Bruce- A NJ E150 Van Build

[BinDerSmokDat]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]Hello,[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]I'm new to the forum and RV camping, but not new to camping in general.[/font]
[font=Arial, sans-serif]I'm pretty handy and perform a lot of my own work on vehicles of all kinds as well as my home and garage.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]I own a Ural, which is a Russian sidecar motorcycle with two-wheel drive. [/font]
[font=Arial, sans-serif]I ride it off-road and LOVE it but it has two drawbacks...[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]1) It is slow and struggles to do highway speeds when loaded with gear for a long weekend of off-roading/camping.[/font]
[font=Arial, sans-serif]2) It is Russian. It is mechanical. It is based off old, basic designs. It breaks, sometimes at very inopportune times.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]The NJ Pinelands offer a lot of great riding and are within striking distance of home, but occasionally I like to wake up and be right in the Pines. Or sometimes I like to venture a little further out into the world to explore. If I only have a couple of days for a trip I like to get there, ride, and get back.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]Currently my Mazda CX-9 does an excellent job as tow vehicle and gear hauler. It has gobs of torque and is the quietest most comfortable vehicle I've ever owned. But it's a little cramped inside so sleeping is out of the question, so I still need to set up a tent. Then I also need to haul gear in and out of the vehicle as well as keep it very tidy and presentable because it's my baby and daily driver.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]Friends have gone the older conversion van or minivan route as their tow/base vehicle with mixed results. [/font]
[font=Arial, sans-serif]After much consideration and looking at what works and doesn't work for them, I've decided to convert a van to camper.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]Be forewarned, I have a tendency to ramble. This will be long, so apologies in advance.[/font]
[font=Arial, sans-serif]I sometimes need to write things out to fully form an idea or concept in my head.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]The donor vehicle is one that I sort of happened into. My stepfather always owned vans and his most recent acquisition was a 2001 Ford E150 that he bought a few years used back in '03. Since then he had only put 80,880 miles on it. He took ill in November 2016 and I kept his van in mind when it was evident he wasn't ever going to be driving it again. When he passed in July, I decided I wanted to convert it. I'd been helping my mom with a few things and incurring all of the costs myself. I looked up the fair value of the van was close but not quite what I had spent so I told mom I'd take it in exchange and wipe the debt clean.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]His eyesight had gotten worse and he wasn't as confident behind the wheel of a full-sized van before he got ill, so when I took possession of the van in VA it had sat for around a year. It hadn't been driven much before that. It had a full tank of gas...but nobody was sure of how long it had sat so the gas could have been even older, but at least with a full tank there wasn't a lot of dead space for condensation to accumulate. [/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]When I went to start it, it was completely dead, but a few hours on the charger and it turned right over. Next was checking the overall condition. Being that they don't salt the roads much in VA and he didn't drive it even when they did get snow, the body and underside are in excellent shape from a rust perspective. It's a cargo van that basically saw passenger car duty. The interior was pretty clean, the body free of dents and rust and because it had done mostly passenger duty it sat level (slightly tail up actually) and springs aren’t shot. The doors all work and the hinges don’t sag. The usual grime, wear and tear that accompanies a similar vintage contractor truck were absent.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]It was a basic cargo van with power locks, AC and cruise control and the 4.2L V6. It has a small stock Ford trans cooler and a 4 pin flat connector that my dad never used. The interior was mostly bare stock steel walls. Literally a blank canvas on which to paint my masterpiece of a van-to-camper conversion. [/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]The only problem was with what my dad had done to “improve” thevan during his ownership. You see, he was an amateur radio guy and a tinkerer. So that means that he had installed 8 antennas on the roof (one was missing and had just the threads and sticky residue of duct tape remaining over the hole when I took possession) and two 8 foot fiberglass whip antennas mounted about 2/3 of the way up the rear corners. Yes, you read that right, 10 antennas (well 9 and a hole) NOT counting the stock AM/FM antenna![/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]The van was covered in a layer of algae, moss and leaf debris, insect parts and general airborne grime when I took possession. The windows were covered in muck and it just LOOKED like a vehicle begging to be pulled over by local law enforcement. Did I mention that it had a 6 month expired inspection sticker?  It needed a wash and it needed it badly. However there was no working garden hose at my mom’s and didn’t feel like running out and buying 100’ of hose for one quick wash. At this point I wasn’t certain of the mechanical state, let alone if I would be driving it back to NJ so I wanted to keep the outlay of funds to a minimum.  That meant getting it to a gas station and getting a cheap free/reduced price car wash with a fill-up. (I wasn’t sure that the gas gauge worked and my mom had said there had been a previous issue so I didn’t really think it had a full tank.) [/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]So the very first step was to remove all the antennas so it could fit in a car wash. Then I had to remove all the radios and gadgets from the interior section just to fit inside. I’m 6’6” and 260. My stepfather was considerably smaller. I needed every bit of elbow, knee and leg room that was currently occupied by several radios, a GPS mount, a drink holder, a goose neck LED light, mikes for aforementioned radios, meters and gauges for the auxiliary 12V and 110V converter he installed and a bunch of other junk.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]It took me about 3 hours just to remove the antennas, air up the tires with a depressingly slow Harbor Freight pancake compressor my dad had on hand and to clear the drivers compartment of junk so that I could fit and operate the vehicle with minimal distraction.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]Finally I thought I had cleaned it up enough to drive to a car wash but it was dark and I had been up for 21 hours. My judgment may have been impaired. I pulled out of my mom’s driveway and instantly realized that the dim yellowed headlights combined with a layer of grime on the windows wasn’t going to allow me to see much of anything. I limped the 3 blocks through a residential area driving 10mph and got to a 7-11 under some bright parking lot lights. Once there I was able to see better and do a better window cleaning.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]I got it to the car wash and started to “fill” the tank. The pump kicked out at 1.1 gallons. I thought it was just finnicky so squeezed a bit more in. I got it to take about 2.4 gallons but not enough for a discounted car wash, let alone a free one. It did confirm that the fuel gauge was accurate, at least on full and that I had a full 30 gallon tank.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]I took the opportunity to use the free windshield wash squeegee at the pump to pre-wash my windows. It was at this time that I discovered just how dirty they and the van was. Not only was there a layer of hazy green filth on the windows, but some heavily faded and wrinkled window tint on the side doors and back doors that I hadn’t even noticed. Then I noticed how thick the algae and muck was on the rest of the van so I used the squeegee to pre-wash some of the larger flat surfaces. Before you judge remember: 21 hours awake, expired inspection sticker, driving a deceased man’s van, I hadn’t secured the current registration or insurance card and I was in Williamsburg, VA a tourist trap of a town that strictly enforces speed limits and other traffic violations as if they were felony offenses. Oh and I’m an out-of-state driver. From NJ. I really didn’t want to draw attention and didn’t want a ticket.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]Finally I had done all I could do with the squeegee. While I tried to remove as much muck from the squeegee before returning it to the bucket for more window washing liquid, I don’t think it helped. The water started off dirty blue and was grey-green when I was done. To the next driver who used it, sorry whoever you are. [/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]It was time to run it through the car wash. I picked the cheapest one for $4.99. I didn’t think it was going to come clean, let alone be clean enough for the $2.00 deluxe wash with ‘sparkle wax and sealant’ to make much difference. I also crossed my fingers that the van would fit. I could only unscrew a few of the antennas on the roof, not completely remove the bases, so I heard a gentle scrape as I passed under the “Maximum Height” bar that hung over the car wash entrance. I pulled in and obeyed the light to stop and put the car in park. Then things started to happen.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]As the brushes spun up to speed and the water sprayed I crossed my fingers that I hadn’t made a huge mistake, that the van wouldn’t pose any clearance issues and that none of the antenna holes in the roof would become spigots. Thankfully the first jets of pre-wash water and soap started to hit the car and the brushes rolled over the roof and it seemed like everything was going to be OK.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]Then the horror. Vans have ribs in the ceiling to provide rigidity and prevent cavitation in the large expanse of sheet metal. They aren’t very deep. Or so I thought. As the washing began what I can only describe as handfuls of “mulch” began to run down the windshield. A conglomeration of leaves, twigs, magnolia flower and pod fragments, acorns and maple tree seed ‘whirlybirds’ or ‘helicopters’ or whatever you call them in your neck of the woods. In the last year or more since it had been driven it saw every type of dropped foliage and seed possible and accumulated them. At first I didn’t realize what was happening, then I remembered those ribs. They must have been heaping full of mulch-like crap as well as general accumulation on roof of the van itself. I don’t know how much there was but it seemed like pounds of it and they slid down the windshield and gathered at the wipers. It was a mess and as the wash continued it just scattered stuff everywhere. [/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]I shook my head. First I’d ruined the squeegee for some poor guy and now the next car wash customer was going to get mulch-laden brushes slapped all over his car. The wash progressed to the rinse phase and it seemed to do a good job. I could see much more clearly out of all of the windows. The wash completed and the height of my van didn’t seem to cause a problem, I pulled back up to the pump to inspect the wash job under the lights. It was 100% better and didn’t look like a prime candidate for a moving violation. There were still some green streaks on the sides and at the roof line and I suspected the roof was less than spotless, but it didn’t stand out now. There were handfuls of mulch in the wiper area but they weren’t noticeable to passersby and would have to wait until morning to be dealt with.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]I got some long overdue sleep while my van to-do list danced in my head.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]The next day I spent a few more hours organizing and cleaning out. That Tuesday I headed back to NJ from VA. I made the trip in 4.5 hours through light mid-morning DC/Balt traffic. The van handled fine except for a slight pull left and a wobble when braking. I mentioned it to my brother later and he said “Oh yeah I seem to remember him saying something about it needing ball joints.” OK, not a catastrophic repair, but it would have been nice to know that BEFORE I drove it home.[/font]
[font=Arial, sans-serif]Within 90 mins of being back in NJ I had it registered, plated and insured. I took it to inspection the next day and it to my absolute surprise PASSED. Even with the window tint on front passenger windows which is illegal in NJ.  I drove it around NJ the 2nd day to see how it would handle in stop N go traffic and half expecting some additional mechanical issues to crop up.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]When the tank got down to ¾ I filled it up. The highway driving and some errand running yielded a real-world 15.6mpg! That isn’t bad, considering I set the cruise to 73mph on the highway, did about 60-65mph on the Balt/Wash Expressway and 75-80mph in NJ when I realized I was close to home and could push it a little harder to see what it would do, then some stop n go around the area. I expect that if I had set cruise to the 65mph speed limit I’d get close to the adjusted EPA of 18mpg for a 2001 with a 4.2l V6.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]Incidentally my goal is to keep my build light to retain as much MPG and towing power as possible.[/font]
[font=Arial, sans-serif]No ¾” pine Pinterest paneling on the ceiling and walls. No MDF cabinets handing all over.[/font]
[font=Arial, sans-serif]It’s not an extended van and doesn’t have a raised roof, so I’ve already got that going for me on the weight and handling side. All weight added will be as low to the ground as possible! All furnishings will be as LIGHT as possible. I’m not eschewing comfort, I just want it to return decent MPG and handle as well. I’m even looking at frame mounted water tanks and batteries, to keep the weight below the center of gravity.[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]Since I’ve brought it home I’ve…[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]Removed the following; floor due to entire cargo floor padding soaked by leaks/condensation; stock vinyl floor, a rubber floor liner from a previous van my step-dad owned, heavy rubber pick-up bed/cargo liner, rear door and side door step thresholds (both to be reinstalled) and three pieces of carpet that he was using for cargo area protection sound deadening. Also removed; a 1000 watt inverter, additional antenna coax, 12v, speaker and 110 wiring, 12v junction blocks, 110v outlets and boxes, additional stickers/decals interior and exterior, heavy 4ga cables from front battery along frame to inverter in cargo area. The heavy cables from front battery to inverter were resting on right (passenger side) ABS sensor wire, the strain relief at plug was split but wiring appears intact. Using cut-off wheel, removed large rivets and bolted plugs that held down original flooring and covered floor holes; all were corroded and rusted. Ball Joints were inspected and found to be worn along with radius arm bushings, sway bar bushings and coil spring silencers. Removed rear table made from piece of VA house kitchen backsplash (yellow laminate over heavy particle board).[/font]
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[font=Arial, sans-serif]Some people have questioned why I ripped out all of the wiring when it already had 110v and 12v accessories and wiring in place. First, I don’t trust any of the install. Garden hose was used as makeshift conduit to protect wiring and in some cases the incorrect gauge/type of wiring had been used. Second, there was no clear way of telling what was tied into where and would have required some careful mapping. In the end I decided that any potential saved labor of using what was present would be offset by the labor of working around existing wiring and the piece of mind of knowing it was done right. Also it appears that at least two times batteries exploded/leaked from overcharging. I have found two spots that have rust/corrosion that look like battery acid spewed up and hit the ceiling, both over areas where batteries were mounted. A newish trolling battery in a new battery box seem to confirm this. So all batteries and wiring had to come out to insure that the rusted/corroded areas are properly remedied and repaired.[/font]

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

So why did I decide to call my van Bruce?
The mechanical Great White shark that gave the crew so much trouble during the filming of Jaws was given the name "Bruce."
And while the story of Jaws is said to have been inspired by the NJ Shark Attacks of 1916, Peter Benchley says that is not true, it's only mentioned in the film.

Here's to hoping my Bruce isn't nearly as difficult or dangerous.

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

I wiped down all hard surfaces of the interior with ammonia and water to remove layer of mildew and general grime without leaving any cleaner/detergent residue behind. Ammonia is a good cleaner/degreaser when you want to leave a residue-free surface. Just wear rubber gloves and use in a well ventilated area. I fabric shampooed the front seats, installed 2” hitch ball in step bumper, removed more wiring, brackets and wire shelves. Removed several garden hoses containing cables ziptied to the frame. Used angle grinder to remove stock jack and jack handle mounts in rear of cargo area. Lowered the ORIGINAL 2001 spare tire, added air, greased screw for winch mechanism lock, wiped down and lubricated the spare tire winch parts.

It’s currently just a bare metal interior with cardboard taped on the floor. The cardboard is to provide a little abrasion protection for skin and air mattresses from the sharp edges and rusty spots on the floor. Sharpie in hand, the cardboard also serves as a handy way to sketch out potential floor plan arrangements or make notes to remember later.
I took the van camping for three nights.  The first two were just me. The wife and dog joined me for the 3rd night. This was a trip to a local state campground, basically to tow a motorcycle and not have to erect a tent. Sort of an initial shakedown trip and to start thinking about what features I want in there based on real-world experience. Temps were in the 50s-60s at night and it was comfortable the first two nights but the presence of the wife and dog quickly warmed the van up on the third night. I didn’t have screens sorted out for the front passenger windows so they stayed closed and there are no other windows that open. So ventilation has moved to the top of my priorities.

I will go with a roof vent that has a multi speed fan and can be reversed, to pull or push air as needed. I will also be installing some wind deflectors on the front door windows. This way I can leave the windows down 2-3 inches unseen and attach screens inside for a stealth look and not worry about rain coming in or insects. This will also draw air through the whole van with a fan on one end and passive window openings on the other. It will have the added benefit of providing great draw when moving, as those deflectors tend to stop the buffeting you experience with an open window by creating a low pressure area just behind them that draws air out smoothly and cleanly.

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

For my build I have already procured two gallons of DuraBak smooth white bedliner to coat the floor and about 4-6” up the sides, I will do the entire floor from the firewall to the rear cargo doors. The idea is that no matter what I put down over top, the floor will be protected (and a little sound deadening) from rust and abrasion from the inside. I’ve also bought 75sq ft of Noico 2mm sound deadening material. This will be used on all large flat areas of sheet metal on the walls, ceiling and inside of exterior door skins doors as well as interior of interior door panels. This stuff is heavy, on par with heavy vinyl floor tile but softer and more pliable, with a foil face. So far I’ve only installed on piece on an approximately 18” x28” interior panel between wall ribs and the difference is very noticeable. Tapping or punching the panel inside or out versus the same panel on the other side of the vehicle, the ping and hollow reverberation is completely gone, in fact the sheet metal not covered but adjacent to this panel is noticeably dampened. While this stuff is heavy, it is part of my lightweight build because I value quiet almost as much as I value fuel economy. As a motorcyclist, I’m very aware of how much road and engine noise can fatigue you on long trips. A quiet vehicle is a vehicle that is more enjoyable and in the long run, safer and easier to pilot. It should help deaden rain noise on the roof when parked as well.

The Noico went on easily enough, just trimmed it with a razor knife and I bought two of their ridged metal rollers, which make installation a snap. It is super sticky and pretty flexible. I’m going to try and install it on a warmish day, as it is easier to work with when softer. I have to patch some roof and rear pillar holes from antennas first before I continue.

For hole patching I looked into Eastwood’s No-Weld Patch kits. They want $20 for a couple of squares of fiberglass impregnated with resin (Garolite), two nylon bolts a bent piece of metal and two ketchup-style packets of epoxy, each kit patches two holes. With at least 10 holes to fill, that would have been $100! I found a JB Weld epoxy in 0.85oz single use tubes with the same exact specifications as the Eastwood stuff, got a whole 24” x 24” sheet of Garolite, I’ll use nylon zip ties and a piece of angle iron to span the hole and pull the patch tight while it cures, PLUS bought 3M body filler and body filler spreaders for a little over $100. I have enough epoxy to patch 12 holes, plus enough of the other materials for another 10-12 holes depending on the size. When I’m done I will have smooth, auto body shop quality repairs, which I will then prime and paint with color matched spray paint. The good news is I can practice my hole repair, sanding and painting techniques on the roof, where they just have to be structurally sound and appearance is not crucial, before attempting the holes in the rear pillars which are more visible.

If you don’t know what Garolite is, look it up, it’s amazing stuff, doesn’t absorb water and is available in everything from thin sheets to rods to thick blocks. Boat people use blocks of it behind wood and fiberglass to provide reinforcement when attaching accessories/fixtures. RC car guys use thin sheets as their car chassis because it is relatively light and strong. It doesn’t absorb water and is tough stuff. I have seen similar types of repairs with epoxy and fiberglass sheets on rusted Jeeps, and they didn’t use materials of this quality and still lasted years. Mine should last and still look good for the 8-10 years I plan to drive this.

POR15 will be used on the few patches of surface rust on the inside floor as well as on the underside and some suspension components. The stock bumpers are OK mechanically but paint has peeled away and there are large rusted spots. These will be removed, stripped with a wire wheel, the exteriors primed and painted and the interiors of the bumpers and their brackets painted with POR15. The rubber pads on the rear are in reasonably good shape and will be reused if I can remove them without damaging them. I’ve found a silver/grey paint that is a close enough match to stock.

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

I’ve also purchased new sway bar bushings, both the mounts at the front of the sway bar as well as the bushings for the sockets in the control arms. The front mounts have some play and the ones in the control arms are non-existent they’ve practically work away. I’ve also bought new radius arm bushings, new front shocks new upper and lower coil isolators, new upper and lower ball joints for both sides. When I get the front end apart I will check the caster/camber bushings and the tie-rod ends. They are available locally in-stock and will be replaced as needed. The front end will be all new when I’m done.

The rear shocks and rear leaf spring bushings will likely be replaced by a local shop. The rear shocks are kind of a bitch to get to and it will be worth it to have someone else tackle that.

Next will be all rubber/soft parts under the hood. It has low miles, but the belts and hoses are of unknown vintage and possibly original. Rubber rots just about the same if you run it or it just sits so I don’t want to be relying on 17-year-old rubber parts leaving me stranded. Also on the list are XL rated tires on 17” rims. The current tires are not XL rated and are a little spongey. The increase in rim size from 15” to 17” should reduce some sidewall flex and improve handling if not aesthetics. And I’ve identified some wheels and tires that should come in at the same weight or a little less than stock combo, so no weight gain from that.

I’ve identified a crude floor plan from our little experience overnight camping as well as research and wanting to preserve as much open floor space as possible. I’m 6’6” and the wife is about 5’5”. While she can easily sleep transverse in the van which will still be around 6’ wide at the widest when finished, I cannot. So, there will be a transverse bunk for her at the rear cargo doors and a 7’ bunk for me down the length of the driver’s side wall. Our feet will meet at the rear driver’s side corner. This allows lots of space on the passenger side wall and minimal obstructions as you enter the van form the passenger side cargo doors. Both bunks can double as sofas for watching TV or reading. A flat panel TV will occupy either the rear passenger side wall or be mounted to a swing out arm at the front of the van. Position TBD.

Tables for eating/laptops, etc. will be simple folding free-standing tray tables, one for each that can be moved and stored as needed. These will be minimal, because we expect to be eating inside minimally and tablets are our preferred devices when traveling. We may even be able to get away with small fold down tables built into wall.

For construction, I’m handy with wood and tools. I’m leaning towards ½” to ¾” ply on the floor, covered by rolled vinyl flooring. I can put the flooring down first and build bunks on top so any vinyl that is exposed is seamless. Ditto with seams for the plywood, I will hide them under bunks/cabinets where ever possible to prevent movement/flex under vinyl floor. Furnishings will be built from 1/4” B/C ply, ¼” luan and ¾” B/C or furniture grade birch ply where needed. The thin plywood will be the primary material. Properly designed, supported and joined with epoxy AND screws, it is very strong. Minimal solid dimensional lumber will be used (if at all) and ¾” ply used only where absolutely necessary. ¾ ply will also be cut into dimensional strips, such as 1x2” and used because it is more stable and wont crack in an RV application. NO MDF or particleboard or OSB/wafer board will be used at all. Way too heavy and lacks the inherent strength of other materials, not to mention it’s a nightmare if it gets wet.

BTW, ALL WOOD products used will be coated with clear urethane or urethane paints depending on the aesthetic desired. This includes all interior surfaces, edges and even the underside of the floor plywood. This is done to absolutely seal as much of the wood as possible to prevent moisture absorption from condensation, leaks or just atmospheric moisture. This also helps with the dimensional stability of wood furnishings, as well as strengthening them if thin fiberglass and epoxy is used. Many parts will be sealed after they are cut out and PRIOR to construction so that all hidden surfaces and edges are covered.

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

I plan on laying out the floor plan for furnishings on the bare floor ply in pencil. Then I will screw batten blocks/strips to the ply. The strips will be on the top and serve to tie the flooring to the walls and as anchor points for bunks, dividers, and other furnishings. Screw heads will face the durabak coated floor and all screw holes epoxy filled and all battens epoxied to ply. This way there are no screw heads working out to rub against floor and the battens will serve as a sturdy permanent attachment point. The steel van floor will not be punctured with screws, nor will walls. I plan on using Plusnuts in roof and wall struts. The flooring, will be attached to the furnishings, the furnishings attached to van walls via plusnuts so nothing can shift. Things like coat hooks, mounting points for fixtures and tiedowns points will be mounted via plus nuts and tying into furnishings.

I’m looking to keep the use of wood and heavy materials to a minimum and when used to keep them below the “waistline” of the van as much as possible. That means some wood in the flooring and furnishings, minimal wood used on walls and NO wood on ceiling. To keep weight down I’m already looking at creating ceiling panels out of XPS foam with light grey headliner fabric glued to them for the ceiling. I’ll be experimenting with fabric and glue options. This not only has the benefit of keeping weight down, but they are easily replaced and add insulation. The only concern is durability but they should survive OK on the ceiling. For the walls I’m looking at just heavy fabric over insulation anywhere that isn’t a hard piece of furnishing like a bunk, cabinet or shelf. Fabric is light, can attenuate sound somewhat and is pretty resilient. Tyvek or just polyethylene plastic can be used behind to strengthen and/or act as a vapor barrier. Fabric covered ¼” x1” ply or plastic molding strips serve to fasten the fabric and keep it taut. Fabric will only be used will be used along upper walls and low wear/traffic areas.

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

I’m still deciding what to do for insulation. I’ve read about insulation A LOT and it seems like the area of van building that generates the most discussion and differences of opinion. In my situation, I won’t be wintering in the van. So basically, I need to stay cozy in a range from 45F to 100F. In the middle of that range say 60-80F basic ventilation, open windows and fans will keep air circulating so that condensation won’t be too much of an issue, because interior van temps and exterior temps won’t differ enough for dew points to come into play. That temperature range covers about 50% of my camping. But below 60F condensation will be an issue and above 80F AC becomes a need.

I’m still very open to heating/cooling and insulation advice. My current leaning is towards XPS on the floor and ceiling, possibly on the walls in between the wall ribs and possibly dacron over the ribs to add insulation and also act to quiet/buffer any rubbing of the polystyrene. XPS has decent enough R -values, performs better than polyiso in cold temps, is very rigid cuts cleanly.

The key to my plan is layers that keep the temperature/humidity differential between them enough that condensation doesn’t form at any one layer. For example, say the interior is 70F and that the RH is 63% and the outside temp is 55F. Well the dewpoint for moisture in the air at 70F-63% RH is 57F. So anyplace that air at 70F-63%RH touches a surface at 57F, you will get condensation. So what you want to do is minimize that from happening. If your interior is 70F-63%RH, you want walls that provide a barrier to heat flow and then some air space/insulation that brings the space between your wall and insulation to say 63F-63%RH and then between this space and the insulation against the wall skin the temp might be 58F-63%RH. So at 58F-63% RH the dew point is now 45F. So no condensation!

It’s the same concept with the multipane old aluminum windows in my house. When shut tightly, the inside pane is clear and has no condensation in the winter because the difference between interior air and air trapped in the middle of the window isn’t near the dewpoint. The air in the interior is not warm enough to trigger condensation when it hits the cold outer pane. So no condensation. BUT the single pane of glass in the old sidelights around my front door are covered in condensation, because there are no layers, just relatively warm humid air hitting cold glass.

I believe van insulation should be similar and I definitely believe in vapor barriers and using foil tape etc to seal panels and seams. In conjunction, NOTHING used in the construction of the van should absorb water. Hence why I pan on sealing all wood surfaces, all of my insulation options and sound deadening materials are closed cell and hydrophobic and even my choices in fabric will be based on not being water absorbent. I think if this is done with each layer of insulation sealed as best as possible, and you leave weep holes open and unobstructed, you minimize condensation and the potential for rust.

I plan on doing some “proof of concept” work in the insulation field, including a large scale test.
I will be applying a few different insulation solutions to various wall panels. Then on a cold day, get the camp stove, and boil up some water inside the van to max out the interior %RH. Then I will examine the surfaces and verify condensation formation, skin temps, insulation surface temps to see what works and what doesn’t.

I feel that insulation is just too important to leave to educated guesses and hearsay. I want to know for certain on a damp, chilly night in November as I’m cooking inside with two adults and a dog that there isn’t water vapor condensing on the hidden interior wall wrecking my build from the inside!

 

[PineyCruisin]

Hello! Fellow Jersey-an here. And.... as you probably can tell from my user name....close to the Pine Barrens as well. Did a lot of exploring in that area when I had a Wrangler but sold this summer for a conversion van to be used for camping. Spent a couple nights a few weeks ago right on Atsion lake just for a quick get away and loved it.

Sounds like you got yourself a good van after the initial swamp was cleaned off.  That's pretty great it passed inspection. Fortunately, the state only now tests emissions and ignores everything else because a minivan we had purchased with tinted windows failed 15 years ago (along with a bad windshield wiper on the passenger side and some other little thing--gawd, they were soooo nit picky then!). 

We have a v6 as well and strive to keep things as light as possible so would love to see pictures of your build and what you decided on.

PS- Love the name of your van. We have a cat named Bruce--only after the Monty Python skit. I like your reference, too.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Welcome....what a story...

Ural rider here, pretty much the same situation with Ural and the van to take it van-camping...well minus all the 'grungy' van rescue part!

You know me from the SS board.

Small world!

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

You know me from the SS board.

Small world!

Haha, yes it is!
More than a few Uralistas rely on a tow vehicle to get the Ural to distant outings.
Others pull the Ural as a "dinghy" behind a larger camper.

I often think about my choice of tow vehicle and chuckle at the old joke "FORD= found on Russian dump." and chuckle

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

Hello! Fellow Jersey-an here...We have a v6 as well and strive to keep things as light as possible so would love to see pictures of your build and what you decided on.

I'm near Burlington.
I'm over at Atsion and Byrne a few times a year.
Both with the motorcycle guys and with the family.

Another good State Park nearby-ish is Parvin.

The lightness factor ruled out conversion vans for me.
While they come with some useful features already installed, like sliding windows, extended roof, extra interior lighting, they also come with a lot of bloat.

Curtains, paneling, wooden trim, heavy tables, consoles, extra carpet, all have a weight penalty.
My goal is a "metal tent" or "mobile bubble."
Keep things as light as possible with as open and practical a floor plan and good comfort.

When I get some more done on the van, I'd love to compare notes.

 

[PineyCruisin]

I'm on the other side of the barrens in Ocean County. 

Love Bryne, too.  Spent a lot of time hanging out there after a full day of exploring the sand roads surrounding it....we must've missed you b/c I don't remember ever seeing any Urals. I don't think I have ever been to Parvin so will have to check it out when visiting my daughter at Rowan. It's nice to have the state park campgrounds remain open well into the year and the weather is perfect now. Went to the Adirondacks/Catskills first week of October and the campgrounds were either shut down already or shutting down Columbus Day. 

Yep, the conversion vans are bloated all right. We specifically looked for one with very minimal woodwork and panelling and even with all seats/brackets except the bed taken out, the van still weighs ~5800 with none of our equipment. But, we didn't have the time to start from scratch so a conversion van was the easiest and quickest path to hitting the road. We really wouldn't have many notes to compare...we kept the backseats/bed, installed upside-down metal shelves with plastic basin and a weed sprayer connected to one corner to use as our storage/kitchen galley/sink area, put a lugable loo seat on a 5 gallon bucket, resurrected an old lil' Oscar cooler and called it a day.

But, love to follow total build outs, like yours, in the meantime however. I look forward to seeing Bruce's progress.