2002 E150 Conversion on an extreme budget

[dualhammers]

Due to unexpected repair needs, my budget for my van conversion is tiny: about $400. This is going to be a journal of sorts where I pose questions for myself and hopefully some of you can help answer. Just writing them down, however, starts the process of my own problem solving.

I'm doing this because I can no longer afford to pay rent. I am job hunting but I likely won't be able to work a job and fix the van up before I move out so I'm trying to get the van done before June 1st.

I'm essentially going to be taking what I have in my apartment and fitting what I can in the van. Changing the sparkplugs and one coil today and she should be good to go.

The van is a Passenger van so it's already insulated. I don't own any power tools and probably can't borrow more than a drill. 

Immediate questions to be solved.

1. How do I attach stuff to the van without tearing out the interior? I can't afford to do a full rebuild so I want to be as non-destructive as possible.
2. Can I screw stuff secure to the fabric using L brackets?
3. Could I use high power velcro along with bungee cable if I can't screw things in?

Goal before the end of the weekend is to get the seats out, clean the interior, and see if I can screw stuff in.

 

[gargoyle]

Careful with the screws. If you don't know what is behind the walls or floor...DO NOT SCREW into them.
Do not rely on the fabric walls.
Stripping out the seats will leave the floor brackets, normally. Use these as tiedown locations for the time being.
Bungees, ratchet straps, rope can be temporarily used.
Make sure everything is secured prior to road use.

 

[Almost There]

For the time being, I'd try to wedge things in as tightly as possible.

This is a temporary set-up to get you in to the van, lighten the budget strains and sooner rather than later you can do a proper set up.

Gargoyle has some excellent advice!

I know that loose stuff becomes a flying object in case of a bad accident but some people become overly 'sensitive' to the possibility and become almost paranoid. Yes, a battery not tied down is a danger but more a danger of tipping over than becoming a missile aimed at your head.

But then I drive like everyone else on the road is a danger to both themselves and me, don't make sudden stops and accelerate slowly and know how to merge. If that doesn't describe YOU, then ignore all of the above....

 

[hepcat]

And your van is NOT insulated... there's nothing substantive behind any of those plastic panels except some sound-deadening materials.

 

[masterplumber]

To get started you don't need much. If you have access to 2 even cheap sleeping bags, just put one inside the other. You'll be amazed how warm it will be. If you're not moving out until June that may not be as big of an issue. No need for built ins at this point, just sort of camp out in it and see what you need as you go along. If you currently have a small bookcase or desk they can be repurposed to work in a van, but other than that, less is more. You don't want so much in there that you can't move, or have to constantly rearrange things to get to what you need. A comfortable bed, a place to sit, a way to eat decent meals - what more do you really need?

 

[dualhammers]

This is all great advice, thank you. Even if I had money my philosophy would be very much the same: try it out and see what I need rather than assuming ahead of time and overspending on stuff I might need just because it's conventional. The previous owner drove this thing for 4 (Jan-April) Across the mid-west and said it worked out fine as-is. He even left most of his supplies in the van so I already have a makeshift desk, bed, blankets, etc.

Picked up a used little buddy heater at the htirft store so if it gets really cold I have a way out on that.

Tomorrow I will be busy with a yard sale but come Monday I should get the inside cleaned out and try out a temporary design.

 

[caretaker]

you have a 1500,,,you want to keep it as light as possible.

 

[DannyB1954]

A lot of people go camping without built in items. A cot, a sleeping bag or blankets, a stove of some sort, a cooler, a porta potti of some sort, (including a bucket and plastic bags). Plastic totes for all the stuff like food and water, pots and pans. If you want to insulate, second hand bed comforters held against the roof and walls with thin wood strips that are a tad longer that the wall or roof, (act as a spring or bow). I bought some of mine on half off days for something like $7 for a king size. You can hang them across from side to side and shut off the drivers area. Cut it in half and put the finished edges towards the middle and the cut edges against the walls. For clothes I use two plastic totes, one for clean, one for dirty. I have them stacked between the drivers and passenger seat. Makes a good center console for the dog to sit on.

I have a van conversion and I am thinking about taking everything out. I don't need a sink, (plastic pan works just fine), I don't need the uncomfortable couch that turns into an uncomfortable bed. I don't need the factory cabinet that won't hold Jack. I may also rip out the carpet and put down linoleum and foam backed area rugs.

 

[dualhammers]

Update!

Last week was a long one. I suffer from depression and anxiety and sometimes you just have to batten down and wait for the storm to pass.

It took a few tries but I got the sparkplugs fixed and also did the cap and rotor. I also measured the cab so that I can start planning a layout.

The User Interface on this engine is bad

Most important of all, however, is that my GoFundMe reached its goal so I can get the breaks and shocks fixed, pay insurance for the next month while I job hunt, and have a little extra for a rainy day.

Things are looking up.

Was out scrubbing the van down today when I noticed this new leak.

Looks like coolant to me. Hopefully just a bad hose and not a cracked radiator.

In preparing myself with supplies for being fu time in the van I've been perusing the local thrift stores. Found some excellent finds:

Not a long term solution but it should have enough ah to charge my phone at night and run my CPAP so for $10 this is a huge find.

My father had a drill like this and he built a ton of stuff with it. I figure I can do the light amount of work I'd want on the van the same way

Needed some sort of lockbox for my passport and whatnot and this is just perfect. Stamp on the bottom says 1952


That's all for now. Thanks for all the encouragement!

 

[dualhammers]

you have a 1500,,,you want to keep it as light as possible.

Yep! No big heavy wood in this thing. Mostly going to use plastic and self-made composits. I want to keep the added weight under 300lbs


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[ArtW]

Welcome, it looks like you already have ideas, so good luck!
just in case, this might help, no mine but good
http://www.vanlifecrisis.com/2015/09/the-320-1-hour-van-conversion.html

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Those are excellent thrift store finds!! Congrats!

 

[dualhammers]

So I did it. I'm a van dweller now.

I moved and threw out everything in my apartment in about 24 hours - been spending so much time fixing the van I forgot about the packing part. And it's day three and honestly the van is a mess. I overpacked and under measured. Tired, too, because I have been sleeping without my cpap. I have $50 to my name until the middle of the week so I couldn't get an inverter.

But I did get the essentials. Luggable loo top, a bucket, water jug, and a Coleman two burner white gas stove I found at the thrift store.

Right now I'm mostly just frazzled. I feel very exposed and with my lack of funds a bit stressed about breaking something. I have only been cooking Cold food so far because I'm anxious about setting the van on fire.

This is going to take some getting used to. But I am heartened by this forum - I know I'm waking a path others have done with success.

Glad I can share about it here. All my friends are successful tech people and they don't really "get it."


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[dualhammers]

I forgot to upload the photos. Me, messy van, and my travel companions whom take up a surprising amount of van space

 

[Cammalu]

Awwwwwwwwwww guinea piggies. I ate one on accident once in S America


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[user 37446]

You've gotten great advice from several posters, DannyB1954's comments especially.

That go fund me thing is amazing, like, there's your needed $$. :idea:  Simply amazing that people respond like that. Perhaps other needy forum members will do the same. 

Great progress, read all the forums you can here at CRVL and try things out.

 

[masterplumber]

One great way to gain some space back is to build your bed up high enough that the critters can have a space partitioned off underneath it. Best wishes as you transition to your new life.

 

[Wandering Giraffe]

Good luck with the build.

On youtube, user Into The Mystery 13 has some videos on making foam cabinets. A woman on a van tour on someone else's channel made them in a campground.

They are pretty strong and super light. They look good too.

They are the pink or blue foam insulation at building supply places cut and pieced together with toothpicks and tape. Then coated with fiberglass mesh. Finally couple of coats of glue paint. That's the basic cabinet. Surface effects are easy.

You only need a razor knife to make them. You could easily design custom stuff to fit your space. They are cheap to make but very labor intensive.

 

[user 37446]

Yep, organization is the key to it, that and minimalism.

Be real careful with that white gas stove. I used those 30-40 years ago, am glad to have propane now. Try to find a propane stove when you next get some funds. 

Glad you made the move. As the months go by and you are not paying rent you can really get ahead on bills and improvements. Consult the forum for any question, there aren't any dumb ones, search or google them as well, you may save yourself a lot of time that way.
Best of luck!

 

[dualhammers]

Hey everyone! Long time no update. This will be a short one because I'm sleepy but I wanted to write a few lines.

I made to Portland 3 weeks ago - the Go Fund Me money lasted long enough to make some life changes but didn't go as far as I wanted with the van. It's still pretty basic.

Unfortunately, I also had to rehome my guineapigs. They didn't like it all that much in the van and I didn't want to put them through that. Last I heard they are living out their days in a huge cage with lots of yummy veggies. Some nights I miss them a lot, though.

Right now I am slowly working on my Patreon. This is going to be my main source of income moving forward, but right now that means I am living on an extreme budget. My monthly income is about $200, so it's a lot of food banks and hand-washing for me right now. Having the time and space to live the way that is best for me? That beats having money.

Portland is EXTREMELY hot!!! Most of the country is hot right now, but Portland has been difficult since I arrived. Because of this - and a lack of solar - I have not spent much time in the van. I mostly work out of libraries and coffee shops. This is fine right now, but once my Patreon gets up to a reasonable level I hope to do some more upgrades to make it more self-sufficient.

Here is a list of things I want to upgrade:

• Solar (I need it)
• Water storage (15 gallons isn't enough for more than two weeks, so I either need to find ways to save water or get a bigger tank)
• Bed - still need to build something, sleeping on the floor is fine for me but if I ever find a parter we are going to want a bigger space
• Storage - I still need to install cabinets. Honestly the van is pretty stock and I think it's time to change that.
• Bathroom - I wonder if I can fit a composting toilet in here and vent it through a window??
• Insulation - No idea about winter yet, but I really need to get some reflectix for the windows. Blackout curtains are magneted in, but without the reflection it gets very hot very fast via the windows.
   

My Patreon is going to include a podcast of my adventures - monthly free episodes and bonus episodes for people who support me - my plan going forward is to post those free episodes here for you all to follow along. I lurk a lot more than I post but this community is great and I'd love to share my adventure with you all.

For those of you who are curious, here is a gallery showing my van as it exists right now. I will add photos to this as I go.

Good luck out there friends! See you all in a month.