Has everyone seen this new Class B Box Van from Advanced ...

[avanti]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Huge investment needed to go with molded bodies and then they are not conducive to customization. Composite panels are great for customization.

I'm not saying it isn't a good idea. Just kind of dissonant with ARV's brand.

[booster]

I wonder why we haven't seen a version of the egg trailers (casita) construction on cutaways. I have always been a bit fascinated in the construction of two halves split horizontally in the middle, as it is so easy to make watertight compared to lots of sides and top and bottom style with lots of joints.


At Scamp, when we saw the factory they built the shell complete first. But I wondered if it could be done open with the top and bottom built separately and then put together, as it would be way easier to do.

[peteco]

Originally Posted by booster

So where does the "right" size actually sit? Would the size of a Chevy 210 Roadtrek of recent years be about there for length and width? Certainly would need to be squared up a bit to get max inside benefit, and probably taller for headroom. The old Roadtrek 200 is kind of the same as is being considered, as it was a short and narrower C, and they have remained pretty popular.

We chose the Roadtrek 210 primarily for the floor plan and the extra few inches width. And it was at the max length we were ok with. And we liked the style though it is a tad "chunky" looking at the rear wheels. I was surprised to find out later that RT hired a designer (Italian?)for the exterior design. The LTV and many European C's look good externally with good functionality inside. Perhaps if the ARV box style is a good seller they could add a "designer" line later on.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by MsNomer

A B is within the confines of the vehicle body. This is not.

A B starts life as a full-body van. A C starts life as a cutaway chassis. Any other classifications are marketing inventions. The older wide-body B's from Roadtrek (200/210) and Pleasureway (Excel) extend outside the confines of the original van body, most of which is removed in the build process. They are still B's.

Pretty sure this one starts on a cutaway.

As to the boxy shape, it is clearly designed to appeal to the rugged, expedition-style market. It will likely hit the mark for enough buyers to make it worthwhile for ARV.

[gregmchugh]

I think it has a good chance of being a popular option, of course I travel around in a Kenworth expedition truck with a 20ft composite box on the back... ��

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by booster

I wonder why we haven't seen a version of the egg trailers (casita) construction on cutaways. I have always been a bit fascinated in the construction of two halves split horizontally in the middle, as it is so easy to make watertight compared to lots of sides and top and bottom style with lots of joints.

At Scamp, when we saw the factory they built the shell complete first. But I wondered if it could be done open with the top and bottom built separately and then put together, as it would be way easier to do.

The Oliver company manufactures full four season 4 shells trailer, lower, upper, inner lower and inner upper molds. Video is long but very detailed. They reverse engineer Casita, added inner shells. This trailer and cutaway would be way less than many Bs. At some point they talk about powered by internal pump fresh water inlet, interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2rnZgn7-Xg

[Davydd]

I don't have the time or patience to watch an hour and a half video. I know a little bit about Oliver. Wincrasher had an Oliver trailer before he had a Promaster Class B. He is the ClassBforum group admin on Facebook. I don't see him much on here anymore.

[NAZCamperVan]

Ohhh.... interesting. The layout is similar to LTV Free Spirit.

[gregmchugh]

In the video Mike never refers to this as a Class B. The prototype is called a B Box because, as others have pointed out, the overall dimensions of the vehicle are close to the overall dimensions of a Sprinter van. I never understand the strong reactions by people here when there is a comment that might possibly refer to something that isn’t a class B a Class B. Isn’t life to short to make a big deal about it??

If you are interested in expedition vehicles similar in design to this one go to Expedition Portal website and the forum hosted there. Lots of expedition vehicles builds covered there using composite panels and Total Composites is a main supplier for panels used by DIY builders. Their panels have been used on trucks of all sizes from van cutaways up to larger trucks.

https://expeditionportal.com/

[avanti]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

I never understand the strong reactions by people here when there is a comment that might possibly refer to something that isn’t a class B a Class B. Isn’t life to short to make a big deal about it??
https://expeditionportal.com/

I think the reaction is motivated by this list's ethos of precise communication. It is analogous to the furor that we see when somebody insists that it is no big deal when one uses "amps" when they mean "amp-hours". Not everybody's cup of tea, but I think it is one of the things that distinguishes this list in a generally positive way.

If words can mean anything that we feel like having them mean, we are in an Alice-in-Wonderland situation, and communications suffer. Isn't life too short for that, too?

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by avanti

I think the reaction is motivated by this list's ethos of precise communication. It is analogous to the furor that we see when somebody insists that it is no big deal when one uses "amps" when they mean "amp-hours". Not everybody's cup of tea, but I think it is one of the things that distinguishes this list in a generally positive way.

If words can mean anything that we feel like having them mean, we are in an Alice-in-Wonderland situation, and communications suffer. Isn't life too short for that, too?

I agree that precise communication is needed when discussing technical topics where the terms used can have significance in terms of understanding the technical aspects of the topic at hand. The RV Class designations don’t seem to me to have much significance in terms of any important technical discussions. Simply an industry standard to classify RV types with not much significance beyond that. A somewhat arbitrary classification it would seem to me when you look at the range of Class C RV’s, everything from a small Class C referred to as a B+ by marketers up to a Super C built on a heavy duty truck from Freightliner or some other heavy duty truck manufacturer. These two extremes have nothing in common in technical terms, they both have camper bodies attached to a cab or cutaway chassis but so what??

[avanti]

Well, for one thing, the "B-van" designation helps readers to determine whether to come to this list or some other one.

Seems to me that the frequency with which these terms are used is evidence of their importance. Admittedly they are arbitrary, but operational definitions are the cure for fuzzy thinking, IMO.

[themexicandoctor]

I have mentioned this before while lurking on Forums other than ours ehile researching all the various DV Fridge options before buying the Novakool that many people commented that "they lurk on our Class B forum because we have the best minds* right here when it comes to technical discussions - the critical information that so often gets withheld from the owner when dealing with vendors & installers.

Anyone can do some of the structural changes I have done to my rig but when it comes to splitting hairs & discovering the BS Vendors/Installers regularly use, this site is supreme.

If we start alphabetically with just three Giants amongst us Avanti, Booster & finish around Winston you will find 20 such experts who gladly give their time (sometimes 1-6 hours per day, risk a little ego bruising & generally come to answers that benefit the 1000 plus others here who refuse to drink the Kool Aid.

*I am a regular who still abuses those terms as I travel up the learning curve but my offer is still open.

Will pay anyone in Los Angeles who owns a Victron BMV712 & a Victron MTTP unit ... - Class B Forums
https://www.classbforum.com/forums/f...nit-10771.html

My Electrical Guru's Wife won't let him have any contact with anyone & when he can sneak out the timing isn't correct.

[Bud]

I may have missed it earlier, is there a class C rv that is narrow as a van outside of a custom C?

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by avanti

Well, for one thing, the "B-van" designation helps readers to determine whether to come to this list or some other one.

Seems to me that the frequency with which these terms are used is evidence of their importance. Admittedly they are arbitrary, but operational definitions are the cure for fuzzy thinking, IMO.

Your first point is somewhat diminished by the fact the Class B Forum is not very pure when it comes to Class distinctions, it includes a forum for Class C/B+ RVs and specific forums for the Winnebago LeSharo and Rialta.

IMO, the RV Class discussions are not very productive and simply indicate that some people have an actual understanding of the basis for the Classes and others don’t...

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by Bud

I may have missed it earlier, is there a class C rv that is narrow as a van outside of a custom C?

There may be others but Sportsmobile makes a Class C on the Econoline cutaway that reproduces the form of the discontinued Econoline van...

https://sportsmobile.com/sportsmobile-4x4/

[Bud]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Your first point is somewhat diminished by the fact the Class B Forum is not very pure when it comes to Class distinctions, it includes a forum for Class C/B+ RVs and specific forums for the Winnebago LeSharo and Rialta.

IMO, the RV Class discussions are not very productive and simply indicate that some people have an actual understanding of the basis for the Classes and others don’t...

Are you on Class A forums? I don't want to be on one or class C. The examples you provided above are distinct and have mini forums if you like.

No problem here with your comments though. I don't recall anyone that was run off because they posted about their rv, any rv. Seems to work out well since I've been here. Someone can even ramble on seemingly forever about stuff. No one has to participate or read any thread. Pretty good place to be, you're evidence of that. Specifically You, I'm glad you're here contributing, you do! Thanks.

Bud

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by Bud

Are you on Class A forums? I don't want to be on one or class C. The examples you provided above are distinct and have mini forums if you like.

No problem here with your comments though. I don't recall anyone that was run off because they posted about their rv, any rv. Seems to work out well since I've been here. Someone can even ramble on seemingly forever about stuff. No one has to participate or read any thread. Pretty good place to be, you're evidence of that. Specifically You, I'm glad you're here contributing, you do! Thanks.

Bud

I actually don’t visit this forum much anymore since I moved on to a bigger RV, just happened to notice the B Box post and looked at since I had seen the delivery of the composite panels from Total Composites to ARV last Oct and wondered when they were going to reveal the project using them. These days I mostly monitor Expedition Portal to see info on expedition vehicles...

If people want to have a discussion of RV Classes I have no problem with that. Just seems like much ado about nothing to me...

[themexicandoctor]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Your first point is somewhat diminished by the fact the Class B Forum is not very pure when it comes to Class distinctions, it includes a forum for Class C/B+ RVs and specific forums for the Winnebago LeSharo and Rialta.

IMO, the RV Class discussions are not very productive and simply indicate that some people have an actual understanding of the basis for the Classes and others don’t...

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

I actually don’t visit this forum much anymore since I moved on to a bigger RV, just happened to notice the B Box post and looked at since I had seen the delivery of the composite panels from Total Composites to ARV last Oct and wondered when they were going to reveal the project using them. These days I mostly monitor Expedition Portal to see info on expedition vehicles...

If people want to have a discussion of RV Classes I have no problem with that. Just seems like much ado about nothing to me...

Absolutely correct.

Whether a person is lutking on our site or many others before they buy a Victron, a Novakool or a Class Z, as long as they are respectful & do their best to add meaningful content that is accurate, the more the merrier.

Especially if they are upfront about it.

[GeorgeRa]

From the communication perspective our classification of recreation vehicles motorhomes using single letter acronyms A, B or C could be just too narrow. One letter and everyone packs their view into it and there are no means for definition spill overs, folks have even problems with the second digit of +.

Europe has more explicit nomenclature, actual words with some detail. Very often I called my vehicle a campervan, I guess it is residual from my VW Westfalia times, 45 years ago I don’t recall ever calling my camper van a B.
https://wheelingit.us/2018/09/16/10-...r-from-us-rvs/

History of B:

"The First Class B?
“Prototypes of every Class of motorhome sprang forth in the first two decades of the 20th Century,” according to Al, but the first sound claim to a Class B was the 1968 Xplorer made by Ray Frank, the pioneer manufacturer who changed the “house car” intro a true van motorhome or van camper. It was actually built on a cutaway chassis like the Roadtrek 200 rather than beginning life as a complete van (like the Roadtrek 170 / 190 /210 models). However, it was a van chassis and not a truck. For more info on the Xplorer click here. Its only competitor at the time was a tent-roof unit based on the underpowered VW Microbus, which lacked the motorhome amenities necessary to make it a true Class B. (You have not truly lived until you have had a VW Microbus engine meltdown on the PA Turnpike, filling the vehicle with blue smoke just before engine seizure. — Roger adds.)"

https://rvlifestyle.com/visit-rv-museum-class-bs-start/