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  1. Herbie

    Quigley 4x4 E series cutaway for 2021 with 7.3 gas

    Very cool. Agreed that this is probably the bargain platform for a self-build at this point.
  2. Herbie

    PSA : InReach on sale at REI

    There's a $25/year maintenance fee IF you use the "Freedom" plan to enable/disable your billing. ($15/mo for the baseline "safety" plan) There is only a 1-time $20 activation fee if you use the regular annual plan ($12/month for the "safety" plan.) If you run the numbers, you see that the...
  3. Herbie

    PSA : InReach on sale at REI

    Good call. Been looking at this. Yes, subscription required, but Garmin does have a monthly "freedom" plan option so you can turn it on/off and only get billed in the months you use it (for a slightly higher fee). I've carried a 406MHz PLB for years, but the one I own is now overdue for a...
  4. Herbie

    Yes indeed! Most of what I've done with the van is very straightforward and easily duplicated...

    Yes indeed! Most of what I've done with the van is very straightforward and easily duplicated. The GTRV pop-top was a combination of lucky/patient shopping and a ton of extra work, and may not be everybody's cup of tea. We've got a whole section of our website dedicated to the van project and...
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  5. Herbie

    Artistic Shots- Well thought out, framed (positioned), artistic shots only please.

    Vista del Malpais - ABDSP
  6. Herbie

    Adventure Trailer From Vanagon Chop

    That's a good note. Way back when, I built a box for my house battery and (I thought) fluids and tools, so I lined it with brush-on bedliner to protect things. Tough stuff, but when I ended up using that space for general storage, I was sorry that I kept barking my knuckles on the sides of the...
  7. Herbie

    Colorado Camper Van Review (CCV)- Buyer Beware

    It should be noted that you're responding to a thread the OP started in Feb 2018. At 33 months old, it's possible that the range of experiences has broadened some, in either direction.
  8. Herbie

    Introducing the “NEW” Alu-Cab Canopy Camper

    The other solution to this that I've seen was someone who modified the small platform into two or three separate pieces - they could be placed when the top was down to keep the tent material from drooping, but were easier to stow out of the way for sleeping so that you didn't have to "get past"...
  9. Herbie

    Mattress pad storage

    Another option is to setup yourself to fold, rather than roll. We use a foam mattress topper for the upper bunk in our van. There isn't room to leave it in-place with the top down, so we need to pull it and store it while driving. I got tired of messing with rolling air or foam pads, so I...
  10. Herbie

    How hard is it to convert 2x4 to 4x4?

    Exactly. I had to chose between a smaller rig with a well-documented path to easy 4x4 conversion, or a bigger rig with more camp/living options but a much steeper price-of-entry for any 4x4 work. Doing my research up front and making careful selection of "architecture" right at the outset was...
  11. Herbie

    How hard is it to convert 2x4 to 4x4?

    There are a lot of compromises to sort through on this question - and almost all of them can be settled by deciding on your budget first. Used to be that you could put a nice round number of about $10,000 to convert a 2WD fullsize van to 4x4. These days, that number is realistically quite a...
  12. Herbie

    Safe way to mount fire extinguisher in cab?

    I don't have a good picture, but I mounted mine using the extinguisher's factory "clamp" mount on the side-pedestal of the driver's seat. The clamp alone may or may not be sufficient, but in my van the spacing is such that the tank interferes slightly on the molded-plastic "map pocket" on the...
  13. Herbie

    Options for flat-sided storage boxes?

    The upside of the ReallyUseful stuff is that it is well made. Good materials, good tight-fitting lids and latching mechanism, etc. As I say, I just can't afford the volume penalty since I drive a small rig.
  14. Herbie

    Options for flat-sided storage boxes?

    Really Useful Boxes DO have straight sides, and come in a lot of different sizes (which is great). HOWEVER, they are not very volume-efficient once you calculate how much you lose to the interior structures. For example, the "64 liter" box has external dimensions of 28" x 17-5⁄16" x 12-1⁄4"...
  15. Herbie

    Post up your drawer/storage system

    You only need facing on a side if you need to prevent things from going past that plane. (i.e. if you plan to pack a back next to the drawers and don't want it to get squished in between the tubing, etc.) If your setup will work with all open frames, then go crazy. If your drawers are...
  16. Herbie

    Help w/ solar wiring

    Part of the reason for this is that the panel voltage is also a function of temperature (so much so that you can actually use panel voltage as a rudimentary temperature sensor). As the temperature drops, the panel will output a higher voltage. You want to factor for this when laying out your...
  17. Herbie

    Looking for Chevy Astro swivel seat base

    A very late answer since I missed this thread the first time around, but to add the info in case someone else is looking: I used Grade8 1/4-28 bolts. I would have liked to use bigger, but as you note, it's tight down in the tracks. If you think you may have trouble getting a tool on the nut...
  18. Herbie

    Help w/ solar wiring

    Yep, open-circuit voltages can be much higher than the nominal panel voltage. Sounds like it will easily exceed the safe input on your controller. There are a lot of theories on Serial vs. Parallel panel wiring (including a very good long thread about it here on ExPo.) Given that you have two...
  19. Herbie

    Post Van Parts For Sale Here please

    I've got a pair of middle-row captain's seats from a 2003 Honda Odyssey. I bought these with a mind to replace the front seats in our Astro van, but found that they're just a hair wider than I'd really like. (They would fit, but don't match well with the Astro-specific swivel-plate I've...
  20. Herbie

    Sprinter 4WD Conversion Idea, GMT-800 IFS.

    @luthj I love your thread and your van. This part of your project is exactly why I always eventually quash any dreams I harbor about doing conversions/swaps/etc. - I just know that the necessary tweaking would last longer than my enthusiasm for managing it. :D
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