags and trailer for your bike. Hope you don't have many mountains to cross on your escape route


ROLLO
Remind me never to come into your van. Ever. Thats the standard response

[anarchista feminista]

Originally posted by subcal+November 27, 2006 01:51 pm--> (subcal @ November 27, 2006 01:51 pm)
Originally posted by [email protected] 27, 2006 01:13 am
I may just get a new bike. So I can ride off into the sunset :)
Yeah don't forget the obligatory saddle bags and trailer for your bike. Hope you don't have many mountains to cross on your escape route


ROLLO
Remind me never to come into your van. Ever. Thats the standard response [/b]
Ohhh motorbike. Hmm means getting my licence. Dad was sposed to teach me. He has 3 bikes. But he moved to QLD didn&#39;t he? <_<
We used to ride alot you see. He and his wife ride together now. It used to be me. And womyn don&#39;t go along on his rides with his mates anyway. Just her. It isn&#39;t fair.
But I mean I can get a bicycle. That&#39;d be cheap.

[Blue Collar Bohemian]

Steal a winch. They are worth their weight in gold.

[anarchista feminista]

:o i just realised today that i have an assessment due tuesday which includes a presentation and an in-class essay on monday. i&#39;ve started neither. and i&#39;m leaving for brissy early thurs morning and don&#39;t come back til sunday night. so i have to get it done today. and hopefully have tomorrow arvo at least. gaaaahhh. stupid hsc-ness. and school-ness. <_<

[subcal]

you can put saddle bags on a pushie&#33;

[anarchista feminista]

Originally posted by [email protected] 28, 2006 04:09 pm
you can put saddle bags on a pushie&#33;
great idea&#33; and a basket on the front&#33; hehe

[subcal]

Originally posted by anarchy_oi+November 28, 2006 06:30 am--> (anarchy_oi @ November 28, 2006 06:30 am)
[email protected] 28, 2006 04:09 pm
you can put saddle bags on a pushie&#33;
great idea&#33; and a basket on the front&#33; hehe [/b]
don&#39;t be silly, it has to be a liberated milk crate (red ofcoarse) on the back of the bike. Too much weight over the forks effects the steering of your machiene.

If you start peddelin now, we will see you in brisbane before new years....

[Comrade J]

I&#39;ve always wanted to get a big lorry and make the cargo bit at the back (can&#39;t think of its name) into a little home, add some windows etc, and then travel around in it.
However, it&#39;d probably be a nightmare to drive and not at all practical when it comes to driving through narrow eastern European streets and so on :D

[anarchista feminista]

Originally posted by subcal+November 29, 2006 05:43 pm--> (subcal @ November 29, 2006 05:43 pm)
Originally posted by [email protected] 28, 2006 06:30 am

[email protected] 28, 2006 04:09 pm
you can put saddle bags on a pushie&#33;
great idea&#33; and a basket on the front&#33; hehe
don&#39;t be silly, it has to be a liberated milk crate (red ofcoarse) on the back of the bike. Too much weight over the forks effects the steering of your machiene.

If you start peddelin now, we will see you in brisbane before new years.... [/b]
I believe I missed you at LLDIY? I left early sunday morning. Yes I am getting a new bike for christmas I think. Of course. I have a stack of crates in the shed. Great chairs :D

[subcal]

Originally posted by [email protected] 04, 2006 06:49 am

I believe I missed you at LLDIY? I left early sunday morning. Yes I am getting a new bike for christmas I think. Of course. I have a stack of crates in the shed. Great chairs :D
Yeah you missed me, but I might be going down your way soon over the chrissie break so there is as good of an excuse as any to meet up.

Hope you enjoyed brisbane

[anarchista feminista]

Originally posted by subcal+December 04, 2006 07:42 pm--> (subcal @ December 04, 2006 07:42 pm)
[email protected] 04, 2006 06:49 am

I believe I missed you at LLDIY? I left early sunday morning. Yes I am getting a new bike for christmas I think. Of course. I have a stack of crates in the shed. Great chairs :D
Yeah you missed me, but I might be going down your way soon over the chrissie break so there is as good of an excuse as any to meet up.

Hope you enjoyed brisbane [/b]
oh oh yes you should come here. and i can take you to the mountains. only takes about an hour by train from central. depending where we would go. mmm best dumpsters ever. and riding bikes and ooooh the greatness of it all. :wub: but yeah let me know when/where you&#39;ll be maybe we can catch up.

yeah it was pretty good. getting lots of ideas for food not bombs here. talked to people to get some info. it&#39;ll be fun. maybe i shouldn&#39;t commit til after i finish school.

myes. :ph34r:

[chimx]

you&#39;re messy.

[anarchista feminista]

Originally posted by [email protected] 05, 2006 10:04 am
you&#39;re messy.
me? why?

[Rollo]

I think he ment the van is messy.

[anarchista feminista]

Originally posted by [email protected] 06, 2006 04:24 pm
I think he ment the van is messy.
:o i see. i forgot this thread was about the van. why is there a thread about your van again? *checks thread* yes. i see. messy isn&#39;t a bad thing. although i like to maintain some hygiene(sp?)

[Epoche]

Subcal, lemme ask you a question about the Volkswagon vans.

I&#39;ve got an 84 westfalia which doesn&#39;t have the muffler on it. Now my question is, is it bad to drive without one? I&#39;ve heard before that this creates "back pressure" which can damage the valves over time. I&#39;ve asked a few mechanics and they seem to not be sure and only offer "well, it can&#39;t be a good thing...I would get it fixed, etc."

What do you know about this? Should I treat this as an emergency and not drive my van until i get the muffler put back on?

[subcal]

Originally posted by [email protected] 06, 2006 04:54 pm

What do you know about this? Should I treat this as an emergency and not drive my van until i get the muffler put back on?
Yeah sort that out mate, as you adjust your timing from your tappets when they are warm, it will fuck with your motor if you make any adjustments from it. I&#39;d get it done but wouldn&#39;t worry about the whole thing blowing up in the mean time.

If you don&#39;t play with your adjustments in the mean time I can&#39;t see any problems arising.

I tore a muff of my van doing some extreme off-road action, also did the heater pipe and a little bit of pan damage, but drove a thousand K&#39;s on it before I was told about the above.

But chill, they go through hell and keep on going&#33;

[subcal]

Originally posted by [email protected] 05, 2006 12:04 am
you&#39;re messy.
I refuse to conform to the socil requirment to be &#39;squeeky clean&#39;

but I did put in a gun rack, so it is cleaner....

[redcannon]

goddamn that sounds like fun... living in a van has always been a little dream of mine...especially in a place like australia... damn, highschool&#39;s so fucking restricting, it leaves me no time to get a liscense, let alone time to get money for that type of thing, but it sounds fun

[Jude]

Living in a van, what does one do for money for gas, food, clothing, and the like? I understand that for whatever reason, subcal was banned, but does anyone have any ideas? I&#39;m thinking about this for after uni. What is a good van available in US? What are some other pros and cons?

[Vyru]

I&#39;ve thought of the exact same thing. I&#39;m approaching my last year of Secondary school (Well, the GCSE work, I&#39;m home schooled), and I plan to buy a VW van to live in when I can acquire a license. (17) -

i don&#39;t ever want to be tied down, running myself into the ground with rent, bills and all the other bollocks that plagues ordinary life, so I think this would be a nice way to cheat the system and have some fun on the way. It&#39;d be amazing :P

[Circle A]

Originally posted by Foxhole Romeo

Living in a van, what does one do for money for gas, food, clothing, and the like? I understand that for whatever reason, subcal was banned, but does anyone have any ideas? I&#39;m thinking about this for after uni. What is a good van available in US? What are some other pros and cons?
Money for gas and food, thrift store clothes, just go Treeplanting and fruitpicking.
Also many cities have temporary casual labor agencies which exploit you to the max and pay a pittance, but may be a good choice if you are temporarily traveling around.
Of course the pay is minimal for laboring jobs agricultura,l construction, and otherwise..

The classic VW s are a real hassle to maintain. There are many mini vans that can be had for a cheaper price and are probably more reliable.
But VW s are easier to work on so...