Transit AWD build overland style-I'm back in a van

[86scotty]

. i personally prefer this way vs tons of self drilling sheet metal screws which is a nightmare for any mechanic in the future under there--shop where i worked is doing it this way from mine and another employees recommendation (used self drills before!!!) some people leave the floor totally floating to.

Having screwed down more than one floor and then been said mechanic dealing with the nightmare screws under the same van later I certainly agree with your method.

 

[borison]

Seems like a good idea for the floor. Simpler and just as effective as screwing and/or bolting to the van. Much easier to tear out if necessary.

 

[coguzzi]

look at how the ford F150s are made when they switched to Aluminum bodies. they are all glued vs welded or bolted.

 

[Farfrumwork]

Agreed - addesive is WAY better than a bunch of screws through the floor. (I can’t imagine driving self-drills through a floor! Just begging for rust)

 

[migx333]

I havent seen anyone post any build logs on expo for the AWD Transit yet so figured i had better start one. I personally think the AWD transit is going to become a very viable option in the near future (and if difficulty in getting one proves anything--already is). I'm back in a van after many year hiatus, even if i did build sprinters and overland stuff professionally, ill explain some.

i got the van buzz a long long time ago before "vanlife" and "overland" was ever a thing. my first van was a 66 VW Kombi split window bus i did a full ground up restoration on over a 5 year period. i got a hair up my *** one day and sold it in 20 minutes on thesamba before i could even rethink my decision to a chap from England who was in CO skiing at the time
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During this time i actually really got into VW Vanagon Syncros. I ended up owning/building 6 of them. Basically when i wanted to start redoing something i would just sell it and build another one from scratch. most got converted to Subaru power, 2.2l, 2.5l and my favorite one was the big subaru H6 3.3l from the SVX. i never should have sold that van. i even converted one hard top to westfalia poptop, lots of cutting and welding and bodywork.
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anyway, my wife kind of got tired of me always working on these VW's (as anyone who has owned one knows) and i decided to chase after something i always pined after--7.3L diesel ford econoline 4x4!. i found a fairly decent one, had a colorado camper van pop top installed and built out the interior

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long story short, i wasnt in love with it and decided to put a Four Wheel Popup camper on my gen 1 Tundra shop truck that i loved and sell the econoline. Talking to the dealer in Colorado (where i lived for 22 years) when i was ordering it, he needed help at the shop. I ended up working with him selling and servicing four wheel campers for 4 years part time since i had my own business. as anyone would know, shop grew from FWC to a full on overland shop now, building so many rigs for people to explore the world in. I still have my four wheel camper, on a RAM 2500 now, but love it. Transit has some big shoes to fill!
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fast forward, i move to Quebec Canada, spend over a year building a house and shop. but since no one knows who i am in my new local I eventually start working at a local shop building Sprinter vans into campers, kind of elaborate ones--way to elaborate for me. should have seen the electrical system in the last one i built--crazy and crazy $.

all this time im thinking how much i think i would prefer the transit platform, but AWD or Quigley is a must. When the AWD option finally became available i ordered one almost immediately and finally received it August 28th. o ordered it in early Feb, covid through a wrench in the works
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my plan is to build an "overland" style camper, everything you need and nothing you dont. it will definitely have some luxuries as requested by the boss lady, but not over the top. I've accumulated quite a bit of supplies while waiting for the van and ready to get started. this is a terrible time to try and build a van, i only have 1 of 4 windows i ordered in July, struts for the VC lift are back ordered, again since july. im glad i was smart and ordered a lot in advance because its really hard right now.

i own or have owned a shop that is pretty weird (keeps me from being bored) that does automotive upholstery, motorcycle mechanic, metal fabricator, and vintage auto restoration. so this is kind of an experiment for me to test the viability of the Transit and hopefully help others build. ill try to keep a good log going.

I am following this thread!

So I am actually on a 1st gen tundra waiting for my Vagabond Wedgecamper

I was actually about to pull the trigger on a 7.3L Econoline with High Roof. I still want to reach overland destinations but I didnt want 2 rigs.

I am so torn right now between:

1. Having 1 rig to do it all (4x4 Econoline 7.3L and building it out van life style)
2. Keep the tundra and build a separate transit van - but each road trip will have to be done twice the van wont be able to reach destinations the Tundra can.

That is my dilemma right now. Care to give me your advice since youve been through all of the vehicle phases? haha

 

[coguzzi]

I am following this thread!

So I am actually on a 1st gen tundra waiting for my Vagabond Wedgecamper

I was actually about to pull the trigger on a 7.3L Econoline with High Roof. I still want to reach overland destinations but I didnt want 2 rigs.

I am so torn right now between:

1. Having 1 rig to do it all (4x4 Econoline 7.3L and building it out van life style)
2. Keep the tundra and build a separate transit van - but each road trip will have to be done twice the van wont be able to reach destinations the Tundra can.

That is my dilemma right now. Care to give me your advice since youve been through all of the vehicle phases? haha

only you can ultimately decide, i was always hesitant to give to much advice when i was selling four wheel camper, everyone has a different idea of what works for them even if it doesnt align with my idea. no right or wrong honestly.

we always called a four wheel camper a "back packers camper", as in pretty basic. vagabond even more so. a van can built to be much more like a home and amenities. so only you can decide what kind of exploration you want to do. i found i was trying to get offroad as much as possible to justify some of my rigs, when honestly 90% of my trips i could do in a subaru or less on the technical scale

once had a customer who was dead set on a four wheel camper, but his wife would only go if she could take her industrial sewing machine with..........um yeah--you are totally looking at the wrong rig......

 

[coguzzi]

So almost 6 months to the day after i ordered my CR Laurence windows, i got the last of the 4. It has really been holding me up and i was getting pretty bitter about it. Anyway, last 2 windows i was waiting for were the 10x33 bunk window sliders. a lot of people like the 10x33 awning windows because they can be opened in the rain. all fine and dandy, but if you drive with a CRL awning window open you will soon regret it. So, i have awning windows in the big locations behind driver and side door for ventilation if its raining, and slider windows in the bunk for more ventilation while driving.

got busy and cut the holes and did my finish utilizing the factory bump outs for EAST/WEST bed set up with out buying Flares. wasnt really sure if my plan would work but quite pleased with the results and ended up at 75" wide (at the widest) tapered back to 73.5 in the back, which is pretty much standard RV bed size. and i was still able to insulate with thinsulate behind my panels and could maybe get it slightly wider

getting ready to cut the hole after a ton of careful measuring to make i finish according to my plan in my head, and finished the upholstery


window in and make a frame around it


make a panel and upholster, did a lot of card board trial fits first


then got busy making curtain for the window, which we make a lot of, and installing everything


and like i said, 75" side to side. now to finalize my bed plan--my head is full of to much stuff....

 

[coguzzi]

part 3 time lapse

 

[Farfrumwork]

Putting Caro to work in the sewing shop! (those curtains are sweet)

lookin' good man - only 47,352 more tasks to go!

 

[coguzzi]

Putting Caro to work in the sewing shop! (those curtains are sweet)

lookin' good man - only 47,352 more tasks to go!

Caro says I would not have the patience to sew the tight radius on those zippers for the 10x33 curtains (we make these often actually) so this is a job for her.

ps, starting wiring tomorrow-or welding structure for the bed, or finishing insulation......or knock out some of the paying work I have to do......

 

[coguzzi]

wiring wiring wiring......actually this one wasnt to bad since im taking the overland "everything you need and nothing you dont" approach (except for couple wife request as i said earlier). this one was a breeze compared to the last sprinter i did for the shop i used to work at.....geez....

Anyway, 30 amp shore power coming in along with an SAE connector for future solar suitcase needs if me or the next person wants it in addition to what on the roof. solar on the roof only works well if parked in the sun remember


then just pulling wires/circuits, rinse and repeat. seems ive spent half my life wiring things


and after the initial layout is done getting it all loomed up and into the cavities where it will play nicer with everything


and now i can finally move onto some finishes, i love it when things start to go back together. first up, the foam blobs as people call them. i reshaped it slightly and i filled in the irregularities, wrapped them in foam and tweed. held in with some high quality automotive velcro and tension fit


and finally start upholstering my panels and doing final install---at least a couple, still have some things to build--like bed structure


im really liking how its finishing out, glad i went the 2 tone route and its closer to factory headliner color than photo shows

 

[Farfrumwork]

Yeah, the 2-tone is cool!

What did you use for the shore power/solar connection box?

 

[coguzzi]

Yeah, the 2-tone is cool!

What did you use for the shore power/solar connection box?

its just an exterior sealed PVC box from your local favorite home improvement store and a glue in cable gland

 

[coguzzi]

from organized chaos (actually got cleaned up and loomed after photo because im kind of OCD about wiring)


to installed mobile command center

 

[Buddha.]

Lucky... My wife "needs" a flushing toilet, shower, full kitchen, queen sized bed (or larger), place for our family to sit together and eat inside, the ability to move around with out bumping into each other, and air conditioning...lol.

My wife doesn’t like the state parks vault toilets. After a few years I’ve figured out it stems from an episode of the X files that features some kind of sewer monster. Makes perfect sense.