Changing my life

[eDJ_]

When I was on the road in my first rig there were Custom Van Magazines everywhere.  (you can find them in Google images to look at the covers today)   One of the great things these magazines had were ad's by companies that sold paper pattern sheets so a van owner could transfer the plans that were made for his make an model of Van to paneling so when cut out would fit perfectly.  In this way anyone with basic hand tools and a saber saw & electric drill could fairly easily insulate and panel their interior.  Over time Van customizing shops popped up everywhere where they had purchased all of the plan sheets so that they could undertake this task and the owner not have any worries. They would run some basic wiring for 110 vac & 12 vdc while doing this too. 

In those years Vans were the hot thing. I don't think you could have plan sheets for all of the different vehicles Nomads are converting today. But really, how difficult would it be to build out a step van, or box truck ?

High top's weren't really around yet. These shops did however insulate and panel the ceiling as well which made the rig less like an oven in the summer. 
It wasn't uncommon to see people have the roof of their rig painted white. It made the rig more livable in summer so that with doors open and mosquito netting in place the rig would be OK and even better if in the shade of a tree.  In winter you could keep such a rig warm enough to be livable.

I understand that today there are still some companies offering such patterns.  If a carpenter had a library of such plans he or she could actually visit an owner and with the required materials laid by,  cut out paneling and any other necessary components so that the owner and some friends could finish the build. 

If I were doing this, I'd make paper patterns of each and every Van I would build out and note the make & model so that I could make duplicates and sell those to anyone with the skills/tools to use them.   I believe there would be people interested now just as there was in the 70's. 

If I were a shade tree carpenter living out of my rig and there were a storage building near by I may
rent a small space to stow finished pieces such that if I had a customer come to me wanting the rig built out,  that I could cut out a pre-fab kit for them over a day or two so that on return they could pick up everything when taken to the storage space. (it would be up to you to negotiate the down payment & materials and finish payment on delivery)  I'm sure you would know how to handle that.

But if you had plan sheets and materials list and a Youtube channel demonstrating how to & what to
do you could probably have a lucrative industry.  And avoid working yourself to exhaustion.

 

[Cammalu]

Great idea EDJ! Someone needs to take it on

 

[landyachtman]

Thanks Cammalu,

One of the things I've been looking for in an old wrecked Ford Van (from back in the day)  is a overhead radio console that spans the windshield.  To me these were one of the most useful additions for a rig as you could have your CB, Stereo, speakers, and other auxiliaries mounted in it and easy to reach. (12 VDC cigarette lighter sockets, fuse panel, reading lights, hand held spot light to plug into cigarette lighter to use after dark when looking for a boondocking place for the night)

A carpenter could build these and make money and the owner could get with a car stereo shop to get it set up and then mount in the rig.   These were once a very common accessory. 

 

[eDJ_]

Thanks Cammalu,

One of the things I've been looking for in an old wrecked Ford Van (from back in the day)  is a overhead radio console that spans the windshield.  To me these were one of the most useful additions for a rig as you could have your CB, Stereo, speakers, and other auxiliaries mounted in it and easy to reach. (12 VDC cigarette lighter sockets, fuse panel, reading lights, hand held spot light to plug into cigarette lighter to use after dark when looking for a boondocking place for the night)

A carpenter could build these and make ez money and the owner could get with a car stereo shop to get it set up and then mount in the rig.   These were once a very common accessory.

 

[highdesertranger]

Actually I did van conversions in the mid 70's. I worked for a couple different companies.

The patterns we used where 1/8" plywood. We had standard patterns for all of the big 3 vans. We also had these Patterns for all the common windows sizes(yes even the heart shaped and diamond shaped windows) also we had patterns for sun roofs, roof vents, fake tuck and roll, etc. We had patterns for pretty much everything. If we ran across something that we didn't have a pattern for we would make a new pattern and of course save it. We would always test a pattern before we cut sheet metal. The only time we would use the paper pattern was to make the wood pattern. However this would not be very practical for a mobile van converter to have a bunch of wood patterns to carry around.

As a side note we would also do RV and Limo repair and modifications. A big mod for RV's was to convert the water system from pressurized to pump. Up to that time most RV's had a pressure tank and an air compressor for the water system, these were very problematic and very failure prone. The pumps were much more reliable, however when the compressed air systems worked you had very good water pressure much more than the pumps.

We also did high tops as most camper van conversions got a high top. Most camper vans got some type of cooking and water system. At that time there were no TV tops that I remember. Remember at that time there weren't even VCR's, LOL.

Highdesertranger

 

[highdesertranger]

Yep EDj we had patterns for the overhead consoles too. Highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

Some modern tech person could probably could probably use some of the design programs and have it projected on to the surface. Who knows maybe even have one of those computer controlled wheeled cutters cut it out or 3D printed. I laugh every time I watch an old "Go, Go Gaget" cartoons and realize most of that stuff is now available.

 

[eDJ_]

One of the things that stands out in my memory about the overhead radio consoles I saw in the 70's was the windshield drapery track some had installed with it.  This feature is rarely discussed here but it gave an expanded sense of space inside one's rig.   Also those who had it installed claimed it cut down on the sun heating the interior during the summer.

I had a piece of electrician's conduit set up above and slightly behind the front seats of my rig with a beach towel using wire shower curtain clips for my curtain.  While it provided privacy it was always a nuisance.   With an overhead radio console many features in the rig could have lit rocker switch controls/fuses etc built into it.  With the movable drapery  (mounted to the console shown below slid back behind the passenger's front seat)  the owner would have easier access to whatever features that have been installed. (more like a Factory Built RV would have)  Those features would depend on the options the owner wanted to have.   For myself I would have had 12 volt appliances in the galley switched from the console so that if I were cooking while under way I could power down the galley at will.  Or a 12 volt cooler or 12 volt electric warming blanket on the bed. (luxuries....true)  Auxiliary driving lights, ventilation fan, and even back up lighting could be controlled from that point too.

While this may not sound like minimalist living,  it could add the feeling of having some of the comforts of being in the sticks and bricks while otherwise living a more minimal way of life.