1985 Hino Housetruck - delivery to new owners- last post :(

Awesome. I've just read the entire thread, and what's struck me is the consistency in the quality of the work you've done.

Well done on the build, and well done on having the balls to live like this.

I finally started building the workshop bench. To begin with we need some storage for fruit and vege. Sorted that out with some baskets on rails, green cause I'm a hippy. Then I just built it up from there- using an old oak dresser we got cheap ages ago from a recycling centre - in fact before I we had even got the truck. I have always wanted a pull out drawing board thing- I don't really know what for. As the oak top was going to be covered over I decided to use that.

And I built some drawers using oak fronts- more oak to be used for more drawers yet. I want to build a portable work table/seat/tool storage on wheels sort of thing. Like a Darlek you can sit on. But with out a gun. And filled with tools. You'll see eventually...

Another cheap set of Rimu drawers we bought from the recycling centre were carefully taken apart for the wood. They had the most amazing 4mm Rimu ply in the drawer bottoms which is great for building cupboard fronts.

Photos soon of the done deal.

mean looking viva haha i recognise those veggie baskets new worlds finest?

I was thinking with this update that the inside of your truck must smell great with all that freshly cut wood. Excellent repurposing of furniture too, you wouldn't know what it was had you not pointed it out.

you should be welding triumphs up instead shouldn't you? :-)
Cheers.
And volksangyl- yeah it does smell lovely. No plastic! :-)

scrap that idea. who likes the sound of converting a stepframe double deck semi-trailer into a house? That's what I'm gonna do! Thank you again for the inspiration!

Sounds great and this is exactly what I want to hear- more housetrucks. I cant see why people build plastic homes to live/holiday in. Yuck! Plastic smells horrid and is a nasty place to spend time surrounded by it. Use wood. Old trucks- yum. ;D We would have gone older but we wanted a big house this time as its a keeper. Very hard to find nice old trucks with 5 meter wheelbase. But I think this Hino still has a nice look about it. If you get pre 1960 truck you can drive it on a car licence. Modern engine swap sounds good- and thanks to Londons low emmision zone being even more stringent I imagine there must be fair few cheap trucks kicking about now?

I would like to- viva only weighs what 800kg? But i would have to get the whole metal work certified - i will look into it. As it is we will have to choose between taking Hiace van or viva when we head south. Viva will be nice but van will be so useful for a winter of snowboarding being 4wd- plus camping away with mtbs. Other idea is to take truck plus van and then later on fly back up to Blenheim and do a viva roadtrip south!

its mainly all weight down low. The roof isn't that heavy. We certainly wont be driving it quickly. When i drove it home after buying it is geared to do 90kph max- i think cause its got 16" not 20"wheels. Excited about driving it- but nervous too. It seems big but is still small compared to those 40 tonne buggers.