Converting a 1986 G30 Van for Expeditioning

[Cammalu]

That's cute!


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[arctic cat]

Well today was an unusually muggy day here in central Texas and I pretty much worked on my van all day.  but it was a very rewarding day.  Before I get to todays work I have to share previous work that had been done in the van.

VENTS:   As you may already these vans were ordered by the US Government very bare. Bare even to 1986 standards.   In order to ventilate the van you have open the windows.   Even that the van is bared, they did came in with some insulation.   The also two large back windows and originally they came with two top vents in the cargo area.  The military was not putting to much money into this van and at some point when the vents went bad instead of replacing them, they just did a very crude job of sealing them.  I did not know what was under the metal and in all honesty I was scare to look in there.  I thought it was probably all rusted out.  So one day I set to open patch up area up and I was very surprised.  They actually did a great job at sealing.  Now I needed to find and oval shape vent to fit in this vehicle.  After looking up and down I found them in Etrailer, exact same fit for about $33 Each. well here is the final work

 

[akrvbob]

The suspense is killing me, I can't wait for each installment!!! Great job!!
Bob

 

[Cammalu]

Wow that looks nice. More pics and work faster I'm loving ur build!


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[flying kurbmaster]

I got those vents in my van I could have told you where to get them,( Mills Supply) check out there website you might need something else, I have a spare, brand new one in one of my storage compartments. Looks good

 

[arctic cat]

Sorry guys felt sleep last night I was tired,  but here I go.  It's an older van and I like to preserved as much of the original equipment as possible, while I like to upgrade which bring me to inside lighting.   The cargo area had three small light fixture. all with incandescent bulb.   The front not to worry, It did not even had a head liner attach to it.   while the rear light fixture were on good working order the lens were missing.   was original plan was to change over the bulb to LED and find a replacement lens.  Unfortunately the company that made those fixture (Dietz) is long gone and I could find a suitable replacement.  So I set to look for LED light fixture.   One of my criteria was that each light fixture could have an on and off switch.   That way if needed to just have one fixture on I could shut the other three off.   Well for the rear I did better than that,  I went to Amazon (which by the way I buy a lot from them) I found double light fixture.   I purchased three of those and installed them.  So in technicality I have 6 set of light in the rear with on and off switches. which give me the convenience of 6 different light settings.

Now the front driver compartment light had an extra criteria. I need it to produce both white and red light.  Why red light?   while in the military and law enforcement we used red dome lights in the vehicle in order to preserve night vision.   Nothing very crucial but I'm Overlander and red light when is pitch dark helped me adjust to darkness much much faster.   I found this fixture in Amazon too

 

[arctic cat]

I got those vents in my van I could have told you where  to get them,( Mills Supply) check out there website you might need something else, I have a spare, brand new one in one of my storage compartments. Looks good

Sorry did not know about the this site before.  Thanks

 

[arctic cat]

HEADLINER:  The driver compartment headliner was mixing.  It did have the old insulation attached but it was hanging by a thread.  So I recycled the old insulation and glued it back.  then came the major part was actually building the headliner.   Purchased a piece pressboard at Home Depot (BTW  if you are active, retired military or disabled veteran you get 10% discount at Home Depot or Lowes) went to target and purchased 4 pieces of white cardboard (49 cents each) attached the cardboard together with masking tape and used then to make a pattern to make headliner.   Trace the pressboard with a pencil and after a couple of tried with jigsaw, a baby headliner was born.  This to me was a major PITA because of the curves.

 

[arctic cat]

So before I get to my next little project. While in the service one my duty station was Alaska. Alaska is one of those places you either love it or hate it. I love it, while there I started planning a trip. a multi month trip living on the road would cover the US and Canada. Believe or not that was back in 1986 and I saved that trip and the maps. Every couple of years I re did the maps and the route but the trip was there. I was to make this trip when I turned 65 and retired. I played a couple of cards right here and there, mix that with a couple bad cards and at age 41 I retired with 24 years of federal/military service. I did some travel here and there since 1986 (Done the ALCAN 10 times round trips) a I began to go on solo overlanding trip. The first trip was a mess, but I learn a lot and it was so much fun I kept doing it over and over but learning from every trip. The thing about solo is that you own the trip. You decide everything. But traveling alone can be a little hard. So last year I gained 2 companions my GF and my 80 pound service dog "Pilot", which is where I got the idea of the van. I'm explaining this because my next project on the van is related to this.

 

[arctic cat]

FLOORING: When I got the van there was not flooring  It was bare metal.  The front at some point when new appeared to have some sort of rubber or vinyl flloring but all that was gone too.  So now the time came to decided what type of flooring I was to use.   My dog is a Labrador while he is not a super shedder he shed like any other dog and twice a year he change his coat completely and the shedding began.  While he know about 85 or so commands, he is not Scooby Do and wipe his paws at the door.   Also from my previous Expedition I know that dust, mud and dirt does come get in.  This last winter like all winter I headed to the Caribbean to taw out and work on a little house I own down there.  Houses on the Caribbean have no carpeting,  carpeting is hard to maintain clean, that was my first clue.   My second clue came from military vehicles they don't have carpeting either for the same reason.    But I needed to put something.    :idea: Eureka!!! rhinoline the floor!!!!    That was it.   So before going with that, I make sure the flooring was totally repaired.   I painted the wall inside the box to a silver color, sanded the floor and double wash it. I'm happy with that.

 

[arctic cat]

more pics

 

[arctic cat]

and waited seven days

 

[arctic cat]

Tinted the windows and replace the rear work light with LED

 

[arctic cat]

One thing I learned from traveling or leaving in small spaces, organization is king.   I have ideas, but to be honest I hate building things.  I'm not for reinventing the wheel.  Which bring me to cabinetry.    I needed something rugged.  lockable, not for the sake of security, I just need for the cabinets and drawer to stay shut during travel.  There have to be a surface so I can accommodate a stove.   Well with some discretionary funds I walk into Sam's Club and about $300 (plus tax) I walked out with two cabinets.  I took a while to assembled the cabinets, but they got done.  One went over the wheel well and the other right next to that one.    Both were strap to the wall of the van.  here they are.

 

[cortttt]

One thing I learned from traveling or leaving in small spaces, organization is king.   I have ideas, but to be honest I hate building things.  I'm not for reinventing the wheel.  Which bring me to cabinetry.    I needed something rugged.  lockable, not for the sake of security, I just need for the cabinets and drawer to stay shut during travel.  There have to be a surface so I can accommodate a stove.   Well with some discretionary funds I walk into Sam's Club and about $300 (plus tax) I walked out with two cabinets.  I took a while to assembled the cabinets, but they got done.  One went over the wheel well and the other right next to that one.    Both were strap to the wall of the van.  here they are.

Ha! Nice cabinets there. I'm putting together a van and I almost picked up some of those as well. Hope they work out good for you. I ended up going with used steel shelves for plumbers, etc. Not as nice looking but functional.

 

[arctic cat]

Ha! Nice cabinets there. I'm putting together a van and I almost picked up some of those as well. Hope they work out good for you. I ended up going with used steel shelves for plumbers, etc. Not as nice looking but functional.

I'm actually building some shelving as of right now.    What work for you may not work for me and may work for me may not work for you.   Steel shelving are nice and funtional

 

[arctic cat]

that should be the box type filter.  I would replace the whole assembly with a Racor filter assembly.  like this one,   http://www.adiesel.com/store/RAC-230R2.html .  highdesertranger

question for you my friend.  How easy is to adapt this to the bracket in the back of the van.  Also does this filter have a manual primer.    I'm thinking to go this route for the sake of simplicity

 

[highdesertranger]

most people mount it right where the factory box filter was. yes it does have a primer. they come in 3 different particle sizes, 20, 10, and 2 micron I believe. I would shop around, the link I post was just so you could see what I was talking about. highdesertranger

 

[arctic cat]

most people mount it right where the factory box filter was.  yes it does have a primer.  they come in 3 different particle sizes,  20,  10, and 2 micron I believe.  I would shop around,  the link I post was just so you could see what I was talking about.  highdesertranger

Thanks.  We went and ordered from the same site that you presented.  Filter is on the way.    We also went and shop around locally for an Injector Pump, very pricey,  our was leaking at some point  by the throttle area and some how the leak "fixed itself", it the started sparking a little bit by where the pink cable go in.  Twice it shutdown on us and smoke and the cable got hot but inmediatly restarted with no problem.   So I assumed some type of solenoid is going bad,  so we decided to ordered a new pump as we don't and can't take any chances on the road, where repair could be more expensive.  I'm going to outsource that work to someone else.   The filter I will take care of that myself.    As preventive measure we are also installing new front and rear brakes, brake lines , springs and drums and calipers.  Also new U joints and transmission and engine mounts including the transmission seal which is leaking.  That is been outsource too.   I have to figure out why my temp "stupid" light is not coming up during start up.  I tested the bulb and the bulb is ok.   While there is not guarantee, we want to travel as trouble free as we can.

 

[highdesertranger]

for your IP I would go to the Stanadyne site and look for their "Official repair shops". I did this and found one less than 1 mile from me. they have been super helpful and their prices are on par with everybody else. here's the link to find the dealer locater, just enter your zip code, http://www.stanadyne.com/dealer-locator/ . highdesertranger