Drive by Conversion - 1994 Dodge B350 15 Passenger

[drivebyandy]

<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JrYOWowSq...600/5Id5Nf5H23G43M53N7bcq70e14fb897b11982.jpg" alt="" /><br />Drive by Conversion Project - 1994 Dodge B350 15 Passenger</div><br />Last weekend I finally got serious about making this happen. <br /><br />The floor in my van had considerable rust and I had patched many of the holes earlier this year. New holes had been punched through by me walking over rusty areas time and time again. <br /><br />Last weekend I cut the carpet out. I had left it rolled up towards the front for the longest time. I also patched up the new holes. Took off the side paneling since my van is a 15 passenger van. Removed the AC ducting and old insulation. <br /><br />For the flooring I went a little different than most and I have yet to hear of anyone else doing this to their van. It was a more expensive option and in the end might have no real benefit. I used a product called Dricore which is really meant for basement subflooring. It's 2ft x 2ft squares of tongue and groove OSB with a plastic backing on the underside. The main benefit for basements is the fact that concrete sweats so the plastic backing creates a barrier from the wood, and also the plastic has a pattern that raises it off the floor a little to create air pockets, allowing any moisture that collects a chance to evaporate. Raising the floor off the cold concrete also creates warmer flooring. We'll see how it goes in a van. I know my floor is rusty, I didn't want to trap any potential moisture in foam or touching plywood/OSB. <br /><br />I got the Dricore done. It was pretty easy. I only messed up once by accidentally sawing off the groove without thinking, but it was over a solid piece of flooring so I just put it down anyway.<br /><br />I have a wonderful three day weekend right now but it has been foiled by me twisting my ankle while jumping out the side door of my van yesterday. Twisted it really bad, and I can't even walk. I was working on putting a 1/4" piece of underlayment on top of my Dricore when it happened. I only got one piece down before I had to call it quits until I can walk again. My goal for the weekend was to get the underlayment down, go buy insulation for the walls, panel them, and frame out the bed. Not going to happen.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TZzqwP41F...320/549664_10151147116324834_1755443794_n.jpg" alt="" /><br />Dricore and the first sheet of underlayment.</div>

 

[Les H]

So far , so good. Ive used dricore in basement remodels, good stuff and i know it works. Hope the ankle feels better. Thanks for the pics! Keep it up.

 

[Guest]

Looking good Andy...I like the use of a newer product too. Hope you get better soon . My main joint problem other than C-spine issues is an old ankle injury from when I was 14. I dropped my first motorcycle...mid 40's Indian Chief on it...the floor board apparently broke my ankle (i only learned that it was broken about 5 years ago oddly enough)&nbsp; and since Dad didn't know I had the bike, I didn't tell anyone...just said I sprained the ankle. It never healed right and requires a cane for stability...if it goes, I am down like a rock and at 68, I don't bounce so well. LOL<br />Be gentle with yourself...<br />Bri

 

[Mortisha]

Ouch!! Take care of yourself and rest up that ankle. Great Pics!!! HuggZ

 

[SirJoey]

<br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>OUCH! Man, I've sprained my right one several times throughout <br />my life, </strong></span><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>a couple times SEVERELY! I feel your pain! Hang tough!</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>Nice work on the van!&nbsp;<br /><br /></strong></span>

 

[drivebyandy]

<p>The ankle kept me away from this project for a little bit, and I became concerned with a noise I hear when slowing down, it starts around 20mph. I think it might be in the rearend. This soured me, and I started looking at some small motorhomes. BUT, the motorhomes would be every penny I have and that scares me. So I'm back at it with the van. Possible rearend problems and all. Haha.</p><p>This weekend was more trips to Menards and Lowes, more materials, more sitting there staring at the inside of the van than doing actual work.</p><p>I got most of the driver's side insulated. Next I need to figure out how to frame and insulate the upper part where the fiberglass top is.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The biggest achievement of today was covering up two of the windows along the side. The bed will be next to the one behind the driver's seat and I decided to keep that window open.<br /><br /><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SGBE1jsZ3...400/228144_10151188123774834_1494684544_n.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><br />Obviously the windows are behind that big piece of foiled foam. I was experimenting with different types of material to black out the window so you couldn't tell that it was blocked off. I don't care if you can tell when you're standing up close but I want people to think it's just a dark window from a distance.<br /><br />The night ended with some trash bags on the side of the foam facing the window. Wrapped around to the back and secured to the foil side with some Reflectix foil tape. The sun was going down and shining on the opposite side of the van so I don't know how the trash&nbsp;bags look yet. I'm going to try to remember to look at it when I leave for work tomorrow morning and the sun is shining directly on it. It might look hideous and if so I'll be searching for a new option. </p>

 

[drivebyandy]

Oh, I've kind of got a bed too. It's nothing like I imagined, and sits lower than I planned but I wanted it low enough that I could recline the driver's seat without it hitting the bed. I'm not going to screw it down and really firm it up until I get the walls finished on that side. I originally wanted to be fancy and make real drawers underneath but now I'm thinking I'm going to probably leave two spaces open in the future plywood surround and just use some rubbermaid type containers underneath. <br /><br /><div><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BDonFId6J...s400/542112_10151186550534834_985922158_n.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />Blurry cell phone pictures from last night. It was completely dark when I took the picture. The mattress is a super heavy (bad part) hospital mattress that I got for free&nbsp;from a friend's neighbor a few years ago. I have a love/hate relationship with it and it might not stay around.</div>

 

[ParadiseParrot]

You didnt fix the rust first?

 

[drivebyandy]

<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img rel="lightbox" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YTcBYC4pI...s400/560786_10151229034584834_956225025_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img rel="lightbox" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C7PvbKnu5...s400/302823_10151229231524834_609458197_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /><br /><br /><img rel="lightbox" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-epUyGW7sE.../s400/14207_10151240774164834_613400384_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /><br /><br /><img rel="lightbox" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tuIsuv10A...s400/431594_10151240775464834_168338728_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /><br /><br /><img rel="lightbox" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iHVk_Ef0X...400/486253_10151240778264834_1179530742_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /><br /><br /><img rel="lightbox" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzMnxpz4F...s400/59637_10151240847979834_2012160453_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /></div>

 

[drivebyandy]

<div><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" rel="lightbox" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F28SLMFWP...s400/533847_10151251238294834_402677715_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img rel="lightbox" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bpByj_fu0...400/262016_10151251252939834_1067297099_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img rel="lightbox" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vzEv52gP0...s400/536726_10151251253739834_670514067_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><img rel="lightbox" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RMC5KV2iv...s400/559301_10151251253919834_179593410_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /><br /><br /></div><div><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" rel="lightbox" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dS5lymNUC...s400/46234_10151251217649834_1627860964_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /></div>

 

[drivebyandy]

<div><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" rel="lightbox" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kak78olEE...s400/60566_10151260990044834_2126210180_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><img rel="lightbox" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iZWbGBGc1...400/311178_10151261125769834_2117862027_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /></div>

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Nice work, looking spiffy <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">&nbsp;

 

[drivebyandy]

Thanks, Dazar. I'm slowly getting there. Yesterday I finally got rid of my bench seats by giving them away for free on craigslist to a guy with a van just like mine. So that's a lot of space freed up in the back and I don't have to work around them and take them in and out anymore. <br /><br />I'm finally to the point that I've been excited to get to for a long time, where I can finally start planning the interior and the 'real' parts of the van. Also the scariest part because I feel the setup I choose is very important. <br /><br />I've mostly just been doing pictures here, more detailed posts can be found on my website in my signature. <br /><br />Just finished up the floor in the back finally yesterday now that the bench seats aren't there. I didn't want them digging into my underlayment layer, so I waited until now to finish the rear section.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img rel="lightbox" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fddLREiH6...s400/59128_10151271135049834_1827456469_n.jpg" class="bbc_img" /></div>

 

[WanderingRain]

That is a cool interior so far! I wish I could do this with my rig... I am kinda stopped because I need to either get a high top vehicle first or install a high top on what I have. And I have no time right now to look for a good high top so...<br /><br />But I am glad to always look at what someone else is doing.&nbsp;<br />Always happy to see you guys progressing well with your builds.<br /><br /><br />

 

[traveling_trie]

Drive by Conversion Project - 1994 Dodge B350 15 Passenger</div><br />Last weekend I finally got serious about making this happen.

I was thinking of using dricore in my shuttle bus conversion and was wondering how yours held up? did you get mold?

 

[rvwandering]

traveling_trie, driveby andy hasn't been on the forum since 2014. You'll get better answers if you go to the Newcomer's Corner and introduce yourself then start another thread under one of the subforums. Oh, and welcome to the forum!

 

[nature lover]

I have no experience with dri-core. But I do wonder how it will take the bumps, vibrations, and the twisting of the body as you travel some of the rougher roads. Comments please.