Everyman Van Project

[Jwestpro]

For my scope of use, 2 or 3 days max off the cord, without solar or driving is the worst case so I designed my electrical for that. My fridge takes an amp, and furnace takes whatever it takes depending on weather, but we like to run it pretty hard. Designing in a big solar system is great for sail boats and rigs that stay put for months on end, but it’s easier and cheaper to build in a little extra AH for folks that wander more than that.

So, Paddy, and Fresh, I like the simple pop it in-pop it out of the galley but I go out in cold/winter a lot so cooking inside with propane is not such a great idea. It would add a lot of expense but I saw a guy who's business is solar. He had 2x 500w panels on the roof you could walk on. One was actually the roof to a cargo box over rear 1/2 of the roof. Kinda crazy, but pretty cool, though I'm sure $$$$.

The point of that info is that they also had multiple batteries I guess and used an induction top which obviously has no flame anywhere. Pros and cons for sure.

Here's a cool thing he did though for shower water, continuous cycle 2 gal until done w shower that went through some crazy filtering so you wouldn't run through all your water on just one shower. Then it dumped into gray tank. Again, little weird, but also cool.

This build is a nicer version of my plan to have a multi-functional unit that can haul various sizes of things or be used to camp inside. I plan to actually use it for a year before building anything. My galley will be a tied in tool chest, you you'd use in the garage with pots/pans in the deep drawer, knives, utensils in the flat drawers, coleman stove or jet boils in the medium, etc with the top being the workspace. My ARB freezer/fridge will just plug into house power, some other things will be simple.

The modularity of this build you have though would also allow a person to switch things up a year or two out without a massive reconstruction.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Paddy]

So, Paddy, and Fresh, I like the simple pop it in-pop it out of the galley but I go out in cold/winter a lot so cooking inside with propane is not such a great idea. It would add a lot of expense but I saw a guy who's business is solar. He had 2x 500w panels on the roof you could walk on. One was actually the roof to a cargo box over rear 1/2 of the roof. Kinda crazy, but pretty cool, though I'm sure $$$$.

The point of that info is that they also had multiple batteries I guess and used an induction top which obviously has no flame anywhere. Pros and cons for sure.

Here's a cool thing he did though for shower water, continuous cycle 2 gal until done w shower that went through some crazy filtering so you wouldn't run through all your water on just one shower. Then it dumped into gray tank. Again, little weird, but also cool.

This build is a nicer version of my plan to have a multi-functional unit that can haul various sizes of things or be used to camp inside. I plan to actually use it for a year before building anything. My galley will be a tied in tool chest, you you'd use in the garage with pots/pans in the deep drawer, knives, utensils in the flat drawers, coleman stove or jet boils in the medium, etc with the top being the workspace. My ARB freezer/fridge will just plug into house power, some other things will be simple.

The modularity of this build you have though would also allow a person to switch things up a year or two out without a massive reconstruction.

Thanks for sharing.

Wow, that is weird! Recycling water is cool, but I dunno that would take some getting used to. Don’t go electric for cooking, that’s just adding way too much hassle, weight and cost. It would be easier to vent fumes aggressively to prevent moisture and smells.

 

[Jwestpro]

Wow, that is weird! Recycling water is cool, but I dunno that would take some getting used to. Don’t go electric for cooking, that’s just adding way too much hassle, weight and cost. It would be easier to vent fumes aggressively to prevent moisture and smells.

A propane tank is not light nor compact. An open flame cannot be vented away if it's 5F outside and you're trying to keep interior warm and without the added moisture that occurs with that type of flame.

Like I said, they live in it and have 1000 watt supply on the roof that also functions as their yoga/fair weather sleeping/morning coffee platform LOL

The one I've seen that I like the most actually is a diesel fired closed ceramic top. No fumes, no condensation, one fuel. I'd never design in a propane deal but I would consider an open air, not so insulated van to have propane or coleman style multi fuel. I have sleeping bags rated to near -30F so I'm not the type to try keeping an interior to short sleeve temps anyway.

 

[RVflyfish]

JWest,

Any chance you have pics of this guy's van or links you can point us to? It sounds interesting. Especially the roof deck; those are the biz-nezz. Thanks!

 

[Jwestpro]

not to muck up this thread too much so i'd say go there, see what's useful.
Most of his build is not to my taste but like all of these, you might find a thing that works or even get an idea to improve.

 

[RVflyfish]

Thanks J and sorry if I threadjacked Fresh. Back to our originally scheduled programming...

 

[freshlikesushi]

Got some more done!
Upper cabinet is all finished and fitted. Direct bolt in on adventure wagon kits. just gotta add side framing in and then skin the sides and bottom! Three of these will go in each van for upper storage.

Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr

Also got the fender well cover all done!
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr

I will finish covering the other fenderwell cover tomorrow and skin the upper cabinets!.

All that is left on the van really is for a cabinet person to finish up the drawers and faces!

 

[jonnypage]

Hi there! Sweet build looks very clean! You mention wall panels but I can't see what you used. Is it just Plywood with a material covering it?

 

[another_mike]

Hi there! Sweet build looks very clean! You mention wall panels but I can't see what you used. Is it just Plywood with a material covering it?

Interior Conversion Kit for Sprinter Vans Starting at $11,500 ($1,000 Deposit*)

Our Modular Interior System provides a complete interior solution for Mercedes Sprinter vans designed around specific track mounting positions for MOAB Beds, Mule storage lock

adventurewagon.com

 

[freshlikesushi]

Finally at a solid point. About to drop everything off for powdercoat. Finishing up the galley assembly and drawers before taking it all apart.
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr

Then I welded up a one piece step/cab and cargo trim piece
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr

And even better. Hired a good friend to do a bunch of welding so i can get ahead. building four vans worth of interiors
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
This is four galley units and 8 wheel well covers
The fridge units and most of the upper cabinets are done as well at this point
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr

 

[freshlikesushi]

Entire interior is done and headed to powdercoat tomorrow. Satin black all around
Cabinet guy comes friday to take measurements to start making my 5 interior sets.
This van will be a bamboo veneer, not sure about the others yet. He can CNC everything out, and all 5 interior sets are with a 1/16 of each other, so easy to pump out a kit once someone figures out the color they want!

Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr

Four full interior sets ready to go!
Two will be going in vans i will be building in May. The other two are for sale.

 

[freshlikesushi]

Oh hey there sexy cabinet faces
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr

 

[grampswrx]

So rad. What does one of those units you are selling cost?

 

[freshlikesushi]

So rad. What does one of those units you are selling cost?

2250 no bed, 2750 with bed

finished units start at 5,000 for powdercoat, faces, sides.
Extra are countertops, and if you want stove/sink/water and everything set up as a drop in unit.

100% with dometic sink, stove, propane setup, water pump and two jerry cans, cfx50 and slide is around 8-9k ready to drop in and just plug in

 

[freshlikesushi]

Tons of work yesterday.
Picked up all the powdercoating and started installing!
Bed goes in first since its big and awkward
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr
Untitled by Grant Wilson, on Flickr