Van
As Angeliki lacks motorcycle experience and was dreaming from a young age to go on road trips in a van, she decided to travel in a Toyota Hiace 4×4. We chose this vehicle because, as you may know by now, I only deal with Japanese or Korean vehicles (for their reliability). We need a van with part-time 4WD and low gears, so that it can endure off-road routes. Toyota Hiaces with these features are rare… However, we managed to find one in Greece, which is a 1989 model. That’s exactly what we need!
This van, which we named Don Rufos, will be our home for the next years! Thus, we have converted the van into an off-grid campervan. We have equipped it with all the creature comforts, so we can sleep, cook, bathe and have endless energy, in order to be independent forever! Moreover, it has been designed in a way so as to load the motorbike inside it, when needed, as well as to store all of our equipment for the fascinating Action Traveling that we are engaging in while traveling around the American continent: paragliding gear, kayak, hiking gear and more!
In the end, the rebuilding process lasted three years, since, as it turned out, the vehicle required a lot of work on basic issues, such as its waterproofing, its electrics and its mechanical parts. During the winters, we would work on the van ourselves, whilst during summertime, when we would work on sailboats, the van would do its rounds around garages. Chatziaslanis’ repair garage was in charge of the mechanics, Stelios Melemenidis of the body works, our friend George of the rack, the awning and the other metal constructions, Carner of the accessories and Dalos of the rims and the tires. The insurance was sponsored by Thesmos and MB Safety & Print covered the vehicle with stickers.
Characteristics
Toyota Hiace (LH118L)
Engine: 2.4 L, naturally aspirated
Fuel: Diesel
Year of manufacture: 1989
Mileage before the trip: Unknown
Carrier length: 287 cm
Carrier width: 154 cm (max)
Carrier height: 132 cm
This is the video documenting the rebuilding and camperizing of Don Rufos (with English subtitles):