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.
EDIT> thank you for the help on posting pics. I no longer had an online photo album; thanks for the links!
OG
Nice van and great thread!
I use a common tarp for an awning and struggled to find a small and strong mount for it. I use "beam clamps" and hook the tarp grommets over the beam clam set screw. $2/ea at building supply store. I can't attach a pic, not sure why/can't figure it out here.
I'm trying to figure out a decent 12 volt compressor to fill 4 or more gallons to 150 psi mostly for tire inflation and occasional light duty tasks (a few finish nails or blowing out deris). I can add a manual cut off and pressure switch for a 12v compressor. Right now I'll be using an inverter that I have (full sine, iron core, 1800w) and an eight gallon husky compressor but want something smaller/more appropriate. I plan on mounting the aux batt and air tank on the frame rail, possibly the compressor too, though that might go in the cab (depending on space requirements). I'll be custom fabricating all the brackets, etc.
Thanks again and I look forward to hearing your advice(s)!
OG
Nice van and great thread!
I use a common tarp for an awning and struggled to find a small and strong mount for it. I use "beam clamps" and hook the tarp grommets over the beam clam set screw. $2/ea at building supply store. I can't attach a pic, not sure why/can't figure it out here.
I'm trying to figure out a decent 12 volt compressor to fill 4 or more gallons to 150 psi mostly for tire inflation and occasional light duty tasks (a few finish nails or blowing out deris). I can add a manual cut off and pressure switch for a 12v compressor. Right now I'll be using an inverter that I have (full sine, iron core, 1800w) and an eight gallon husky compressor but want something smaller/more appropriate. I plan on mounting the aux batt and air tank on the frame rail, possibly the compressor too, though that might go in the cab (depending on space requirements). I'll be custom fabricating all the brackets, etc.
Thanks again and I look forward to hearing your advice(s)!
I decided to add a little extra water storage for showers and general use. I got the idea from another van camper site. I used PVC pipe with a couple of end caps and a T with a screw on cap for filling it with water. I used the outline of the pipe to make three wood holders for the pipe. The rear most wood holder is the highest with the middle one lower and the front one the lowest to better drain out the pipe during use. Then I strapped them each down with heavy duty zip-ties.
I added a tire valve cap to the T so I could pressurize the system with my air compressor mounted under the van. (see previous postings) The valve cap is the type with threads and a nut on the inside instead of the type that is just pressure pulled through the hole.
On the front (low) end of the pipe, I drilled a hole, cut some threads, and mounted a quick-disconnect from an air compressor system so that I could connect a hose to it. I used the air quick-disconnect instead of a water hose quick disconnect because the air type acts like a shut off valve when the hose is disconnected, whereas the water type does not. I would have had to add a shut-off valve with the water garden hose type of disconnect. I did add a quick disconnect with a capped off end to keep the bugs out of the open hole.
Lastly, I put a quick connect on one end of some clear tubing with a shower head with a shut off valve mounted in it for use when showering. With the pipe painted black I am hoping it will warm up enough while driving that we can take warm showers with in the evening. I have an infrared digital laser thermometer that I can use to check the temperature of the water in the pipe or the clear hose. I made a second piece of tubing with a quick connect and a valve to get water for my coffee pot in the morning. I will let you know in a later post how it worked after I get the wife-approval rating!
Wife approved!
Additional modification:
I had this old air valve connector from my 1965 VW bug laying around. It was not needed after I converted my '65 into a dune buggy. This valve connected the spare tire to the windshield washer fluid tank on the VW. It allowed the spare tire air to provide pressure to the tank with the valve to not allow the pressure of the spare tire to drop below 35 psi. I will see if it works on my water tank. Future camping expeditions will tell.
I added a tire valve cap to the T so I could pressurize the system with my air compressor mounted under the van. (see previous postings) The valve cap is the type with threads and a nut on the inside instead of the type that is just pressure pulled through the hole.
On the front (low) end of the pipe, I drilled a hole, cut some threads, and mounted a quick-disconnect from an air compressor system so that I could connect a hose to it. I used the air quick-disconnect instead of a water hose quick disconnect because the air type acts like a shut off valve when the hose is disconnected, whereas the water type does not. I would have had to add a shut-off valve with the water garden hose type of disconnect. I did add a quick disconnect with a capped off end to keep the bugs out of the open hole.
Lastly, I put a quick connect on one end of some clear tubing with a shower head with a shut off valve mounted in it for use when showering. With the pipe painted black I am hoping it will warm up enough while driving that we can take warm showers with in the evening. I have an infrared digital laser thermometer that I can use to check the temperature of the water in the pipe or the clear hose. I made a second piece of tubing with a quick connect and a valve to get water for my coffee pot in the morning. I will let you know in a later post how it worked after I get the wife-approval rating!
Wife approved!
Additional modification:
I had this old air valve connector from my 1965 VW bug laying around. It was not needed after I converted my '65 into a dune buggy. This valve connected the spare tire to the windshield washer fluid tank on the VW. It allowed the spare tire air to provide pressure to the tank with the valve to not allow the pressure of the spare tire to drop below 35 psi. I will see if it works on my water tank. Future camping expeditions will tell.
falconbrother wrote:
Years ago my wife and I bought a 1977 Dodge factory hippie van. They have all been fun but, that old van was the most fun we ever had RV-ing. .....Yes, it was cramped after a few days but, for long weekends there nothing better.
I live out of my 1992 GMC RVan for 6 months now per year in winter. Just me, DH has the 17' trailer but I dont feel cramped at all just me and the dogs. I spend time outdoors which is the purpose of camping. Right now we are living in splendid isolation from COVID-19.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Now that I have made some improvements to my van camper it is time to put it to good use. Last weekend the temps were predicted to be in the 60's & 70's for the Black Hills regions of South Dakota, we headed out for a camping trip to Custer State Park which is south of Rapid City, SD.
On the wildlife loop of Custer State Park you can always see buffalo from a distance.
Sometimes the buffalo get up close and personal. They have been known to damage cars but we gave them plenty of space. It gets a little more dicey if you are on a motorcycle.
There are more wildlife to see than just buffalo. On the trip back home on I-90 we saw a herd of about 50 antelope formed in a perfect circle (like circling the wagons in an old wagon train) with all the outside ones looking outward. I had never seen this before and, unfortunately, didn't get a picture of it. My wife looked it up on the internet and learned that this is a protective formation taken when a predator is near by. Did not see the predator.
More wildlife on the loop included several colonies of prairie dogs.
We saw about four magpies on the loop drive. This one sat patiently while I grabbed my camera.
Back in the campground on our walk we saw several nuthatches.
The lake at the Game Lodge Campground was still frozen over and the cattails were starting to shred. The visitor center was open just beyond the lake.
Looking up I spotted a nice contrail. You often see these because of the nearness of the Ellsworth Air Force Base and their big bombers.
While looking up I noticed the full moon quite visible in the middle of the day. The previous night it was so bright you could see moon shadows.
All of my pictures are reduced to 640x480 format for faster loading. If anyone would like a high resolution shot or a pdf of my guide to the Black Hills I give to my science teacher friends please contact me at:
Mike.Barondeau@gmail.com
On the wildlife loop of Custer State Park you can always see buffalo from a distance.
Sometimes the buffalo get up close and personal. They have been known to damage cars but we gave them plenty of space. It gets a little more dicey if you are on a motorcycle.
There are more wildlife to see than just buffalo. On the trip back home on I-90 we saw a herd of about 50 antelope formed in a perfect circle (like circling the wagons in an old wagon train) with all the outside ones looking outward. I had never seen this before and, unfortunately, didn't get a picture of it. My wife looked it up on the internet and learned that this is a protective formation taken when a predator is near by. Did not see the predator.
More wildlife on the loop included several colonies of prairie dogs.
We saw about four magpies on the loop drive. This one sat patiently while I grabbed my camera.
Back in the campground on our walk we saw several nuthatches.
The lake at the Game Lodge Campground was still frozen over and the cattails were starting to shred. The visitor center was open just beyond the lake.
Looking up I spotted a nice contrail. You often see these because of the nearness of the Ellsworth Air Force Base and their big bombers.
While looking up I noticed the full moon quite visible in the middle of the day. The previous night it was so bright you could see moon shadows.
All of my pictures are reduced to 640x480 format for faster loading. If anyone would like a high resolution shot or a pdf of my guide to the Black Hills I give to my science teacher friends please contact me at:
Mike.Barondeau@gmail.com
