Large Expedition Vehicle Self Build Location?

[Badmiker]

Greetings fellow travelers,

I am not sure this is the best place to ask this question so if you have an idea of a more appropriate forum location please let me know and I’ll try and get it moved.

For the last 15 years my partner and I have lived away from our home country. We don’t have any family back in the USA or any property. We cut all ties with the USA when we left as we knew it would be between 10 and 25 years before we returned. Where we currently live is home.

Now, we are between 4 and 7 years away from being able to FIRE (financially independent retire early). We will both be under 50 at that point and don’t want to settle down in any one location any more than we have for the last 20 years.

We have both traveled fairly extensively on motorcycles, in cars, by foot, and via plane across the globe. We are fine living for extended periods of time in very small accommodation. We are currently thinking of ‘retiring’ into an expedition vehicle.

Now, we will have a sizeable nest egg and a reasonable residual income that should be more than enough to do this. We are of course still a fair few years out so plans may change and evolve as you would expect and require them to. However we doubt we will be in the position to afford a fully custom built turnkey expedition truck from somewhere like Unicat, global Expedition vehicles, etc. I am an engineer by trade, Diesel automotive and HD development engineer. In my former life I was both an automotive technician and an electronics technician. I am more than capable of planning, and assembling large portions of the job while outsourcing the things I am not able to do myself.

I believe we will be able to build what we are looking for, for a reasonable budget plus a healthy amount of sweat equity. I of course could be very wrong, and we could have to bail on the idea before, during, or after the build. These are risks I am aware of and am willing to take.

The current issue I am looking at currently is location. As we don’t live in the USA currently, we don’t have a useable garage or anything like that. Heck, we don’t even have a mailing address in the USA at this point in time. Because we have no ties anywhere we have absolute freedom as to where we decide to spend about a year putting this thing together.

For those of you who have built larger expedition vehicles, Mogs, F650’s, Medium duty trucks, etc, where did you source your work space? Did you rent commercial garage space? Do you live on a farm with a barn? Ideally I want a space I can work in year round in a covered environment that I can lock up. Living on premises in a camper or mobile home would be a bonus but might be questionable in a commercially zoned location. I think, currently, that a shop with an office space with plumbing would be perfect but probably not legal.

I welcome any discussion on logistics, location (state, city, etc), building type, or anything else you feel like would be a positive or constructive comment on this plan.

Thanks in advance,

Mike

 

[S2DM]

We rented a live/work space for a big chunk of our build, small apartment with a 2000 sq/ft workshop. Most urban areas have some of those available. We ultimately moved rural and finished it in our driveway Clampett style

FWIW, I'd say its a truism among guys out the other side of building their own that it will likely be atleast twice what you think it will be cost wise, particularly once you factor in all the little details etc, gas for trips to the hardware store or westmarine, $4 part you didnt write down... It just adds up quickly. Also to be considered is that even with iteration, volume discount pricing etc, most industry camper builders are barely making ends meet. Having been at it for a number years, I've met quite a few folks who have built their own and none would say they came in under budget. Some did it on the cheap with questionable results, but you sound like a guy who wants to make something nice, and even with sweat equity, it will get pricey.

Thats not to say you shouldn't do it, there is a profound satisfaction in knowing you did it yourself. Its more just a reflection from me being out the other side that maybe Earthroamers aren't that expensive afterall

-S

 

[Badmiker]

Thanks for the tips on the live/work space! I'll try and find something similar if possible.
As for the costs, I absolutely understand that the big builders are good value for what you are getting. Problem is, we really can't afford a $500,000 vehicle. Our budget will be closer to $200,000. I have tackled a few personal projects from buildings to vehicle restorations so understand the budget slippage. I have a few years to attempt to plan the build down to the light switch and number of meters of electrical wire we need. How many tubes of sealant, how much paint. I expect to under estimate by ~10-15% leaving me with about 20-30k in overages available in my build.

We are currently looking at South Dakota due to the 'RV friendly' local regulations for taxes and residency. The work space there is also fairly affordable. Of course, the south has lower COL than many other places but it seems the work space is about double the cost/ft^2/year which adds up really quick.

We would also be open to buying a pre-owned vehicle off the traders we have found but many of them have significant design decisions we fundamentally don't want in our vehicle. For example, most ~20 foot vehicles have sleeping for 4-8 people, we will only ever be 2 of us so would rather have the space better utilized for our life style. Further we really want an enclosed garage for a few light motorcycles (125cc or electric depending) Another area we really wanting to move away from many of the commercial units is finish of the interior. We have no need for hand finished black walnut and teak. We don't need or want a 53" TV. I know that we could work with the builders to precisely configure and layout our design but then it will be fully custom from their 'regular' product which will add even more cost as they have to get 1 piece at a time much like us. Something even as simple as a switch panel added to our base truck might cost as much as $100 per switch. I used to install very high end audio systems in vehicles and understand the labor costs and material costs but for that work I could do that myself and would enjoy it.

I am not in any way bashing the pro builders. Their work is what inspires many of us to build something fantastic. If money was unlimited, I would have them build it and lay it out exactly as I wanted, fly in, load up and be gone in a few weeks. Heck, if money was unlimited I might just travel by plane and rent what ever we needed whenever we wanted with a PA to handle all the paperwork and logistics.

Thanks again for the comments and I hope to hear more!

 

[Victorian]

You can build a very nice Expo rig for well under $200.000 or you buy one that's almost finished! Check out Overland Adventure Trucks here on the forum. His FMTV is available for US$120.000 That leaves you a very healthy 80.000 for outfitting.

 

[Badmiker]

You can build a very nice Expo rig for well under $200.000 or you buy one that's almost finished! Check out Overland Adventure Trucks here on the forum. His FMTV is available for US$120.000 That leaves you a very healthy 80.000 for outfitting.

I followed Trucky Mc Truckface and the build of this MTV with GREAT interest! In a few weeks I will be traveling to the USA for a quick stop in CA to pick up a new Motoport motorcycle riding suit and will also be heading up to Grass Valley to see XPCampers. They will have an Acela 6x6 there and they have experience with the TC system you guys provide. The FMTV/Total Composites route is pretty much where I am focused right now. Maybe with a mounting system from Overland Adventure trucks.

I would love to have a chance to look at the Overland Adventure truck but There is no way I can make it up to Oregon this trip. I also have at least 4.5 years here overseas before I am ready to pull the trigger too

 

[Victorian]

I followed Trucky Mc Truckface and the build of this MTV with GREAT interest! In a few weeks I will be traveling to the USA for a quick stop in CA to pick up a new Motoport motorcycle riding suit and will also be heading up to Grass Valley to see XPCampers. They will have an Acela 6x6 there and they have experience with the TC system you guys provide. The FMTV/Total Composites route is pretty much where I am focused right now. Maybe with a mounting system from Overland Adventure trucks.

I would love to have a chance to look at the Overland Adventure truck but There is no way I can make it up to Oregon this trip. I also have at least 4.5 years here overseas before I am ready to pull the trigger too

Acela trucks also have a 6x6 ready to be build out!

 

[Badmiker]

Ha!
Slight derail but could the TC system handle a garage addition in the overall length of the box?

Back on topic, Where the heck would I do the finishing work?

 

[Victorian]

You can do the outfitting inside the camper body. That's what I did with ours!

 

[s.e.charles]

… (a) vehicle off the traders we have found but many of them have significant design decisions ….

sounds like you have a good base & realistic perspective for a successful project

 

[Badmiker]

sounds like you have a good base & realistic perspective for a successful project

Thanks!
For the most part I am very pragmatic and have a tendency to over plan and obsess over all the little details for years before I put anything into practice. For example, I spent 3 months planning a build for my most recent bicycle build. It took me 1 week to put together.

 

[javajoe79]

You might consider finding space in or near a shop that can benefit your build. A fabrication shop for example.

 

[tanuki.himself]

i would also consider Oregon to save on sales tax on all the things you will need to buy

 

[s.e.charles]

You might consider finding space in or near a shop that can benefit your build. A fabrication shop for example.

i would also consider Oregon to save on sales tax on all the things you will need to buy

two good gambits. perhaps a fabrication shop, in Oregon, next to a motel 6? I think if the shop were just getting underway, they would consider developing a youtube channel to focus the high quality work they are capable. your engineering & design skills would showcase their work, so they would look good without having to spend "think time" on the job. hell, they might even pay you!

 

[Badmiker]

i would also consider Oregon to save on sales tax on all the things you will need to buy

Oregon might be a good location, my partner grew up there and lived in Portland for several years. I'll expand my search!

 

[Badmiker]

You might consider finding space in or near a shop that can benefit your build. A fabrication shop for example.

That is an excellent idea!

I am handy with most tools and can both weld and machine but I would never say I am a fabricator, certainly not for anything I want someone to look at cosmetically.

Also, I would not have access to all the metal fab tools I will need for this project.