Vanny Devito. Pop-top Lifted Astro Build
- Thread starter jdreier
- Start date
cherokeexj32
New member
Your Build
Awesome job on your build! You should be very proud!
Awesome job on your build! You should be very proud!
dcguillory
Adventurer
This turned out great! If i had 6 less kids I would be all over it 
Started framing out the interior yesterday. I kept going back and forth between removing the conversion side walls or not. I decided to keep them for now and do a modular build. I've got a lot of my wiring behind those panels too. Since I don't full-time in my van, I like the possibility to remove the camper interior when i'm just in straight up hauling mode.
I made some rough sketches and have an idea in my head, but this build is still kinda being made up as I go along. So far it's been pretty smooth with the pocket hole jig I bought.
I made some rough sketches and have an idea in my head, but this build is still kinda being made up as I go along. So far it's been pretty smooth with the pocket hole jig I bought.
Corneilius
Adventurer
I made the same decision regarding Conversion walls and headliner. It'd be a bear to retrim it as nicely plus mine had several layers of insulation behind them. Who did the original "conversion" ? I love still being able to haul 4x8 sheets and 12' boards in my van.
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I'm pretty sure Regency Conversions did the conversion years ago. Yeah with all the camper stuff out, I can haul 8x10 boards (although still a squeeze in an astro). If I was full-timing, i'm sure i'd tear everything out to fully maximize my space usage. Although how it's setup right now isn't too bad. I've got my wiring, inverter and fuse box all tucked away behind one panel. I hardly run the inverter, so i'm not too worried about it overheating. I'm going to rig up a quick disconnect for the water pump wiring, so I can easily disconnect that when I pull out the interior.
A couple updates on the build. I got the frame built out, the wood for the cabinets cut and stained and mostly installed. Things are going pretty good, it's just taking a little more time that I would have thought. Mostly due to my work schedule only allowing me a few hours here and there to work on the van.
Here's the side completely framed out.
I placed my upper bunk panels where my bench seat would be to kind of get an idea for how everything will lay out. They're being held up by a battery box and some wood here, nothing permanent. Here's the front. The lower bed is going to be about the side of a twin size mattress down below. I wish it was a but wider, but when working with an astro, you have yo make compromises due to it's smaller size. I'm only 5ft8 and my girlfriend is 5ft2, so we can fit on a twin fairly comfortably. I figure if i'll be camping with anyone else they'll sleep up top, or I will.
What it will look like form the back.
I'm not 100% sure on how i'll build out the bed, but I have a pretty good idea on how i'll do it.
I also got all the wood cut. I'm reusing wood from older builds as much as I can in order to keep the costs down, and just to use up as much scrap wood as possible. Here i'm going to use some old wood from the headliner along the side in the back. I'm going to cover it with some carpet that I have that will hopefully match the interior. I'll probably cover the speaker holes with something. Still not quite sure yet.
This labor day weekend I managed to get a lot of the wood stained and installed. It's starting to come together nicely. I can definitely see my influence of mid-century styling coming though.
Here's the side completely framed out.
I placed my upper bunk panels where my bench seat would be to kind of get an idea for how everything will lay out. They're being held up by a battery box and some wood here, nothing permanent. Here's the front. The lower bed is going to be about the side of a twin size mattress down below. I wish it was a but wider, but when working with an astro, you have yo make compromises due to it's smaller size. I'm only 5ft8 and my girlfriend is 5ft2, so we can fit on a twin fairly comfortably. I figure if i'll be camping with anyone else they'll sleep up top, or I will.
What it will look like form the back.
I'm not 100% sure on how i'll build out the bed, but I have a pretty good idea on how i'll do it.
I also got all the wood cut. I'm reusing wood from older builds as much as I can in order to keep the costs down, and just to use up as much scrap wood as possible. Here i'm going to use some old wood from the headliner along the side in the back. I'm going to cover it with some carpet that I have that will hopefully match the interior. I'll probably cover the speaker holes with something. Still not quite sure yet.
This labor day weekend I managed to get a lot of the wood stained and installed. It's starting to come together nicely. I can definitely see my influence of mid-century styling coming though.
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Finished the interior... well mostly. There's still a few little things that need to get done, but it's 99% complete. Here's some photos of the interior.
Bench mode. I went with a westfalia inspired interior.
The drawer under the bench pulls out to support the panels in bed mode.
Bed more. I still need to fab up some cushions for the bed/bench. The bed is roughly a twin size mattress... slightly shorter.
Drawer that pulls out and doubles as a mini desk
View from the back
So much storage now
Bench mode. I went with a westfalia inspired interior.
The drawer under the bench pulls out to support the panels in bed mode.
Bed more. I still need to fab up some cushions for the bed/bench. The bed is roughly a twin size mattress... slightly shorter.
Drawer that pulls out and doubles as a mini desk
View from the back
So much storage now
Snowgeek135
Observer
This is great! I love your finish quality!
Ryan
Ryan