One More Piece At a Time

[Corneilius]

Started my second van build right when Covid hit. Took me 3 months of obsessive searching but I finally found my perfect candidate. 2001 V10 EB Passenger van with 88k miles within my budget. It was 4 hours away and I drove right down. It was a one owner literal Church van.

 

[Raul]

Congratulations. Looks great. Looking forward to see what you do on this one. I liked your previous one a lot.

 

[Corneilius]

Plans are for a Ujoint 4x4 conversion, custom interior build out and a....pop top. Was able to get the suspension knocked out pretty quickly ( i had accumulated all the parts while looking for the van)

 

[Corneilius]

I pulled all the factory benches and made a mount for a Suburban/Tahoe/Escalade third row. It still has 3 seat belts but is much narrower. This allows movement inside the van when the barn doors are closed.

 

[Corneilius]

Hmm looks like im going to have to work on my image upload quality... Some other custom touches include rear gear panels for the back doors. The spare fits underneath (33") and I wanted to be able to haul fuel cans and stuff outside WITHOUT a swing out. These sit just a couple inches off the doors and are mounted to the classic rear door tire carrier. Still developing a fold down table, trasharoo mounting and some other accessories

Im comfortable rating them for 50lbs each. Factory wheel/tire is 80lbs and ive seen many vans with no door damage after 20 years of being mounted.

 

[Brianblair]

Hmm looks like im going to have to work on my image upload quality... Some other custom touches include rear gear panels for the back doors. The spare fits underneath (33") and I wanted to be able to haul fuel cans and stuff outside WITHOUT a swing out. These sit just a couple inches off the doors and are mounted to the classic rear door tire carrier. Still developing a fold down table, trasharoo mounting and some other accessories

Im comfortable rating them for 50lbs each. Factory wheel/tire is 80lbs and ive seen many vans with no door damage after 20 years of being mounted.

I really, really like the door gear panels. I've been looking for something like that. Did you cut these yourself or modify something already on the market?

 

[Corneilius]

Ive been working on the pop top off and on for several months. The basic idea is a frame that attaches to the van roof, and a lid that pops from there. Its going to pivot at the rear like a Westy. The top is about 11' long and 5' wide. It made from a 6x12 sheet of .125 Aluminum. It will be framed out with 1x1 square aluminum and insulated with foam board. Maxx fan and roof rack rails and solar mounts will all be integrated. The frame is steel angle with a custom flange that adapts to the curve of the van roof.

It was very tricky to map the van roof without a 3d scanner but im within 1/8" everywhere and the butyl tape will seal that no problem.


Still a lot of work to do on the top, and there will be a testy style "luggage box" mounted in front of it

 

[Corneilius]

I really, really like the door gear panels. I've been looking for something like that. Did you cut these yourself or modify something already on the market?

I made them myself. .125 Aluminum with a 1" flange bent and welded at the corners to stiffen it up. Super happy with how they turned out

 

[telkey]

I made them myself. .125 Aluminum with a 1" flange bent and welded at the corners to stiffen it up. Super happy with how they turned out

Very nice! I'd buy one if you offer them for purchase.

 

[Brianblair]

Very nice! I'd buy one if you offer them for purchase.

I'd likely buy one as well.

 

[ober27]

The poptop deserves a thread of it's own! Keep the photos coming please.

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

Wow, that pop top roof looks massive... will sure be nice inside when opened up. Suspension lift looks great too... cool project.

 

[Corneilius]

Ive been running an ARB fridge just off the engine battery this summer, works ok as long as I was DD'ing the van but definitely needed some more battery power. My last van had an isolated Group 27 mounted on the passenger frame rail. This time I made a different tray that through bolts the frame. As of writing this all 3 batteries (underhood) are tied together without isolation. The ARB is my only draw and it has low voltage protection built in.

Plans are to run 2 Group 29 regular lead-acids in this tray, with charging from the alternator (through an isolator) and 200watts solar on the roof.



Pop Top Updates: Figured out my awning mounts and subframe to van attachment. Hopefully get the final subframe assembly together this week and get back to the Aluminum top

 

[UjointoffroadCO]

Man I love guys like you that absolutely refuse to purchase things. If I can make it myself, I'm going to!

 

[Corneilius]

If you thought building a battery tray (that summit sells for $40) was bad, wait until you see this swivel seat lol. Plans are for a driver and passenger swivel, cut and welded the passenger a couple weeks back. It uses as 99-04 unit bearing as the pivot and a spring pin for the latch.

Very beefy, unfortunately fully assembled they are 65lbs....