A Dream Come True!... With the Undertones of a brewing panic attack

[ReelMobile]

Hi Everybody! Gosh I hope I can get some guidance here because there's only so many google searches one can do before you want to give up and just lie down on the cold uncarpeted metal floor of your cube.

What can I say about my new truck. She's just my pride and joy. When I look out of my apartment down to the street and see her sitting there, I actually giggle a little. She's loud and proud and has had many interesting uses before I got her this month.
For 6 years, I have wanted to create a mobile 'self-tape' studio for actors. This truck has been the missing piece, and once I saw her online, I went to the lot that day to look at her.
She was used for some sort of government surveillance business(Cool!), because they had wires along the ceiling and outlets along the walls, an eye wash station, and a place for a generator.

It was a whirlwind romance- The bones were great and the test drive was awesome, so I immediately made my rounds to my credit union to secure the a loan. The truck was too old (2011) and had too many miles (120,000) to qualify for a car loan, so I had to use my paid-off personal vehicle as collateral to secure the cash.

The Pros- She was definitely taken care of, and has the maintenance records to prove it. She came with a sidedoor, full-size cab access doorframe, and a roof AC. There's a backup camera, but I don't know if that counts because it doesn't work...

The Easy Cons- The Side-door needs a new lock rod clip, so right now, I have that bolted shut so it cant fly open on the freeway.
There's loose wires and outlets hanging out of the wall, and a smattering of fiberglass insulation peaking through the corners of the ceiling.
The rolling cab-access door is MIA, and I'm pretty sure the work was done out-of-state, so I have no idea how to replace that.
Graffiti- I live in Los Angeles- I'm used to packages being stolen, but when I came out on day 2 of owing her and had some stupid taggers write nonsense on the side of her, I almost lost it. Does anyone have any magic potions that either remove graffiti or something you can put on the body to dissuade paint and oil markers from sticking?

The Less Easy Cons- The car lot who sold her to me had some eccentric mad-scientist-electrician cut all the wires out of the cube, some of which I'm pretty sure didn't need to be cut (ie, camera cable?).
There was some snakey looking wires coming up through the floor of the box, and as I followed them under the body of the chassis, they were zip-tied all along the bottom, then into the engine, where they were attached to my truck battery. I found that out the hard way when I tried to cut them in the cube and they sparked. Woops.
The roof AC doesn't work, which wasn't a huge surprise, but trying to find where THAT wire goes has been tricky. And that REAR CAMERA- I see the camera, I see the screen in the cab; but where they connect, I have Zero Idea.

The Biggest Challenge- I am not an electrician, a mechanic, or a woodworker. I can handle a drill, basic sawing, and framing, but when you live in a crowded area, people don't look kindly on power tools at 10 pm. I really want to get to the fun stuff, but I cant do the insulation or the carpeting until I can safely back the truck up (camera) and get that cab door on.

I hope to find a lot of cool resources and ideas here from people who have done the trial-and-error before me! Cheers!
PS- I've of course added some photos. She really is special.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Hello Reel and thanks for joining us.

I have always liked the idea of a cut-away-cube van as a DIY conversion. Mostly straight walls and just the right size for what you need to carry.

Lots of experience is on tap in this forum, so don't hesitate to ask any and all questions.

Good luck and please keep us updated on your journey.

 

[bullfrog !]

Welcome!

 

[maki2]

Welcome. Figuring out what wire goes to what. That is definitely going to be a challenge and it will take time. You should look into getting a continuity tester that emits a tone. Most likely the brand you buy will have posted a video on YouTube showing you how to use it. That type of tester lets you work on your own without a partner.

Basically on a non live circuit you fasten the the tester end with the tone emitter to the end of something like the backup camera wire and then test wire ends you suspect might be the right ones until you hear the tone go off. When you hear it you know you got the other end of the wire that goes to that camera wire you hooked the tone emitting unit onto. Not saying it will be quick and easy but at least it is a start for figuring out what those wires go to without needing to obtain a degree in electrical engineering.

Label everything. Take notes, make sketches, take photos and add notes to the photos. Unless you have a photographic memory you need to document it all then eventually learn how to draw up a simple wiring diagram to keep handy for future troubleshooting, repairs and improvements.

 

[eDJ_]

Welcome to the Van Living Forum Reel

Sorry you got tagged.

I used to work in sign shops and we had this problem a lot. We used to get cases of Graffiti remover spray cans. You spray it on liberally and wait a few seconds and then wipe the graffiti off. It works on many substances including lipstick. (yeah.....not all vandals work with spray paint)

Just make sure it says "Graffiti Remover" (and not paint remover)

Home Depot offers this:

Graffiti Remover

Amazon and others offered here

Google Search Amazon

 

[INTJohn]

That box is like a blank canvas.
intjonny

 

[ReelMobile]

Welcome. Figuring out what wire goes to what. That is definitely going to be a challenge and it will take time. You should look into getting a continuity tester that emits a tone. Most likely the brand you buy will have posted a video on YouTube showing you how to use it. That type of tester lets you work on your own without a partner.

Basically on a non live circuit you fasten the the tester end with the tone emitter to the end of something like the backup camera wire and then test wire ends you suspect might be the right ones until you hear the tone go off. When you hear it you know you got the other end of the wire that goes to that camera wire you hooked the tone emitting unit onto. Not saying it will be quick and easy but at least it is a start for figuring out what those wires go to without needing to obtain a degree in electrical engineering.

Label everything. Take notes, make sketches, take photos and add notes to the photos. Unless you have a photographic memory you need to document it all then eventually learn how to draw up a simple wiring diagram to keep handy for future troubleshooting, repairs and improvements.

Wonderful advice, thank you! This is what I'm here for!

 

[ReelMobile]

View attachment 36678
View attachment 36679

That box is like a blank canvas.
intjonny

She is! Which is probably why some people want to draw on her haha

 

[ReelMobile]

Welcome to the Van Living Forum Reel

Sorry you got tagged.

I used to work in sign shops and we had this problem a lot. We used to get cases of Graffiti remover spray cans. You spray it on liberally and wait a few seconds and then wipe the graffiti off. It works on many substances including lipstick. (yeah.....not all vandals work with spray paint)

Just make sure it says "Graffiti Remover" (and not paint remover)

Home Depot offers this:

Graffiti Remover

Amazon and others offered here

Google Search Amazon

LOL lipstick, yes! The hardest part was that the outside of the box isn't a nice smooth surface, it has some texture. I'll be picking up a bottle of that asap, thank you!

 

[Tony's Dream]

As the saying goes.......be careful what you wish for! You have a nice clean slate to work with, good luck.

 

[maki2]

As to preventing graffiti from sticking to your van. I do not myself know of a specific product but I can tell you how to find some. Open a search engine and enter these keywords
“Anti graffiti coating paint vehicle”

You will need to research and make a choice between products. It will come down to cost and your specific location and physical restrictions for methods to apply those materials to the surface.

 

[bvanevery]

Wow, this is a project of vast scope beyond the usual vehicle dwelling requirements. Some of it, I guess you're just gonna have to learn as you go. And it'll be awhile, as you have a pretty specific vision. I've studied the possibility of voice acting in a car, because they do have good sound proofing properties and people actually do use them for that. But acting acting, I really don't know.

One thing that immediately attracted my attention from a pragmatics standpoint though, is... carpet. For "usual" people living outside, I wouldn't advise that at all. It's a mold, dirt, and allergy hazard. Especially, the condensation issues of carpet on metal could be seriously problematic. There'd be a very serious learning curve to go up there, if it's even advisable at all, and I seriously doubt it is.

Are you trying to provide comfort for your feet? Are you trying to muffle sound? Are you trying to provide a stable surface for footwork performance? Are you trying to keep warm while sleeping at night? I would strongly consider all these factors, before selecting any particular flooring material. I really think you probably want something other than "carpet".

Sleeping warmth, for instance: campers solve that problem regularly without carpet. Plenty of ways to do it. Some cost money, others don't. But yes, sleeping on a cold metal floor can suck. Suck the heat right out of you.

Another thing: make sure your flooring material doesn't stink. There's a lot of bad "rubber" products out there. I've gone through all kinds of learning curves, including yoga mat learning curves. Stuck my nose into all kinds of things, even ones that were ventilated on store shelves for very long periods of time. They still had those serious nasty Made in China chemical waste product stinks in them. This matters a lot in a 2007 Toyota Matrix hatchback. I ended up declining all these invitations to disaster. You have a bigger space, but if you're determined to floor the entire space, you have enough material to totally stink your space.

Don't do it. Think especially about what your vehicle is going to turn into on a hot day.

You really, really, seriously need to think through the flooring material you're going to put into this thing. That includes all the outgassing from whatever is in the "carpet" or whatever, and heaven forbid, any adhesives. Lots and lots of learning curve here. Lots of wrong ways to go, that can make your life hell.

I don't know what your ideal material is. I just know what it isn't, so I'm offering you fair warning.

 

[bvanevery]

The Biggest Challenge- I am not an electrician, a mechanic, or a woodworker. I can handle a drill, basic sawing, and framing, but when you live in a crowded area, people don't look kindly on power tools at 10 pm.

I learned woodworking during the pandemic. You can do tons of things with a Japanese style pull saw. I prefer the 7" Gyokucho "ryoba" (means double sided) saw, available for $20 on Amazon. One side is rip cut and the other is cross cut. I work in hardwoods, mostly crape myrtle. Using one of these things to go through big box store lumber is cake.

Many construction screws are self-tapping, especially in store lumber. The SPAX screws are excellent enough to tap even hardwoods like my crape myrtle. I've used them in situations where I'd designed myself into a corner and couldn't get my drill in to make a pilot hole. I still tend to make a pilot hole in the top piece, for accuracy. Then put a screw into it, using a socket wrench with a torx bit to turn it. I put the screw just barely peeping out of the hole, so a little bit of a point is showing. Then hold it against whatever bottom piece it's supposed to go into. Turn it by hand with the socket wrench.

I turn all my woodworking screws by hand. I'm paranoid about splitting anything and want to be able to feel what's happening at all times. You shouldn't need to do all that with larger scale construction projects. Those torx headed self-tapping screws are all designed to frame a house etc. It's just much more coase with much more of a margin for error, than the kind of stuff I do. Again though, if you really need the accuracy in smaller spaces, those SPAX screws are great.

 

[maki2]

Working without power tools. There is a great, easy to use, very accurate. hand saw, miter cutting system from Japan. The cutting goes very fast, the Japanese pull saws are amazing. The miter saw system including the guide and the saw can be purchased on Amazon for just under $60. You can make staight 90 degree miters, complex multi angle miters as well as rip cuts using this sawing system.

Photo from Amazon for buying it is shown above. Below is a YouTube video link showing the saw in use.

I used it to make cabinet doors for my travel trailer, shown in photo below. I did not use it for the cabinet framing as I built that from 1/8”
T-6061 aluminum angle. My cabinet design had to be very light weight but also very durable. But if I had chosen to stick frame with wood the Japanese miter saw would have worked just fine for cutting all those frame pieces. I would not use it for ripping heavy plywood. I am not crazy, I use power tools for that kind of hard work.

 

[ReelMobile]

As to preventing graffiti from sticking to your van. I do not myself know of a specific product but I can tell you how to find some. Open a search engine and enter these keywords
“Anti graffiti coating paint vehicle”

You will need to research and make a choice between products. It will come down to cost and your specific location and physical restrictions for methods to apply those materials to the surface.

Honestly, thank you for these keywords. I have tried a couple different variations, but taggers are so 'resourceful' in their tools. The last time this happened, they used what looked like an eyebrow pencil. I just want some sort of basic skin that will make whatever they put on the truck easier to clean off, so these are really great options!

 

[ReelMobile]

As the saying goes.......be careful what you wish for! You have a nice clean slate to work with, good luck.

Thank you Everyday, I do a little more work on her. Since two weeks ago, I have several blisters from cutting wires, and I have lost a nice layer of skin on my other hand from some bad screwdriver maneuvers. I am deeply in need of a manicure... But I have never worked on something more awesome.

 

[ReelMobile]

As the saying goes.......be careful what you wish for! You have a nice clean slate to work with, good luck.

 

[ReelMobile]

View attachment 36687Working without power tools. There is a great, easy to use, very accurate. hand saw, miter cutting system from Japan. The cutting goes very fast, the Japanese pull saws are amazing. The miter saw system including the guide and the saw can be purchased on Amazon for just under $60. You can make staight 90 degree miters, complex multi angle miters as well as rip cuts using this sawing system.

Photo from Amazon for buying it is shown above. Below is a YouTube video link showing the saw in use.

I used it to make cabinet doors for my travel trailer, shown in photo below. I did not use it for the cabinet framing as I built that from 1/8”
T-6061 aluminum angle. My cabinet design had to be very light weight but also very durable. But if I had chosen to stick frame with wood the Japanese miter saw would have worked just fine for cutting all those frame pieces. I would not use it for ripping heavy plywood. I am not crazy, I use power tools for that kind of hard work.View attachment 36688

Thank you! This is a wonderful set up. I wish I had your woodworking skills. This is an Excellent tool to help me get the rest of the ceiling off without having to rent an expensive battery operated tool!

 

[ReelMobile]

Wow, this is a project of vast scope beyond the usual vehicle dwelling requirements. Some of it, I guess you're just gonna have to learn as you go. And it'll be awhile, as you have a pretty specific vision. I've studied the possibility of voice acting in a car, because they do have good sound proofing properties and people actually do use them for that. But acting acting, I really don't know.

One thing that immediately attracted my attention from a pragmatics standpoint though, is... carpet. For "usual" people living outside, I wouldn't advise that at all. It's a mold, dirt, and allergy hazard. Especially, the condensation issues of carpet on metal could be seriously problematic. There'd be a very serious learning curve to go up there, if it's even advisable at all, and I seriously doubt it is.

Are you trying to provide comfort for your feet? Are you trying to muffle sound? Are you trying to provide a stable surface for footwork performance? Are you trying to keep warm while sleeping at night? I would strongly consider all these factors, before selecting any particular flooring material. I really think you probably want something other than "carpet".

Sleeping warmth, for instance: campers solve that problem regularly without carpet. Plenty of ways to do it. Some cost money, others don't. But yes, sleeping on a cold metal floor can suck. Suck the heat right out of you.

Another thing: make sure your flooring material doesn't stink. There's a lot of bad "rubber" products out there. I've gone through all kinds of learning curves, including yoga mat learning curves. Stuck my nose into all kinds of things, even ones that were ventilated on store shelves for very long periods of time. They still had those serious nasty Made in China chemical waste product stinks in them. This matters a lot in a 2007 Toyota Matrix hatchback. I ended up declining all these invitations to disaster. You have a bigger space, but if you're determined to floor the entire space, you have enough material to totally stink your space.

Don't do it. Think especially about what your vehicle is going to turn into on a hot day.

You really, really, seriously need to think through the flooring material you're going to put into this thing. That includes all the outgassing from whatever is in the "carpet" or whatever, and heaven forbid, any adhesives. Lots and lots of learning curve here. Lots of wrong ways to go, that can make your life hell.

I don't know what your ideal material is. I just know what it isn't, so I'm offering you fair warning.

Hahaha, this gave me a much needed chuckle because everything you said makes so much sense. You're like the ghost of Christmas future, where Scrooge goes in the box truck after laying down carpet and adhesives in a hot LA summer and finds it smells like mildew and rubber lol.
I am not a carpenter, so after some serious consideration, I realized that me doing carpet would be an aesthetic disaster and a tripping hazard. My goal now is to dampen sound the best I can, but not necessarily silent- You don't want to record something in a room with no bounce, like a closet, it always sounds dead. You need a tiny bit of room bounce. My move now is 2 rugs, so they're washable, and will kill some of the echo. And on the walls/ ceiling, some strategically placed acoustic foam squares

 

[maki2]

Thank you! This is a wonderful set up. I wish I had your woodworking skills. This is an Excellent tool to help me get the rest of the ceiling off without having to rent an expensive battery operated tool!

That is not a saw to be used for removing a ceiling. It is for cabinet making projects. You would destroy that saw if you use it for demolition work! Abusing fine tools is criminal behavior for a wood worker who spends years working with treasured tools that need to be treated with respect.

If you want to know tools for deconstruction work that will help with that I can advise you on some made for that use that can take those kinds of stresses.
Start with one of these for prying on stuff