Hello from Western NC

[djpandemic]

Hi! My name is Amos and I have been living in my 86' Dodge B250 conversion van for 2 years now. I am a long time lurker and got a lot of inspiration from the website when I converted my van for full time living. I am looking forward to joining the conversation here!

 

[stude53]

Welcome Amos!<br><br>Did you take pictures while you were converting? I know we would like to see your ride. <br><br>It has been pretty rainy in NC lately. Any flooding out your way?<br><br>Bob<br>

 

[Guest]

Welcome! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br>

 

[cyndi]

<P><FONT size=3>Hi Amos! Welcome!&nbsp; I hope you'll share some pictures of your conversion and you're expertise as a full-timer!</FONT></P>

 

[djpandemic]

Hi...<div>Bob, we have had a pretty dry summer but the last month has been a little wetter. I work as a river guide on a free flowing river so rain is good.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;I will try to post some pics here soon. The conversion was done slowly starting with a built in stove/sink/storage cabinet my father and I built. It works but might be getting re-vamped this fall to make everything fit a little better. This summer I added an Edgestar 12v fridge and dual battery system as well as a closet/chest of drawers for clothes.....I have a tendency to be cluttered which is a pain...Most recently I have been doing major repairs (huge list) to the van but I still managed to fit some new curtains to replace the ones my dog chewed. as the season here in NC winds down I am transitioning into winter travel mode so I am getting everything ready for that. I will try to add a few pics soon. Thank you for welcoming me.</div>

 

[djpandemic]

....let me try to add some photo's....

 

[djpandemic]

.....and.

 

[djpandemic]

....and this is what I do for work.

 

[Imladris]

Oh wow. I am incredibly jealous. River guide is on my list of things to do. How do you distinguish a free flowing river? What is the Nantahala?
And I love the kitchenette. You should make me one for when I go back east again. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

Welcome to the forum!

 

[djpandemic]

Than Nanty is a dam released river which guarantees a certain amount of water for every run. We are completely rain dependent. If it rains, the river goes up and it's fun and if it doesn't.......well. It's still fun. It's a great summer job and this winter I may drive to Texas to work on the Rio Grande.<div>&nbsp; &nbsp;The kitchen unit was pretty easy to build but as I added different components I had to modify. I would suggest having all the bits (stove, fridge, sink, etc.) before you start. I may rebuild mine this winter and make it a little more cohesive.</div><div>thanks for looking.</div>

 

[fwiw]

Wow that is such an awesome job.... and van setup.&nbsp; Living the good life.<br><br>

 

[stude53]

Welcome, DJ<br><br>Thanks for the pics. We love pictures!<br><br>Bob<br>

 

[4x4tour]

DJ,&nbsp; <br><br>Great layout on the kitchen.&nbsp; Doing similar as we speak... lol&nbsp; <br><br>AJ<br><br>

 

[djpandemic]

Thanks everyone. The kitchen unit ended up being a little hodge podge. I did not measure for the original stove I planned on using (2 burner camp stove) so for the first year I had to take the stove out and put it on the counter to use it. I bought the little RV stove this year and mounted it and it works great. The panel that covers it is bi-fold and creates a little "hood" of sorts to keep spatters off the walls and curtains. When I got the Edgestar fridge I had to raise the whole thing about 7 inches and add a slide out. Both worked but only just. the bottom of the fridge shelf actually rests on "magic sliders" which helps even the load of the fridge and groceries.<div>&nbsp; In front of the sink there is a removable cover which has a socket and becomes a card table either in front of the bed or in the front of the cab. The van came with the pole but no table top so I added that to the design. Behind the cover is a 6 gallon water tank and a 5lb propane tank as well as a little storage (colander, Tupperware, etc)</div><div>&nbsp; The sink is simply plumbed through the floor. I use a mesh screen and biodegradable soaps and toothpaste and I don't feel too awful about my greywater. I am in a very rural area mostly and it is not a problem. &nbsp;I have a multi use bucket that can catch the greywater if I am in an urban setting. The sink pump is a headache. It is a little jabsco job and has to be mounted lower than the water source. Since I rigged a reliance jug for a water source this setup has occasionally been dodgy but it usually works. I really only use the sink for light washing, teeth brushing and filling pots so it does not get enough use to justify a more expensive setup.</div><div>&nbsp; On the right is the dry goods pantry. I can hold about 2 weeks worth of dry-goods on the shelves. It works great and utilizes a space that was created due to a design flaw when I first built the kitchen. Below that is a silverware and knife drawer.</div><div>&nbsp; I tried to keep everything low to give the interior a feeling of more space. This summer I decided that I needed a better space for clothes other than the plastic bins under the bed so I built a cabinet on the passenger side. It has a clothes rod attached to the door and can hold a dozen shirts hanging up. Below that is a three drawer plastic chest from wallyworld that holds clothes. Since this cabinet goes to the ceiling I may ad some storage over the sink and stove.....the interior just keeps shrinking!!</div>

 

[djpandemic]

here are some more random pictures of the vandaminium...

 

[Seraphim]

Welcome to the group! Like what you did with the van. When DW and I left college, we left in a Dodge extended van we setup for camping. Now that we're older, wiser, and lazier, we picked up one that was professionally done lol. An oldie but a goodie, as they used to say. A long time ago.

Thanks for the photos.

 

[sputnik]

Welcome Amos!<div>Like many of the others, love the pics &amp; especially the kitchen.</div><div>After seeing Bob's too cool setup &amp; yours, I am a bit envious.</div><div>And of course, as an old, ex-trout fisherman (similar feelings about it as Thoreau) I am also envious of your job. &nbsp;Running water + nature=beauty and peace to me.</div>

 

[djpandemic]

Working as a whitewater guide is wonderful although can sometimes be a little remote. The van has become my haven and even though it's older and scratch built it serves my needs pretty well. Working as a river guide means wet clothes which has proven to be one of the biggest problems. I have been storing them in rubbermaids but I go so long between clothes washing they tend to get funky. I built a 5 gallon bucket washing machine but getting clothes clean without using a ton of water is almost impossible. This fall/winter I am going to redo the kitchen setup and make it a little sturdier (the fridge slides have become a problem) and add some more storage for pots and pans which now reside in a plastic "ammo can" under the bed. I also plan to add laminate floors to make cleaning a little easier and add another deep cycle for more off grid adventures. I am planning on staying in NC this winter so my other project is building a "tiny house" for winter living. The shell is built so I just need to insulate and finish the interior walls and add a door. I will also put in my little wood stove (<a href="http://www.marinestove.com/SkinnerHalibut.jpg" target="_blank">pic</a>). The "house" is 8x16 and can be moved on a roll back so when I finally buy some property I can just move it. It will be my winter home....I did think of putting the woodstove in the van for a minute though....<div><br></div>

 

[Butternut]

<font size="3"><font face="Georgia">There are a lot of ex-lurkers here.<br><br>Welcome!!<br><br></font></font>

 

[mobilekev]

Hi Amos !<br>&nbsp;Excellent conversion and lifestyle! Really has me motivated to get out there.<br><br>Welcome!<br><br>