2014 Chevy Express 2500 Van Build: Luisafernandes

[Luisafernandes]

I've been sleeping in my van for about six months, and never once did I have a problem with the police.
Today I'm in my driveway watching tv and I hear a knock. It's about 5:30pm. I quickly pause the show and listen for more knocking. Maybe it was just me hearing things or maybe there's someone outside.
I hear the knock again, not on the van as I first thought, but at the front door of the house.
I turned the tv off and take a peek through the Reflectix on the side door. It's the police. I put the Reflectix back and sit down. At this point I'm thinking I'm just going to sit still till they leave.
They keep knocking.
Various scenarios go through my mind. The first one; they are here to serve foreclosure paper. Second; my wife has invented some problems and is trying to screw me.
I hastily put my pants on, making more noise than I'd like too.
I come out of the van through the drivers door with a flashlight in my eyes.
A tall skinny cop asked me where I been today, and yesterday.
"Here at the house for the most part" I said. There, it confirmed in my mind she's up to something.
But I sure wasn't prepared for a third option. The other cop, a short fella, said a white van matching mine was seen yesterday at the community across from me, trying to steal or whatever they were doing, according to tall and shorty.
Tall kept asking me what I was doing in the van. "Stuff" I said.
What kind of stuff?
A little of this and a little of that.
So you just in there? Why aren't you in the house?
So I told him that the house didn't have any heat and its warmer in the van.
I could've been rude, but within my rights to tell them that, it's really none of their business what I'm doing in MY van, in MY driveway, on MY property.
I was polite though. They asked their questions and since I have nothing to hide I answered the best I could. They left and hopefully it's the end of that. If not, I have nothing to hide. Have a clear conscience and, if things get bad I have the number for an attorney. Somebody will get sued for all they are worth. Lets just hope it doesn't come to that[emoji4]

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Here's the reason I had to be home yesterday and today;

All the stuff I haven't been able to sell is gone! Don't have to worry about it anymore, and I'll get a nice tax deduction, I hope.
I steal have a couple things I'll try selling but no big deal. The truck was full. Nothing else was going in[emoji4]

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

All right Luis! I've been making regular trips to goodwill myself.

 

[Luisafernandes]

Had my first shower in the garage.
I had the kerosene heater going to dry the stain on this box I made for the propane tank;

Killing two birds with one stone I heated up some water right over the the kerosene heater;

And had my shower;

And now some improvised dinner;

 

[LeeRevell]

I like Mountain House too. The Beef Stroganoff is my favorite.

 

[cdiggy]

I like Mountain House too. The Beef Stroganoff is my favorite.

Out of all the freeze dried stuff mountain house, IMO, is the best out there. Sucks that it is so damn expensive. When I planned out my month long trip inside the Grand Canyon I did a lot of calculating and figured that I could buy a $200 dehydrator and make up my own dinners and save money to boot. Dehydrated enough food to make 40 lbs of product and sent 30lbs of it down to phantom ranch on a mule. Plan worked brilliantly.

 

[highdesertranger]

more food, luis you need your own food thread so at least I can prepare for it. I love mountain house, best freeze dried imho. a little tabacso and it's just right. highdesertranger

 

[Luisafernandes]

I like Mountain House too. The Beef Stroganoff is my favorite.

Mine too! I got these in a package of 10? At Costco a couple years ago, very cheap, sure came in hand now[emoji106]

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more food, luis you need your own food thread so at least I can prepare for it. I love mountain house, best freeze dried imho. a little tabacso and it's just right. highdesertranger

Thanks buddy [emoji2] I love cooking [emoji486][emoji494][emoji490][emoji476]
I think though, if I keep pretty much everything in here, it won't get lost.
But, I just did something I didn't think I would do, and I haven't done anything really, yet, but I stater a YouTube channel. Might do a video of the van to start with.
Not going to lie, I'm a bit hesitant [emoji52]
Oh, my channel is "rolling earth-ship". There's nothing there yet, nosy be soon[emoji15]

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Nosy be soon[emoji1][emoji1][emoji1][emoji23][emoji23][emoji40]

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Out of all the freeze dried stuff mountain house, IMO, is the best out there. Sucks that it is so damn expensive. When I planned out my month long trip inside the Grand Canyon I did a lot of calculating and figured that I could buy a $200 dehydrator and make up my own dinners and save money to boot. Dehydrated enough food to make 40 lbs of product and sent 30lbs of it down to phantom ranch on a mule. Plan worked brilliantly.

Dehydrator might be a good idea, but in my case I have nowhere to store it[emoji17]

 

[cdiggy]

That is the thing. they take up space we don't really have.

 

[Patrick46]

WOW....the van is lookin' GREAT there Luis!!

Karma points for donating so much to Goodwill!





btw......what's that red thing???? VVV

 

[Luisafernandes]

Patrick, that red thing is nothing you know of back in the PNW; a snow blower[emoji1][emoji56]
Thanks for the compliments[emoji779]️[emoji106]

 

[Luisafernandes]

Hi everyone!
I made my first YouTube video! A tour of the van part 1 is already uploaded.
I'm using my iPhone and the quality isn't the best, and I'm pretty nervous on top of not having a clue of what I'm doing [emoji33]
Hope you watch, and here's the link;

 

[Tinman74]

Lookin good so far. I will be waiting for chapter two.
Bob

 

[Luisafernandes]

Lookin good so far. I will be waiting for chapter two.
Bob

Thank you! I couldn't manage the whole video with the iPhone video editor, so I have to break it up[emoji30]

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

so much easier than posting a million pics, ive found

 

[MikeRuth]

Luis, You have any tip(s) on how you contoured the top of the bulkhead wall? I'm not sure about the Chevy but My Ford has a contour and several odds and ends sticking out, Haven't been able to get it right yet.

I love my E-150 that's for sure but one thing about the ford nothing is symmetrical!!! Bangs head on the wall

 

[highdesertranger]

we take a piece of scrap wood(1/8 ply works great) get it as close as you can to where it needs to be and then use a compass to scribe the arc. on pieces that have several ins and outs I like to take a piece that is close then take strips of 1/8 ply about an inch wide. then I staple in the contours with an upholstery stapler. I have seen guys use cardboard taped in place also. either way you have just built a accurate template. highdesertranger

 

[Luisafernandes]

Luis, You have any tip(s) on how you contoured the top of the bulkhead wall? I'm not sure about the Chevy but My Ford has a contour and several odds and ends sticking out, Haven't been able to get it right yet.

I love my E-150 that's for sure but one thing about the ford nothing is symmetrical!!! Bangs head on the wall

It wasn't easy Mike, but all you need is time and patience.
First thing I did wad figure out where it would go.

On the left side of the picture right behind the seat you can see where I first attached a piece of plywood.
Here you see it screwed in;

I used that to give my partition a more solid place to screw into.
Here's one piece of the partition;

But before that I got a piece of 3/4 plywood going across the top;

Like that. I attached it at the ends with a very long screw, but not too big to go through the outside [emoji6]. That gave a another place to secure the panels.
To make the panels I spent many hours figuring out where exactly things would go. Then I used paper to make templates. Then I transferred those templates to 1/2 maple plywood and, after sometimes many trips in and out of the van for minor adjustments, I had myself a panel. Then I repeated the whole thing three more times, not counting the doors.
One thing that helped me a lot was a drawing compass. I made the cuts on the template as close as possible, then run the compass from top to bottom for a very close finish.
Hope that helps![emoji4]

 

[MikeRuth]

thanks, I just have to fab a piece similar to your last shot as I decided on Black out Curtains. That piece will be the filler between the curtain rod and the ceiling to block light out.

I'm good, got the idea.

TC

 

[sassypickins]

Oooo! So exciting! Great first effort at making a video and I really like the partition wall from the cab side. It is beautiful. Can't wait to see the next installment!

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

Just a thought : how about a 3-5 foot piece of Romex or thick wire (which holds it shape when bent). Press it against the contours of the wall then lay it on top of the piece of wood to be cut, trace the contours and then cut away.
KinA