morrisster
Adventurer
shagracha was built for $171k in materials/truck and probably $500,000 of labor... (if you read the thread it was 3 guys 14 hour days 7 day weeks for 4 months solid)
you're a craftsman, figure out what you need and build it. on a budget as large as yours you should be able to build quite a rig. IIRC there was a callen camper on a fuso fg that sold for under 20k a few months ago on here. something like that might work well for you. 14k+ GVW , 4x4, and the ability to tow. and on a 20 foot chassis, you get ~15-16ft of usable living space because of the cab forward design.
(link to said camper)
here's someone who lists their entire process for choosing the rig they did - a tiger http://www.best-in-snow.net/dog-tru
a current build on here, dodge 5500 with flatbed and flatbed camper http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...Expedition-Camper-The-build-has-started/page5
a custom build fuso that sold for 80k http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...bishi-Fuso-FG-2004-Expedition-Camper-for-sale
found this on kijiji in alberta 98.5k for a fuso build - cant be registered in the USA though http://fortmcmurray.kijiji.ca/c-car...-FG-4X4-Expedition-Vehicle-W0QQAdIdZ325888958
hackney's solution was to put a bigfoot camper on a fuso chassis http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/4wd-overland-tech/mitsubishi-canter-fg-140-4x4-24502 to quote him from his build site "The basic concept of the chassis, camper, pivot frame and storage boxes could be duplicated for ~$100,000 USD." though his total budget was 275k - including motorcycles, all other systems etc that he put into the truck (solar, etc)
My wife and I have been full-timing in a pop-up truck camper for 3 months now, covered 10,000 miles in that time and have 7-8 months to go still. it is working for us (there are definitely some 'kinks' that I would like worked out but like others have said in this thread so far in response, there is ALWAYS compromise! and you have to live with it. whatever it is. for us it is the pop-up design and the lack of insulation in the soft wall that is annoying (30 degree nights in canada/maine got to be a pain really quickly even with our catalytic heater running)).
I guess what i'm getting at is, depending on your definition of what you need for living full time in a "camper" or "rv" or whatever is the first step to figuring out what vehicle will "work' for you. ultimately though it will take getting out there and just doing it to realize that you really have too much or too little once you're on the road so to speak. after 2 months on the road my wife and I stopped by our storage unit and left more stuff behind (we started off packing then halving and halving again even)
good luck with whatever you choose and have fun on the adventure
you're a craftsman, figure out what you need and build it. on a budget as large as yours you should be able to build quite a rig. IIRC there was a callen camper on a fuso fg that sold for under 20k a few months ago on here. something like that might work well for you. 14k+ GVW , 4x4, and the ability to tow. and on a 20 foot chassis, you get ~15-16ft of usable living space because of the cab forward design.
(link to said camper)
here's someone who lists their entire process for choosing the rig they did - a tiger http://www.best-in-snow.net/dog-tru
a current build on here, dodge 5500 with flatbed and flatbed camper http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...Expedition-Camper-The-build-has-started/page5
a custom build fuso that sold for 80k http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...bishi-Fuso-FG-2004-Expedition-Camper-for-sale
found this on kijiji in alberta 98.5k for a fuso build - cant be registered in the USA though http://fortmcmurray.kijiji.ca/c-car...-FG-4X4-Expedition-Vehicle-W0QQAdIdZ325888958
hackney's solution was to put a bigfoot camper on a fuso chassis http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/4wd-overland-tech/mitsubishi-canter-fg-140-4x4-24502 to quote him from his build site "The basic concept of the chassis, camper, pivot frame and storage boxes could be duplicated for ~$100,000 USD." though his total budget was 275k - including motorcycles, all other systems etc that he put into the truck (solar, etc)
My wife and I have been full-timing in a pop-up truck camper for 3 months now, covered 10,000 miles in that time and have 7-8 months to go still. it is working for us (there are definitely some 'kinks' that I would like worked out but like others have said in this thread so far in response, there is ALWAYS compromise! and you have to live with it. whatever it is. for us it is the pop-up design and the lack of insulation in the soft wall that is annoying (30 degree nights in canada/maine got to be a pain really quickly even with our catalytic heater running)).
I guess what i'm getting at is, depending on your definition of what you need for living full time in a "camper" or "rv" or whatever is the first step to figuring out what vehicle will "work' for you. ultimately though it will take getting out there and just doing it to realize that you really have too much or too little once you're on the road so to speak. after 2 months on the road my wife and I stopped by our storage unit and left more stuff behind (we started off packing then halving and halving again even)
good luck with whatever you choose and have fun on the adventure
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