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A few years ago I converted my 2000 4Runner into a camper for a cross country 4 month road trip. I also took it on a second cross country trip for six months 2 years later. Additionally I've taken it for a month up to the Canadian Maritimes and various weekend trips. In total I've spent about 11 months living out of my truck. I thought I should share.
The truck features a fixed bed that I can sit up in and stretch out in. A kitchen with a sink, countertop, pantry, and cooler. Storage for clothing and backpacking supplies. A screen for the moon roof, a curtain between the front and back, and shades for the windows. It is super stealth allowing me to sleep most anywhere from a city street to BLM desert. More details with the pictures below.
From the outside it doesn't look any different making it super stealth the back is divided in half with the bed on the passenger side and the built ins on the drivers side Made a magnetic screen to go over the moonroof so I can have ventilation without bugs behind the driver seat is the kitchen which has a sink, countertop, storage, and a cooler in an insulated box. Cooler in insulated box to the right of the sink. Utensils, detergent, and soap below The sink uses a hand pump faucet which is connected to a 5 gallon water bottle on the floor behind the driver seat At the back on the drivers side is storage for clothes on two shelves and a lipped top where I kept a backpack or a laundry basket at different times Slide out table. Stove is stored in a nook behind the wheel well. The countertop also doubles as a workspace from the bed side. There is storage below on this side for book and toiletries Curtain between the front and back for privacy and a USB fan. The rear windows were also given some extra tinting with a film. Additionally I created insulated shades to cover all the rear windows. Here in winter time you can see the insulated shades on the rear window. They are reflective on one side and covered with black felt on the other. Also here I have the bed made with the down comforter and flannel sheets. The front is not really any different except the use of the passenger floor for shoe storage and my day pack in the passenger seat. With the rear seat bottoms take out and a bridge I made to cover the gap between the rear and front seat I have about 6 1/2 feet to stretch out. The whole thing was designed on a computer and I went through many iterations to come up with the final design. Utah Badlands NP of South Dakota Lake Tahoe Death Valley Canyonlands NP Outside Death Valley NP In bear country Grand Tetons NP Routes of two cross country road trips
Sweet set up, I backcountry camp a lot with my rig aswell so most of my gear is for tenting and pretty minimal and I usually cook fireside and boil water with the Isobutane stove(power gas). I visit very remote no service areas with a canoe on top ready to go exploring and fishing, always enjoyed a good rest in the back of the truck though. I used the old chalkboard magnetic strips hot glued and fitted to screens for a few windows. Hopefully we can all cross the boarder again soon so I can tour the USA - minus a canoe. Next time you go by Ottawa, ON., get on HWY 60 and cut through Algonquin Park, beauty drive in the Highlands that wind past over a hundred Lakes, lots to see and do.
10-29-2020, 09:18 AM
