The Journey has just begun, feel free to tag along, join me in my travels. Things happen so quickly in life, over and over again, and HOW You respond will determine what You get done in Life, and HOW many boxes You can check.
I was laid off twice in 2020, I started 2021 laid off, I refuse to sit, watching the news, feeling sorry for myself. HOW I respond, determines My outcome, no one else. Deeper stuff, for those who join Me in the journey. Lets sit by a campfire, exchanging stories, of Our Journey.
HOW International, has been launched.
I'm a very budget minded person, and this project, will be completed on a tight budget, from the start, to finish. I will not disclosed My budget, I am well under the cost to replace the jacks with electric. My All in current costs, for Everything, as of 01/21, with change to spare.
This will be a cost effective approach on HOW, You can Live. This is, a pay as I go project. No Camper Payment. Oh, a little FYI, New electric jacks, with remote, installed, well over $4000.
This came together quickly, my eldest son found this Lance truck camper. The gentlemen that owned it, he had passed away suddenly, a few years ago. His wife was now liquidating his collection, he had a very large man collection of anything motorized. My Son, and a very talented friend took charge, I supervised, not surprisingly.
This camper has been to Alaska, and points way out west, it was lived in, it has a very warm and wonderful story line attached to it. I will cherish those stories that were shared by the gentleman's wife, that early Saturday morning, for the remainder of my lifetime.
The car trailer, I purchased the week before in Maryland, it was located where I live, the guy delivered it to my driveway. The 6x6x8 posts were tough to find, shortages of materials. I needed 6 posts, prepped the same, the notches, the holes drilled. It was unclear on the height and width, that was determined on site that day, I had some rough ideas. The materials were strapped to the trailer in Maryland for my trip to Lansing NY, this is where the truck camper was located.
I drove to Lansing NY, just outside of Ithaca to load this truck camper onto the car trailer. I never intended to put this camper in the back of my Dodge 3500, the plan, mount this on a car trailer. My Dodge 3500 dually is set up for off grid expeditions, the truck has a cap on it, and it is ready for camping.
The weekend project, covered 1000 miles, bolting together the sleds, I made two sleds, the sleds were stacked on top of each other, lag bolted together. There are, (6) 6x6x8 pt posts with 3/4 ply on top, lots of lag bolts, drilling required, impact drivers needed. This made a heavy duty, 4'x8' sled that could be winched onto, the car trailer.
At the front of the sleds, a steel bar was inserted through the 6x6 posts, you can see the 1" hole drilled at top. This is for the chain/cable from the wench. A solid steel bar was placed under the sled, in front, this made for easier rolling of the weight on the deck of the trailer. I would recommend a power wench, not a hand crank, the lesson learn. My son I believe, would agree. Great Job Son.
The camper had to be removed from a truck it was sitting on, that truck was being sold separately. One jack did not work, and one was leaking fluid. A 3 legged camper, We made it happen, cinder blocks and lumber, it is standing freely, hurry move that truck. The camper is free standing, My son backs the car trailer under as far as he could, the process is really beginning.
Using a car trailer became user friendly, as we found out. We pulled out both ramps and secure them to trailer as normal, we then lifted the end of the ramps, supported them, leveling using cinder blocks, 2x6x8 boards running across the ramps. This created support for the rear of the camper, while the front of the camper rested on the car trailer itself. This allowed the truck camper to sit even and level so it could be safely pulled, onto the car trailer.
This greatly reducing our margins of errors, this made the job of winching, a much smoother transition onto the trailer.
Why this camper? Do your research carefully, and look closely at the manufacturing techniques. Lance, long standing name, with a quality reputation.
Dam that is old. Yup, me too, well maintained, a fixer upper, a real gem in the rough. You see, these old campers have a one piece aluminum roof, new campers, a materiel roofing system designed to fail. Check the roof line.
This is, a Home On Wheels. This has everything needed for a self existence, outside the confines of your cookie cutter, sticks and bricks, that keeps you bound and chained into a lifetime of slavery.
Great potential for off grid living and traveling, a lifetime dream and vision.
Much Love.,