Many people would love to simply pack up and travel the open road but buying an RV or any other type of recreational vehicle is expensive. If you want to go on an adventure and already own a truck, this DIY project might be just for you.
Redditor tylerthompson21 created an awesome adventure vehicle out of an older model Toyota Tacoma and it is ready for traveling. It has all the amenities of a small trailer minus the washroom and it can be built on a small budget if you have good woodworking skills.
First, a strong but simple frame was built with ball bearings for the slides.
The frame is also bolted for easy removal.
Because they can handle a lot of weight, he used skateboard bearings for the slides.
Works similarly to normal cupboard slides but on a larger scale. He used 1×1 inch square tubing for the slide.
Looking great already. The drawer and top sheet are installed.
The drawer has handy dividers to keep things from sliding around.
Because of the extra room on each side of the drawer, he added a compartment for a battery.
And a longer compartment for a tent, sleeping bags, or anything else that doesn’t fit in the drawer.
The wheel wells on this particular truck were a bit higher than the frame so grooves were routed out so the top sheet fits snugly.
This is what the lock looks like for the drawer and uses a lock handle used for truck boxes.
A lot of cutting was needed to get the latch to fit and close properly.
A standard household door strike plate was used and bent to fit properly for the drawer latch.
To secure the top sheet in place, a special ‘lock’ was built with washers.
The front part of the locking system for the top sheet and a biscuit joiner was used to cut out slots for the latches.
Once everything fits together properly, it was finished with water sealer such as Thompson’s Water Seal.
The other removable parts such as compartment covers were also varnished.
A scrap piece of sheet metal was used to cover up the back of the lock.
The first battery is installed on the right side compartment.
And the second battery is installed on the left side compartment. A power inverter and USB ports were also installed.
On the truck cab door, LED lights were installed along with a pull handle to make it easier to close the door from the inside.
It wouldn’t be complete without a set of speakers. Bluetooth speakers would make a great choice.
A portion of the top sheet can be removed and set on top of the drawer to create a table!
There is plenty of storage space here and everything is ready to go.
H/t: Reddit
This project is definitely not for novices but if you have the equipment and the woodworking talent, it creates an awesome adventure truck. Please share this DIY adventure truck with your friends and family.
