Hi Dave

Could you give us some details of the setup you have in "Little Blue"?  What is the tent at the back?

Would appreciate some pics if possible.

Gday Dick, AHHHH!!! our mid size recreational vehicle, little blue is a long wheel base toyota hi-ace yh61 model 1985 build, 2ltr 5 speed petrol with highway ratio diff., she carries 60 ltrs fresh water and runs a dual 100 amp (each) battery system through a redarc solenoid type isolater system, she also has an on board charger, we also carry an 80watt projecta briefcase solar panel just to give that little extra but found with stops of two to three days we havent needed it, we have a full kitchen plus 3 way fridge as well as plenty of cupboard and storage space, we also sometimes carry a 40 ltr engel, the double bed (front style) is left made up at all times, it is a sopru conversion finished in 1985, the van has always been a camper, we are the second owners and have had her tottaly rebuilt by toyota front to rear with NO expense spared from scratch, we have two large pvc pipes on the bullbar in which we store the rear annex and a side annex plus axe and tv antennae (which we never use), the rear annex comes off the rear door and has a sewn in floor, it was made by sar major in adelaide it is a god send as you know space is always at a premium and particularly so with a camper, slurpy ( our porta potty ) lives out there and we get dressed out there also chilly our engel sleeps there, and when we take our little mates (two mini cross foxys) they live in there so as you can see it is a multipurpose add on, we have done the block once with her ( twice in other vehicles) and never a moments problem, we have done quite a few forays in to the desert country and a lot around the coast, it nearly always returns 10 ltrs per 100 kms (or 30 mpg) at 80 - 100 kph, I have run heavy wire through to the rear direct from the second battery in to various fuses and cigarette sockets so we can run anything from the rear, I also have a 300 watt inverter out there, I have made her tottally self sufficient for water and power as well as food for 7 days and trying for more all the time, for further exploits in to more isolated country we tow a fully enclosed 5x4 supply trailer (squeeky) in there we have 60 ltrs of fuel, 120 ltrs of water large gas bottle and a full outside kitchen as well as carrying our firewood and satellite tv dish, and I have just bowed to pressure and installed the 1000 watt honda generator (sparky), with squeeky we can stay fully self sufficient for up to 14 days. I am always (when not at work) working on either squeeky or little blue to try to get the most out of them, we find, for what we are doing now, the setup is fantastic, but I wouldnt spend the rest of my days like this. we intend to sell up in 2.9 years time and buy a winnebego alpine so our off road or rough road forays will be finished but I think we have done them all or most anyway. she will be on the market and I will have a tear in my eye when she goes. I will post a photo of her "in squatters mode for you when I find one, I could post thousands of photos of various trips and miles and miles of video but I believe in keeping my home movies to myself and not bore other people stupid with them. but I do bring them out when the guests are drinking all my beer and wont go home that scares them off quick smart. anyway thats "little blue & co"



-- Edited by dave06 at 17:20, 2008-10-09

you may see me there one day grizz, its one of my favorite stomping grounds, I havent got the name stencilled on there though, at least you know what little blue looks like from the front now

-- Edited by dave06 at 22:21, 2008-10-09

Sounds more like the Tardus to me !

not quite the tardus, I wish, but comfy for two, we spend most of our time outside cooking, eating and socialising around the fire, when we travel any great distance, we travel pretty quick, an overnight stay is a 5 minute setup, then we cook inside but still eat outside, to strike the camp is another 5 minutes and we are gone, summer is a problem because in a lot of cases one cant have a fire so we tend to travel to the eastern states (cooler) and travel light and fast, or we simply hire a villa on the waterfront at port vincent and watch the water