Building a Class B camper from a Conversion Van

[SternWake]

Sorry i do not have photos of the interior of the roof showing the OSB runners.

I attached some photos with descriptions of the rest of my interior, but exceeded the 10 photo limit and editing pissed me off so much I am going to turn off the laptop now.

perhaps some other time

 

[djkeev]

Well.......
I've started a few threads on these forums about various specialty ideas and I really appreciate the feedback!

Things are beginning to Gel for me design wise.......

1. I am 100% convinced that I want the bed across the rear of the Van.

2. I am 100% convinced that I need to convert the front seats to a swivel mount and construct a pedestal table to mount into the floor between them

3. My Wife has convinced me that while I say "no kitchen" what I really mean is no oven or convential door refrigerator, we can use our truck fridge TF41 just fine, store it under the bed on a slide system. The sink unit will also have a portable camp type stove provision in it too.

4. A shower is a "must have". I wanted big enough to sit in Because of height limitations, but it doesn't look like that will actually fit (36x48) so a 32x32 will need to work.
The shower "room" will house a portapotty that is lifted out to bathe.
The walls around the shower are in discussion right now. I feel that a solid wall at the bed to keep the bed dry is a must have, the rest can be shower curtain to keep an open feel in the unit? Maybe a window / cabinet height wall towards the driver and the windows made of frp with a full height wall towards the bed/furnace cabinet? 

5. A propane furnace, probably a Sububan NT-16SE unit mounted to the left of the shower with a self contained 120v AC unit mounted above it and vented out the wall.

6. Water will be on board in 5gal gasoline type pails and pressurized by a small air compressor set at very low pressure to force the water out. Added bonus is an onboard pump to air up a flat tire!

7. Because we are on the go! Water will be heated by a submerged heat enchanger in the water supply which has radiator coolant constantly flowing through it.

8. And the big sacrifice? The Queen size bed reduces to a lowly double.
Under the bed will be storage accessible from both the interior of the van and by opening the back doors.

Here is the floor plan as described above...... (I'm old school, paper and pencil drawn to scale. Cut out the scaled furnishings and place until it looks good. If you use Post-It-Notes they stay put while you design and arrange things. I'm not very digital I'm afraid) 

 

[djkeev]

Here are ideas as they developed......

Basic empty Van......




Van with Short Queen bed.......



Van with Double Bed.....



Van with Double bed and 36"x48" shower, sink, seats



Van with Double Bed, 36"x36" shower.....



Van with Double Bed and 32" x 32" shower with a water and furnace cabinet next to it.....



And of course the #1 ranked plan is shown in the previous post.


Thanks for looking! 
Ideas are welcome!!! 

Dave

 

[djkeev]

I have this A/C unit I will press into Van Service.
I know there's better on the market but I already own this unit.
It works...... Nothing wrong with it that Simple Green and a Magic Eraser won't fix!






Dave

 

[evoscot]

This guy has a very interesting door on his bathroom in a sprinter.  FF to about 9:30 into the video to see what I'm talking about.  might be something to get your bathroom bigger and smaller.
 

 

[djkeev]

That is a very interesting door for sure!

Now...... If I can get over feeling queasy from his camera work........

Dave

 

[Almost There]

One problem that probably needs to be addressed is that the stickie for the shower area is overlaid over the area that is wheel well. If you're using a shower pan there you'll need to have it placed forward of the wheel well area. Maybe a full height but very narrow closet would help to take up that spot. Or pantry shelves maybe.

The passenger side is fine because you can build the cabinetry for the sink unit around the wheel well.

 

[djkeev]

One problem that probably needs to be addressed is that the stickie for the shower area is overlaid over the area that is wheel well. If you're using a shower pan there you'll need to have it placed forward of the wheel well area. Maybe a full height but very narrow closet would help to take up that spot. Or pantry shelves maybe.

The passenger side is fine because you can build the cabinetry for the sink unit around the wheel well.

No, scroll up to the final drawing posted before the possibilities post.

I put the furnace and AC in that area of the wheel well. 

Here it is again.......



Dave

 

[masterplumber]

Hey Dave, a while back Bob did a blog on Sameer's van. He had a very interesting sit down shower set up that doubled for storage when not in use.
http://www.cheaprvliving.com/conversion-details/ingenious-van-conversion-simple-indoor-shower/

 

[djkeev]

Well, planning just got easier!

The Van has been 45 minutes away, a buddy helped me get it home today.

I did however promise my Wife that some other projects will see completion before this one begins.

I will do some pre-Winter "ready to park" without causing harm tasks, but I'll be sitting on my hands for a few months before work begins in earnest!

Actually, this is a good thing, it gives me time to plan, think, evaluate before I tear into it.
Plus it gives me time to shop and accumulate some big $ items during the cold Winter.....swivel seat bases, table mount posts and sockets, shower pan, furnace, propane tank, etc.

Dave

 

[skyl4rk]

Dave;

Lay down on a bed and put your arm above your head with your forearm bent. Measure from your elbow to your toenails with your feet pointed down (away from you). I think you need this distance plus a few inches to get a comfortable bed.

I am 6'-0" standing height and a comfortable bed for me is 80", however that measurement was for a cot, which is narrower than your plan. I can make do with a shorter bed that allows my feet to stick out over the edge. You might be able to sleep crosswise with one person in a bed that goes from wall to wall.

A comfortable bed is a critical design detail.

 

[djkeev]

Dave;

Lay down on a bed and put your arm above your head with your forearm bent.  Measure from your elbow to your toenails with your feet pointed down (away from you).  I think you need this distance plus a few inches to get a comfortable bed.

I am 6'-0" standing height and a comfortable bed for me is 80", however that measurement was for a cot, which is narrower than your plan.  I can make do with a shorter bed that allows my feet to stick out over the edge.  You might be able to sleep crosswise with one person in a bed that goes from wall to wall.

A comfortable bed is a critical design detail.

I can do this ^^^^^ in my 75" across the Van space. 

My worry is that an off the shelf double is 60"x75" and the 75" would be tight to the glass windows. 

A 73" long double would be perfect. This would allow room for the sheets. 

Ordering a custom bed as this site talks about.....
https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Short-Queen-Mattress

Would work but sadly it isn't cheap.
It will be how I will probably go though........

Dave

 

[djkeev]

As mentioned, the Van is finally home.
But.....
The fiberglass roof on the Van has cracks from some PO idiot ignoring height warnings!

Rain is forecast........ Gorilla tape to the rescue!
At least until I can make a proper repair........
Not how I usually roll (I despise duct tape as a rule) but sometimes you've gotta do what you gotta do.......


Dave

 

[BradKW]

I can't recall if you're traveling solo, but I've seen a lot of builds where the person says they sleep across, but on a diagonal on their mattress...might take a little getting used to, but does give some extra inches.

I'm becoming a solid proponent of Eternabond Tape for roof repairs. I used a fair amount of it for perimeter of my re-roof and did some various test spots on different things that I poke and pick at now and then. Seems to fill a need nicely.

 

[DrJean]

One thought I'm having about being at the window level, or just below, and very close to (as across affords since it's widest at window level) is the temperature exchange if you don't prodex/reflectix the windows for sleep time.

 

[djkeev]

Flying Solo?
No.....
Haven't been solo since the Nixon era...... 1970.
Dated for five ...... married in ’75.
2 Daughters, 7 Grandchildren..... The oldest Daughter took that Old Testament verse in Genesis quite literally..... "Be fruitful and multiply." And gave us five....... ?

(My Wife's little brother has six (6) daughters....... I cannot even imagine the quantity of offspring that they will produce! (Right now it's only one (1)....

The window insulation is a concept that I haven't considered.
But.....
This is a vacation pod, not an alternate home vehicle.

Thanks for the thoughts!

Dave

 

[highdesertranger]

just a note, but in cold temps weather you run a propane heater or not those bare windows will get a lot of condensation on them. just something to think about. highdesertranger

 

[masterplumber]

Many foam or memory foam mattresses can be cut down fairly easily. you just open the end seam, peal the cover back, and cut off the required amount with an old fashioned electric knife. Then sew the cover back up. A lot cheaper than a custom sized mattress.

 

[LeeRevell]

When cutting foam for a motorcycle seat rebuild, I found a basic serrated bread knife worked marvelously well. Cuts stiff heavy leather very nicely too (pistol holster).

 

[BigT]

Just make your own mattress/bed.  It's easy to do and you can make it any size you like.  
I went with 6' by 30" because of limited space, but I added a hinged leaf to the foot to add an additional 10" if needed.  
That way when I'm not sleeping, can fold the leaf up under the bunk and the bed doesn't have to take up as much space.  

I thought about adding a second leaf that runs along the 6' side, but in the end decided not to bother.  I fly solo.

I find it very comfortable.  So much, that I was using it in my apartment for months while looking for a new sofa-bed.