Elsie

[GypsyDogs]

Hey everybody-  sorry for the long time silence.
Got a full-time plus job and I've been busy.  Needed solid, reliable, and fuel efficient transportation for the new job.  Traded my older truck for a newer minivan.  My build on Hank has pretty much gone cold.  NO time to work on or fix up the 'real'van.  So I will be posting him for sale shortly.  Need to do a few more things, but if anyone is interested in a partly customized older convo with lots of new parts...

Anyways- this is Elsie

I did a quick 'seats down and things in' and I think it will be quite sufficient for my needs.  And I have made no 'real' mods to the van.  Other than I will be adding a rack to the roof.  Seats are still in and such.  So resale is fairly unaffected.  
I have a comfy bed for me and the dogs, a cooler (foot of bed behind seat), a stove (on cooler for use, upright between cooler/bed when not), light (rechargable usb), heat (minibuddy stowed in crate head of bed), curtains, stowage for clothes/kitchen stuff (in crates under bed), propane bottle (which has been moved to the other side- foot of bed since this pic, to open more floor space) house battery (under bed- foot), tools (under bed- head- easily accessible from rear hatch), etc.

And I still have room to work on projects on the remaining floor space- or the dogs can stretch out.
Added bonus, it is super stealth. (aka- first world problems.  where did I park?)

I can comfortably carry about 10g of water (some under foot of bed in gallon jugs, some front pass-floor), I have bathroom facilities, a folding chair, 4 milk crates fit under the bed for storage, my plastic drawers (3 large, 3 small) fit neatly in the rear passenger corner, cargo net across the roof for my window panels when not in use, most of my electronics are usb compatible..
And the dogs like it.  All but when sister hogs the front seat.. lol  "Do you see what I have to put up with?"


I will be adding solar to the roof soon.  And possibly a few other things.. but it is fairly comfy.
Not as roomy as Hank, but I don't need that much for part-time.

I am going out for a shakedown camp out this weekend.
There will be a follow up with more pics and stories of what works and what doesn't.

 

[Yogidog]

Congratulations, they are big doggies

 

[Theadyn]

Looks super cozy!

 

[GypsyDogs]

Actually is.
And I am small enough that I can sit upright on the bed.
And the bed is large enough that me and both dogs can fit.. ish. lol

 

[GypsyDogs]

..wait- should this be under Van or Car..? lol

 

[highdesertranger]

I was wondering where you've been hiding. great news on your new ride, it seems the pups like it. don't be a stranger. highdesertranger

 

[Wanderer]

Very nice, looks like you did a good job and nice having "Cuddle buddies" also..Miss mine and still do 10 years later.

 

[GypsyDogs]

The first camp out went really well.  Still have some streamlining to do and reorganizing.  But all in all it was a lot of fun. We were comfortable, and most of the ideas I had, worked.  Except for the magnets to hold the curtains..  Still trying to figure out how to attach the washers to the interior hard plastic moulding..

Discovered something I didn't even think about.
 With the head of the bed at the tailgate, I had an amazing view of the sky from my pillow!
Just had to include this pic of our campsite and my 'daughter' doing her best to "patiently" wait for me...

Dogs had a good time.  They were pretty worn out and pretty much slept in comfort all the way back to the house.

I plan on going out again this coming weekend, and working some of the reorg ideas.

(side note- I find it amusing the difference between the dogs' attitude about my driving skills and that of my husband...)

 

[towhee]

"Except for the magnets to hold the curtains.. Still trying to figure out how to attach the washers to the interior hard plastic moulding.."

I've been working on that myself. I wouldn't mind using a screw into the plastic molding to hold the washer if there were a neat and attractive way to plug the hole if I remove the washer and screw.

Anybody seen anything like that? It's blue interior so it would be best if blue or clear.

I have searched the Internet but I don't know what to call the plug.

I am trying to keep resale value.

 

[highdesertranger]

why don't you all just use 2 sided tape to attach a piece of metal that the magnets could attach to. no holes, can be removed and cleaned up, you would never know it had been there. highdesertranger

 

[Txjaybird]

"Except for the magnets to hold the curtains..  Still trying to figure out how to attach the washers to the interior hard plastic moulding.."

I've been working on that myself. I wouldn't mind using  a screw into the plastic molding to hold the washer if there were a neat and attractive way to plug the hole if I remove the washer and screw.

Anybody seen anything like that?  It's blue interior so it would be best if blue or clear.

I have searched the Internet but I don't know what to call the plug.

I am trying to keep resale value.

This is just an idea that I'm not sure would work.  On some wooden furniture there are small wooden "buttons"  to cover countersunk screw heads. I believe they are also sold in craft stores.  I use a lot of the small plastic bottles of craft paint from wal- mart to touch up everything from nicks on walls in apts/houses to touching up china vases with chips and also to cover up "skint" places on pressed wood furniture.  The paint is easy to work with, sometimes I use my fingers to dab on different colors until I get the right shade.  If I were going to use the wood buttons to cover small holes I'd spray them with a clear sealer after painting and before gluing them to the vehicle.  Also depending on the hole size maybe a decorative nail head like is used in upholstery could be painted and glued on.  Those nail heads can be bought in strips or rolls where not all of them are actually nails some are just nail heads, an upholstery shop might sell you some.  Just a couple of ideas I came up with.  Maybe they will help. 
                                             Good Luck,   Texas Jbird

 

[GypsyDogs]

why don't you all just use 2 sided tape to attach a piece of metal that the magnets could attach to.  no holes,  can be removed and cleaned up,  you would never know it had been there.  highdesertranger

Yep- tried that.  sigh..  Used the high-bond 'stick really heavy things to vertical concrete walls' tape.  Stuff Made for challenging and uneven surfaces. Fell off after a couple hours, no load, and van parked- so no road vibration. I am going to step up my game to an epoxy. Bought my van for cheap- so I figger a few small doodads stuck to the interior is not a huge loss. Keeping the seats and interior mostly original and intact, but not sweating the small stuff. Got the van cheap because PO's puppy chewed on some small things (ring guide for passenger seatbelt, toenail claw marks on places in the interior..) Will try it this weekend.

 

[highdesertranger]

then you need 3M VHB tape. it will not come off. in fact my biggest concern would be getting it off if you ever wanted too. also follow the instructions when installing. if the plastic you are attaching it to was treated with something like Armorall I cold see it not sticking. highdesertranger

 

[Patrick46]

Bought my van for cheap- so I figger a few small doodads stuck to the interior is not a huge loss.

Well. if that's the case, then I'd be inclined to just use screws. They're only gonna leave small holes anyways.

 

[rvpopeye]

I'm with Patrick on this. You can fill the holes with the screws ( or even some prettier ones) if you ever remove the curtains . BIG plus , no waiting for adhesive to set up !