selectedgrub
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Most 1970s mobile homes were constructed from the chassis upwards utilizing predominantly cheap recycled materials.
Throughout this era house-truck rigs were constructed on the decks of old ex farm trucks which could then be purchased for $500 to $2500.
House-buses were either stripped down to the chassis in preparation for construction or just added onto, to facilitate increased living areas. As opposed to the bright coluorful American and British versions of the 1960s, many of the early Kiwi rigs were finished in earthy colored timber exteriors.
This was due in part to the fact that in the 1970s the Toyota Motor company imported their new vehicles from Japan in car-crates which were constructed from reasonable quality marine ply
The crates came with good quality framed floors. These were the perfect material in which to construct and clad a house truck. In the 1970s one could then purchase a complete car crate (six-sided) for around $25. An average size house-truck took up most of five car crates to build.
In the 1970s a large number of derelict country farm houses from New Zealand's early colonial days were being demolished, these containing a treasure-trove of beautiful recyclable rare timbers such as Kauri , Totara and Rimu.
Other materials were purchased from timber recyclers and second hand traders One could purchase cheaply a good second-hand wood fired potbelly or small wood stove with a wetback attached, for cooking, heating hot water and warmth over the winter months.
As most housetrucks parked in non residential areas very few of the early housetrucks were wired up for mains electricity.
Gas lighting and candles were the norm.
Some trucks utilized a small gas or kerosene stove to supplement cooking over hot summer months. All these items were purchased second hand. Some early 1970s rigs experimented with homemade wind turbines for lighting; however these large units even though they were fastened to the roof during travel, proved awkward. Today smaller modern units can be purchased at a reasonable price. Innovative housetruckers looking for the complete self-sufficient unit attached gas producing units to their rigs, effectively running their engines for free on charcoal gas
Throughout this era house-truck rigs were constructed on the decks of old ex farm trucks which could then be purchased for $500 to $2500.
House-buses were either stripped down to the chassis in preparation for construction or just added onto, to facilitate increased living areas. As opposed to the bright coluorful American and British versions of the 1960s, many of the early Kiwi rigs were finished in earthy colored timber exteriors.
This was due in part to the fact that in the 1970s the Toyota Motor company imported their new vehicles from Japan in car-crates which were constructed from reasonable quality marine ply
The crates came with good quality framed floors. These were the perfect material in which to construct and clad a house truck. In the 1970s one could then purchase a complete car crate (six-sided) for around $25. An average size house-truck took up most of five car crates to build.
In the 1970s a large number of derelict country farm houses from New Zealand's early colonial days were being demolished, these containing a treasure-trove of beautiful recyclable rare timbers such as Kauri , Totara and Rimu.
Other materials were purchased from timber recyclers and second hand traders One could purchase cheaply a good second-hand wood fired potbelly or small wood stove with a wetback attached, for cooking, heating hot water and warmth over the winter months.
As most housetrucks parked in non residential areas very few of the early housetrucks were wired up for mains electricity.
Gas lighting and candles were the norm.
Some trucks utilized a small gas or kerosene stove to supplement cooking over hot summer months. All these items were purchased second hand. Some early 1970s rigs experimented with homemade wind turbines for lighting; however these large units even though they were fastened to the roof during travel, proved awkward. Today smaller modern units can be purchased at a reasonable price. Innovative housetruckers looking for the complete self-sufficient unit attached gas producing units to their rigs, effectively running their engines for free on charcoal gas
