Astro Van Help

[kwest]

So I thinhk I am going to get an astro to full time in, i own nex to nothing and can easily get by with less. I will be stuck near downtown in a larger city for the next few months and want to be very stealthy. i dont plan on spending more then two hours a day in besides sleeping, I stay very busy and will be working another job to get the debt paid off as quickly as I can.

So I'm just curious if if others living in astros insulated the inside? or did you just build over the interior paneling?

I am in south texas right now so Im not so much worried about the cold and I hope to get out before the worst of the heat moves in.

Also I have seen twokniveskatie and coultergeist astro conversions, but if anyone else on here has one in the conversion thread, please let me know.

My interent is slow so searching doesnt work for me much.

any other ideas or advice are welcome.


Thanks
west

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Bob just put an article of a very low skill/low budget astro conversion on his blog, with pictures and analysis.<br><br>http://cheaprvlivingblog.com/2013/01/how-toconvert-van-live-les/

 

[bk2valve]

Hi West....I have a Astro/Chinook conversion and I don't know how much insulation I have in it...but the fiberglass raised roof is a help....<br><br>So much depends on what you get. A passenger van has a lot of windows to consider....a cargo van has few windows and mostly bare steel sides. It would be so easy to insulate the sides and ceiling in a cargo van that you might as well before you panel it.<br><br>I prefer the passenger vans in that you get so much more for your money...auto windows (something that because of my dog I use ALL the time), auto door locks, better trim package, paneled walls and ceiling already, choice of windows, some opening....<br><br>I think if I were looking for another Astro, I would buy as new as I could afford and look for a "conversion" van...one with a raised roof, the electric back seat that converts to a bed, middle row seats, etc. then I would strip out what I didn't need and go from there. Something I would want would be the rear door style with the hatchback that lifts up with the barn doors on the bottom...I like that.<br><br> The thing about a cargo van is you might be able to get barn style side doors which to me are way better than a sliding door...<br><br>As you can see there are many choices and really, once you get something you can go from there...it may not need insulation or it may....<br>You won't need insulation immediately anyway....<br>Bri

 

[kwest]

Thanks you everyone.

I didn't know bob had posted anything on his blog like i said bad internet but i will check it uout.

Bri, i like the conversion vans as well, for the price Astros aren't bad, they seem to run significantly cheaper. I would like to try to find a conversion, but I'm on a time crunch i have about a week until rent is due, so we will see what i can find quickly.

I'm not trying to spend more then 2500-3000 on the van because i would like to have enough for batteries, building a bed and small kitchen area, fridge and solar will come later

 

[bk2valve]

So West...they actually made a few "Astro"s into conversion vans....that is what I would look for...<br>Bri

 

[kwest]

O ok, Thank you. I'll have to do some research and see if any are for sale. Fortunately there are a few major cities within 3 hours of me, hopefully something worth while will come up.

Do you have any pics of the inside of yours bri?
I'd love to see the camper set up they designed.

Thank you

 

[bk2valve]

Sure but mine is not stock anymore...in fact I removed everything and replaced it with what I felt I needed. I have changed it several times and it is now being changed again...Not finished so I can't send photos of how it is now...these photos are of how it was before this last redo....<br>Bri

 

[kwest]

Thanks bri, it's good to see the size and dimensions. The space is about what i thought it would be. Thank you.

It looks like you have the necessities, and since redoing it, i imagine you know exactly what you want

 

[coultergeist]

I really like mine.&nbsp; I hope my thread helped you.&nbsp; It's not really shown, but I used reflectix to insulate the interior of mine.&nbsp; I took off all of the panels and molding and put reflectix behind them and then remounted them.&nbsp; I also used the darkest available tint on the rear windows with reflectix behind it.&nbsp; I am in Georgia and have visited Texas.&nbsp; The reflectix is a good way to go.&nbsp; It helps with the cold, but more importantly, it helps to moderate the heat too.&nbsp;

 

[SirJoey]

<br><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>Bri, that's a cozy lookin' setup!&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"></strong></span><br><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>I've always liked the Astros anyway. Wish I had one.<br><br></strong></span>

 

[bk2valve]

Thanks guys, I like it. It is funny but every single time I spend any time in it I come home with new ideas of how to change it again....<br>I will put up some photos when I finish this particular setup.<br><br>This time I wanted to eliminate the bulk propane system and build it so I can have my wife sleep in the rig with me the few times she wants/needs to.<br><br>Usually we travel in the pickup/pop-up camper when we travel together but it would have been helpful a few times when we need to be in this little van.<br><br>I put a swivel on the passenger seat so she can ride facing forward. I took out the foot locker and welded up a frame for a counter/shelf along the passenger side rear and will have a plywood piece that will ride under my mattress until I need it and it will pull out and drop into place when we are ready to hit the hay. I will have an inflatable Coleman mattress for her.<br><br>It is coming together nicely...I built the frame out of scrap 1/2"square tubing salvaged from an old gate that I drug home from a dumpster a while ago. The top is the old table that came with the conversion. Scrap plywood makes the shelf and I will have to buy a sheet to make the bed portion...fun stuff....<br><br>Bri

 

[Ballenxj]

I've never looked at Bob's blog before? <br>Bri, nice set up. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce

 

[Ballenxj]

Not mine, and on another forum, but I think this guy did an excellent conversion on his Astro. <br>Have a look here. http://astrosafarivans.org/bb2/view...c35d37082ad209ec0b55d05283&amp;p=88670#p88670 <br>-Bruce

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

That bed is a very innovative idea, he basically has full seating but still a lengthwise bed!

 

[kwest]

That's the old Westfalia style, there's a few on home built ones in that style around. I always thought the space next to the bed was lost, but with the milk crates you can unstack and go lower. You can also sit on the back of the couch on nice days which is cool. Not sure how much storage space it has compared with the driver side bed. Since i don't own much all my clothes will fit under the bed, even some back packing gear. So i think that set up could work.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=4oYKqiET8WQ&desktop_uri=/watch?v=4oYKqiET8WQ

This link has the same setup, i think it was professionally done

 

[bk2valve]

Nice link DG...I like what that person did with their rig...<br>Bri

 

[MK7]

Check out GM Safaris too, they're the same thing as an Astro. I would get a conversion + AWD. People say it's only 1 MPG less for AWD. Then you can go offroad with decent tires in BLM land much better. <br><br>The stock bed is terrible, too small and takes up too much room. Don't think they made them auto convert; you have to fold them down from the bench seat position. Better to take it off and build a bed lengthwise. Sideways is just too short on an Astro.<br><br>There's a whole forum about Asros/Safaris with almost everything that you could possibly want know. http://www.astrosafari.com/<br><br>

 

[kwest]

I looked at safaris as well, but they are alot less common. I've had a diffcult time finding astros in my area with lower miles. And there's a decent looking conversion van for cheap. It has a regular top, but I think I will be ok without it. Im hoping to sell my rv and purchase a van in the next day or two, so look out for a new post in the "conversion progress" section

 

[blueberry]

Great info and links, thanks! I'm planning to get an Astro too in a couple of months.

 

[Unchained]

Me too, blueberry! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/cool.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"><br>As we are in the same area and on similar timetables, I hope we don't end up zeroing in on the same 'perfect' Astro... we might have to thumb wrestle for it! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">