Hello, Lloyd.
I’ve just finished reading your lovely new book Rolling Homes and I thought I would send you some photos of our little bus from here in Richmond / El Cerrito.
I bought the carcass (see blue bus photo) of this 1972 Mercedes 306d bus from a young fellow who was riding his bicycle across the country. The bus was in a storage yard in Vallejo where it had been sitting for decades. The wheels were frozen in place as was the engine but the $500 price tag was an encouragement.
I was originally building a Moto Guzzi motorcycle to ride when I had the epiphany that building a rolling cabin and clubhouse would be more fun and would invite new friendships. Several years of effort but not too many dollars later this bus was the result. Its name is Hanuman after the monkey god … which is also a play on words because these little diesel busses are re-badged Hanomags.
It has a 4-cylinder OM615 diesel engine that purrs nicely and front-wheel drive. It gets 20 mpg. We have taken it to many festivals such as Earthdance, Raindance, Burning Man, and on kayaking/fishing trips to Mendocino, etc.
The bus turns 50 this year.… I plan to continue to drive it to all of the wonderful places that we enjoy here in California.… I am sixth-generation Californian with many wonderful photo albums full of Santa Cruz area historic photos passed along from my grandmother along with so many written stories and memories of our history here so far.
Enjoy your Baja trip. I love your Tacoma setup with that cool rack. My daily driver T995 Tacoma 4×4 has 300k miles on it and runs like new with a little attention. The perfect choice for Baja too for parts accessibility.… Have all the fun.
Cheers,
Robert Janca
and Becky Kartage
A most excellent project/lifestyle. So well done.
and, I would say, you are contributing your fair share to “saving the environment”. Using
a vehicle of that age, living that small footprint, etc…must be more environmentally friendly (regardless of gas etc), than
the environmental cost to manufacture an ___ ____ ____ _____ vehicle…One which the costly batteries rare earth elements are mined
by persons in often slave like conditions, sometimes children..with little to no health laws….and little pay. And which batteries have a finite life, and when dead….you buy a NEW CAR…Does not seem friendly to our environment or the humans.
Would be so “cool” if you had a series of “old” posessions …
(by the way, that outside paintjob looks “brand new”…Do you have that excellent talent to (factory level paint finish) or were you stuck to hire that out?)
Well done..Have fun in life..
Once “again”…good job and HANG ON to your old vehicle….
here is the modern alternative
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptI6BRVC1Kw
In answer to the initial question above, I did prep the van extensively myself (welding and sanding) and take it in for a budget paint job. Now I am working in another novel vehicle. I painted that one in my carport recently using marine topside paint and a Wagner Motocoat (iAn inexpensive airless sprayer made for cars) with good results.
Of.course my bus is an economical small diesel not electric so this is completely unrelated. The electric car
(paid?) opinions posted above are of course easily proven wrong as time abd any real research will show clearly.
Interestingly Mercedes built an electric version of this very bus way back in the 1970’s as a test platform. Here is a link about that conversion:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/insideevs.com/news/334501/check-out-this-blast-from-the-past-1972-mercedes-benz-le-306-electric-van/amp/?espv=1
Robert, Thank you for reply. I think that your options / lifestyles will never be promoted by powers that be/rich folks, as well, someone is making big bucks promoting other/newer (and frankly more impact on climate and earth) options. Just imagine, if we all did as you…..wow
Just say’n….one more argument why your way is better…gotta feel for this fellow
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/autos/news/man-sells-tesla-he-s-locked-out-of-because-it-s-ultimately-cheaper-than-dealing-with-it/ar-AA156gJ5?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=f5d96f9514844348c42941a1b4f40414
Man Sells Tesla He’s Locked Out Of Because It’s Ultimately “Cheaper” Than Dealing With It
Owning a Tesla is great until the battery dies and you have to pay tens of thousands of dollars to replace it. One man found himself in this predicament, and on top of it, he was locked out of his car.
“The problem with Teslas is they trick you into thinking you actually own the car when in reality, it owns you!”
“You will never convince me that owning a Tesla that someone else can control is a good idea,”
“A mint 2005 Honda civic would have still been running…. just saying,”
golly, I am liking your vehicle, your “saving” it more and more (compared say to push to new non recyclable electric vehicles.
pretty sure this wouldnt happen to your vehicle
I live in Iceberg Canada (Alberta) , now experiencing -40 to – 50 C with windchill.
according to this article, I MAY have enough Battery Life to Drive from my front yard to my back yard (and I do not live on an acreage- city dweller)
https://www.foxnews.com/auto/how-much-range-electric-vehicles-lose-cold
Battery Life Loss in Cold Weather (and they were not talking MY cold)
At the low end was the Chevrolet Bolt with a 32% drop, which was slightly outdone by the Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD with Extended Range battery and the VW ID.4, both at 30%.