In What Order Should I Modify My New Van?

[ben1257sb]

Greetings!

Long time lurker here that FINALLY got an EP account today because I just purchased my beauty 2011 Ford 150 Cargo Van.



My question to everybody is WHERE TO START?
What questions should I be asking?

I obviously want to put in insulation, walls and flooring before I build out the interior but I also want solar, a fan and a roof rack. I'm not sure where to start.

Should I insulate and put walls up before solar and a fan? Should I do it vice versa? Is there something more crucial to this before I start? I just don't know where to begin.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. My experience with handiwork is minimal but I have a drive to learn anything.

Cheers :victory:

 

[Abe Froman]

Sportsmobileforum.com for DIY van build info.
Sprinter-source.com lots of good builds to look at, even it you don't have a sprinter.

 

[rayra]

I would suggest planning the mods, solar etc, then lay all the wiring you'll need, labeled, taping it to the interior skin. Then I'd go right to the insulation and comfort stuff. When I do a house remodel I always do a bathroom and the bedroom first. Then at least I'm comfortable however long the rest of the house takes.

eta and it needs 'free kandy' on the side in duct tape. Or maybe a spoof utility company sign / logo. Plain white van with an 'official' logo, you can drive just about anywhere.

 

[ben1257sb]

I would suggest planning the mods, solar etc, then lay all the wiring you'll need, labeled, taping it to the interior skin. Then I'd go right to the insulation and comfort stuff. When I do a house remodel I always do a bathroom and the bedroom first. Then at least I'm comfortable however long the rest of the house takes.

eta and it needs 'free kandy' on the side in duct tape. Or maybe a spoof utility company sign / logo. Plain white van with an 'official' logo, you can drive just about anywhere.

By "lay the wiring" do you mean I will need to physically purchase and set up my solar system probably first? Also I will need to know what lights I want and anything else that needs wiring?

 

[blackwood]

Probably a fan first so you can stay cool while working on the interior. But solar might have to go on at the same time to get it all aligned ok.

 

[kojackJKU]

Its sort of a chicken and egg thing. You almost need to do it all at the same time. run the wires while doing your wall layout etc...insulate around the wires then etc so you have a nice warm setup. Oh, don't forget the pop top for standing up and sleeping! essential to an awesome van experience..ha ha!

 

[TwinStick]

If I ever get a van, my first mod would be an interrior roll cage, then to U-Joint Off-Road, or just U-Joint if they could do cages too. Ever see a van in a roll over ? No one ever plans to but it happens & usually with catastrophic results. Just sayin'.

 

[rayra]

By "lay the wiring" do you mean I will need to physically purchase and set up my solar system probably first? Also I will need to know what lights I want and anything else that needs wiring?

No I mean figure out your desired products and their future installation layout and go ahead and put a few dollars worth of the proper wiring in place, before burying it with insulation. That way when you LATER add those extras you don't have to tear up your insulation / interior setup. 'pre-wiring'.

 

[Herbie]

It comes down to whether you want to pull down part of your interior and put it up a second time. Stuff like solar and roof fan will require access to bare metal on the roof (for cutting holes and running wiring). If you do the interior insulation first, you'll need to pull it down again (which is fine, so long as you don't do too much gluing and put things up "permanently".) If you're going to glue rigid insulation to the roof, then definitely install the fan and run at least the solar wiring first, since cutting making necessary cuts later would suck.

Roof rack will be on the drip rails, most likely, so that can go on any time.

The upside to doing interior comfort items is that you get immediate payoff for "using" the van.

 

[SDDiver5]

When do you plan on using the van and for how long? You going to get any type of extended top for it?

My suggestion, write everything out that you would like to do. Highlight the utmost important mods then take the top 5 utmost important mods from the highlighted list of important mods and work your way from there.

But like people have said. Wiring and the like usually come first. Think of it like a house, you wouldn't put up drywall and then break it down to put in wires and plumbing would you? Start from the beginning.

Going back to my question about an extended top, if you go that route you will prob want some type of power up there which will require more wiring and more mods.

Think it through and then ask some more questions. We love to give advice.

Good luck and sweet van. I'm thinking about getting one to live in for a while because I'm tired of paying rent.

Cheers.

 

[danfromsyr]

Maybe a little side styling is in order before the neighbors get worried about you and the neighborhood kids

 

[ben1257sb]

Thanks for all the help folks. Some good humor and good advice here.

Would it be dumb to run the wiring inside the van? House it in the very corner in a clean tube? Or would that look tacky?

Any suggestions on solar set ups?

Any suggestions on lights? Fridges? Fans?

I would love it if somebody who has a nice set up that works and they gave me links to what they bought as long as it works functionally.

 

[RememberTheFallen]

Agree with most everyone else but will add my .02cents.

Someone recommended to me when I first got mine to take it out a couple of time to see what I want. Take everything you plan on using and a basic pad. Then after using it for a couple of trips you will have a better idea of how you want you set it up. I have changed my layout twice now after using it.

 

[WheresYourColorado]

I say put some AT tires on there, throw in your camping gear and spend a long weekend living out of it. Whatever you keep wishing you had the most is the first thing you should work on. Problem solved.

But more seriously,
Since you're in my neck of the woods I say run wiring along the walls and put tags on each end. Throw your insulation up and do your floor. Reason? Winters coming and if you want to run around in your new ice cream truck during the 9 months that aren't warm you need to make it cozy inside. Mock up what you're planning to have and in the location you plan to have it, then run your wires to that imaginary stuff.

 

[Stumpalump]

You need to lay out your roof rack, fan and solar panel first. Get all the solar stuff from your local installer/suppliers. They have all sorts of left over panels and controllers from job sites. Just pick out a strong one in a common size that seems like it can handle a branch the best. They even have the best batteries if you need one or two for house batteries at prices that blow away any deal I found on line. Solar will mount on or in front of a roof rack plus you have to have room for the fan lid. You need to do those three together and first so you can see how to maximize roof space. Next is battery location then wire then walls. Nothing wrong with doing walls first I and hiding wires later. That makes it easier to make changes, additions or repairs and is how I will lay out my next projects. Half the work I do to my buggy, jeep ,van and boats is dealing with old cobbled up electrical. My next build will have the most exposed easy to work on electrical I can install.