Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Recession Vacation: bike-pulled camper built from salvage]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/05/recession-vacation-bike-pulled-camper-built-from-salvage/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/05/recession-vacation-bike-pulled-camper-built-from-salvage/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/05/recession-vacation-bike-pulled-camper-built-from-salvage/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Paul Elkins in his homemade bike-pulled camper
Paul Elkins' homemade bike-towed camper - Click for hi-res gallery

Designed with an eye toward post-apocalyptic living, Paul Elkins whipped up this trailer to pull behind his bicycle at the Burning Man festival. It's 100 pounds of home away from home, built from aluminum tubing reclaimed from a satellite dish and skinned with the same type of plastic commonly used for political campaign signs. A card table and some wheelbarrow parts are also in the mix, following the idea of using what's on hand after a disaster.

While Elkins designed another version of this idea that's more suitable for road use, this rig looks pretty comfortable and well equipped. It harnesses the energy of the sun to charge batteries and dehydrate food - you'll be able to read a book at night while enjoying your own beef jerky recipe. Hot water for a shower is also provided courtesy of the sun. It's all pretty cozy, and it's way cheaper than an Airstream. Checking out Elkins' blog reveals plenty of ingenious projects that might give you something to do during the coming winter months.

Gallery: Homemade Bike Trailer

reclined-bed026_0a100_1975-1252034708100_1978-1252034709100_2404-1252034712

[Source: High Mileage Trikes via Neatorama]

Recession Vacation: bike-pulled camper built from salvage originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bike trailerBikeTrailerburningmanburningman2008campercamper trailerCamperTrailerfalsehomemade bike trailerhomemade camperHomemadeBikeTrailerHomemadeCamperreclaimedreclaimed materialsReclaimedMaterialsrecyclerecyclingscavengedSat, 05 Sep 2009 15:02:00 EST<![CDATA[VW Caravelle, California and Transporter get Golf nosejobs, head for Frankfurt]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/19/vw-caravelle-california-and-transporter-get-golf-nosejobs-head/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/19/vw-caravelle-california-and-transporter-get-golf-nosejobs-head/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/19/vw-caravelle-california-and-transporter-get-golf-nosejobs-head/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Volkswagen Caravelle and Transporter - click above image for high-res gallery

Some of us enthusiast types are still upset that Volkswagen never released the retro-futuristic new Bus first seen back in 2001. Looking backwards with 20-20 vision, perhaps the conceptual Bus was a little too slavish to the Type II's (a.k.a. Transporter, a.k.a. Station Wagon, a.k.a. Bus) design aesthetic and not concerned enough with its zeitgeist - affordable, practical family fun.

Meet the new VW Caravelle (passenger van), Transporter (cargo van) and California (camper van - not shown). These Golf-nosed successors to not only the Transporter, but the Vanagon and Eurovan, will be making their refreshed debuts in a few short weeks at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Beyond receiving a new shnoz, other tweaks include a range of common rail TDI engines, new rear-light clusters, more aerodynamic side mirrors, touchscreen navigation, USB connectivity, updated ESP and a hill-start assist feature. Plus, you can get either van with a manual gearbox.

While both these cars are Euro-only (Volkswagen hasn't sold a Eurovan in the U.S. since 2003), it is good to see a modern version of a Westphalia-style camper van. And you know, maybe Volkswagen should think about ditching the Routan and bringing these new vans here... especially the pop-top California? Just a thought. Either way, we'll know more come Frankfurt. High-res shots below, full press releases after the jump.


Gallery: 2010 Volkswagen Caravelle and Transporter


[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading VW Caravelle, California and Transporter get Golf nosejobs, head for Frankfurt

VW Caravelle, California and Transporter get Golf nosejobs, head for Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BusCaliforniacampercamper vanCamperVanCaravelleEurovanVanagonVolkswagenVolkswagen BusVolkswagen CaliforniaVolkswagen CaravelleVolkswagen EurovanVolkswagen TransporterVolkswagen Type IIVolkswagen VanagonVolkswagenBusVolkswagenCaliforniaVolkswagenCaravelleVolkswagenEurovanVolkswagenTransporterVolkswagenTypeIiVolkswagenVanagonvw busVw eurovanvw transportervw vanagonVwBusVwEurovanVwTransporterVwVanagonwestfaliaWestphaliaWed, 19 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Track Trailer Tvan world's beefiest camper trailer]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/01/track-trailer-tvan-worlds-beefiest-camper-trailer/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/01/track-trailer-tvan-worlds-beefiest-camper-trailer/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/01/track-trailer-tvan-worlds-beefiest-camper-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for more images of the Track Tvan

If you're one of those take-no-prisoners off-road types, then we've found the perfect camper trailer for you. It's called the Tvan, and it's made by Track Trailer. The company, Australian-based and located outside Melbourne, has been in business since 1982. Their Tvan model is specially engineered to eliminate the problems found with conventional flip-over type campers (which stow the tent on the bed). With the Tvan, the tent is stowed in the rear hatch allowing your bed to be kept clean and dry. Even better, a hard roof over your head ensures a better night sleep.

As Track is experienced building military trailers, much of their heavy-duty technology finds its way into the Tvan. Features such as an asymmetric link suspension with Koni shock absorbers, 10 inches of wheel travel, and a 30-degree departure angle allow the trailer to follow the tow vehicle over nearly every terrain. With a hot dip galvanized steel frame, it is also built to take abuse and last. Of course, the kitchen appointments are stainless steel with abundant power outlets, lights, and ventilation to take the edge off of roughing it. It even comes with a 70-liter "food grade" water tank as standard equipment. Now, we found you the camper, you just have to figure out how to get it here... unfortunately, the Australian company isn't shipping to the States.

Gallery: Track Trailer Tvan


[Source: Squob]

Track Trailer Tvan world's beefiest camper trailer originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Austrailaaustralianbedcampercampingheavy dutyHeavyDutyoff-roadsleepTowingTrack Trailer TvanTrackTrailerTvanTvanWed, 01 Oct 2008 19:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Spirit of the VW Camper van goes Element-al]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/04/spirit-of-the-vw-camper-van-goes-element-al/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/04/spirit-of-the-vw-camper-van-goes-element-al/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/04/spirit-of-the-vw-camper-van-goes-element-al/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


click above for more pics of the Ursa Minor ECamper

The family vacation just hasn't been the same since the ubiquity of the Westfalia Camper and the VW Type2 as a family vehicle, both of which have been toppled by the rise of the minivan. There have been Westys since VW went mostly conventional with the Eurovan, but they're not much of a common sight on US Highways anymore.

Ursa Minor Vehicles understands that all those former kids who took trips to the Grand Canyon in a Westfalia have a soft spot for the poptop. Thus, the Ursa Minor ECamper kit for the Honda Element has been born. For those willing to part with an additional 4,000 bones, they will regain the ability to tilt up the roof again and contort themselves into an upper bunk area. The ECamper does require that the donor Element have a sunroof, which is the access hatch to the 85" x 50" sleeping area under the carbon fiber lid. Options such as color matched paint and roof racks are also available, and Ursa Minor will even sell you a fully outfitted Element if you don't want to tackle the kit. $4,300 is about what it'd cost in parts and labor to fix the head gaskets in your Wasserboxer, again, isn't it?

[Source: Winding Road]

Gallery: Ursa Minor ECamper

Spirit of the VW Camper van goes Element-al originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2buscampercampingecamperelementhondaminorpoptoptypetype 2type iiType2TypeIiursaursa minorUrsaMinorvanvolkswagenwestfaliawestyMon, 04 Feb 2008 10:58:00 EST<![CDATA[No, really? Top Gear admits that the caravan fire was a hoax]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/31/no-really-top-gear-admits-that-the-caravan-fire-was-a-hoax/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/31/no-really-top-gear-admits-that-the-caravan-fire-was-a-hoax/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/31/no-really-top-gear-admits-that-the-caravan-fire-was-a-hoax/#commentsFiled under:



The BBC has had to admit that the "caravan fire" that concluded last season's special look at trailer life was staged. While most viewers might have figured out that Jezza and the gang had started the fire intentionally for comedic effect, enough people apparently thought the fire was real that the BBC felt it had to issue a statement saying it was, indeed, faked. Not only was the fire a fake, but Top Gear paid £1000 to have a fire engine and six crew members on standby.

A spokeswoman from the Dorset Fire Service said they were asked to make the incident look real, and so they "treated it as a genuine fire."

It was a typical Top Gear stunt with entertainment outweighing journalistic integrity. Unfortunately, there will always be people who have no sense of humor and who think everything they see on TV or in the media is real. The BBC pointed out that it never misled viewers, "as it was obviously 'slapstick' with a 'sitcom ending'."

Check out the fire clip after the jump.

[Source: PistonHeads]

Continue reading No, really? Top Gear admits that the caravan fire was a hoax

No, really? Top Gear admits that the caravan fire was a hoax originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camperTop GearTopGeartrailer fireTrailerFireTue, 31 Jul 2007 15:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Think the Bangle Butt is ugly? Check out the BMW Air Camper]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/02/think-the-bangle-butt-is-ugly-check-out-the-bmw-air-camper/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/02/think-the-bangle-butt-is-ugly-check-out-the-bmw-air-camper/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/02/think-the-bangle-butt-is-ugly-check-out-the-bmw-air-camper/#commentsFiled under: , ,



We could think of many captions for this picture that would have us on the floor in stitches, but we'll leave that up to you in the comments. For our part, we'll tell you why this BMW 1-Series has a severely swollen rear end. The inflatable sphere hanging off the back is called the "Air Camper". According to Winding Road, which discovered the accessory in Intersection Magazine, the UK-based high-fashion mag commissioned BMW to produce the bubble camper in conjunction with the launch of the 1-Series a couple years ago. It sleeps two and is inflated by a low-voltage fan that draws power from the car's cigarette lighter. The add-on magically transforms the 1-Series into the Ultimate Camping Machine, and has the added bonus of hiding the polarizing lines of BMW's Bangle-era rear ends.

[Source: Winding Road]

Think the Bangle Butt is ugly? Check out the BMW Air Camper originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Feb 2007 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1-seriesair camperAirCampercampercampingintersection magazineIntersectionMagazineFri, 02 Feb 2007 17:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Lotus designs personal commuter for Chinese urban dwellers]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/19/lotus-designs-personal-commuter-for-chinese-urban-dwellers/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/19/lotus-designs-personal-commuter-for-chinese-urban-dwellers/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/19/lotus-designs-personal-commuter-for-chinese-urban-dwellers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

UPDATE: The designer of the Camper Lotus, Patty Yuan, has contacted us with some corrections to our original post on her urban commuter. The design is actually her senior thesis project, and is simply a proposal to suggest what such a commuter vehicle might look like if it were designed by the company Camper. Neither Camper nor Lotus participated in the design of the Campter Lotus, and it appears as if the web has been creatively extrapolating both company's involvement from the project's name.

Spanish shoe brand Camper is just as famous for its lifestyle projects as it is for its shoes. FoodBALL, for example, is a restaurant opened up by the company pushing organic fast food in the form of whole grain rice balls filled with more organic, locally-sourced stuff (mushrooms, chicken, carob, etc.). Even the take-away materials are fully biodegradable, made from corn and sugar cane. Casa Camper, another endeavor, is a hotel tucked away in the cultural ground zero of Barcelona -- minutes from the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Centre of Contemporary Culture. Standard rooms have additional private space across the hall where guests can watch TV in hammocks or embark upon other projects, and as with FoodBALL, the environment is top priority.

Not one to pass up an opportunity to diversify in strange places, Camper has teamed up with Lotus to create an ecologically-friendly (concept) answer to Chinese traffic congestion. The Camper Lotus Personal Commuter is targeted at young entrepreneurs trying to find a better way to get to work. The gyroscopic two-wheeler has an incredibly small footprint, making parking a breeze, and encourages customization both inside and out. The enclosed nature of the car also provides the driver with personal space, a commodity difficult to come by on a scooter or bicycle. Power comes from household wall outlets, by the way, making for a convenient and generally cleaner makeup.

[via Jalopnik]

Lotus designs personal commuter for Chinese urban dwellers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>campercamper lotus personal commuterCamperLotusPersonalCommuterelectric carsElectricCarshybridslotusplug-inshoesTue, 19 Dec 2006 12:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Corvair History 101: The Ultra Van]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/09/corvair-history-101-the-ultra-van/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/09/corvair-history-101-the-ultra-van/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/09/corvair-history-101-the-ultra-van/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Here's a totally different flavor of Corvair that wasn't mentioned in our recent Reader Ride feature. The Ultra Van is a true Corvair, according to the Corvair Society of America (CORSA), even though it didn't roll off a GM assembly line. The Ultra Van is more akin to a cabin cruiser on the inside and a DC-10 in construction, with a happy-looking front-end, to boot. In case the picture has somehow left you scratching your head,UltraVan really is is a motorhome.

Power comes from a Corvair drivertrain and the structure is made from aluminum ribs with an aluminum outer skin, creating a rigid tube. The interior looks an awful lot like something you'd see in a Chris Craft of the same era. Without a frame underneath to get in the way, there's a ton of space in these things! The similarity to aircraft construction is no accident. UltraVan designer David Peterson was an aircraft designer frustrated that he had both a camping trailer and boat that he wanted to use during the same trip. In essence, the UltraVan grew out of the idea of just putting a drivetrain into a trailer. The Corvair had just debuted at the time, offering the perfect power unit for this application. The vehicles ended up being light enough to use regular car tires and return respectable fuel economy despite their large size (efficiency always makes you feel smarter than the next guy). We can't get over how roomy the UltraVan is, nor how lovingly the legacy has been cared for by legions of admirers.

Of course, we want one.

[Source: The UltraVan page via Hemmings Auto Blogs]


Corvair History 101: The Ultra Van originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 09 Dec 2006 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camperCorvairmotorhomeUltra VanUltraVanvintageSat, 09 Dec 2006 14:27:00 EST