Gigi The Great White Beast Build

[WanderingScribe]

Well, I've procrastinated so long on starting a build thread that I'm in the final stages now. In fact, I've already been roaming in the van for the last month and have returned to my parent's driveway to complete the finishing touches after seeing what I need vs. don't actually need. 

Here's what she looks like inside right now:

[img=450x600]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/I...FqTOrXZRqLK395H7_QoQvkqJGt=w690-h919-no[/img]
 
But back to the beginning…

I purchased Gigi The Great White Beast in March - a 1992 Dodge RAM B250 with 90,000 miles - for $1,300. A finance company had listed her on Craigslist for $1,500 OBO. Side note: I sold my 1997 Honda Accord for $1,300 via Craigslist as well to pay for her.

[img=479x640]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/z...iPMVBtwu4KCDw929TBECdJVIfQ=w337-h450-no[/img]

She was running good and had fairly new tires. She did need a new battery (I got the biggest, highest cranking amps available to allow for running her interior lights at night), and I had a $400 tune-up done that included checking the spark plugs, flushing the transmission system, flushing the coolant/radiator, recharging the A/C with Freon, a new belt, new windshield wipers and repair, replacing all filters and changing the oil.

Here's what she looked like inside - March 2017:

[img=479x640]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/u...36G_8262h29xn6TDF0AFgOV-6Q=w257-h343-no[/img]

I started ripping stuff out right away. First, the two captain's chairs in the rear. They were in better shape than the front seats, so we swapped them, and I took the front seats to the dump. We being me and my dad, who is the smartest, grandest dad in the world!

Then I got rid of all the old, dirty curtains and blinds. 

Next, we removed the back seat and all associated seatbelts (heavy-duty bolt removal required). We put the back seat aside (aka on the front porch) for the time being. Eventually, it would become my bed. I had planned to build a bed platform, but my dad suggested keeping the fold-down bench seat, topping it with foam for extra comfort, and raising it so I could get more underneath (more on how we did that later).

First, though, all the carpet etc. had to come out. The carpet came up easily enough, but I found a really gross wet spot near the back, which led to the discovery that rain was getting in around the rear doors…

[img=360x640]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/X...KPMGHzDSBuVOfqp8Tr58RdSw8A=w202-h359-no[/img]
 
(to be continued)

 

[galladanb]

Looking Good! We lust for more...

POST AWAY!!!!!!

 

[Putts]

Used to call my great-grandma Gigi, a lovely old lady. I'm sure yours will be too. Rock on!

 

[Ballenxj]

It appears you are off to a very good start. Keep the photos coming.

 

[WanderingScribe]

So that leak… It actually took three tries, or rather three fixes (all inspired by info gleaned here on the forums), to finally have no more water coming in the back doors when it rained. I had searched and searched for new door seals I could buy online, but they just weren't available. I ended up going to a junk yard and finding some off a similar van that were in better shape than mine. (The guy let me have them for free since I went out and removed them myself!) I got a 50-pack of the plastic clips that attach the door seals at O'Reilleys for something like $8. This reduced the amount of water coming in during a water hose test but didn't stop it. 

Next, I bought some 3/4-inch adhesive-backed weatherstripping designed for boats and vehicles at Lowe's (approx. $10) and lined the door jambs. Again, less water, but still water.

[img=450x600]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Y...__W5ijOPPhIVDk3WuOXmX6bCVA=w690-h919-no[/img]

Then, I was at the local Ace Hardware buying some screws and bolts for the floor and I saw some three-sided weatherstripping (another $10). It was white and had two straight sides and one curved side. This was self-adhesive as well, and I placed it on the van body above the door frame, creating a lip, in hopes that any rain water would be diverted away from the top of the doors.

This worked. I haven't had any water get in since. I'm thinking it's the combination of all three things that's keeping me dry.

Back to the floor… We cut the carpet and plywood in a straight line just behind the front seats, and after pulling up the carpet and underlying foam, I used a power drill to remove all the screws holding down the original plywood. There were also bolted-down seat base plates and a seatbelt bar to deal with. My dad and brother-in-law were lifesavers here – they ended up sawing the really stubborn bolts off from underneath – steel bolts so strong they were chewing through Sawzall blades designed for cutting metal. But they persevered and got it done.

Here's my dad wrestling with the wheel wells (we ended up tossing them and building new because the originals were way longer than they needed to be and wasting space): 

[img=450x600]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/C...6MfpbFHYpMUJ7geBh7xUv5ukpA=w690-h919-no[/img]

I scrubbed the floor down and started filling all the holes with JB Weld WaterWeld putty. The biggest bolt holes I covered first with a penny and then sealed the edges with the WaterWeld.

[img=450x600]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/D...4EYJIeQhXMA3d68XSOxOIUbhCg=w690-h919-no[/img]

Another afternoon was spent getting rid of the carpet glue in the side door well. Acetone ended up being the winning product for this job. I forgot to take a before picture, but here it is looking like there never was any ugly orange glue everywhere.

[img=450x600]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/N...ddFcYSkc-iGnLl9bg3luh6sPWA=w690-h919-no[/img]

Next was insulation for the floor. My dad has an HVAC business, and he had these huge rolls of the stuff he uses to wrap ductwork. It's basically Reflectix but with a higher R-Factor.

I wrapped the wheel wells first and then covered the rest of the floor, covering the seams with aluminum tape.

[img=450x600]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/t...r1n86R3XDYC4-wqAly73lgBFpg=w690-h919-no[/img]

Next came 3/4-inch plywood – two sheets from Lowes. My dad laughed at the way I figured out the cuts needed (I sew and work with fabric way more than I work with wood), but it came out pretty perfect. 

[img=450x600]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6...tV9zWO38AwpiqcfEry2ICv-K7A=w690-h919-no[/img]

The challenge was finding the right screws to hold it down to the van floor. I think I bought and returned three boxes of screws before finding the ones that worked (1 ¼-inch self-piercing screws – not self-tapping, for me at least, those penetrated the metal floor but kept popping back up).

I covered all the screws and seams with wood filler.

[img=450x600]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/h...j1uBEitPyPt8-sPrL7nDCiX62Q=w690-h919-no[/img]

Finally, it was time for the vinyl. I got this wood-look vinyl at Lowes for just $26 because it was a remnant. I did have to piece it and have a seam under the bed for it to run the way I wanted, but that was fine with me.

[img=450x600]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/T...z8JPtuyz5Ep8lVmW3BDrAzx3Cw=w690-h919-no[/img]

Rolling pins work just fine for rolling any bumps out!

[img=450x600]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/N...vCPs1oo5BkxCp377v0syCN3fQA=w690-h919-no[/img]
 
(to be continued…)

 

[Putts]

Woot! That looks great!

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah very nice. BTW rolling pins work good for biscuits too. highdesertranger

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Awesome job!! Y'all really got in there and got it done! Can't wait to hear how your first month went!

 

[tnvangirl]

Wow this looks really nice. Can't wait to see the rest.

 

[closeanuf]

Looks great and having family help too is awesome!

 

[Ballenxj]

WOW! I'm impressed! The floor looks GREAT!

 

[dr_nelson]

(...)
Then, I was at the local Ace Hardware (...) I saw some three-sided weatherstripping (another $10). It was white and had two straight sides and one curved side. This was self-adhesive as well, (...)
This worked. I haven't had any water get in since. 
(...)

Congrats on fixing the leak! Do you by chance have a link or the exact name of the weatherstripping. I tried a quick google search but couln't find it.

Btw, awesome progress, and that floor looks great!

 

[KathyC]

Looks great!!!!

 

[WanderingScribe]

Congrats on fixing the leak! Do you by chance have a link or the exact name of the weatherstripping. I tried a quick google search but couln't find it.

Here's a picture of it on the van and one of the packaging. (Click to enlarge.)

 

[SoulRaven]

Here's a picture of it on the van and one of the packaging. (Click to enlarge.)

Very nice floor! You two did a beautiful job. Where have you been wandering to lately? 
I'm not too regular on visit the forums, have been out and about. Working on catching up with the locals.

 

[WanderingScribe]

[emoji4]I'm wandering around Texas at the moment. What part of the country are you in?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SoulRaven]

[emoji4]I'm wandering around Texas at the moment. What part of the country are you in?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just got back from Utah & Colorado. Still up above Flag. I took a 2 week drive further North above Flag. I took along a tablet & pencil to make a list of what I need for my Jan 2019's 4 month plan on winter tripping up there where the weather is way cold. Whew, my "needs" list ended up long on items and big on spending. Mostly warm clothing for outside fun in snow & wind. 

My bed has electric heated full mattress pad and oil & propane heaters inside van are already good to go.

 

[WanderingScribe]

Just got back from Utah & Colorado. Still up above Flag. I took a 2 week drive further North above Flag. I took along a tablet & pencil to make a list of what I need for my Jan 2019's 4 month plan on winter tripping up there where the weather is way cold. Whew, my "needs" list ended up long on items and big on spending. Mostly warm clothing for outside fun in snow & wind. 

My bed has electric heated full mattress pad and oil & propane heaters inside van are already good to go.

My strategy is to stay where it's as warm as possible because I'm not a fan of the cold, but with that gear, it sounds very doable!