Sunday, Feb 27, 2011 at 14:40
I agree with what has already been said about finding a suitable van with all of those features, plus dual wheels, that can be towed by a Rav4. I think you would be better off buying a small light van and having the interior altered to suit you. Even the smallest are usually designed to sleep three or four people. There would be a lot of space left for things like showers and
toilets if you reduced them to one single bed.
As for weight, have a look at this old Millard on Ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260742172257&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT I am not suggesting you buy one of those because they are about thirty years old but they weigh around 600 kgs. I have a copy of a caravan magazine from about 2005 that did a full feature on one that had been modified for off road use. It was a wood framed, 1978 12 foot model that had a slightly narrower roof than the one in the photo. Apart from that it looked the same.
It had been fitted with a much heavier axle, wheels and springs and both the chassis and draw bar had been strengthened. The interior had an elevated full size island double bed and many other changes. It still only weighed 860 kgs and had been driven extensively throughout the Outback for ten years. There would have to be something much later in years, and no heavier than a stock one of those, that could be easily and cheaply modified to suit you.
A shower and
toilet can be very simple as has already been pointed out. My wife and I travelled for many years in a
home made camper on the back of a 2wd ute. The shower was a 150 mm high fibreglass tray with a curtain that attached to the inside edge with Velcro and to the roof with an elastic strap on each corner. The tray drained through a short built in drain tube that fitted into a hole in the floor. The hole was sealed when not in use with a bath plug. The shower was a bucket of water and a hand held 12 volt unit.
The
toilet was a portable that sat in a black plastic storage bin from Bunnings. It slid in under a cupboard when not in use. The bin was just the right width but a little longer which meant the
toilet opening handle could be pulled out in the front while the whole thing was still in the bin. This prevented us accidentally standing on it and breaking it.
We did not want an air conditioner but it would have been no trouble to fit a small one.
Regarding size: question and answer sections of van magazines often contain questions along those lines. The answer given is always to buy the smallest van that will meet your needs. No matter how big your car is, if you have a monster on the back that is right up on the car's maximum towing capacity, you are not going to have a very pleasant time driving it on anything other than flat sealed roads..
That little modified Millard in my magazine was being towed by a late model 4.2 Patrol ute. It would not have known the van was on the back. Always try and have plenty in reserve, particularly in a small car like a Rav4.
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Follow Up By: Mishy25 - Monday, Feb 28, 2011 at 06:52
Monday, Feb 28, 2011 at 06:52
Thankyou for your reply, I really appreciate all your suggestions !
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