Living in a van down by the river? Sign me up! The 90’s exemplified the low-life of van-dwellers, presumably alcoholics or drug addicts. The term “van life” has now become synonymous with the pursuit of experiences, rather than paychecks. Great memories rather than great possessions. Society continues to produce individuals seeking the approval of others rather than desiring to live an incredible life on their own terms. I am at a stage in my life where I can disrupt the norms, filling my life with adventure as I seek to impact the world in a meaningful way. “Van life” is a phrase, the deeper root of which I hope to adhere to. Living simply while positively impacting the world and creating amazing experiences, rather than pursuing material possessions.
Vans have become an object of social comparison as well, with top of the line setups easily costing more than $60,000! While I envy the 4x4 sprinter vans, I have chosen to start with what I have, because this is truly part of the life experience I envision for myself. Everyday my mind races with ideas about this lifestyle, leading to drawings of sprinter vans, school bus conversions, tiny homes, and truck campers. An instrumental part of this pursuit is my desire to design and build my own setup, not buying a completed product from someone else. The truck platform designs have adapted over time, which has led me to build a camping setup for my ’93 Toyota Pickup.
This little truck has been a blessing for the many years I have owned it, with countless miles of adventures completed, and many more to come! Through my work as a framing carpenter, I have had the unique opportunity to acquire free lumber and OSB plywood that would otherwise be thrown in the dumpster at the end of a build. Guilt and distaste abound while I watch us throw out an absurd amount of material through the building process, but I will go into that another time. The truck camper setup is an ongoing build, but the platform is now ready to be utilized!
I left one half of the truck bed open so that full-length items, such as my bike and snowboards can fit inside the canopy while I sleep on the platform. There are numerous options to travel with these items outside of the canopy, but I prefer the security of having them in with me overnight. My setup has small storage cubbies along the left side, with panels that open up over the wheel-well. Near the front of the truck bed, I created a panel for access to a space separated from the rest of the bed for items not frequently accessed. My favorite part of the setup is the four-foot drawer, which glides effortlessly over the plastic truck bed liner.
I painted the platform with an exterior paint, to give it a finished look, while also providing mildew protection. Apart from the indoor/outdoor carpet, all materials for this build were reclaimed from job-sites or cabinets that my sister removed from her kitchen. I have an OCD, Type A personality, which often poses challenges as I struggle to start projects without having everything perfectly planned. This build has allowed me to let go of the obsessive desire for perfection and realize that I can always improve along the way. The purpose of this build is to enable myself to go off-road, to the mountains or beaches, and camp for free in the back with my gear secure inside. It isn’t perfect, but it’s mine.
I hope this build shows that starting is the best way to make progress, not waiting for perfection. If you have any questions about the build or what I have planned next, send me a message and let’s chat!
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