Bov

[Skweegle89]

I thought this was cool enough to share. I have been following this guys build since he started it. He doesn't go into much detail about it but it turned out pretty cool. Turned a CUCV into a bug out vehicle. He runs a wilderness survival school. Some of it is pretty far fetched to me, but there is some cool info on his site. http://willowhavenoutdoor.com/featu...-bov-chronicles-the-final-post-series-post-6/

This is just his last post with before/after pics. You can read the other 5 posts but like I said, he didn't go into much detail. Turned into a sweet rig though.

 

[89Suburban]

Cool truck, and I like the fish trap article.

 

[MadOgre]

Looks like he cut open the back of the cab. I would add the 31 gallon blazer/burb tank in addition to the saddle tanks. instead of jerry cans on the side. I would have went with a high rise canopy and made a roll bar cage to wrap around it. Also I don't know about the spare blocking the rad like that. Should have put a bush bumper on. Looks cool though.

Looks like just a claim to fame thing rather then a really well thought out idea

 

[marks86]

that truck is pretty sweet, Im thinking about getting a cap for my truck


now the whole bug out thing or end of the weird truck IMO is pretty stupid because if you think about it. How much fuel will there be once the will ends and zombies take over? probably not enough to get you to where you going so youll have to abandon your awesome truck in the middle of nowhere

 

[Skweegle89]

He did it to sell a book. I think it would make a sweet camping rig though. I just wish I could fine a CUCV around here that wasn't so crazy overpriced.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MadOgre]

Ive been thinking about a canopy as well for camping. I keep thinking a high rise with a camper vent to make it a bit more usable inside. I think it would work good for snowy days too as it would put a bit of extra weight on the back wheels for traction

 

[77 K20]

Ive been thinking about a canopy as well for camping. I keep thinking a high rise with a camper vent to make it a bit more usable inside. I think it would work good for snowy days too as it would put a bit of extra weight on the back wheels for traction

I liked having a canopy on the back for camping. My old truck had an aluminum one on it I thought was great at first. Aluminum was nice and light. I could install or remove it myself. It had 2 glass windows in the center of both sides. They were crank windows and had a screen to make sure mosquitoes didn't get me. Between the top of the bed rails and the bottom of the canopy I used weather stripping to make sure it was waterproof. I secured it to the truck with 6 canopy clamps.... but when I started doing a lot of off roading with it I had problems. The frame allows the truck to twist so much I ended up blowing out BOTH glass side windows. The dark dome tinted ones were plastic and would buckle and pop but didn't break. The aluminum on the top would ripple and pop also, and I eneded up breaking sone of the aluminum supports on the inside. To replace the side glass I ended up using epoxy and gluing in some plexiglass. This didn't break.

I'm not sure how a more expensive fiberglass one would hold up. For one it would be too heavy to remove without some sort of hoist/winch setup with one person. And how strong are they? I don't know. Chevy Blazer ones are fine, but they do have some steel re-inforcement in them I believe.

On my current truck I bought a canvas top. It can be taken down in minutes, it flexes without problem, and it is waterproof.

I've built the truck to make sure I can still get around in case of an emergency. A few years ago I lived on the side of the mountain with 1 official road out. Forest fires are a big problem in the summer and I had always been prepared if the bottom of the mountain caught fire, how would I get out? There was a trail to go straight up and over the mountain and then meet up with a forest service road on the backside. Not easy, but possible.

Also can have some bad blizzards up here which had made roads almost impassible. I have seen the county plows off in the ditch stuck and drove on by them (after asking if they were ok). It does pay off to have a good "emergency vehicle" just in case.

 

[MadOgre]

Ya for sure any canopy except a canvass set up would be pretty difficult to wheel off road with. The fibreglass ones are strong but I wouldn't want to flex it much or you would have the same problems.

I was just thinking of having one for camping in like national parks with camp sites and such.

Honestly I don't even go off road much any more any way, even though I have a 6 inch lift and 33s. Just getting old I guess lol

 

[77 K20]

I also forgot to mention that with the aluminum canopy no matter how tight I tightened the 6 clamps holding it on when I was done off roading the canopy would no longer be centered on the bed. Sometimes the whole thing would shift to the side, or it would be on the bed twisted (front pushed to the driver's side, rear pushed to the passenger side).

I was able to minimize that by drilling 2 holes on both sides in the center and dropping a bolt thru those. Basically a centering pin. This helped a lot keeping it from moving around.

 

[DoubleDingo]

I like that truck. Makes me want my dad's truck back from my brother to have a 4x4 truck again.

Having a canopy on the back does come in handy. I need to make one for my truck. It sure is nice to have your gear out of the elements and to have a spot to sleep if you don't want to set up the tent. I got some shade sails that serve a similar purpose as his cam cover. Those shade sails have already paid for themselves while camping and working on the truck.