A Women's RV Forum run by Women RVer's!

Hello everyone.

I have been reading the forum for several months, and have finally joined. I am 60-ish, and decided early last year (2012) that I wanted to "hit the road" before it was too late, and assumed that I was some kind of weirdo (being a woman that will be on the road alone - that is, with dogs).

That was until I discovered this site! Seems I'm not strange at all, nor will I be The First Woman Ever to travel solo. A GOOD thing!

I have never done much (any!) camping, so began to think about a rig. After looking for quite a while I discovered that the "all-the-bells-and-whistles" type rigs were pretty much out of my price range, even those with lots (and I do mean LOTS!) of mileage on them.

So I decided to go with a late-model cargo van and just "do-it-myself". Basically the main reason for this was that a late model would still be under warranty. Didn't want to be out in the back of beyond, have a breakdown, a major expensive fix performed by the closest available option, only to have it breakdown again 100 miles on.

Anyway, here is a photo (if I can figure how to upload) GMC Savanna, aka "Garbanzo". Actually, I am calling her "Big Bean" because my other car, a Chevy Aveo, is a "Little Green Bean".

Thus far I am about 50 hours in doing the insulation (I'm using styrofoam panel insulation) and the end is in sight (at least for this part!). Next will be wood paneling, then the "furniture". I am pretty handy and enjoy working with my hands (a welcome change from my full-time office job) and am looking for suggestions.

I envision my rig being something between a plain camper and a class B (although I will not put on a high-top).

Questions:

Have any of you done this? I pretty much have the walls done (insulated), am not sure how to insulate the doors.

What are the "must haves" for a van like this, rather than "would like to haves". This van does not get the best mileage in the world, and I am trying to keep the weight down - weight just means less mileage.

I look forward to hearing from the "experts" out there!

(Um- hope a rig like mine qualifies for this forum. Some of the photos of the rigs on this site are really elite and beautiful. I expect that mine will be beautiful too - eventually - but not so much on the elite side)

Thanks!

ThreeDogs

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Welcome to a GREAT Forum, ThreeDogs! We're glad you joined us. Boy, you sure sound ambitious by building your own rig. I envy you that! (Just so you know - we LOVE pictures here, so photos of your progress will be great!)

Join in whenever and wherever you want. We'll look forward to following along on your "building" adventure and traveling adventures in the future.

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Welcome welcome! We don't give a rats butt what kind of a rig you have as long as we like your dogs! Just kidding...about the dogs...we really DON'T care what you have or don't have, we're just happy when someone is out there following their dream, and it sounds like that's what you're doing. Pictures please and keep us posted on your progress. Don't think any of us have ever done what you're doing so a lot of advice probably won't be forthcoming...but opinions? Lots and lots of those!!

Welcome to the forum. And congratulations for figuring out how you can get out on the road within your budget. Several of us have met a neat lady along the Natchez Trace who lives full time in her large van and she didn't seem uncomfortable with her life style. The more I travel this country the more I think about its history and the many ways that people have successfully traveled across its miles. I think starting with some basic items like a bed platform, a water source/storage, the ability to connect to electric, containers for storage a small porta potty.... When several of us were heading to Alaska this summer we met up with a couple that were traveling in a beautiful but small old restored trailer. The couple work-camped for months on end in the tiny trailer and we watched as they took out ice chest and chairs so that we could peek inside. Don't be afraid to start small and add to it as you get more experience and funds. After traveling out a few times you will sort through how you want to use the square feet you have available.

...a rack on the back for a portable generator and gas containers might be useful if you like boondocking when electric is not available...

Welcome! And Tina has some great suggestions. Good luck with your renovation.

Welcome, and YES I've done it. My old blue chevy van was originally set up for huntin with a set of twin beds in an old work van.
It got rehomed to me and I immediatelly gutted it and cleaned the stink out of it and rebuilt it. I left one bed in on one side (fit a sleeping bag perfectly)
So, behind my drivers seat I had the space for the cooler, then the bed (lengthwise) put in a wall all the way to the ceiling and built a narrow clothes
closet and then the porta poddy behind that. The other side was of course the sliding door, then a cabinet with countertop and a sink at the end.
I had an old nightstand with a drawer in it and that was remodeled to fit over the doghouse giving me a dinette area with my seats being swivel, I could
turn them all the way around. I had the tv on the countertop by the sliding door. There was also a space accessible from the sliding door at the front
end of the counter that I used for stacking storage crates. The bed lifted up with understorage. My dog Bandit (RIP dear heart) and I spent 3 months
on the road one trip in that van. I loved it and I built it. I've often thought of doing it again but think I'll prefer something to stand up in so I've decided
a Class C is the way for me. Will enjoy keeping up with your remodel, so please don't be afraid to post.

Somewhere recently in a blog or web site I came across someone doing what you are trying to do. If it comes back to my pea brain I will post the link. I think there is a yahoo group called Van Dwellers. I drive a ford custom van that has a sofa that makes a bed. I have slept in it a couple of times at my sister's. Being in South Louisiana the main problem with that is the heat. The weather has to be in the low 70's or below or it's too hot.

Good luck with your project.

Martha

Hi! Welcome to the forum. Where are you located?
I camped in my GMC Savana 2500 until I could get it set up to tow my little trailer. It was already insulated top to bottom and I did not do any work on it as it would eventually be towing the trailer. I used a 12v cooler that could also run on electric, a 5 gallon Coleman water container, a 12v lantern that can be recharged by electricity (now have solar lights) and a porta potty. Used a big metal dish pan for washing up. I carried a heavy-duty extension cord with a multi-plug so I could heat water or make coffee when at an RV park and use my radio/cd player. I traveled with my Golden Retriever. I now have a second big dog so it would be a bit much but could still camp in it if I didn't want to take the trailer for an overnight.
Have fun making the van your own.

Love that you've found this group!
You're on the same track I was on for years - kept studying how I could outfit my minivan for long-term traveling. Stayed in it for some travels, just had to do it when the weather was 'just right' though. i know you can do it & you'll get lots of good advice from this group.
And yes, you are never alone with this bunch.
Can't wait to watch your progress & hear about your adventures!
Welcome!

Welcome Three Dogs!!! Wishing yew the best on making yore own "conversion" van!!! I know nothing abot that, bt yew are in the right place for info & FRIENDS!!!! (Sorry, lost the "yew" key on my laptop!) Will we see yew at any GTG's in the near few-cher??? I'm going to FL in a few weeks for my first! I'm fairly new to this groop, bt have felt welcomed as if I'd been a part of it forever!

Welcome, aboard....so glad you found us... Can't wait for photos on your remodel of your "house on wheels".....

Like Tina said, we don't care what you use to camp in. We've had gals on this forum with everything from tents to BIG class A's. Keep us posted on your renovations with pictures, please. I would add a small AC unit, maybe one of those portable ones but then I'm a wimp with the heat. Welcome, welcome.

A big Texas welcome. When I joined I didn't have any camper or rig of any kind, but a lot of wishes and dreams. You are one step closer than I was This forum is a great group of women willing to answer any question. They have a myriad of expertise and opinions

Welcome to our forum. Glad you found us, read awhile, and decided to stay and join anyway, lol. If you enjoy traveling, you can make a way to do it in just about anything. Sounds like you have a plan to do it. Hope we get to meet somewhere on the road or at one of our gtgs.