Big Rig Expedition Vehicles for RTW travel

wayno

New member
Maybe you just need to buy this (not registerable in the US):
http://www.unicat.net/en/info/EX70HD-MANTGA6x6-sh.php

Charlie

Charlie, that unit is certainly amazing, if it had just another bed or two, it might tempt me to move to canada to import and register it. :)

I do really like the idea of the lifting roof for increased room, but in this model in particular though it seems to me to be a poor use of all that space to just have the one bed up there. I really do like having the separate lounge area with the TV away from the rear dinette to have separate places for the group of five of us to have some quality time apart as it were from all of the together time. Definitely something to consider as I mull over different floor plan ideas.

One thing with the lift though is I don't think I would like to block all of the windows in the back while underway. Most of my great travel memories from when I was growing up were riding in the back of our slide in truck camper with my brother watching the world go by, either at the dinette looking out the window, or even laying up in the cab over bed watching out the front window as we cruised down the highway. Of course it would probably be illegal now with no seat belts, but when we only had a regular cab pickup, where else were the kids supposed to ride. My mom did insist though that we had the slide in camper that fit entirely inside the truck bed so they could close us in the back and then put the tailgate up so my brother and I wouldn't try to get out while we were underway. Looking back, that was probably even more dangerous, but we survived. :). Another reason I am looking for a crew cab now as well.

Thanks for all the great information in the thread from everyone else as we'll; it is just what I was looking for.

Thanks,
Wayne


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

pugslyyy

Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
Most of my great travel memories from when I was growing up were riding in the back of our slide in truck camper with my brother watching the world go by, either at the dinette looking out the window, or even laying up in the cab over bed watching out the front window as we cruised down the highway. Of course it would probably be illegal now with no seat belts, but when we only had a regular cab pickup, where else were the kids supposed to ride.

This is one of these areas where the law might surprise you - http://truckcampernews.rvtravel.com/2012/06/passengers-in-your-truck-camper-law.html

Specifically legal in 43 states and not defined in the other 7.

(I would probably be in the camp that thinks even if legal probably not the wisest action.)
 

pugslyyy

Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
Anymore info on this? On the website they list a European phone #. Is it located in British Columbia? Just wondering cause I live there.

They say central time zone in the ad and I'm pretty sure the phone number is Mexico not Europe.

very, nice truck at 200k euro
 

julius0377

Adventurer
...Of course it would probably be illegal now with no seat belts...

More and more manufacturers are able to integrate approved seat belts in the dinette, if you buy/build something new, this should not be a problem. I think I have the TUV specification with the name of the manufacturer of the rigid seating frame used in my truck if its of interest.

Basically you install a rigid steel frame in the floor with a steel structure holding seat belts, you then build your dinette seat with cushions any way you want it around the structure. Everything looks like its a "normal" RV/camper interior on the outside. Only downside is you need to do it in the build, aftermarket install would be very costly indeed...

There is even space for a 120 liter tank inside the seating frame below the cushions, water or waste water.

EDIT: You only need this for seats in the direction of travel, as they need to have adjustable 3 point harnesses to be approved (in the EU), for rearward facing seats a 2 point belt is enough (but still needs to be joined to a steel frame, not only fastened to wood interior, again EU).
 

Victorian

Approved Vendor : Total Composites
Anymore info on this? On the website they list a European phone #. Is it located in British Columbia? Just wondering cause I live there.

Truck should be in Mexico. Very nice people I would buy it if I could...
 

LocoCoyote

World Citizen
As much as we dream about driving around the world in one vehicle, its not always the smart economic decision especially if you're trying to be comfortable at the same time. Instead of spending years and mega-bucks to build one vehicle to do it all, you'd be farther head to fly from country to country and acquire local transportation and lodging.

Boo! :)

Kind of misses the point of overlanding.....the journey is the destination.......
 

wayno

New member
Roadschooling Overland

I've spent much of the past year researching and learning what's possible in terms of world travel, expedition campers, destinations and whether or not my family would make it as full time travelling nomads. As part of that research to see whether or not the 5 of us would be able to live together in such a small space, our family vacation last year included 2 weeks in a rental RV touring the 4 Corners region of the US and down into the Grand Canyon. The end result of that trip was enough to keep me going as everyone had a great time and are anxious to do it again. After that, I even managed to get away down to the Overland Expo East last October to do some hands on research through overlanding classes and panels and talkng to vendors. I was a bit disappointed that there weren't more larger big rig units there. I guess there's just not that many in the US, which I still find amazing (why are there so many German rigs, but not American?).

After all that and going into the future, I decided to start a new blog. The idea is to try to document this journey through all of the research and design of a new expedition camper and hopefully into the build phase of the rig. Then eventually I will use the blog to keep track of all of our adventures traveling the world. It should be an exciting adventure. Especially since I've never had a blog before, so it's a learning experience all around.

Thanks,
Wayne

www.roadschoolingoverland.com
 

Mark@GXV

New member
I've spent much of the past year researching and learning what's possible in terms of world travel, expedition campers, destinations and whether or not my family would make it as full time travelling nomads. As part of that research to see whether or not the 5 of us would be able to live together in such a small space, our family vacation last year included 2 weeks in a rental RV touring the 4 Corners region of the US and down into the Grand Canyon. The end result of that trip was enough to keep me going as everyone had a great time and are anxious to do it again. After that, I even managed to get away down to the Overland Expo East last October to do some hands on research through overlanding classes and panels and talkng to vendors. I was a bit disappointed that there weren't more larger big rig units there. I guess there's just not that many in the US, which I still find amazing (why are there so many German rigs, but not American?).

After all that and going into the future, I decided to start a new blog. The idea is to try to document this journey through all of the research and design of a new expedition camper and hopefully into the build phase of the rig. Then eventually I will use the blog to keep track of all of our adventures traveling the world. It should be an exciting adventure. Especially since I've never had a blog before, so it's a learning experience all around.

Thanks,
Wayne

www.roadschoolingoverland.com

Hi Wayne. I checked out the link. Thanks for all the info on us. Have you been to visit us yet? Hope all is well.
 

wayno

New member
Hi Mark,

I haven't yet been out to visit, but it is definitely part of my longer term plan. As of right now it's still a bit premature as I'm trying to get my investments lined up to get more capital so I can make a clearer picture of the future and where we want to be. Right now without enough funds, although it would be an amazing visit to see your capabilities firsthand, I'm afraid that nothing would be able to come from it, and I wouldn't want to waste anyone's time. Hopefully next summer things are continuing to progress and it would be more worth a visit then. Besides by then I should have a much more detailed specification as to what we're really looking for and who knows, maybe even a solidworks model of my design and dream vehicle as well where it would make much more sense to sit down and discuss features, costs, build options, etc. In the meantime I'm still in the dreaming, designing, and funding phase. Thanks for asking though. I could definitely see adding a stop over in Nixa onto a family roadtrip sometime in 2016 or 17. :)

Thanks,
-Wayne
 

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