One lightweight (but structural) alternative for paneling...

[Patineto]

Yeah, I guess you don't know the British and their fondness of nicely cut grass
(the van must have been lifted into place using a helicopter hehe)

the blue van is just a illustration, I have seeing others from the same or similar company...

Easy to see the grass is not even bow, with that weight the grass will be like a crater of the moon..

I think also the company didn't survive unfortunately. But I would like this as a smaller addon, wouldn't have to be so heavy. I don't think it would be 2/5 the mass, that would be like 700kg or something. (the tailgate was there anyway, they could have even replaced it with it plastic lighter one)

I'm a bicycle/motorcycle guy, I hope I never get to need the constrictions of a box, as big as it maybe..

Tents and hammocks are awesome, he'll sleeping under the start is great too..

 

[Hiace4wd]

We had this discussion before (sort of) but I really like the van. You drive somewhere, and as soon as you stop driving you're finished
You have everything inside, and no need to put up tents or anything.
Same goes for these big trucks where you build these kind of boxes on.

 

[Patineto]

We had this discussion before (sort of) but I really like the van. You drive somewhere, and as soon as you stop driving you're finished
You have everything inside, and no need to put up tents or anything.
Same goes for these big trucks where you build these kind of boxes on.

I take a 'Delica" any day if what I neeed is 'slow' camping with a bunch of crap... 9very 'square/rectangular/voluminous intereriors)

 

[Hiace4wd]

Haha, what do you mean by slow camping?

 

[Bogo]

We had this discussion before (sort of) but I really like the van. You drive somewhere, and as soon as you stop driving you're finished
You have everything inside, and no need to put up tents or anything.
Same goes for these big trucks where you build these kind of boxes on.

I designed the tiny pop-up travel trailer with quick setup and also minimal towing wind resistance while towing in mind. Level it, lift the top, set the hold up catches, setup the door, move modules to the walls if desired, and it's set up. I then have toilet, shower, kitchen, and queen bed all in a standing height heated and air conditioned enclosure. I should be able to pull it with any vehicle that is rated for 2,500 or more towing capacity. If my tow vehicle gets old, I can just buy a new one. I could even use a hybrid SUV if I desired.

I've looked at using a Sprinter van as a base vehicle for a RV conversion. With one you can do off-roading if you get a proper 4x4 package for it. It also has full standing height if you have either of the two tall roof options. A full feature interior can be built into one easily. Many companies will do that for you, and some will also put proper 4x4 drive systems under them. I hear the length of the extended ones can be an issue in parking lots. I just did a few online Sprinter builds and see they finally have air-bags, but you can't have them if you get their 4x4 system. Their brochure also says air-bags are only available in the 3500XD series. That has way more carrying capacity than a RV needs. I wonder if some shipping company said we want air-bags in them so they got tested. I like the super tall roof. It would allow inside storage above the head for surfboards, kayaks, etc.

 

[Patineto]

Haha, what do you mean by slow camping?

Not crossing countries in one night,... you know not in a hurry to get anywhere..

 

[Patineto]

For a repair shop this is perfect.

Maybe the ultimate taco truck...

Can you imagine the cost of all the racks and bins, my dream Mobil workshop..

 

[Bogo]

This is a joint detail for two panels with wood edges, and held together with a glued and keyed joint. No more attachment should be needed. The pink is 2" thick foam insulation like available from most home stores. the wood edges would have to be milled to the thickness of the insulation.
Before gluing to show the panels and key block.
View attachment 1385914

After gluing panels together.
View attachment 1385917

With the added surface are provided by the key piece, and it's placement, the joint has sufficient glue area, and multi directional glue planes so it will hold up to forces trying to break it apart. Water ingress can only happen at the inside corner and outside corner. The inside corner could have a caulk bead ran along it. With a quarter round at the outside corner, bending the aluminum skin around, then overlapping it over the bottom skin water ingress can be eliminated. The wood could also be pretreated with pore filling epoxy resins to be waterproof in that corner. They just need to be compatible with the skin attachment glue.

An alternate corner for more strength against external impacts to it. This was designed for a hard sided popup so there are two wall sets. The one with the rounded outside corner is for the popup top. The aluminum sheet is bent with a 2" radius via a slip roll of sufficient length. the rest of the pieces are common off the shelf parts cut to size. The red blocks are plastic glides, and likely should have a bit of gap for easy sliding. The darker orange are SIP panels. The lighter orange is spray in foam to fill the voids. I think I was planning on using VHB tapes to glue the panels to the angle irons and outer corner. Any automotive body gluing technique could be used.
View attachment 1385923

You could make that outer corner in the above a bit stronger using hat channels to stiffen it up. The hat channels can easily be bent using a metal break.
View attachment 1385924

You may also wish to look at this thread for more ideas. Travelling Cruisers The cruiser build in it uses an external frame with SIP panels.

I found my old weights spreadsheets. Doing SIPs 2" or greater in thickness, the perimeter aluminum frame generally ends up weighing less. This is because of the weight of the perimeter wood on the SIP starts to outweigh the weight of the aluminum pieces. The aluminum pieces weight is constant regardless of SIP thickness, but the wood borders on a SIP get thicker, and wider as SIP thickness increases.

The advantage the wood edged SIP panels have is you can make them in a small shop, then go outside for final assembly on a nice day.