Step one. Bought the van.
Hello Everybody, First post. I camp a lot in tents but after spending three days straight in a tent in the rain at Dolly Sods I swore I'd make a change. Here it is. Bought it Wednesday. Dro...
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David. What are you doing David? I'm slipping away David, I can feel it.....
Hey welcome to the club. I have a 2000 E150 high top conversion van. Came with mini blinds (yeah) and built in storage bins all along the roof line, ceiling lights, captains chairs. Plush interior. Gutted what I didn't want (rear fold down bed/bench seat, 2 midship captains chairs(used one to replace front passenger seat because it can swivel and face rear when camped). Built raised platform bed with 2x4's bolted to floor and plywood top. Added deep cycle house battery cabled to starter battery and disconnect switch. Added 900watt converter, small microwave, small frig, exterior shore power cord and four gang GFI box that can connect to either converter or shore power (12awg) cord. 19" flat screen and small fan and small electric heater complete so far. Built bed high enough to store 18 gallon plastic bins underneath. Been all over the country with this rig. Can easily reach remote camp grounds, etc. Carry water in gallon jugs. Sometimes carry porta potty but usually use public vacilities or where the bears xxxx in the woods. Since my van was already had a finished out interior I made very few modifications to ceiling, walls etc. My next project will be to add ac. Roof air is too expensive so will probably use rear window installation. I have a Class A too for more civilized camping, but as an old time tent camper I love my van. No wet tent and damp sleeping bags, etc. I carry a couple of gallon water jugs for coffee, etc. Complete camp stove, propane lamp, camping cook ware, etc stored in a plastic bin for "fancy" meals. Micro wave for quickie stuff. Pull into a rest stop for lunch, short snooze while going down the road. Can easily cover 600 mile day if I'm in a hurry just by taking several short naps along the way. Wish I had this rig when I was much younger, haha. I can park this rig in a tent site in say Mesa Verde or Black Canyon of the Gunnison and spend as much time as I want without any hook ups (house battery recharges as I drive to trail heads and viewing areas). Not quite as fancy as a $100,000 Sprinter/Roadtrek but my total investment, van and all is just over $7000 and I've already had 4 to 5 years of use. Such a deal!
Hey welcome to the club. I have a 2000 E150 high top conversion van. Came with mini blinds (yeah) and built in storage bins all along the roof line, ceiling lights, captains chairs. Plush interior. Gutted what I didn't want (rear fold down bed/bench seat, 2 midship captains chairs(used one to replace front passenger seat because it can swivel and face rear when camped). Built raised platform bed with 2x4's bolted to floor and plywood top. Added deep cycle house battery cabled to starter battery and disconnect switch. Added 900watt converter, small microwave, small frig, exterior shore power cord and four gang GFI box that can connect to either converter or shore power (12awg) cord. 19" flat screen and small fan and small electric heater complete so far. Built bed high enough to store 18 gallon plastic bins underneath. Been all over the country with this rig. Can easily reach remote camp grounds, etc. Carry water in gallon jugs. Sometimes carry porta potty but usually use public vacilities or where the bears xxxx in the woods. Since my van was already had a finished out interior I made very few modifications to ceiling, walls etc. My next project will be to add ac. Roof air is too expensive so will probably use rear window installation. I have a Class A too for more civilized camping, but as an old time tent camper I love my van. No wet tent and damp sleeping bags, etc. I carry a couple of gallon water jugs for coffee, etc. Complete camp stove, propane lamp, camping cook ware, etc stored in a plastic bin for "fancy" meals. Micro wave for quickie stuff. Pull into a rest stop for lunch, short snooze while going down the road. Can easily cover 600 mile day if I'm in a hurry just by taking several short naps along the way. Wish I had this rig when I was much younger, haha. I can park this rig in a tent site in say Mesa Verde or Black Canyon of the Gunnison and spend as much time as I want without any hook ups (house battery recharges as I drive to trail heads and viewing areas). Not quite as fancy as a $100,000 Sprinter/Roadtrek but my total investment, van and all is just over $7000 and I've already had 4 to 5 years of use. Such a deal!
