A van named Hank

[GypsyDogs]

So, found The Van yesterday and took the plunge.
Needed one that was affordable and repairable.  Planning on starting my business on the road soon, and need my 'mobile home' for me and the dogs.

What I found:  POwner purchased it 12 years ago and has used it regularly and  :heart:  it.. 1987 Chevy G30 HiTop Convo with 48k on a pro rebuild.  Recent brakes, and some other misc work.  Receipts/paperwork.  Almost Rust Free !
Needed tires and pitman/idler arms.  pff.  Will need a muffler somedayish soon.  Other than that it runs/drives/stops nicely.

I want to recoat the roof in white elastomer of some sort, the fiberglass is just beginning to show freckles.  

Still trying to figure out what all I want to do to the inside.  I plan on a rear bed with storage, a 'kitchen' with reclaimed small sink dropping into a 5gal gray water jug, a propane camp stove, house battery setup (prefer AGM) with a light duty inverter to charge non usb things.

Really want to tear out the existing old carpet and replace with lino and a light insul layer.  Not sure if I want to gut the hitop yet.. need to kind of stare at it first.  It has storage compartments with doors right now.  May only gut the rear section for more over-bed storage and headroom...  and access to the hitop rear vent window (!!wooo!!) and possibly install a fanfan there.. or on the roof..  As I said, not sure of my final plan.  Also- I suspect the front seats swivel.. and can I swap them out for the 2nd row cap chairs?  Are they the same?  I will have to look.  2nd row is much less worn/compressed.
I am making a list.. LOL  :dodgy:

Right now, I am focused on getting it road worthy and clean.  PO's were chain smokers and it really desperately needs a carpet shampoo and hard scrub and maybe a fabreeze bomb.. lol  Figure I can Stare Creatively at it while I clean and decide as I go.

- I know... Pics soon..  it is currently at the autodoc for things I don't have the knowledge/tools to do.

 

[Almost There]

Congratulations - sounds like you made a great find.

IIWM, I'd definitely gut the carpet and put in either lino or vinyl laminate. Getting smokers crap out of carpet is almost impossible and the new flooring will give you something that's water resistant as well. If you're living in it, it's guaranteed that you're going to be in and out with wet feet, sand and drop something liquid on it!!

As to whether to gut the high top of it's cupboards, let's see some pics first...

My high top is single shell as opposed to the double shell one that I had on a previous van. It had the cupboards in it and they were great. I'm busy gluing in wood pieces so that I can finish the inside of the raw fiberglass...big job!!

If the front seats swivel, you're away to the races with it. I bought one swivel base used and it's repainted and all pretty now   If Captains seats won't fit line up with the bolt mounts then adapter brackets are available. Since you've already got a pair of good seats, I'd make them fit even if you have to find a friendly body shop to drill new holes.

I recommend Mean Green for a serious cleaner for getting out all the smoke fumes and residue. Available by the gallon from a Dollar Store. It will make you want to puke when you see what comes off the surfaces.

As the phrase goes: Pics or it didn't happen....

 

[LeeRevell]

My '88 Ford has Captain's Chairs, and the 3RD seat does not have the seatbelt or attachment points, while the fronts (1ST and 2ND) do. Be ready for that possibility. If so, maybe switch the foam and covers over?

 

[GypsyDogs]

Ok- have downloaded the pics-
(Did happen..!)

Nice straight body


essentially Rust free- even where the tire kickup is.

Shop just called, they also found a stripped tie rod.

And I have the local junk yard checking for a battery bracket set for me. Corn-Flakes-Rust doesn't hold batteries well..

Oh- and my seat belt connections are frame and floor mounted, not on the seat. I think.

 

[GotSmart]

You can find the battery tray kits at most auto parts stors

http://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts...+Google+Base&gclid=COeT9MqXwsUCFdgIgQodjVAACg

 

[SoulRaven]

Greetings & Congrats!

I don't believe in removing carpets...

Spend a little money and take it to a detailer, and your interior will be like new, and all of the smoke stuff gone and the carpet clean. It's worth thee bucks because they do a far better job with professional strength stuff than you can do yourself.

I have washable throw rugs over my carpet, so the carpet never gets dirty or wet. The factory carpet and underlying padding/insulation is far superior to anything you can replace it with.

Too many people make the mistake of tearing out existing stuff then realize they screwed up. The van and RV listings are full of them. Most people are not prepared knowledge wise, skill wise, or money wise, what they're getting themselves into.

I discovered years ago that even in -40 temps, no insulation is better, because insulation prevents the sun from helping to heat your van in the winter, and shade and sun work better year round than any amount of insulation. No added insulation also helps decrease your chances for mold problems behind it. All you need is good heat for when it's cold out, and you'll be fine.

For myself, I have decided the best way to build a camper van is to start with either a window or conversion van, move out the seats, and simply move my interior in, without ANY modifications to the van itself. Doing that makes it easy to switch vans if the need arises, and also allows you to change your floor plan until you figure out the way you like it best. Much more difficult if your interior is all built in, with a bunch of wiring and plumbing to deal with. When a previous van got totaled, I had a new van and my entire interior switched over before bedtime. The next day I took it to a detailer, we removed all of my belongings, he detailed it, and I moved everything back in within about an hour of when he finished it, and for all intents and purposes I had a new van with a brand new and sparkling clean interior.

 

[GypsyDogs]

GotSmart- thanks for the link, alas, mine is Dr Side G30 (http://www.partsgeek.com/ymm/1987/chevrolet/g30.html?category=body_electrical&part=battery_tray) I have seen this part elsewhere, but, not having an actual physical example to compare it to.. I don't know what I am looking for.
We do have an epic auto salvage yard/s around the area, and I own a socket wrench and can pull it myself.
It isn't just the tray that is bad, the frame mounted arms/bracket assembly it attaches to are also bad.

 

[GypsyDogs]

I think I came up with a workable solution for the battery (temporary- until I can get the proper tray.) We have the plastic RV wheel chocks. Should fit the curve pretty well, has a hole through it so I can bungee it into place, and can take the weight.. lol

Also- I emptied the 6! full ash trays, hosed the inside with fabreeze and shopvacced it and started on it with my little carpet shampooer.. it already smells tons better!! Yay

Got a dampRid for the interior to help with drying, a set of wiper blades, and a couple other odds and ends. Want to find seat covers for the trashed hiBack Captns in front..

And I need to use my Google-Fu and find the user's manual for the Conversion. "What ARE those unlabled switches for??"
But all in all it is going well.

 

[GypsyDogs]

Yay!! PO explained the switches to me..
Also that it is a 305 with a 350 rebuild..

 

[GypsyDogs]

So we 'ghettoed' a battery tray out of some scrap lumber! Woo!
Took Hank for a good test drive. (city and highway) and asside from an intermittent CE light, he did pretty well. Also picked up some padded Lino for the floor. The carpet is Just Heinous! And discovered that said carped is basically bondo'd to a sheet of half inch ply.
Also the front seat are so old they are shredding, as I watch... Thinking of swapping for the 2nd row- much less shredded- seats.

So it looks like I have a proper 'summer project' ahead.

 

[GypsyDogs]

Progress on Hank, to date:

A:  driven him a few times.  Handles well, run a tiny bit rough.  Might be from sitting, Likely needs tuneup. (plugs, wires, et al.)
B:  Began demo of interior.  Removed unwanted seats, and about 1/3 carpet so far.  Found wonderful thick neoprene backed lino (whole van for ~$10!!  thank you Habitat!) (and the dogs are welcome to come in with me while I scrounge!  Yay for well behaved dogs!)   The plywood sub-floor seems fine.  Will be in PacNW, so no need to do floor insulation.  We don't have "real" winter here.. lol
C:  Found seat covers for the front swivel seats (walmart) that will accommodate the arm rests - velcro down the sides.. wooo!
D:  Speaking of seats.. when you have the shoulderbelt, frame mounted and other end is mounted to the seat, what do you do with the stupid thing when you swivel the seat??  Flummoxed.. or maybe just really tired
E:  The plan thus far...  Strip out all carpet (ugh) and remount rear bench (yes, I fit.), supplement with probably a gel-mem mat.   Kept the floor-mount and pedestal for the "table" that came with the van- will make new desk/table.  Found a source for MaxxAire Fan (lower profile for driving with vent open and/or stealth when it rains) ~$200(freeship) add that to roof in rear.  Get decent battery AmpH (100-120) for basics, put in box, vent to seat holes for 2nd row. (add when I can) Run off alternator for now, add solar when I can afford it.  Wiring already there for pod lights, can use that for 12v outlets as needed.  Van came with 12v fluorescent fixture!  woo.  Inexpensive propane stove, tank, and already have buddyHeater.  Gravity water for 'kitchen.'  Kitchen built into small vanity/desk from Habitat/Bring with added small sink, and trap, and hose, to 5gal gray tank. (aka old nasty water jug. have)  Have sturdy 5gal bucket, just need 'seat' and kitchen bags for That..  Good cooler for perishables.. have.. small beverage cooler.. have.  
E:  Needs windshield remounted - leaks! Not good in Oregon..  
F: Needs muffler - chunk Missing.. looks like it was cut.. weird..


I plan to be, at least, part-timing out of this van for a good long while.  For my mobile dog training business.    gypsydogs.org

 

[Almost There]

Ahh, the old seatbelt in the way routine -  once you've got the seat turned around backwards try putting the seatbelt behind the seat. You might have to lean the back of the seat slightly forward to get it over the top of the high back but once you've got it back there it should slide down far enough to give you full range on the reclined back. The only other choice is to do it up and simply have it behind you when sitting but I found that was a pita.

If the rubber around the windshield is in good shape but it's leaking you could always try some of this:

http://www.permatex.com/products-2/...wable-silicone-windshield-glass-sealer-detail

Make sure you get the flowable kind.

You're doing great - making progress and that's all that matters!

 

[GypsyDogs]

Ahh, the old seatbelt in the way routine -

If the rubber around the windshield is in good shape but it's leaking you could always try some of this:

You're doing great - making progress and that's all that matters!

Thanks- sadly, it looks like the rubber was reused when they replaced (at some point) the windshield. The rubber has notches and is stretched out of the groove and is sagging and.. but on the bright side, the windshield is crystal!
Seatbelt- yeah, that is what I will try next. Going to utilize the long holiday weekend to get some more work done.

 

[GypsyDogs]

After much shenanigans the van is Officially mine.  DMV needed more than BillOSale to be happy, so I tried contacting PO but they did not call me back, knocking on door yielded nothing..
Come to learn that PO's son 'borrowed' her phone, then promptly got himself arrested..  And she sleeps in the back of the house so couldn't hear me knock.  sigh.. but all better now.

Have over half the carpet torn out now, and all the useless floor level 'beverage/ashtray' holder side-boxes..

Now I just have to decide if I want to go through all the hassle to remove the (useless) ceiling panel/cabinets..  they are kewl and all, but I don't see myself using them for much (too hot/cold) and I think I would rather have the headroom.  But the joy nightmare of pulling all that out..  sigh.

Also a little intimidated by the 2nd battery/solenoid/wiring project..  mechanics I get, auto electronics.. not so much. lol
Yeah Yeah- "it isn't that hard"  says all the folks that have done it before and understand it

Got a roll of nice 'mirror' window treatment for more heat reflection and privacy on the side windows.. Some kool-seal for the roof ECoating, just have to wait for warmer/dryer weather to apply.

Will add roof vent and solar after I can sell my big truck and pay off a few bills.  (5th wheel towing, 1999 GMC 3/4T 4dr)

And me and the GypsyDogs say 'Hi'

 

[rvpopeye]

You're making good progress on that vandwelling!
I love sheppies too , here's a pic of my "security system".
Unfortunately he's gone now but I still have his pic in my door window !

 

[Patrick46]

Great score on the van!

What part of Oregon are you in?? (must not be in Eugene...you don't have dreadlocks!!)

I'm over on the coast.

 

[GypsyDogs]

Nope- Patrick46. I'm in Springfield. lol

Oh- and the behind advice solved the seatbelt problem. Now to measure and get an industrial tote to make a booster seat between the CapChairs for the other dog.. She hates feeling left out.

Thanks for all the advice and information. And thank you for the forum and site as an amazing resource!!! Indespensable!

 

[GypsyDogs]

got my solenoid via the magic of the interwebs!
also may have found a source for a good AGM 100ah battery - will let you know-

slow but sure progress on the interior, and hopefully by end of summer it will be Done. or.. done-ish. you know.