"Tall Can" the Sprinter Build

keepmoving

New member
My van is a 2004 long and tall Sprinter passenger, nicknamed “Tall Can.” I scored it from my Brother in law's Mother a year ago with 38K miles and a fair price. I've logged 10k this past year and done a few mods to make it work great for shuttling friends while mountain biking and lugging dirt bikes around. It has been a great vehicle so far with no problems. I flashed the computer with Green Diesel Engineering Eco tune a month after ownership. The tune really helped the van's power and I see 19-21mpg going a true 70 on the highway loaded with bikes and friends.

I have had it set up with the two rows of seats and a bike rack in the back for a while. I have decided to covert it to a camper van with a rear platform bed that holds the MTBs underneath and a hitch rack for the moto. I've sold off the stock bench seats for some funds.
Here's the van on the drive home from the Bay Area. My girlfriend and I drove HW1 to home in San Luis Obispo Ca. We camped in Big Sur the first day we owned it and have camped in it many times this past year on a blow up air mattress. We are ready for an upgrade. Follow along and give me input on my build. Cheers.

 
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keepmoving

New member
The first thing I did was add some sound deadening and reflectix for insulation on the roof. I then cut the hole for the max fan install. I had to smash down one of the ribs on the roof to make the opening correct. I used some tin snips to cut the last fold. I hammered it flat and sealed it up with silicone and self-leveling sealant. When the headliner was out I also installed some LED lights that have integrated switches. Pulling the headliner is not the most enjoyable job. I broke some of the stock headliner clips. I got replacements at the Dodge dealer. The part number is 05125569AA if you ever need any.






 

keepmoving

New member
Hauling bikes

To hold bikes in place I made a bike rack from 1.5x3” studs. The slots hold the tires tight and the bikes don’t need to be strapped down. I can hold 6 in the rack and 2 more all the way in the back. I just ratchet strapped the rack to the rear seat. I could also hold motos against the rack. I put some hooks into the rear unused seat mounts to tie the motos in place. I also made window covers to protect the glass from the bikes. Made from ¼” plywood. I glued reflectix to the glass side of the panel then covered in carpet from home depot. Attached with some 90* brackets and short screws.


 
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keepmoving

New member
overhead shelf

The next mod I did was an overhead shelf. I wanted a place for every day items like jackets, bike helmets and snacks that are within quick reach. I made it higher up than most people, but I wanted to be able to pass through from the front seats to the rear of the van without hitting my head. I constructed the shelf with 3/8” plywood, marine grade vinyl, some aluminum angle iron and machine screws. I used a big piece of cardboard to make a cut template. After the plywood was cut, lots of sanding was done to make it fit just right. I drilled through the headliner and bolted the shelf to it before installing the headliner back in the van. It has been holding up great so far.




 

86scotty

Cynic
Nice find and nice mods! Finding a T1N Sprinter with only 38k is almost unheard of, at least in my part of the world. 238k or 338k is more common. Anyway, really dig it. You've got a ton of room for a sleeping platform above the 'garage'.

:smiley_drive:
 

keepmoving

New member
Flooring

I sold the stock bench seats and pulled out the rubber floor and stock paneling. I was surprised to see all the foam attached to the walls. I decided that this was enough sound deadening. My fiancé and I decided we would try laminate flooring in the van. I left the stock wood floor in place. It is pop riveted down and there is a rubber mat underneath. We filled in the open seat bracket holes with plywood then installed a stick on foam underlayment to create another layer of insulation and keep the floor above rattle free. We built some wheel well boxes that are lined with foam as well. I like the way the floor looks, but feel that it may get covered with rubber in the long run if I scratch it all up.




 

keepmoving

New member
Interior Panels

We made most of the interior panels last week. ¼ plywood, reflectix, marine vinyl on the front panels and carpet for the garage area. Ran wires for 12v sockets/usb ports, 110V plugs and a light for under the bed. My fiance made some rear pockets for bike gear storage from mesh material. We are trying to keep the colors as light as possible to keep the van feeling big when the bed, bench seat and kitchen are installed. We also decided to uncover the windows so we can look out at views from bed when camping. She will make some window covers that snap into place in the future.





 

keepmoving

New member
Solar mounted

I got my 310 Watt panel mounted this weekend with some help from friends. I purchased it from a local solar company called REC solar. I have a friend that works for the company who got me a little lower price.

 

keepmoving

New member
Bench seat

I got to work on the bench seat that will hold a bed frame behind it. Lauren cut the ply wood to size and made a nice cover from sunbrella fabric on the sewing machine. The lower pad is 4" HD from and the back pad is 1" HD foam. I cut and welded 1"x1"x.120 square tube together and painted with roll on rustoleum. Tabs for lap belts are welded behind the lower seat. We were on a roll and did not shoot many pictures. The lower seat is attached with T nuts in the plywood. The backrest is going to fold forward to expose a storage compartment. Tabs for mounting are still needed, I need to fit into the van and find the correct locations. The bed platform will hold an Ikea bed frame and a 4" foam topper. We should have about 30" of headroom above bed and 38" for bikes underneath.


 

albertr

New member
I got my 310 Watt panel mounted this weekend with some help from friends. I purchased it from a local solar company called REC solar. I have a friend that works for the company who got me a little lower price.

What the make and model this panel is?

-albertr
 

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