Dazar's No Skill Needed Van Conversion

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I'm really interested in seeing this, do you have a post with pictures of everything and how you out it in and pics of it done?

If you're not an Amazon affiliate, you should consider doing it.
Bob
 
No, ive only used some of these things. sorry bob its an extension of another topic discussing how you could do a conversion without technical ability. got tired of repeating generalities so figured id give specifics :D I did use everything but cubes, bed frame (that is my mattress tho), or i used a variation of items like propane instead of butane stove, different water jug, etc.
 
Ok, i guess im an affiliate now, tho i dont think amazon does anything to tne customer
 
Added the all important rolling office chair, and some layout ideas. Obviously i dont have the exact measurements of every van, and the layout isnt to scale, but they are just suggestions. If the 6 cube wont fit in your van, buy the 4 cube and there shouldn't be any problem. If you put something over the step up into the van, you may or may not have to support it underneath.

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Very cool list, I am sure this will help some.

I don't know if this is true for all the memory-foam mattresses, but the one I had tried a few years back did not like colder weather. In fact, it would solidify in the cold making it quite uncomfortable. Again, not sure if that applies to them all or just the one I had.

If I were looking to save a few bucks off your build I would...
- eliminate that mattress and go with a futon mattress (for the reason above)
- eliminate the bed frame (crates under a wood plank is great storage)
- Walmart sells lighter and significantly cheaper desks (I got mine for $25)
- The 7 gal water container is $12 at Walmart ($17 on Amazon)
- The plastic tub dish pan is $2 at Walmart ($7 on Amazon)... and get two
- I think you can get a full size extinguisher for $10, might be the difference between a fire or not

I am betting that is $200+ savings for the more frugal types (like me)
 
yes, got same desk at walmart for 50 here. i wanted to be able to add everything in an amazon list on amazon that people could buy from but that fell thru. So it all came from there. I would go cheaper too...luggable loo, sheets for curtains, bungees for tension rod etc but i think this might appeal to someone starting to simplify...the bucket is a hard sell :)
 
no hes right, memory foam hardens as the temperatures get low. i have the listed mattress and it is a concrete slab until my body heat 'melts' it to conform to my shape. It changes properties based on temperature thats what gives it a 'memory'. I think its worth it for the comfort it affords.
For some reason some items from my cart didnt make the list like the lithium jump pack/device charger, so added them, the total cost shouldnt be affected.


for instance look at rubber insulation extension cord, leave it outside in 30 degree weather and then see how stiff it is. solids soften and harden with temperature changes too just slower. Stick a plastic fork in a hot microwaved potato for ten seconds then pull it out, its soft. as it cools it hardens.
 
We have a G-20 Chevy van, would seat 7. We took the middle seats out and opened the long back one to make our bed. Put a foam 4" mattress topper and eggshell on top and we sleep really good.

I looked at all the diagrams of the conversion and wished we could use it. There are 2 of us, one F one M. It seems that those who live in vans, live alone.
We just came home from a 1900 mile round trip from N. Calif Sierra down to the Mex border..the trip was great. We mostly boondocked in truck stops. No problems.
But 2 in a van is difficult. We carried freeze dried food, the usual necessities for eating and clothing/'can't do withouts'. Our separate clothes bags fit in crates under the foot of the bed, and held up the end so we had adequate sleeping room.
But things got lost. Finding a place to boil water for the food wasn't easy till we got to the desert near Yuma. There it was all easy.
We traveled for many years in all kinds of vehicular homes..but we are older now and 2 trying to live in a van you can't stand up in is very hard. Using a Luggable Loo was kind of difficult during the night. The 'privacy' curtain fell down a lot.
I guess we have to wait till we can get a camper van. :(
We're in the 'over-70' slot..we still accomplished the trip and what we wanted in Algadones.

Any designs for 2 70+s in fairly good shape?

Oz
 
Im sure i can think of one, but looking around my g20 its gonna be tight. If you have ventilation, a butane stove like the one listed will boil it no problem, and it is small enough to fit on the desk top. I cook in my van all the time, a vent helps but window and a fan will work. As for the loo, you may have to fashion a small bathroom area for privacy. or curtain off the front cab, place loo in front between seats, curtain side windows and sunshade front window. cab acts like a seperate private room. As for standing...i use a rolling office chair, seems simple but i just immediately sit in it upon entry, i transfer to bed or rotate/move around as i need to. its probably the single best think i added. You could consider a swivel passenger seat modification, one of you sits there (slide curtain over), other sits in chair or bed etc. Lost items just happen but everythingf should have its place and ahould be put there...no helping it in tiny homes. Drawer storage helps. also there aree these bins at lowes ill post, i screwed them to the cieling (be sure to put wood up or something, don't penetrate roof), and they have a semi open front...like cabinets without doors. They work on the floor too.
Its doable i think but its about what makes you comfy. there are couples so in sync they live in astro van with dog faiely happily :)


if you cant screw to room safely, maybe a very strong adhesive. you dont have much verticle space, but use :)
http://www.lowes.com/pd_149439-8424...rrentURL=?Ntt=plastic+stacable+bin&facetInfo=


Also that cube storage or something similar would help a lot with getting organized. Even the 4 cube. i got the idea from a youtuber who used a much bigger toy storage unit from ikea. They have cloth boxes that slide in like big deep drawers.


here is my old g10 (same thing, regular wheelbase), using some of these elements in my build



Also consider moving stuff you use outside the van or less often (camping gear, recreation stuff, tools) to a rooftop cargo box. that will free up space.
 
You see all the little trays and drawers i use. One under desk holds silverware, one in desk misc, tiny ones up top misc little stuff, pens, batteries, bathroom stuff etc in shave bag. i added a cloth cube drawer to desk for pantry where you see the cereal. I knew right where to find anything
 
what did you use for curtain? my divider curtain i ended up using a roll of non adhesive velcro, screwing it in a few places, and putting gorilla glue as adhesive. glued velcro to top of curtains. I could make the velcro conform to and around what i wanted. Dont use adhesive backed velcro even the industrial, or hot glue ...they will fail in heat. Also, shorten the curtains so they actually hang straight and dont tangle in stuff or chair wheels etc

(sorry im posting so much, edit timer working against me)
 
DazarGaidin said:
(sorry im posting so much, )

No you have some great info to pass along. Thanks. I was planing on using industrial velcro-now I'm not. Thanks so much.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I really appreciate your thoughts.
We carried too much freeze dried food and didn't put up shelves..one reason is that it is a beautifully finished van and we don't want to put screws, bolts, etc through that.
A desk might not work for a couple in a van. We carry tablets on trips and a desk for one would just take up more room. We looked at your diagram of the bed on the side..we had a bubble top van long ago with one of those, ours unfolded into a full bed. That might leave room in back but would mean removing those seats.
We aren't always near a place to buy food when we camp so we carried 4 buckets of freeze dried.
We had 2 privacy curtains made of dark light fleece fabric that we usually use for lap blankets. They were big enough to go over the rods to double the thickness. One behind the cockpit. One just in front of the foot of our bed. The one there kept falling down. We didn't buy a thick enough rod.
We have a luggable Loo but it's darned hard to get privacy even between each other to use it and we have been married a l00ng time.

Mr Oz says..let's just wait and get a bubble top camper van..we had room for 3 in that one..used it in a mining camp with our 14 yr old son. Had room for what we needed.

Oz
 
Overall one of the outstanding topics!!
 
thanks...apparently someone posted to reddit cause i just got over 1000 hits from there...thats 10 times more than ive ever gotten in a day before lol
 
Did not think of the REDDIT flood of viewers effect. hope we get no crashes on cheap RV living.
 
nah i think bob upgraded to a good webhost, should be able to handle a few thousand viewers. Hope its helpful to someone.
 
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