box truck or skoolie?

[Sehnsucht-SKO]

I have considered buying an old furniture van trailer and converting it into an RV with a garage in back, basically like a racing trailer but for my personal vehicle instead. Thrn when I retire from trucking I can just de-CMV my rig and make it the tow vehicle.

Of course I have zero need for something that big, plus it would severely limit where I can park. But its what I'm used to driving and ironically probably the cheapest and easiest to convert. That's the mindset that got me into the whole box-truck-vs-school-bus conundrum.

 

[Doktari]

I have considered buying an old furniture van trailer and converting it into an RV with a garage in back, basically like a racing trailer but for my personal vehicle instead. Thrn when I retire from trucking I can just de-CMV my rig and make it the tow vehicle.

Of course I have zero need for something that big, plus it would severely limit where I can park. But its what I'm used to driving and ironically probably the cheapest and easiest to convert. That's the mindset that got me into the whole box-truck-vs-school-bus conundrum.

If I already had a big rig and experience with them I would definitely go the box van trailer route. Nothing else would fit a dwelling, a workshop, and a car in one secure space. And with a high ceiling. I really miss my box van.

 

[And1Mell]

My Stepvan has a finished ceiling height of 78 1/2". That's after adding 1½" of flooring with insulation and 1½" of extra ceiling for insulation. Many short busses only have 74" or less in the centre.

 

[And1Mell]

How tall are they inside, exactly? I keep hearing things like 78", but that's how tall my school bus is, down the center at least.

My Stepvan has a finished ceiling height of 78 1/2". That's after adding 1½" of flooring with insulation and 1½" of extra ceiling for insulation. Many short busses only have 74" or less in the centre.

 

[toomanyideas]

can't we have it all?

My biggest challenge with converting a box truck is that the unconverted vehicle is so useful.

I bought a Ford E350 cutaway with 14' box specifically to convert it into an RV.
The advantages over a small bus were for me the 7' ceiling, flat walls that are easy to insulate, no excess windows that need to be covered up, and the stealth factor of the finished RV.

Now, one year and 6000 miles later I have moved several tons of building materials and two households with it. Also did quite a few glamping trips with an air mattress, a folding chair, and a water jug in the box. In the meantime the RV parts that I scrounged together are piling up at home.

Maybe this week, after a final 'box-mission' to clean a storage unit out, I'll start with the RV build-out. Oh wait, I still need to drop a crated engine off at Fastenal...

My thoughts would be to get a bigger box truck and convert the part by the cab Into the kitchen and bathroom and maybe find a way to have a movable deviding wall that seperates the more fragile kitchen bathroom from the back of the box which could still be used for hauling but also for dry camping there could even be some kind of Murphy bed situation where the bed folds out of the way. And the back could still be painted and made homey but it serves a dual purpose. The box truck could then serve as a worksite office or break room but also still pick up boards. But also be used for camping. Because of the roll-up garage door on back and sometimes a lift aka back deck, I think this idea may be easier to put into a box truck as the back of a school bus while more charming and possibly safer is not open nor is the back of a party bus or airport shuttle even though there may still be options as they do mostly all have a back door.

 

[toomanyideas]

one of the conditions of MH conversion where I live is that you must be able to walk upright from the living area to the driving area - that sounds like a converted box truck wouldn't qualify for MH license or insurance

Hmm. FedEx trucks and UPS have front to back access I believe

 

[nikitis]

Hmm. FedEx trucks and UPS have front to back access I believe

They also generally have good inside height to them, and if you paint a business logo wrap on it, it makes a good stealth van.