drsolo
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Re: My Chevrolet Express van Class B- camper
Black95 wrote: Recently we purchased an electric scooter. It has proven to be very handy around the campground. We can zip to the comfort station quickly with it. We are looking forward to finding other uses for it. The handle folds down easily so we carry it strapped to our rear mounted ladder. /quote] I never had a bicycle when young and I fall off em. So I got a folding 3 wheeled electric mobility scooter 2 years ago so I could hit the bike trails with my husband who has an electric assist bicycle. At 75 I worry about thinning bones and concussions so I wear a helmet altho I am close to the ground on my scooter. The scooter is too slow and limited range so I just got a folding electric assist recumbent trike. The scooter needs to stay on paved surfaces but the recumbent does OK on dry grass and packed dirt. We carry them inside the RVan because of the electrics. I also use my scooter for shopping both at home and at our campground. scooter open and closed me on my trike Click For Full-Size Image. /quote]568Views0likes0CommentsRe: My Chevrolet Express van Class B- camper
Black'95 wrote: ... now that we have been retired we decided it was time to downsize and rid ourselves of 40 years of accumulated "stuff." ,,,,storage space big enough to put the Corvette and the camper conversion van in for the winter. ... upgrade the conversion van camper with an Maxi-Trac 8 foot awning from NAPA. When DH retired from teaching in spring 2018 we did a whole house clean out, round 1. It is VERY liberating altho I had to watch several episodes of "Hoarders" to prime myself to really get into selling, giving, Goodwill and just throwing away. We got an awning on our TT which is such a pain with the wind down here in FL that we just stick big umbrellas in metal tubes we pounded into the ground. I would LOVE to see a CCvan pulling a Corvette. The most outrageous thing I saw was a big MH with a motorcycle mounted on the back and ON the motorcycle was a skeleton. I got one lousy shot thru a dirty windscreen but I hope you can see the outline of the white skeleton. The MH was also pulling a white SUV? Click For Full-Size Image.583Views0likes0CommentsRe: My Chevrolet Express van Class B- camper
KaLvan wrote: We put a 3/4 inch plywood floor down for our base. We are curious how you have attached your cabinet and bed into the van. At first I worried about stuff like the frig and cabinets shifting around. I found only stuff on top of the counter would slide and the drawers in the cabinet. The only heavy item is the microwave which is screwed down with an L. The drawers are secured with swinging tabs and the bins etc with bungee cords. Then my bed (my recliner) would shift forward, but it too wasnt really a problem as I would just shove it back a couple inches when I stopped. I have learned to take corners slowly, drive so there are no sudden stops or starts and everything stays put. The cabinets are wedged so tightly they arent going anywhere.550Views0likes0CommentsRe: My Chevrolet Express van Class B- camper
Black'95 wrote: The small heater only has one setting whereas the little floor model does have a high and a low setting. We cover all the windows and windshield with custom cut Reflectix Al insulation to fit each window. That not only insulates it keeps the light out, so we can sleep in til noon if we wanted. I looked at but never bought a 12 volt heated blanket. Toss a quilt over that and it would be snuggly warm. And I too cut Reflectix insulation for the windows. It helped enormously.550Views0likes0CommentsRe: My Chevrolet Express van Class B- camper
J herb wrote: HI Mike! good timing on the new post, I was just going to ask you what you used to heat your van with when you are winter camping. Is that little heater AC or DC ? We camp at State Parks in the winter and they all have electric and we have a real nice 750 to 1500 watt elect heater with a fan and thermostat and it does a good job keeping the van warm. We also carry a Buddy Heater for backup if the electric went down. The heating strip in my roof mount AC doesnt heat enough when temp gets near freezing so I carry a quartz 400/800 heater. I am somewhat obsessive about being warm but havent needed it in the van, but, at our campground my husband uses one to heat the trailer since we arent charged for electricity but have to fill our own propane tanks for the furnace. The furnace is noisy as it cycles on and off, the quartz heater is silent.471Views0likes0CommentsRe: My Chevrolet Express van Class B- camper
J herb wrote: Checked out your van link and your van looks good and it's 29 years old, I see a few of the same type of GM vans around here and they are used all the time. It's nice that you can remove things to go get things that you need to do projects around the home. I can take one cabinet out with just removing 4 screws and that give me extra room to put bigger things into the van. I have a 4'x8' utility trailer for bigger and heaver things for home projects. We sold our rarely used 4x8 when there really wasnt anyplace we could stash it without it getting stolen. Only the 3 drawer over the frig is screwed to the wood molding at the top of the wall/ceiling. The microwave is screwed to the counter, but the counter cabinets are not screwed down. They pack pretty tightly to each other. The drawers have metal tabs that dangle and stop the drawers shooting out when rounding a corner. We dont make sharp corners or sudden stops tho.. LOL. The van is rusting and I have gouged it, it has dents and dings. Dan has promised to work on the rust while we are down here. We are planning on getting a newer little bit bigger van, we gotta watch cause they got tight rules what can be parked on the street.471Views0likes0CommentsRe: My Chevrolet Express van Class B- camper
I started with a conversion van fitted with an overhead Coleman AC + heat strip and rigged for AC current plug to the outside. I stripped everything behind the front seats out put down ply and vinyl and installed a counter with equipment underneath like dog cages, 3 drawer plastic cabinets and big plastic bins and a microwave, coffee pot and toaster on top. A Home Depot refrigerator. For sleeping (me only) I got a narrow recliner. Made a box to hold the porta potty behind the recliner. We use the RVan to haul building supplies now and then, so everything is made to slide in and out easily. When we upgrade the van we can just slide the equipment into the new one. What I really like about the RVan is no overhead bulky bins that close the overhead space in claustrophobia ... and I have the entire front window to see thru from the recliner.282Views0likes0CommentsRe: My Chevrolet Express van Class B- camper
Seon wrote: I've been searching craigslist for a couple of weeks now and see many cargo vans but they're either high mileage, rough condition or priced too high.. there seems to be a run on vans for camper van conversion right now. on my RV FB site they are taking bets on when the first of the trailers and motorhomes bought during the epidemic will be hitting the used market.264Views0likes0CommentsRe: My Chevrolet Express van Class B- camper
Seon wrote: In the 60's I converted a cargo van for camping that served my three kids, wife and I well.. I'm thinking of buying a cargo van and converting it with a bed, carpet, wall insulation and packing cooking gears for those multi-days of solo fishing trips. It sounds like you been there, done that and have the memories. Time to do it. I wouldnt give up my RVan. I just hooked a TD onto it for my husband.235Views0likes0Comments
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