Stealth Camping Vehicles

[Joe Z]

While looking at another post the question was asked how to Stealth park while traveling with a travel trailer and it is quite evident that it is a hard thing to do.
I may be updating my tow vehicle and was considering something like an all white van that could be used without the travel trailer to overnight without arousing too much suspicion. I would like maybe some links on ones that are complete but starting from scratch with a blank van would also work..... I would like to have a furnace a bed and a place for a porta potti if possible. So any links for complete vehicles or places to buy the cabinets etc or just any good links you think might be helpful would be appreciated. Good gas mileage would be a big plus....or diesel etc
Thanks for any help

Joe

[Sharon G]

Joe, this website has some good ideas that might help get your creative juices flowing.

http://cheaprvliving.com/howtoconvertavan.html

[Raya]

I may be updating my tow vehicle and was considering something like an all white van that could be used without the travel trailer to overnight without arousing too much suspicion.

That's what I do, and for a person not full-timing it's a pretty workable solution. My stealth camping mode is just my station wagon, so it's a bit less comfortable than a van would be, but OTOH it's the vehicle I already have as my daily driver, it gets good mileage, and it does work. I do like having the low-key "stealthability" as an option. A mini-van might be in my future.

Raya

[Frederick L. Simson]

My stealth camping mode is just my station wagon, so it's a bit less comfortable than a van would be, but OTOH it's the vehicle I already have as my daily driver, it gets good mileage, and it does work. I do like having the low-key "stealthability" as an option. [b]A mini-van might be in my future.

I have used my Honda Odyssey for a short trip when it was inconvenient to take the trailer. I was overnighting with person(s) I know so I didn't need the full amenities of the Fiber Stream. I made the "modification" so I could have a 2nd bedroom with an RV sized "double" bed when we camp with friends. It also works well independently; car camping is a very old tradition going back to before RV's.

Link to Making a Bedroom in a Minivan

For my trip mentioned above, I just left the 2nd row seats home. I had a 12 volt battery lantern, an electric heater that I plugged into my camp-mate's trailer, and a bed-urinal for the middle of the night.

I like the Odyssey for it's versatility, and have used it's 7-passenger seating (but not while camping) as I am a designated driver for my group of friends. It also works well in conjunction with the Fiber Stream.

Versitile furniture from my Honda Odyssey

[melissab]

Hi Frederick, Love your 2nd bedroom! How did you secure the curtain rods? Our Toyota Sienna is a lease so I cant drill any holes. Any alternative ideas for securing privacy curtains/shades?

Thanks!
Melissa

[Joe Z]

Wow....Good Stuff .... and so far it looks good to buy something bare bones and build it up to my preferences. Getting great idea's here so far...

Frederich, Thanks for the great writup and really good stuff in there as I thought about a mini van also and would need to be able to tow a 16'casita

Sharon.... that link is the direction i am leaning toward so far as i had a setup like that back in the early 70's.... it was a 66 chevy short van all done custom with murals etc. wish i could find the picture of that LOL
Joe

[Lee Senn]

Joe If you google stealth van dwelling you will find links to stealth van dwellers which is a group like our forum. You will not only find extensive info on how to select and convert vehicles, cargo trailers etc. but also info from folks who are living this life style as to how best to "stealth camp". Not my gig but a very, very interesting group of folks. Lee

[Frederick L. Simson]

How did you secure the curtain rods? Our Toyota Sienna is a lease so [b]I cant drill any holes.

I drilled holes in the plastic trim for the cafe rod brackets.

[Raya]

I've used a few methods for securing curtains over the years (different vehicles).

1) Plastic tracks that were meant for van conversions. I used contact cement to put them on in certain places and rivets in others. Then there is a "tape" of pegs that you sew to the curtains that mate with the tracks.

2) Velcro (contact cemented in place)

3) Magnets

4) Spring tension rod

5) One that was going to be temporary but lasted four years () was using some of the small, clear plastic 3M "Command Adhesive" hooks and sticking them to the vehicle's interior, then cutting tiny slits in the curtain fabric to fit over them. Yeah, it was going to be temporary, but like the Energizer bunny, it just kept going and going...

Raya

[Joe Z]

Joe If you google stealth van dwelling you will find links to stealth van dwellers which is a group like our forum. You will not only find extensive info on how to select and convert vehicles, cargo trailers etc. but also info from folks who are living this life style as to how best to "stealth camp". Not my gig but a very, very interesting group of folks. Lee

Lee
Lots and lots of info in there with many days of reading to get thru it all with mega info
thanks
Joe

http://www.stealthvandweller.com/

[Lee Senn]

Joe Months ago when I stumbled onto the van dwelling community I found a really neat site and after some searching I found it again. It is cheaprvliving.com and it has far more useful info than any of the other sites I have found. Please drop me a quick reply so I know you received this. Lee

[Joe Z]

Joe Months ago when I stumbled onto the van dwelling community I found a really neat site and after some searching I found it again. It is cheaprvliving.com and it has far more useful info than any of the other sites I have found. Please drop me a quick reply so I know you received this. Lee

Lee
I received that link from sharon g up top these posts and it is extremely helpful and very lots of reading...... i am about halfway thru it now
thanks,
Joe

[Donna D.]

The whole definition of stealth is to not be seen or to blend in. Kinda hard to do with a travel trailer. But, if you can't blend in, be obvious. I have an aunt that would not stay in public or private campgrounds when traveling... only at destinations. She always planned her trips and stopping points. When she pulled into a town, she'd go to a phone booth and lookup radiator shops. If the phone booth was at a convenience store she'd ask the clerk for help in deciding where the shops were located in reference to good or bad parts of town. Then she'd head for a radiator shop. Now, this was typically after the shop closed, but she'd park in the shop lot and carrying on with her business... fixing meals, sleeping etc. If she was ever rousted, she'd just tell them she had radiator problems and was waiting for the shop to open! Never had a problem... don't mess with a middle-aged woman! And, she always left before the shop opened in the morning. She did say, the few times there wasn't a radiator shop, she'd stay in a church parking lot. Or barring that, she'd check with the town police for a parking spot.... oftentimes they'd let her stay in their own parking lot.

YMMV

[Joe Z]

very good points Donna.... radiator shop, never thought of that one. Someone mentioned a hospital as you can say you are there to visit someone in the morning

[Tamid]

One of the best places I've found to urban boondock is in a light industrial area in a large employee parking lot. There are lots of open parking spaces and no one to bother you. Most people seeing it think it's one of the employees who is either going camping or is getting something fixed. The only two issues is sometimes it can get noisy from truck traffic early in the morning and because of the few people about there can be a security issue.

[Dana T]

OK, I have to ask -- how do you keep from snoring which would blow your cover?

[Time K]

Tamid, I like your term Urban Boondocking.

I'd be concerned about exposure to or risk of robbery and or assault or exploited by other transients if I were "camped" out on a full time basis.. in an out-of-the-way location in a vehicle not really marked as a camper

[Mike Magee]

While looking at another post the question was asked how to Stealth park while traveling with a travel trailer and it is quite evident that it is a hard thing to do.
I may be updating my tow vehicle and was considering something like an all white van that could be used without the travel trailer to overnight without arousing too much suspicion. I would like maybe some links on ones that are complete but starting from scratch with a blank van would also work..... I would like to have a furnace a bed and a place for a porta potti if possible. So any links for complete vehicles or places to buy the cabinets etc or just any good links you think might be helpful would be appreciated. Good gas mileage would be a big plus....or diesel etc
Thanks for any help

Joe

I've often thought that a Dodge Sprinter (with diesel) would be a sweet vehicle for this sort of thing. High enough to stand up in, gets low or mid 20s mpg.

[Joe Z]

Tamid, I like your term Urban Boondocking.

I'd be concerned about exposure to or risk of robbery and or assault or exploited by other transients if I were "camped" out on a full time basis.. in an out-of-the-way location in a vehicle not really marked as a camper

Stealth camping to me is while traveling to be able to pull in a parking lot or similar place Hospital, 24 hour stores etc. and park in and among the other vehicles without sticking out or giving that "I'm sleeping in here look"
Out of the way places i would feel more comfortable looking like a camper (put out chairs, ..... I even thought of magnetic signs with flowers or something to make it look like a camper as i agree with what you say.

[Joe Z]

I've often thought that a Dodge Sprinter (with diesel) would be a sweet vehicle for this sort of thing. High enough to stand up in, gets low or mid 20s mpg.

I spoke with a person on another forum that has a "Sprinter Diesel" that is getting 27MPG Hwy. and would really like to have one of them but looking them up online they are very expensive.... but if something came up for a reasonable price i would jump on it. I have a friend who is a dodge salesman and he said the sprinter started of as a "Freightliner", then "Dodge" now it's being distributed by "Mercedes"........... 27 mpg and able to stand up would put this vehicle to the front of the line for me.... still going to keep my casita but just looking for something when mostly driving to a destination or weekend trip as i do not like Motel's.
Joe