Is this a viable overland vehicle concept?
 

I'm trying to layout plans for modifications to a Toyota Hilux twin-cab for use as an overland 4x4 and mobile support vehicle for extended kayak and biking trips.

I'm in a wheelchair so normal off-the-shelf solutions don't work too well for me. I don't need any adaptions to the driving part of the vehicle, apart from simple hand-controls fitted. I just need to make the rear of the vehicle and it's contents as accessible as possible from a wheelchair.

The main problem is not being able to reach anything, normal pick up sides are too high to reach over and grab stuff, when folded down the tailgate just adds another foot between me and gear. I'd like to be able to grab things without having to unload the entire vehicle just to grab something at the back.

I'd really like to have the rear bed stripped down to the chasis and built back up as a box-body that has full height top-hinged doors on 3 sides of the rear bed and a pull-out drawer system at the rear.

I'm keeping the rear seats in the vehicle for passengers as I want to be able to take other newly injured chair users along on a few adventures to re-introduce them to the outdoors. But for the times I'll be by myself I'd like to be able to have the security of sleeping in the vehicle and use a pop-up roof to give me a bit more room. Whch I'll access from inside of the vehicle via the access hatch in the back. I'd like the sleeping shelf to be removeable when it's not going to be needed.

Doubt any of that's made any sense at all, a picture paints a..........


Not quite exploded view, but with pretty much all the doors open and slide out drawer extended.

http://img.skitch.com/20100623-incrb...wkk1nsdwrf.jpg

http://img.skitch.com/20100623-gn6hu...55bxtx18n2.jpg

http://img.skitch.com/20100623-ex468...fhnup1krmw.jpg

http://img.skitch.com/20100623-1m5nj...tm7runbukr.jpg

http://img.skitch.com/20100623-c71p1...i2qdw1hedp.jpg

Not much good at 3D software so didn't bother with stuff like the wheels, or much detail. I plan to have my head at the very back of the vehcile and legs poking out the access hatch, supported by a little extenstion on the platform I found to fiddly to add in these basic mock-ups.

I have no experience in engineering or mechanics so don't know how rigid and stable something like this would be, it's basically a metal framed cube with plastic sides. Doesn't sound too stable to me! :confused1:

Any thoughts on whether this could be a viable build, structurally, are most welcome.

Overland Conversion
 

Hi,


The basic concept of building a “box” as you describe is perfectly doable.

Take a look at some electricity utility company vehicles. They fit such things to the rear of LR 110/130’s, Nissans and Toyota HiLux’s.

Constructed out of Aluminium alloy frame (can have issues with heavy off road use due to fractures) and clad in fibre glass type material.

I’ll try and track down the name of at least one of the convertors. I guess you’ve figured this type of fabrication doesn’t come cheap though.

Russ

Great concept, and I think it'd be fairly easy to fabricate using simple sheet alloy and steel angles, though may not lok to pretty!

Have you considered a 4x4 panel van as your base instead of the HI-Lux? It might be easier to do than building an entire rear up up from the chassis.

http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/o...PICT0088-1.jpg

When I was looking for a campervan in Europe a couple of years ago I noticed a couple of modified T1 Merc (pre 95) campervans with a wheelchair lift in the side sliding door. I assume the interiors were appropriate for wheelchair access as well. I think they were autos with diff locks.

Try the usual culprit mobile.de – Gebrauchtwagen und neue Autos – Deutschlands größter Fahrzeugmarkt. for a good selection.

Thanks for the input guys.

I've thought quite a bit about using a converted panel van for this and it does seem like an obvious choice at first but going into it a little further I think a Hilux is the way to go.

If the vehicle was going to be used by just me as a personal overland/support vehicle then the panel van would probably be the way I'd go. But I want to be able to take veterans and other wheelchair users on adventures too. Being able to transfer from a wheelchair straight onto the vehicle seats, leaving the wheelchair outside, without the need for a ramp/lift makes things a lot easier. As soon as you start using a lift and having to make room inside the vehicle for a couple of wheelchairs to move around you lose a lot of storage room, plus the modifications and adaptions would probably be the as costly if not more than for my Hilux box-body concept.

I think I essentially get the same function and a similar amount of useable storage in the Hilux as I would with a panel van, with the benifits of it being a Toyota and more capable off-road.

Anyone have an idea of companies to approach that would be able to give a cost estimate on the build, I've found a couple but they're all in Germany so far.

Might be worth having a chat with a local lorry body building company - the electric board ones are essentially just a scaled down lorry body.

Just an idea, these companies may be able to quote.


UK suppliers of Unimog campervan bodies.

I used to share a workshop with someone that builds horseboxes, the technology isn't that different and doesn't look too complicated a fabrication job.

The key thing would be to build it as two units, cut the bodywork so the front is self contained and supported on the chassis and then build up the second unit at the back.

There's also some places who build camper vans, I suspect picking up a camper magazine would have some good ideas and a bunch of adverts.

I've got in touch with a few commercial truck body builders and outfitters, just waiting to hear the scary part; quotes!

Just got a couple of quotes back.

One for £7000, another for £16,500! :eek3:

Nissan
 

Now Scotish Power/EON had some Nissan Navaras made up very similar to your drawings. These were expensive conversions with GRP backs, sliding draws, diesel air heater for the cab etc. This one was sold on e-bay but there are others about in autotrader etc. If nothing else worth getting down and having a look...

http://i.ebayimg.com/03/!BrqjJEwCGk~...G7KWg~~_35.JPG

found you some....
 

tow of the Nissan Navaras are for sale in Shipley, West Yorkshire. Ebay link attached below.... £6k + VAT, a bit less with some hard bargining! So all in all less than your quote for the conversion, worth a look and consideration of the compromise if there are any!

nissan navara 4x4 mobile workshop service van recovery on eBay (end time 18-Jul-10 13:04:41 BST)

Might have one of these myself!

Josh

I bought an ex utility ford ranger for work. that had pull out drwers running the length of the load bed. these would be ideal as you can easilly access everything in them
I'll try and take a picture to download.
the only problem you would then have would be access to the side units. dpends on the strength in your legs, if you had grab handles would you be able to pull yourself up to get stuff out the back while hanging on with the other hand?

If these prices surprise you, you're probably early on the learning curve. Your choices: you can pay the big money and have what you want, or buy whatever you can find used and learn to live with the fact that it's far from perfect for your needs, or build it yourself (which will teach you a lot about why the prices on custom work are so high).

Or marry rich, if that's an option.

Mark

here's the piccies of my truck for some ideas

Foley wheelchair accessible vehicles
 

Have a chat to Foley's - when I was there a few years back they were building a 6x6 Landy for a wheelchair user - complete with Dormobile interior etc - they can build up whatever you want (not cheap, but good quality!) - they are just north of London if that is of any help - or the website can be found through Google....
Tony

Have you looked on the SBMCC website? Lots of people who have been there and done that as far as building their own camper to a greater or lesser extent, although I don't visit enough to know if any were in a chair.

Haynes do two books on converting one yourself but have rubbish reviews. Travel Vans by Tom Speed is really good, even to give you an idea of what detail is involved, or how something you've bought should ideally be doing. Well worth it!

Travelvans

Willinghams of Hull built the box we're living in at the mo, and although a few details could be better, and its certainly not light, it does the job well.

Rob Gray :: graynomad :: wothahellizat has some cool ideas for a big truck, such as a months worth of home brew under the floor :) as well as roof join construction for instance which is a poor detail on our mog.

If the rear seats folded, or you only had two seats with a gap between, then with you sleeping inside couldn't you sleep half in the front and half in the back? Then the vehicle remains secure, and noone outside would know anyone was asleep inside? May be useful in towns, ferry ports etc?

In my own opinion, if you start from a 4*4 with outside access for most of your stuff, I'd think you would struggle to reach it, to make the most of the space you have? Especially in the uneven reality of where you're going to take it, the distance floor to truck bed could be quite variable. You could be better starting with a bare chassis behind the crewcab so you can build access as low as poss. Starting with a Hilux with pickup bed has quite high sides. An ex Army LWB Landy used to at least (still does?) have removable sides above wheelarch height, allowing you lower access? A panel van built without chair access would at least make it easier to get in (cos the doors are lower), and then clamber up, above and therefore access, anything there? (I apologise if that would be too undignified. My imagination says that would all be part of the fun, assuming its possible for the people you would take)

Or, would it be feasible to use pulleys and/or a winch to raise you in your chair so you could more easily access a more standard (and cheaper) truck? We had a simple 4to1 rope pulley system from a ship chandlery to put our 100kg spare tyre onto its perch by hand which wasn't too hard and could lock in position, but only lifted from one point. A two point lift at two positions on each side could be there ready for use all the time? A sort of 6' abseil :)

Or unfolding sides so your stuff comes down to you :)

Be careful about adding to much weight though.

Good luck :D