Links to interesting things
Things that we have looked at, or considered or learned or . . . just thought were interesting
Gemhunter Custom Caravans
I had seen their website more than a year before when we were thinking about a small caravan. What struck me was the understated website and clean looking fit-out of the vans. Most caravans are full on timber trim and flouncy curtains and lounge chairs. Not at all what were were after. I was looking for a van that was well, free of all that and saw photos of one of their vans that was essentially - white. I never really got past that point and never considered having a van custom built and anyway we only wanted a small van. Once we stated looking at trucks and ended up trying to find a way to have a custom fibreglass body constructed, I ended up back looking for fibreglass caravans and then I called Gemhunter . . . . and here we are.
All Terrain Warriors
There were only a couple of choices when it came to modifying the truck suspension and the expertise regarding body mounting. I suppose we didn't actually spend as much time in making this choice as we might have. Our friend Guy had his entire truck built at ATW, and while we did not want that particular style of body, we at least knew what he had got. We had followed his "trials" and some tribulations after he took delivery and while there were issues, ATW were always responsive. And anyway, we don't know enough to have a conversation about parabolics or not parabolics, so as in the rest of life, you just try to find some-one who looks like they have experience, try to nut out 'BS' if it sounds like it and then make a choice. So, they bought me a truck, fitted new suspension, super single rims, suspension seats, cut out the crawl-through and supplied the "bellows" and the mounting brackets et al to fix the house to the chassis. Now we have zatruk.
I had seen their website more than a year before when we were thinking about a small caravan. What struck me was the understated website and clean looking fit-out of the vans. Most caravans are full on timber trim and flouncy curtains and lounge chairs. Not at all what were were after. I was looking for a van that was well, free of all that and saw photos of one of their vans that was essentially - white. I never really got past that point and never considered having a van custom built and anyway we only wanted a small van. Once we stated looking at trucks and ended up trying to find a way to have a custom fibreglass body constructed, I ended up back looking for fibreglass caravans and then I called Gemhunter . . . . and here we are.
All Terrain Warriors
There were only a couple of choices when it came to modifying the truck suspension and the expertise regarding body mounting. I suppose we didn't actually spend as much time in making this choice as we might have. Our friend Guy had his entire truck built at ATW, and while we did not want that particular style of body, we at least knew what he had got. We had followed his "trials" and some tribulations after he took delivery and while there were issues, ATW were always responsive. And anyway, we don't know enough to have a conversation about parabolics or not parabolics, so as in the rest of life, you just try to find some-one who looks like they have experience, try to nut out 'BS' if it sounds like it and then make a choice. So, they bought me a truck, fitted new suspension, super single rims, suspension seats, cut out the crawl-through and supplied the "bellows" and the mounting brackets et al to fix the house to the chassis. Now we have zatruk.
Airhead Composting Toilet
Water is the limiting factor and the thing that will make you return to civilisation. We assumed we would have the usual cassette toilet as all caravans & RV then we stumbled across the Airhead - made for boaties. There is only one distributor in Australia and after a phone call - we decided to give it a go. The toilet area in the truck is large enough to take a cassette type if it doesn't work out.
Sold in Australia only from: A Better Way to Go
Water is the limiting factor and the thing that will make you return to civilisation. We assumed we would have the usual cassette toilet as all caravans & RV then we stumbled across the Airhead - made for boaties. There is only one distributor in Australia and after a phone call - we decided to give it a go. The toilet area in the truck is large enough to take a cassette type if it doesn't work out.
Sold in Australia only from: A Better Way to Go
Airhead Composting Toilet
Bike Friday
Having decided to build the truck we had to deal with the potential issue of transport when we don't want to pack up the truck and also when we just want to get to the start of walks etc when in staying in NP. After some weeks of looking, including looking at some of the new electric bikes, we went back to a brand of long standing in the folding market - Bike Friday. We already own a Dahon folding bike with rear internal hub but it is not really that light and while it folds it is an awkward shape.
The thing that caught us with the Bike Friday was the new model they were about to introduce - The Silk. What's so special - no chain and no derailleur and a constant variable speed Nuvinci internal hub option. So that's a carbon belt instead of the chain, a constantly variable internal hub with no jumping from gear to gear, no derailleur to break off or bend or lose a small screw AND IT FOLDS in 15 secs. And it comes in good colours! And it will fold even smaller into a suitcase if you have to. See the separate Bike Friday page.
Having decided to build the truck we had to deal with the potential issue of transport when we don't want to pack up the truck and also when we just want to get to the start of walks etc when in staying in NP. After some weeks of looking, including looking at some of the new electric bikes, we went back to a brand of long standing in the folding market - Bike Friday. We already own a Dahon folding bike with rear internal hub but it is not really that light and while it folds it is an awkward shape.
The thing that caught us with the Bike Friday was the new model they were about to introduce - The Silk. What's so special - no chain and no derailleur and a constant variable speed Nuvinci internal hub option. So that's a carbon belt instead of the chain, a constantly variable internal hub with no jumping from gear to gear, no derailleur to break off or bend or lose a small screw AND IT FOLDS in 15 secs. And it comes in good colours! And it will fold even smaller into a suitcase if you have to. See the separate Bike Friday page.
Electroparts
Only for wholesale - supply all sorts of electrical bit and pieces: inverters, battery chargers, LED lights etc
Only for wholesale - supply all sorts of electrical bit and pieces: inverters, battery chargers, LED lights etc
Central Tyre Inflation [CTI]
Interesting site with links to lots of articles about truck tyres and tyre inflation.
Interesting site with links to lots of articles about truck tyres and tyre inflation.
Hahn Eezy Lift
With less than one PSI of pressure from the tyre, lift 200kg wheel with ease!
With less than one PSI of pressure from the tyre, lift 200kg wheel with ease!
Vanglass
Manufacturers of FRP panels for the transport and RV industry located in Southeast Queensland. This is where our panels come from.
Steinbauer Performance
Performance Module for the Isuzu NPS 300. The claimed differences are below. The module costs about $2100 fitted (Mar 13)
Performance Module for the Isuzu NPS 300. The claimed differences are below. The module costs about $2100 fitted (Mar 13)
Eco Heat Induction Cooker
We bought one of these some time ago but have never had the power available while camping to use it. After having recent conversations about the type of outside cooking device we should use - gas BBQ (including Baby Q), dual fuel liquid stoves (Coleman petrol or Shellite) we have retrieved it from the cupboard. The power setting of the new model can be varied between 500, 1000, 1500 or 2000 watts. Ours is fixed at 800 watts. It requires a pure sine wave inverter and suitable cookware - stainless steel with enough ferrous material - the test being is it magnetic. Also you can use cast iron. Unlike the usual home induction cooktop they say you can use a BBQ grill without damaging the surface and it has an extra hot BBQ setting. At the 500 watt setting they say it can used with a 1KVa generator or an 85 watt solar panel. It is supposed to be 3x as fast as a normal electric cooker. We'll see.
Seagull IV Water Filter
Specifications are below but in summary:
- 4 litres/min
- 25/125 psi
- chemical free purification
- stainless steel pressure vessel & braided high pressure connection hoses
- particle retention of 0.4 micron absolute & nominal 0.1 micron
- effective against E Coli, Cryptosporidia & Giardia
- use for tank, bore, well or river water
| seagull_iv_water_filter.pdf |
Webasto Dual Top
Diesel powered heaters. Webasto Dual Top combines domestic hot water with interior cabin heating in one compact unit.
Webasto Diesel Cook Top X100
After using gas in all our campers - we have made a decision to have a gas free truck.
Diesel powered heaters. Webasto Dual Top combines domestic hot water with interior cabin heating in one compact unit.
Webasto Diesel Cook Top X100
After using gas in all our campers - we have made a decision to have a gas free truck.
Permex Fibreglass Battens and Rods
We have be trying to figure out a way to have a small awning over the main doorway. The large annexe is planned to be fixed to the side of the truck rather than on the lifting roof - which would make it too tall. This awning will not cover the main doorway however and we think we need at least some form of cover so the door can be open in light rain. Current daydreaming is to use lightweight fibreglass poles to tension a light canvas awning over the doorway. In my search for product I found these manufacturers and have saved their info here.
