Fulltiming in Mini Van

[Singe810]

Considering trying to build a rig in a standard 'soccer mom' type mini van. Leaning toward a Grand Caravan, the under floor storage would be nice if I could remove the seats. Has anyone done full time in a van like this? If you had pictures of your setup that would be awesome. I am trying to get some ideas of how to set up the space.
I know it would waste a bit of space, but I am going to try to not do anything too permanent until I know this is going to work.

Current plan is something along the lines of a camp style air mattress and some Rubbermaid totes for storage that could all be stored in the floor cubbies during the day. I work at a big office building, so that may help stealth from nosy coworkers.

I think dealing with heat may be the biggest hurdle, currently living in Central NC. Summers here can be very hot and humid...

 

[Almost There]

IMO you'd be far better off finding a GMC Astro/Chev Safari than the Grand Caravan since you're still in the shopping stage.

While both are considered 'minivans' there are substantial differences between the interior sizing of them, the Astro/Safari being much, much larger inside.

The underfloor storage sounds like a great idea until you realize that every time you need in to it, you have to move everything that's on top of the storage compartment to access it.

If you're tall, you would be limited to sitting on the floor in the Grand Caravan. In the Astro you would still have more than enough room to sit upright even on a built in bed.

I took my Montana to Florida last winter for 3 weeks, camping out in it on an inflatable mattress. Notice I'm staying home this winter...it was such a PITA that I wouldn't bother doing it again and that's saying a lot - I positively detest winter. I'm short so I could sit in a lawn chair inside with just barely head clearance but I had a choice of setting up the lawn chair or inflating the mattress. Each night everything had to be stacked up and/or put on the front seats to make room for sleeping.

OTOH, before I moved back to Ontario I had an Astro fully converted with a built in bed and storage cabinets for all my stuff. I cooked outside under a 10x10 canopy that I carried with me.

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

Singe; here's a coupl'a links for ya.

http://myminicamper.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=56
http://minivancamper.tumblr.com/tableofcontents
http://thegroveguy.blogspot.com/2011/06/toyota-sienna-van-conversion.html

KinA

 

[Reducto]

Here's mine:
https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-1989-Toyota-van-conversion

I'm currently in it about half-time and don't have any storage space or anything - everything I own is in the van. I've spent 6+ months in it a couple of times. As long as you are not bothered by tight spaces it's definitely doable. Not for everyone, but doable. Once in a while I think about going bigger then I realized I just pulled into a compact spot in a parking garage and didn't even have to look at the clearance signs when I was pulling in.

 

[Tinman74]

I am surprised that no one has come up with idea of using the "stow n go" Dodge/ Chrysler mini and taking the rear seat and also the two mid stow n go seats out to gain the head room for dressing / storage/and possibly a place for porta john.
I believe the floor is a fiber of sorts but it appears pretty strong and could probably be reinforced if necessary. I have had the Chrysler Town and Country and I would guess the drop in the floor would amount to about 8 inches deep and the whole width of the van. What is your thinking on this idea?
Bob

 

[LeeRevell]

Have been considering modding my 2005 Grand Caravan by removing mid and rear seats, and using the underfloor bins as stowage. Just need a good plywood cover for them. Access could be tricky at times. I'd like a gel cell marine cycle battery on one mid bay, a water tank in the other. Rear bay would be for camping gear and other necessities that don't need access very often - tools and servicing 'stuff'.
A solar panel would go atop the cargo rack.
I have camped several times in it, and the floor needs to be leveled - there is an annoying hump in the middle. A good air or foam mattress would make this a no brainer though. I currently have a 4X8 foot black rubber bed mat on the floor. The floor can get chilly in winter, but with a heater inside, outside temps in the high teens to low twenties were no problem. A layer of polyiso and carpet would help this. There is a fresh air venting low on each rear corner - cold air does come in here, but it also provides good ventilation if you use gas heat. Adding a roof vent would be great, but the roof console running to the back seats would have to be cut short.
The cargo area without mid and rear seats is eight feet long - plenty for a comfy bed for us tall folks.
The single biggest limitation of the Caravan and Grand Caravan (and T&C) is the low ground clearance. I drag the ground on rough forest roads. I still have little trouble on my hunting lease as long as I keep this in mind and drive carefully. NEVER run over anything laying in the road, no matter how small it looks! It can be painful. Don't ask how I know this.......
I have my E150 conversion van for serious camping and roadtrips, but the GC is much more fuel economical and easier to park. Had no problem with parking garages that would be verboten to my E150 mid-top. Ceiling height is limited, but not that bad. I have seen folks on Vandwellers yahoo site doing raised beds in the GCs. Low plastic totes can then be slid under.
Another irritating thing is all interior lights come on when you pen the doors. Not good at night when wanting to go to the bath house in a campground. Headlights flashed early on too, VERY anti-stealth! But this is easily shut off via the overhead computer console. Sliding doors are noisy too.
So, it can be done, people are doing it in GCs. Depends on if it's right for you.
GC - greater cargo area length, and maybe underfloor stowage (not if you don't have Stow&Go seating) or if you get the AWD. That obviates Stow&Go.
Astro gets you more ceiling height but shorter cargo length. Better ground clearance too, as it is on the S10 PU truck frame with rear drive, vs. unibody with FWD/AWD.

 

[Bdog1]

Yes. The drop floor is a "dish pan" basically. Just blow molded plastic, but the potential is there for about an 8" drop floor. There's two separate areas and it would be tuff to connect them because of the rear axle and fuel tank. Wheelchair vans drop the whole floor, firewall to tailgate, and it makes a lot of difference. They then raise the van 3" for ground clearance.

---

Have you seen the pop top caravans? Very cool.

 

[Reducto]

The drop floor would be very useful as a place to put your feet when sitting upright, effectively giving yourself more headroom because you can sit lower. Also good for storage of things you don't need to access often like cabin batteries or water tank. They may need some reinforcement for those heavier items.

 

[gramakittycat]

Just my own opinions but I have a 03 Windstar,not the favorite of the majority but paid for and runs good:shy: I took a 3 week trip with my 4 furkids last fall with not much ;tent,cooking gear,kitty food and litterbox etc.Wound up sleeping a numerous Walmarts and can't say it was the most comfortable but it was managable and an excellent way to find out what I needed and did'nt need to bring.I'm happy to say we all survived and will be heading out this spring for our next trip.One item I am definitly getting before is a TailVeil (google it) as it looks to suit my needs best and the price is right.I removed one of the seats and will remove the 2nd befor the next trip leaving just the driver and passenger seats.I am a 57 yo grandma,disabled,diabetic and not much good at computer skills but planning to learn.In short yup it is doable! Good Luck!!:shy:

 

[allie]

Only reason i went with a full size van was because there was two of us here....If it was just me i probably would have bought an astro........gas milage sucks badly on my van.

 

[MK7]

There are some Grand Caravans that are conversion vans and have a high top...rare though. Not that high but pretty nice for extra headroom. If you're not traveling around, therefore not worrying about MPG that much, maybe something bigger like an Astro or even full size. Full size conversion vans are around the same price as minivans for similar year/mileage in the used car market. That 50 Knives Katie woman has an excellent setup for an Astro.

 

[ganchan]

There are some Grand Caravans that are conversion vans and have a high top...rare though. Not that high but pretty nice for extra headroom. If you're not traveling around, therefore not worrying about MPG that much, maybe something bigger like an Astro or even full size. Full size conversion vans are around the same price as minivans for similar year/mileage in the used car market. That 50 Knives Katie woman has an excellent setup for an Astro.

I'm considering minivans as an alternative to cargo cans now, since my setup plan are so minimal. I need room for a twin cot (with storage bins underneath it), a little task desk, a little cardboard drawer for clothes, and odds and ends such as a toolbox and heater. I figure the minimum space required to keep me sane is about 6x4. (The cot has to be 6 feet long.) I will also be getting something like a Tail Veil for when I want to ventilate, cook, and stretch out, so standing room inside the vehicle isn't important to me.

That said, which minivans offer the most cubic space? So far the Safari and Astro are both on my radar in that regard. I think the Transit Connect has a 6x4 cargo area.... What about the Nissan Quest?

 

[LeeRevell]

Grand Caravan is 8'X4'. Caravan is 6'X4'. About 4' high.

 

[Singe810]

I ended up finding an '08 Grand Caravan that had the 'Swivel n Go' Option. The 2nd row seats were designed to turn around and face the rear. I removed them, which was a lot easier than removing the 'Stow-n-go' seats, so that I now have a flat floor. The van still came with the floor bins behind the driver and passenger seats that I use to store food/clothes. I kept the back bench seats in, and can fold one side down flat for sleeping, and leave the other one up to have a place to sit. One cool thing about the 'swivelngo' option, is that there is a bracket for a removable table in the center of the floor. I can sit on the rear bench and set up the table for working on my laptop, or eating. Since I drive the van to work everyday, I pack all my sleeping gear in a tupperware bin and place it behind the back seats. To any nosey office workers, I look like every other minivan in the parking lot.

For sleeping I am currently using a low profile backpacking cot that I already owned. (http://www.amazon.com/Therm-A-Rest-6396-Parent-LuxuryLite-UltraLite-Cot/dp/B00HZ132N4) Paired with a camp mat and sleeping bag, I have had no problems so far. Temps have gotten down in the low 20's here, and i crank up the Mr Buddy before I get out of bed in the morning. Waiting for summer to see how bad the heat is... 

So far I am happy with the setup, 1 1/2 weeks and counting. I still will need to come up with a more permanent cooking arrangement, still using a MSR pocket rocket, and those little fuel cans get pricey real quick.  

 

[Almost There]

So far I am happy with the setup, 1 1/2 weeks and counting. I still will need to come up with a more permanent cooking arrangement, still using a MSR pocket rocket, and those little fuel cans get pricey real quick.  

Glad to see that things are working out for you.

You might want to take a look at a Trangia. I like it because it's very stable, unlike some of the other single burner backpacking stoves. Using Methyl Hydrate means that it's cheap to operate, you can always buy the yellow Heat at a gas station in a pinch but I buy MH by either the quart or gallon (H/D carries it). The other nice thing about the Trangia is that you can put the lid back on it if you don't use all the fuel in it in one go, all the rest I've seen, you have to either try to pour the fuel back out or let it burn off.

Word of warning if you go this route, do NOT pour the fuel into the stove while inside the van. Always do it outside. I buy the gallon but then decant it into the quart container for easier pouring.

 

[RVTravel]

With liquid fuel, I would never even cook inside. If you spill it you could have a fire out of control in a split second.

 

[LeeRevell]

That split back seat sounds interesting. My '05 GC backseat is one piece -all up or all stowed.

 

[minimotos95]

I also have a split bench, I had it out and was sleeping on the floor up until a week ago when I put it in, facing my new free desk, works pretty well with the 1/2" yoga mat, kitty litter buckets under my pillows and a milk crate under my feet. I put my feet inside the milk crate when I'm sitting and store my sleeping bag and comforter on top of it.

Crappy picture but it helps explain my minivan setup

 

[BigT]

I need room for a twin cot (with storage bins underneath it), a little task desk, a little cardboard drawer for clothes, and odds and ends such as a toolbox and heater. I figure the minimum space required to keep me sane is about 6x4. (The cot has to be 6 feet long.)

Your description sounds a little like this. 

6' bed with an extra 10" folding leaf. 
Fold-out table.
Storage room under the bed (now there's an extra inch of room under the bed)
Plenty of room on the 6' X 4' floor for my toilet, heater, water, tools, feet, gear and food.  
Factory hi-top =  tons of headroom.  

 

[Sentient Loon]

Hello! I'm considering going with a minivan myself (probably just part-time though). Had one that I converted to a camper before and loved it. The links provided earlier are excellent, so I'll throw in a few more. The videos don't show the bed you're going for, but watching someone move around inside gives a good perspective on space.

https://sillysadhaka.wordpress.com/...creating-windstar-window-covers-and-bedframe/

http://ejbleen.wix.com/hondarv#!sissey-history/cis1