Photos of my van conversion - Part III

[dayspring39]

Oh my you are a very talented lady! How much weight does this add to the van? will you have a frig or a cooler? I have so many things I take along and never use it is not funny... Wendy is clutter free... I need her to help me... lol
Keep posting... this is very interesting...
Kathleen

[JudyJB]

Very nice, and a lot more ambitious and patient that I could be! I would be throwing things and screaming every time something went wrong.

An insulated vent with a fan would be nice, especially if it could give you some more light. That would involve cutting a hole in the roof, however, which would be more than you would want to do.

[Cudedog]

How much weight does this add to the van? will you have a frig or a cooler? I have so many things I take along and never use it is not funny... Wendy is clutter free... I need her to help me... lol
Keep posting... this is very interesting...
Kathleen

How much weight does it add to the van? Very little, actually. My whole thing in putting the conversion together was to always keep in mind that weight=less gas mileage.

The 2"x 4' x 8' styrofoam panels weigh mere ounces each (if you ever wonder about the insulating properties of styrofoam think hot coffee in a thin styrofoam cup), I could easily balance a whole panel on one finger (if the wind wasn't blowing!).

The feathering strips (the wooden pieces holding the styrofoam in) are 3/4" x 1 1/2". Can hold an eight-footer in the palm of one hand. Same with the paneling (just on the doors in the photos, finished inside now). It is very thin - 1/8" thick (and somewhat flimsy) but because of being thin it is flexible (so it could be bent to the curve of the inside walls of the van).

In order to figure out how to build the beds, I went to an RV place and looked at new trailers. Just lifted up the mattress to look at the structure of the beds to get some ideas. The trailer beds I saw were made of very small (dimensional) lumber, so I built my beds out of the same 3/4" x 1 1/2" lumber I used for the feathering strips. Beds topped with 1/4" plywood. Mattress el cheapo WW memory foam. All storage is under the beds (and dog crate platform) via plastic (light weight!) WW storage bins.

I am guessing that total added weight for the interior install of insulation, paneling, beds, mattresses, carpeting and etc. to be around 50 - 60 pounds total +/-. My goal was to always keep things lightweight for gas mileage reasons. My van is rated at 18 mpg highway; I have coaxed 19 mpg out of it before I started the conversion, so am hoping for the 18 mpg range on the straight and level.

For now, will probably just go with the latest Coleman "5 day-er" ice chest, using those "blue ice" things. I am not too fond of ice and soggy sandwiches. Later on I hope to acquire a Dometic Cool Freeze (as budget permits):

http://www.dometic.com/enie/International/Site/Caravan/Coolboxes-Freezers/Products/?productdataid=89979

Thanks for the questions!

Anne

[Cudedog]

I would be throwing things and screaming every time something went wrong.

An insulated vent with a fan would be nice, especially if it could give you some more light. That would involve cutting a hole in the roof, however, which would be more than you would want to do.

I used to throw things and scream when things didn't go well (very satisfying!) but after working with computers for 25 years or so I learned not to do that anymore. My lesson: Computers don't care (they really don't!) if things go well or not, or if they work the way they are supposed to. Or not. Getting upset just adds more time to get to the actual fix. Best not to get upset in the first place. Takes less time that way.

I thought about a vent in the roof, and did quite a bit of research on that, and came to the conclusion that no matter how well it was done that, sooner or later (probably sooner for me!) it would leak. And when it did start to leak, it would leak first behind the insulation and behind the paneling and maybe run down inside the walls (where the leak couldn't be seen initially) before enough water accumulated to actually start to drip from the ceiling.

Possible that it would never drip from the ceiling, and the first thing I would know of it was when water began to run out the bottom of the walls. Which would mean tearing out the whole ceiling and walls, replacing feathering strips, insulation, and paneling (and maybe rusted metal) to do a repair. So decided not to do any cutting in the "skin" of the van in the first place.

Light inside the van seems not to be a problem. I have done all of the interior work with the doors closed and the windows covered with the a/c going. Enough light to work by, so enough light generally, I think.

Thank you for the questions!

Anne

[grammynmaggie]

You need to write a book...I am sure it would be a best
seller and make lot of gas $$ for you ...cant wait for
the next update....donna

[linann]

Awaiting the next phase of your build out and how you will put the added wall space (without side windows) to good use!

[Nasoosie]

Totally amazing and awesome work, Anne! The patience and determination to do what you have done never came with this brain I have, unfortunately. I would love to see your finished product some day!

I am now wondering if they make a van strong enough to haul a decent sized trailer which I could leave in my northern and southern home campsites, and then use the van for weekend camping and regular driving and parking at my FL home which allows no campers. I need to research this. I know I would do a lot more exploring with a conversion van than I ever will do hauling a trailer.

Congratulations on a wonderful job!

[grammynmaggie]

Anne...do you have pics of your van now that it
is finished...would love to see them...thanks donna