Dingus Milktoast wrote:Hey SLR...
is that thing tall enough for a 6 footer to stand up in without stooping?
(I really like the idea of a sportsmobile pop-up style roof but these are cheaper I'm seeing... but I don't like the idea of a permanent bubble top and that thing would never fit in my garage (not that a 4wd sportsmobile would either mind you)
Just curious... is it rigged for camping or dual purpose passenger duty?
DMT
DMT,
I'm 72 inches tall and can stand up inside with room to spare. Makes it a great ski machine, especially when there's a nasty blizzard outside. You can change clothes in comfort.
The vehicle is too tall to fit in any garage and so sits in the driveway. High winds and the large surface area from such a tall vehicle can make for some spontaneous lane changes that can be quite interesting.... I don't drive the van in high wind anymore, scares the shit out me.
The engine is plenty powerful, I climb the mountains here without any problems. It doesn't handle the curves very well, in that regard I've gotta drive slow and gear down.
I'm not sure what you mean when you ask about "camping or dual purpose passenger duty." There's a lengthwise bench in the back that folds out into a twin bed, so I can carry 3 passengers back there if I need to. There are two Captain's chairs up front. The remaining accessories (electric stove, microwave, etc.) are all permanently installed. Does that answer your question?
My ball-and-chain (common law wife) doesn't do tent camping, so I got the van so she could join me. Most of the time it's just the two of us, we pack the back with gear (kayaks, scuba tanks, etc.) and hit the road. I've looked at other vehicles like the pop-top VW, but they're too small. If it were just me, I'd go for a regular 4x4 van without the conversion or bubble top, and modify it myself to have a bed shelf, a bunch of storage, a roof-top kayak rack, and an awning. We installed mosquito netting over the side doors with zippered flaps so that we can sleep with the doors open (as pictured).
These things are difficult to find, I found this one in Albuquerque and drove it cross-country to West Virginia. They're even more difficult to get financing and insurance because no one knows what they're worth, or whether it's a van or an RV.
