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.
The latest addition to my RVan is a safety bar on the side door. Took the wimpy handle off and replaced it with a bathroom safety bar that has a textured grip. It is wonderful. 
My converted conversion van doubles as a construction van to haul stuff when we are at home so I have made it modular and easy to move pieces in and out. My table is a TV tray 
that tucks out of the way. I also use it for cooking outside by covering it with a silicone baking mat that doubles as a cutting board. It has also been used to hold my dish satellite up off the ground.
that tucks out of the way. I also use it for cooking outside by covering it with a silicone baking mat that doubles as a cutting board. It has also been used to hold my dish satellite up off the ground.
I woke up to a winter storm day, so it was time for me to work in the garage and wood shop again on another project for my camper van conversion. I didn't have a real good table for days and nights that we have to spend time in the camper instead of enjoying the outside. I made a folding table that attached to my side door. I used 1/2" PVC pipe for the support leg. It works great when I swivel the seat around. My wife has a folding camp chair that she uses on the other side of the table.
I added a little fold down section to the table so that I could still access the door handle and locks. The PVC table leg is stored in the cabinet with my camera tripod during travel.
The 1/2" PVC table leg support is connected to the table with a PVC end cap that is screwed into the bottom of my table.
I lined the side of the table bracket board that faces the side door with some sticky-back felt. I used the bolts from the door's grab assist handle along with some oversized washers to attach the folding table to the door.
When it is all folded up, I hardly notice the extra wood on the door. Two small eye-hooks and an orange rubber coated twist-tie for cords holds it in place when folded up. I got this idea from other van conversions like those of LenS.
I added a little fold down section to the table so that I could still access the door handle and locks. The PVC table leg is stored in the cabinet with my camera tripod during travel.
The 1/2" PVC table leg support is connected to the table with a PVC end cap that is screwed into the bottom of my table.
I lined the side of the table bracket board that faces the side door with some sticky-back felt. I used the bolts from the door's grab assist handle along with some oversized washers to attach the folding table to the door.
When it is all folded up, I hardly notice the extra wood on the door. Two small eye-hooks and an orange rubber coated twist-tie for cords holds it in place when folded up. I got this idea from other van conversions like those of LenS.
Winter time keeps me working in my garage, often on my van. I had a shelf in the rear under the bed that I used to store our flip-out tent. We don't carry it anymore so I had some wasted space just waiting for me to fill it. My wife, a good internet searcher, found a couple of black trays that just fit the space of 3"x18"x36". I added a divider in the middle to make a space for two of these trays. Next I added a handle and then proceeded to fill them. My next job is to add labels covered in clear plastic tape to remind me what I have in them.
Black trays in place right below the bed mattress.
Black trays pulled out to access stored supplies in the left tray and electrical cords in the right.
Black trays in place right below the bed mattress.
Black trays pulled out to access stored supplies in the left tray and electrical cords in the right.
I am starting to get cabin syndrome from being couped up to much inside this winter. Spring is coming, but not fast enough, so I decided it is time to update the camper van again. I had been using a blue painted wood box for our outside step. It would flip sometimes when we stepped on it wrong, which was hard on the shins. I found a single camper step online and mounted it under the side door. Works so much better.
Slid out and ready for use:
Slid back in for traveling. (When I get it outside, I will take a better picture than the tight angle in the garage.)
Slid out and ready for use:
Slid back in for traveling. (When I get it outside, I will take a better picture than the tight angle in the garage.)
Our temps were in the 20's last week and we heard on the news & weather that the temps in the Black Hills would be in the 50's and most of their snow was gone so I figured it was time for a January camping trip. We traveled through Badlands National Park.
While driving through the park we saw a few buffalo and quite a large herd of sheep.
This big fellow was right on the road as he thought it belonged to him.
Later in the afternoon we set up camp at the Game Lodge Campground in Custer State Park in South Dakota. My wife caught me enjoying a hot cup of coffee near the campfire. All in all, a good weekend.
While driving through the park we saw a few buffalo and quite a large herd of sheep.
This big fellow was right on the road as he thought it belonged to him.
Later in the afternoon we set up camp at the Game Lodge Campground in Custer State Park in South Dakota. My wife caught me enjoying a hot cup of coffee near the campfire. All in all, a good weekend.
