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WHO' S A FULL TIME LMTV OVERLANDER, ANY OUT THERE?

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I've seen many people who have sold it all and moved into their Sprinter Van, or Mitsubishi Fuso RV, or F650 Camper (and many others) and do nothing but work from their rig remotely and travel the continent from the Lower 48 to Alaska etc...... What I have not seen is many people doing this from an LMTV platform. Are there any out there or are you one of them? I am planning on doing this down the road when I acquire my LMTV...
If there are any good reads, or video logs on anyone doing that post it here...
Thanks Folks.....

Found this guy, granted didn't build himself but still a pretty cool story...
 
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I’m building mine now and will post pictures in a couple months when it further along.
Rather than the build I was looking more towards the build is done and the story on the road from that point.
There's plenty of builds and things, but who's left the garage and is now full-trimming it on the road, or at least for more than a month....?
 

ckouba

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These guys did, but then they didn't:


They were my initial exposure to this madness. They had their rig for a while, but not too long in my opinion, and then moved into something smaller, and then bought land/house or something. I didn't so much follow them- you could say I was more hooked on making my version of their rig.

Guaranteed there are others out there too, but I saw all I needed to and got on with it. We won't full time it when done, but we will be out for extended durations (hopefully). Still in the build phase though.
 
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Reworked LMTV

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These guys did, but then they didn't:


They were my initial exposure to this madness. They had their rig for a while, but not too long in my opinion and then moved into something smaller, and then bought land/house or something. I didn't so much follow them- you could say I was more hooked on making my version of their rig.

Guaranteed there are others out there too, but I saw all I needed to and got on with it. We won't full time it when done, but we will be out for extended durations (hopefully). Still in the build phase though.
Yes, Martin and Bethany. I have followed them since the beginning. They bought theirs from GXV and do not appear to be mechanically oriented.

What I have found is that people who are young eventually want a home later, or again. Makes sense. I think there is more to it though. It took a while for the problem areas of the truck to get worked out. The problems, like the oil line and the driveshafts cost the initial Overlanders a fortune.
 
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Yes, Martin and Bethany. I have followed them since the beginning. They bought theirs from GXV and do not appear to be mechanically oriented.

What I have found is that people who are young eventually want a home later, or again. Makes sense. I think there is more to it though. It took a while for the problem areas of the truck to get worked out. The problems, like the oil line and the driveshafts cost the initial Overlanders a fortune.
Great story, also like the reflection back on things they would change. thank you for sharing.....
Any more out there post the link to their travels on this thread...
 

Awesomeness

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I'm curious to see where this thread goes because, like you originally pointed out, there are dozens and dozens of ambitious build threads that start out, but I've only seen a couple that got to a point where they were done and driving around at all.

(That's exactly why I just keep mine as a cargo truck, and "camp" in the back. I don't want to doom myself.)
 
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I'm curious to see where this thread goes because, like you originally pointed out, there are dozens and dozens of ambitious build threads that start out, but I've only seen a couple that got to a point where they were done and driving around at all.

(That's exactly why I just keep mine as a cargo truck, and "camp" in the back. I don't want to doom myself.)

EXACTLY, you and I are on the same page....
 

Reworked LMTV

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EXACTLY, you and I are on the same page....
When you look at Overlanding vehicle builder it really is a special person. They likely have a unique skill set and adequate money. If they have low levels of either, the build take a very long time and that truck will likely be the next Craigslist listing. There can be cross winds slowing your progress.

There is the stage of life as well. Are you part of a young family raising children on the road? People do it, but it IS challenging. They are often pulled off the road by a yearning for brick and mortar and the need to feel part of a community. Or are you older and feel that the community is no longer as important and you want to travel and see the World?

Any way you slice it, you're are embarking on "The Road Less Traveled"

I'm not much for Poetry, more in to making a machine hum like a symphony, but this is relevant:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.


Robert Frost
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The entire Poem:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.
 
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Awesomeness

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Any way you slice it, your are embarking on "The Road Less Traveled"
Sure, but I think the question going on here is, "Is it the road LESS traveled, or the road NEVER traveled?". Seth (Adventure Driven) was the only person I knew of that was actually driving around in an LMTV, his was fairly modest (just an interior in an M1079), and even he is hanging up the spurs. I don't think I've seen any of the more ambitious builds (the "I'm taking off the bed and building a custom RV body" type) that have been completed and used regularly, in the last several years while I've been around.

I've wondered about this before, because I thought that at least a couple of them must have made it. I see all the build threads, and see the professionally built-up LMTVs at Overland Expo, but I just haven't seen any evidence of them out in the wild (e.g. haven't seen them on the trails, haven't seen people posting pictures of theirs in use, haven't seen people spotting a cool LMTV RV on the road, etc.). It's possible that once they are on the road, they drop off the radar, too.
 

mkcoen

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Seth actually put a lot into that truck besides the interior of the box. I think the biggest issue is how much folks are willing to drop into it. A LMTV is like a boat, a hole in the water you pour money into. I think the majority of the people who have the finances to really make one of these dependable as a full time, live-in RV would prefer to just buy one that's new, professionally built, and comes with a warranty.
 

Reworked LMTV

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Ive seen them, some cool trips they have made, nice rig but they are not full timing it and looks like they disappeared..
Some people think you can do an FMTV full-time drinking "craft beers" and selling "Merch" :ROFLMAO:

"Merch", I absolutely hate that word.
"Buy my Merch!" "We've got Merch!" Why should I feel sense of obligation to buy your self-egotization stuff?
 
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