I have been camping in my 1990 Chevrolet Silverado Blazer 2-door for the last 20 years. When I removed the back seat there was just enough room for a 3/4 sized (Hollywood, as some people called them) mattress to fit between the wheel wells and from the back of the console to the tailgate.
After all those years with my wife and I getting older, she decided we needed a little more room so she found me a 2001 Chevrolet Express van with low mileage on the internet. After checking it out and taking it for a test drive we bought it on the spot. It was a nice passenger conversion LT model with all the bells and whistles available in 2001. I will chronicle the changes I made to transform it into my Class B- motorhome in the next few postings. I call it my Class B- (B minus) motorhome because it is just a regular van without the raised roof.
Camping at Custer State Park, SD in February, 2015.
Camping and visiting Scott's Bluff National Monument, NE in October, 2014.
After all those years with my wife and I getting older, she decided we needed a little more room so she found me a 2001 Chevrolet Express van with low mileage on the internet. After checking it out and taking it for a test drive we bought it on the spot. It was a nice passenger conversion LT model with all the bells and whistles available in 2001. I will chronicle the changes I made to transform it into my Class B- motorhome in the next few postings. I call it my Class B- (B minus) motorhome because it is just a regular van without the raised roof.
Camping at Custer State Park, SD in February, 2015.
Camping and visiting Scott's Bluff National Monument, NE in October, 2014.
My latest addition to my van camper is a portable ice maker. We often camp in locations where we have electrical hookups but are 30 miles from stores where we can obtain ice for our cooler. We fill it with water, turn it on, and this little machine puts out plenty of ice to keep us in ice for extended stays at these locations.
I made another modification to my center console porta-potty box. When I built it, I added the map pocket on the front so that part is not new. The new modification in the addition of a 12volt to 110 volt inverter held in place with Velcro straps and a fold-up style cup holder. I keep my extra 70-210 zoom lens there so it is very handy to grab when I want to switch from my 18-55 zoom.
This center console normally sits between our front bucket seats. It is only in this position for a better view for the picture. See my previous post on this topic:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28113784/gotomsg/28116135.cfm#28116135
Link to modification for top opening post:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28113784/gotomsg/28505253.cfm#28505253
This center console normally sits between our front bucket seats. It is only in this position for a better view for the picture. See my previous post on this topic:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28113784/gotomsg/28116135.cfm#28116135
Link to modification for top opening post:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28113784/gotomsg/28505253.cfm#28505253
We had been using a blue tarp for an awning and I was unhappy with it because it sagged in the middle, often catching on the door when we opened it. I found a better one at Gander Mountain that arched in the center with tent-like fiberglass poles that worked much better. Now we do not have any clearance problems when trying to open the door. I used wood clamps similar to C-clamps to attach it to the roof drip edge. It is much easier to set up than the old blue tarp. My wife sewed some extra black loops in between the corners so I could attach more ropes to tie it down better. In a very brisk wind this last weekend, the awning didn't hardly wiggle. For non-windy, calm condition we do not need to use the extra tie-downs.
I modified the clamps so the awning would extend beyond the roof drip edge and, therefore, not drip water on us under the awning.
The little 1" clamps in the center section are smaller but still modified in a similar fashion.
As an update to this post: I am sorry to say that Gander Mountain doesn't carry this canopy any longer, but I have found something fairly close to it at this site:
https://www.campmor.com/c/economy-canopy-11-ft-6-in-x-11-ft-6-in-20015
It is larger than mine and has a center pole which is not as convenient as the one I have which has two flexible umbrella type rods that run from corner to corner to hold it up.
I modified the clamps so the awning would extend beyond the roof drip edge and, therefore, not drip water on us under the awning.
The little 1" clamps in the center section are smaller but still modified in a similar fashion.
As an update to this post: I am sorry to say that Gander Mountain doesn't carry this canopy any longer, but I have found something fairly close to it at this site:
https://www.campmor.com/c/economy-canopy-11-ft-6-in-x-11-ft-6-in-20015
It is larger than mine and has a center pole which is not as convenient as the one I have which has two flexible umbrella type rods that run from corner to corner to hold it up.
The latest addition to my van camper is an idea I got from LenS in the Sportsmobile forum at: http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/forums/f24/one-in-a-blue-moon-a-c-4872.html
I made a wood frame to mount a small window air conditioner in the driver's side window opening. We use it at night to sleep during hot summer nights while camping at campsites with electricity. I picked up a new small window AC unit for under $100 and can store it and the wood window frame in the rear "basement" area under the bed of my camper. I am looking forward to using this when we travel south on vacations.
Outside view. I install the wood frame first, then install the AC unit which is held in place by three screws at the top. I added a support rod too, but the AC unit is so small I think the support rod in over-kill and not really needed.
Inside view. It is easily installed and removed with a few screws at the top.
Storage in rear "basement" under bed with wood frame behind AC unit while traveling.
I made a wood frame to mount a small window air conditioner in the driver's side window opening. We use it at night to sleep during hot summer nights while camping at campsites with electricity. I picked up a new small window AC unit for under $100 and can store it and the wood window frame in the rear "basement" area under the bed of my camper. I am looking forward to using this when we travel south on vacations.
Outside view. I install the wood frame first, then install the AC unit which is held in place by three screws at the top. I added a support rod too, but the AC unit is so small I think the support rod in over-kill and not really needed.
Inside view. It is easily installed and removed with a few screws at the top.
Storage in rear "basement" under bed with wood frame behind AC unit while traveling.
The latest modification to the van camper is for cleaning up when no campground showers are available. Usually we just take a quick washcloth sponge bath and wipe over with a wet clear water washcloth, but now we should be able to rinse off like a real shower. We got the following soda bottle shower assembly and will use it while kneeling in a small 8" x 32" pet pool which will fit in the open floor space of our van camper. The pet pool can by dried easily and folds up to a cube of about 8"x8"x8". Not nearly as good as a real shower but we will be able to get clean while out in the boonies.
My wife likes the 1 liter coke bottles better now that I have added some Velcro handles so she can control them better in the “shower.”
My wife likes the 1 liter coke bottles better now that I have added some Velcro handles so she can control them better in the “shower.”
Today's modification to my van was the addition of a magnetic screen door. It's size was for a normal house door so my wife had to cut it shorter and hem the magnets back into the bottom. It came with Velcro to attach it to the top and sides. It works very well at keeping the bugs out.
It opens and closes easily in the center with magnets.
It opens and closes easily in the center with magnets.
On my last camping trip I found a new use for my tire step. It is now my "coffee corner" as we try to spend most of our time outside when we camp. It is also under the canopy when it is raining.
garmp1 wrote:
That's pretty much how we did ours, and for the same reason, although our "honey bucket" is of the older style.
If you turned that around, you'd never have to stop driving!:B
