Truck Tour of a Nomad Living in a Pickup Truck Camper
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 มิ.ย. 2020
- Today we meet Jim, who is just about to retire and hit the road. He’s a minimalist who want to travel light, cheaply and with as few restrictions as possible. To accomplish that he has chosen to live in a Ford F-150 with a tall shell because it will give him the best possible fuel mileage in his pickup. A tall shell that mounts to the side of the bed-walls gives him an adequate amount of comfort, actually improved his MPG and gives him stealth and freedom.
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Jim claims to be a carpenter, but I think he's either half engineer or architect. Good job!
Jim is the perfect interview for Bob. Why? They both have a kind heart, and obviously love their fellow man.
Really like the higher windows. 👍👍Never understood why RV windows are so low.
I have a class B with windows in the couch/bed area that you might consider low. I'm guessing they are set low on the van body so that passengers can see out while traveling.
Generally it’s to fit overhead cabinets between windows and ceiling in most RVs. Everything is a trade off.
I like that, it's not intended to be a house on wheels, it's a home on wheels.
He was a joy to watch. I pray God gives him peace, happiness, and a fulfilled life.
He seems to be such a happy man. Loves the outdoors
This guy gets it. More power to him. Hope he goes full time soon, and gets to enjoy all the bliss. Happy trails Jim!!
Thank you Jeanne, i’ll be full-time this coming week.😃
@@jimofalltrades9281 - Hope to see an update!
@@sadaksara I pretty much nailed it on my original build. Abandoned the trailer idea and kept it as a mobile shop for Pacific Northwest carpentry projects. I haven’t made any dramatic changes. I’ve been full-time and am extremely happy. I
Bob, you always have a knack to pick interesting people to interview. You are to RV living what Bob Vila was to old New England houses. This guy is a genius. Not only has he cleverly built himself a minimalist home, he has a great skillset to find work to sustain himself going forward.
Would love an update on Jim's full time living !
I’m living full-time lol! Constantly practicing minimalism. This life is not easy but this life is fantastic. Grateful for all the responses from the video. It gave me strength a few times when I needed it. Life is awesome
@@jimofalltrades9281 , with your skills , have you thought about being for hire to help others with their mobile build outs? :)
@@jimofalltrades9281 keep on trucking bud 👍
@@gapeach51170 Not at this time period. I’ve got too much on my plate. Thank you
I went full time in my truck right around the time your video came out. I'm 60 years old and don't see myself ever moving back into sticks and bricks again. This life has forced me to be an innovator, an engineer, and a problem solver which I have grown to love. Currently spending winter in Arizona with travel plans for the coming year.
freedom is not a lazy thing words to live by
I love Jim's setup. It's well thought out. Nothing he doesn't need or want. He looks like a happy man.
I love this guys personality
Me too!
Me too. Seems like he'd make a great friend.
Ell Ess thank you, maybe We’ll cross paths
@L B HHAHAHAHHA!
Me too 💙😃😉👍🏻
This guy has a great attitude. "I'm really excited". I lived in the back of my truck for close to two years. No set up. Just a stealthy camper shell. It actually wasn't that bad.
That looks quite comfortable to camp in.
Nice! Yesterday I bought a 2013 F-150 with a Leer shell and it’s already built in for a bed and shelves and a pullout dewar for yeti and carpet inside roof and a roof rack and omg can you tell how excited I am! I’m also a lightweight backpacker so his set up and mine seem luxurious!
Congratulations!!!! Enjoy your new home!! :)
Congratulations, enjoy your new home away from home .maybe I’ll catch you at the trail head someday
Congrats and bon voyage.
Enjoy ur new adventures!!!
Congrats!!! That’s awesome,... I’m so happy for you! I hope that you have many amazing adventures lined up, in your future!!! Take care of yourself, and happy travels!
12:10 a window to crawl through has always been a necessity in my mind. I really like this taller shell.
Yeah I have seen several builds that required exiting to get in the cab and all I could think was you're trapped. Hopefully most people have a plan if someone becomes violent but why face that confrontation if you can just motor away
I like this guy. Great interview, Bob. The tip about carrying water that gets cold and cools down your living space? Great!! And wrapping his cooler in down? So cool. The spice rack is cool. That bed extension is genius. And thus guy's positive energy is infectious!
Never thought about that regarding the 💦 water
"Ultralight backpacker, Less is more"......very reminiscent of Mors Kochanski's motto: "The more you know, the less you carry." Great vid. Cheers
If one already has a truck, this is an awesome and inexpensive option. Thanks for the peek inside.
U ask less questions, but u listen more thats really great Mr Bob very less ppl will have patience to listen others.
What a sweet happy man ❤️ wishing you all the best adventures
Jim, you remind me of my father-in-law. He would have loved living like this. It's a really nice build.
14:46 if you get solar with battery storage you can put heated pad under your water to stop freezing.
A seedling warming mat is very low wattage and heats 10 degrees above ambient temp: that may be helpful.
"Good design is a lack of bells and whistles." Amen, and Womyn too!
Yep. Ditto for good engineering. A lot of "engineering", especially for 'luxury' goods is really just technical art. I'm thinking BMW, Mercedes, and a lot of luxury consumer goods.
Love how minimal, clean and organized he is.
i've noticed that almost every vehicle dweller usually is very clean. they have a kinda knack for keeping stuff organised, too.
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. The little gizmo, similar to yours, for using the cooker to heat the van, is a great idea - I'm going to copy it. It's good to be reminded to use a carbon monoxide detector
Where did u get the stack with the oblong vent holes? Wonderful idea… u should patent it to make & sell…after I get one of course, lol… love ur attitude! I’m a carpenter too and also love my tools! Wonderful video…AAA+
Best!
This guy is just really happy. His build is creative and well thought out.
I really like this shell. I always felt that the slide in was too narrow in the bed but this is a great solution!
"Take care of yourself and do what you want!"
Jim
I must say that this episode is my favorite by far!
So glad I watched this again. I bought the heat chimney from Amazon. I lucked out, it arrived quickly.
But I forgot about the storm collar. Will take it into lowes or hd to fit one. Thanks Jim for the idea! Will use ventilation folks, don’t worry 😊
Link. Can’t locate 🤔
Loved Jim's outlook on life and the simple things and I know many of us do; it's that amazing feeling of freedom. He is talented and creative!!! Enjoyed this vid thank you Jim and Bob!!!
He’s a great carpenter. Thank you! Bob, why do you look 10 years younger today than you did 6 years ago in the Without Bounds documentary???? I think the free living is doing wonders for you! 😛
I agree with him 100% that keeping a standard quality ice chest properly protected can give you 5 days of ice.
Get a hospital bedside commode from the Goodwill and put a separator in to separate the urine which can be diluted 10 to 1 with water then water and fertilize a plant with it. Use pine shavings for solid waste, just keep it covered, a little urine wont hurt. Use pine shavings intended for horse stalls or other animal cages. The resin in the pine shavings prevents any smells. Stir it with a stick periodically to help break down the waste. Wrap it in bags and place in dumpsters or bury it in the woods once a week. Or take it home and fertilize your flower beds, but not food gardens. I've used this method for years.
A different build out for sure. For me, I'd like to have a pop-up on the top to be able to stand up when I want to. But it suits Jim. Also, it would've been nice to have a photo shot from the doorway looking in to get a better idea of what the camper looked like. jmo Would like to see a follow-up sometime to see the changes he makes and his cargo trailer build.
I lived in my 1948 Kit Companion camper for a year in the nw. For heat in the winter I wore lots of warm clothes had down comforters and wool blankets. Wore a knitted hat And ate out a pot of water to start boiling for oatmeal in the morning. Coldest I slept was 16*. Starting the stove and water boiling it was 65* within 15 minutes. And boom breakfast was quick. I took the doors off cabinets to help coping with dampness. Never had an issue either. Before that my mom and sister and I lived in a tent in Florida for a year at a campground with a large pool. Can we even imagine living in a dugout like the pioneers? Perspective.
Love to listen to this guy. He has lots of good ideas.
Good stuff. I liked that he has the perspective of a backpacker. For a backpacker, it's set up like a five star hotel and you can tell he appreciates it as such. Maybe we will get a follow up after he adds his tweaks.
Great rig. I like the guys attitude. Keep things simple. Freedom is what it is all about. Thanks Bob!
This guy being interviewed seems like a really good (and really smart) guy...and he's figured out what works for him in this lifestyle.
I love it! very nice build, great problem solving! I love the library, that's a new one for me and it's brilliant! The sliding window so he can get into the cab and vice versa, that would be essential for me. I've thought about some kind of truck/camper/shell setup, and being able to slip into the cab without having to go outside would be a non-negotiable for me. The heater is brilliant too. So simple. I need to find one of those. Jim has a winning personality and I love his passion and excitement for what he's doing. As a fellow ultralight hiker I'm super impressed that he's gotten his pack weight down to 10-11 pounds! Wow.Great interview and build!
But what was that conical hunk of perforated metal he put on the camp burner? Did it have a fan build in? 🤷🏻♀️
Jim showed us everything except his fan on the ceiling, but I'm guessing it's a Fantastic Fan
I love this guy. Great personality. Really a lot of fun to watch and listen to. He should start a TH-cam channel.
I would do it, Bob could be my cameraman
@@jimofalltrades9281 , I've subscribed. Just waiting now for your productions!
This one is for me, I love this van, but I won't have windows cause of the crime here at home. Thank you for taking the time to show the different options. I wish I knew about this lifestyle when I still had money...but its never too late.
His windows are high enough and narrow enough, that I don't think anyone could climb in through them and steal anything.
I'm 5'1. I can stand 😁 Ya doing what's best for you. Good job
Crawling through that little window would be the death of me 😆 They'd find me stuck like Winnie the Pooh butt up in the windshield😂😂😂 Glad it works for Jim though, nice guy!
Independent and happy what a wonderful combination in this life.
This guy is pretty smart. He had some really good ideas, here.
Love this design! I've been looking at cap campers, and so many are short bed trucks, I have 8' bed, so glad to see how you arranged it. The high up windows are so much more functional than the low down ones. The side to side bed is what I like too. Clean and modular. Love the shelf and the access to the truck is something I hadn't considered, especially being able to reach into the back seat (I have a quad cab) and leave it open to air condition/preheat the back before entering. Put a autostart on my diesel truck and might be a way to wake up and start the truck up to heat the camper, without leaving the sleeping bag.
Both you guys are regular McGyvers👍
Jim love your build. I love that smile!!! This is your dream life. Glad you are taking action to live it
Lot of great ideas here. Chalk up another for Bob Wells and guests!
What a well thought out build, it is freedom when you think backwards , he satisfys questions by asking them backwards, that is a cool attitude, going backs to basics, Would it work for everyone maybe not. Outdoor people get this lifestyle. You travel to see, walk , hike and do , not to be confined to an indoor space. Frame of mind is everything. The question most people avoid is What do i need to be happy , not what i want to be happy. Love the high windows and the escape route, in this day and time is has become more essential.
This is the type of setup that I want. Excellent!
Cool story and definitely appreciate his reasons for using a smaller unit. I've been curious to see what this looks like too as I plan for an eventual vanlife year with my daughter. 🙏
That's funny, me and my daughter are in the middle of a van build now. I had no idea she would be so stoked and participate so much! I bought it for myself lol should be trying it out in a couple weeks.
Agreed.... not trying to have a house on wheels... keep it simple
How on Earth did I miss this video two years ago? I watched it today August 31st 2022 and thoroughly enjoyed it. What a clever build and wonderful workmanship this gentleman put into it. I would love to know what it's like and if he has put a bathroom and shower in his travel trailer yet.
Thank you Bob for another Wonderful video....I love watching tours of shell campers because I just have not seen as many....and thank you to Jim for sharing his story.....Bob your channel is so relaxing especially for those of us who love following this lifestyle.......but are unable to take part in for ourselves....thanks again!!!
This is FANTASTIC!!!! It works for you and that’s all that matters! I love this life! Good job!!!! There’s so much in here! I love it.
I love these old-school shells they’re hard to find! Reminds me of the 70s, thanks nice video.
Wow. I would love to meet Jim. He is so inspirational!
Thanks for the info on bel-air camper shells. Just what Ive been looking for.
Great philosophy of less is more. Very simple becomes elegant too.
That pass through window takes me back to the 70’s when my Daddy built a camper shell on our truck. It was great for us kids. Great memories. Love this rig.
Thanks for doing a shell video. I had a 1979 Silver Eagle shell (also from Garden Grove) on my pick up. Worked out great for decades. Looking to build my own shell on my small Tacoma. I think I can beat 450 pounds on the structure and yes I know how hard that can be.
This gentleman is not only very likable ,he is genius. Thanks for sharing Bob.
What an inspiration!
Jim is my new best friend ❤
As an ultralight backpacker I approve of this build!
Love this guy he is so positive!!! Have fun be safe sir.
Another great, inspiring video. Thank you both!!
What a very very cool calm sane man. I like him.
That's perfect, I lived in a short bed contractor top dor 14 months comfortably, all I wanted extra was the head room
Excellent video and info. Thank you guys SO SO much!
What a great interview. I love this gentleman and his genius set up!
Nice unit using his space wisely as you said a trailer could be added a one for exta stuff plus maybe rig up a small shower unit to it with a compartment use that bag trick warming water up ?
Thank you for sharing your wonderful shell design Jim I'm loven it.
Smart, practical guy. Nice design and ideas. Thanks!
I'v absolutely loved each an every single person that Bob has interviewed, they're all amazing, genuine good beautiful ppl, i feel like i'v missed out . I'mma find this guy n tag along love carpentry. Best of wishes!
This dude is me in 40
Years no doubt, great perspectives🙌
Interesting. Jim is very articulate and excited about his new life. Thanks for sharing.
Thats a real cool setup! You can really see his passion and excitement and its contagious! Thanks for sharing Bob!
thanks JIM, you have a nice home there, and thank you BOB for another great video, now i just need to get some things done so i can get up and go
This is so organized and open feeling for the size. I also like the sliding window. It looks like he could climb into the driver’s seat if he felt like he needed to leave quickly.
This man is very smart! Great set up and wish him luck with all his adventures to come!
That man is so excited, and his build is really great. Thank you for the tour.
Thanks Bob, This Jim is an inspiration. I wish you both
Very nice. Going to be looking and talking to the camper builders very soon!
Fabulous simplicity! Everything you need, nothin’ you don’t. And so stealthy!
Great concept; excellent build!
Been scoping out Bel Air...appreciate seeing just what can be done.
Thanks Jim! You are so very creative! I am very glad that they made a vid about you. I love your positive personality!
Nice build Jim. For me simplicity is always best too, I love the challenge.
What a terrific guy. So inspiring and down to earth! Clever ideas and his knowledge is amazing. Great view.
An absolute beauty of a build. Awesome!!!
What a great design! Thanks to Jim for sharing. Lots of great ideas for me to work into my own van design. Great job Bob.
Very nice, especially the pass through to the cab!
Perfect for 1-2 people! Simple but smart n functional! Way to go Jim, keep on keeping on!
I absolutely love Jim’s enthusiasm, ideas, and the things he said about what gives him joy. Fantastic! Happy travels.
Would be perfect for me. I'm 5'1" so I could stand up straight in it.
Wow, that would be great for you!
I really like the way Jim looks at things. Very succinct, he gets to the heart of the matter and solves the challenge. Great video, thank you Bob! and Jim... :-)
I love, Jim's base camp. It looks like the perfect vehicle for a backpacker. Best wishes on your future trekking and travels.
Great attitude, positive and resourceful. He'll do well transitioning to full-time!