[jimmydean]

Sportsmobile makes some sick van conversions. Now they use the Sprinters and Ford Transit to make some sick rigs for way too much money.

<edit> They make a Lopes 55 special.

 

[Adventurous]

Sportsmobile makes some sick van conversions. Now they use the Sprinters and Ford Transit to make some sick rigs for way too much money.

<edit> They make a Lopes 55 special.

Doubt that's a Lopes special. It's not double parked across 2 handicap spots.

 

[boostindoubles]

And it STILL looks like a bargain compared to an Earthroamer.

Yeah like a 1/4 of an Earthroamer. Yikes.

I'll keep my pickup canopy, sheet of plywood, and rei inflatable sleeping pad. Maybe in another Era I'll be able to cough up the dough and have enough time to utilize such a treat.

 

[Pesqueeb]

And it STILL looks like a bargain compared to an Earthroamer.

Holy balls! 22000 miles, and a steal at $325,000!

 

[jimmydean]

Holy balls! 22000 miles, and a steal at $325,000!

GFF could build you something way better for way less, just sayin.

 

[eric strt6]

My whole rig cost me 58K

 

[eric strt6]

this is kind of kool. would have loved it in my 20s and 30s

 

[rideit]

I don't see a good place to put the bikes. Maybe front rack?

 

[Toshi]

I don't see a good place to put the bikes. Maybe front rack?

There's a fold out 3 tray "hitch" rack currently folded flush to the rear hatch in that photo.

 

[rideit]

That's not a very 'good' place if you use the hatchback a lot...(from what I can see)

 

[eric strt6]

I'd rock this

 

[DaveW]

Could do with some different wheels but yeah that'd rock!

 

[junkyard]

Is that piss yellow?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

The R-Pod now has a voltmeter, a 12 VDC outlet, and a USB charging outlet.Only one mis-drilled hole, discreetly patched.

 

[jdcamb]

The R-Pod now has a voltmeter, a 12 VDC outlet, and a USB charging outlet.Only one mis-drilled hole, discreetly patched.

Does your Rpod have the hatch kitchenette on the back?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Does your Rpod have the hatch kitchenette on the back?

Nope, that's one of the fancier models.

 

[jdcamb]

Nope, that's one of the fancier models.

So your kitchen functions are internal?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Yeppers.

 

[jimmydean]

So the wife and I are nearing ready to pull the trigger on a smallish one. A friend has a gently used R-pod we could likely get a sweet deal, but she thinks it is just a little too small. I have drawn the line at 22 feet unless we do end up using it as a business, then I'll go to 26. With just the 2 of us, we don't need much. But if we are looking at 7+ day trips, something a little bigger would be nice.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Having finally installed a voltmeter and recorded its readings over about a week, I have decided that batteries probably want replacement next spring.

Under whatever the base load is, battery voltage seems to drop by about 0.1 V/day.

When on, the converter should charge the batteries, then drop down to trickle charge at 13.2 volts, but has now remained in normal mode at 13.7 V for two days.

 

[BadDNA]

Solar charging system FTW.

I think the base load in mine included some small always-on appliances like the gas detector, etc. The battery that came in my rig was drained after sitting in my driveway the first week I owned it. The sticker said it was the original battery, installed in 2011, so I replaced it and then, to maintain my system while off the grid, installed 200W of solar panels with a controller. No issues since.

 

[eric strt6]

Yep parasitic loads. Detectors, refrigerator control board etc. Solar is best or keep it plugged in to at least a trickle charger

 

[rideit]

I just keep mine plugged in to the wall socket. Is that bad?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Battery distribution panel (dual battery disconnect switch, distribution bus bars, and a shunt for eventual addition of a Bogart Engineering TriMetric Model 2030RV-F battery monitor) mechanical installation completed today, waiting for some lugs and a crimper to show up before wiring it in. This will probably occur after my NC trip, which is to start Monday.

 

[stevew]

spotted in glacier....

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Battery distribution panel completed and installed. Nothing caught fire.

 

[stevew]

cheap for a quigley conversion...would prefer this to a sprinter...

 

[jstuhlman]

that thing looks janky as fuck

 

[stevew]

that thing looks janky as fuck

son....that is character...

 

[DaveW]

Nope I'd still take a sprinter, that thing is fuggly as!

 

[jstuhlman]

there's more jizz in those seats than a 60 year old pornstar.

 

[stevew]

there's more jizz in those seats than a 60 year old pornstar.

the seats/carpet.....first things to go....

 

[stevew]

Nope I'd still take a sprinter, that thing is fuggly as!

i looked at a couple of peoples sprinters while on vacation....none of them looked comfortable.

 

[stevew]

pre sprinter camper conversion...

 

[Toshi]

pre sprinter camper conversion...

Awesome. I'd be leery of sleeping on something suspended from chains but the overall look and concept are great. That front glass area + bubble roof would even keep me from complaining about headroom, too.

 

[DaveW]

i looked at a couple of peoples sprinters while on vacation....none of them looked comfortable.

@Deyv has a 4x4 Sprinter up in Canada that I love, amazingly well fitted out.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Towed the R-Pod roughly 2,200 miles to Brevard, NC and back over the course of a week. Had the coupler separate from the hitch in Huntingdon. PA, amazingly with no significant damage. Eammon and I are still discussing probable cause.

The camper was a very comfortable, albeit cramped, residence.Learned a lot about whether or not to make site reservations, and benefited from a National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Senior pass.Translate that into a 50% discount on site fees.

The rig has a spray head in the black water tank, idea is you hook a garden hose up to a port in the side of the trailer, turn it on, and it cleans the tank. Tried that before, it seemed to work. Tried it today and discovered that there's a check/vacuum break valve installed in an inaccessible area that's prone to misinstallation or failure, which proceeded to spray water in the wall rather than direct the water to the spray head in the tank. Of course, it did that; I'm trying to decide where/how to cut a hole in the wall to address the issue.

 

[StiHacka]

Towed the R-Pod roughly 2,200 miles to Brevard, NC and back over the course of a week. Had the coupler separate from the hitch in Huntingdon. PA, amazingly with no significant damage. Eammon and I are still discussing probable cause.

The camper was a very comfortable, albeit cramped, residence.Learned a lot about whether or not to make site reservations, and benefited from a National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Senior pass.Translate that into a 50% discount on site fees.

The rig has a spray head in the black water tank, idea is you hook a garden hose up to a port in the side of the trailer, turn it on, and it cleans the tank. Tried that before, it seemed to work. Tried it today and discovered that there's a check/vacuum break valve installed in an inaccessible area that's prone to misinstallation or failure, which proceeded to spray water in the wall rather than direct the water to the spray head in the tank. Of course, it did that; I'm trying to decide where/how to cut a hole in the wall to address the issue.

Try it nao?

 

[eric strt6]

John go to an RV place or WalMart and get a toilet wand. PVC with 4 holes at the end and a shut off valve where it connects to the hose. Its about 3 feet long. You insert it into the toilet and use it to spray out the inside of the black tank. Also Filling the tank with water ice and salt then driving around a bit after dumping will really clean it out

 

[junkyard]

When ever I look in my tank after dumping it looks clean, what I can see at least. Is this really something I should be doing?