My 2023 Promaster livability build

[INTJohn]

Point of Beginning:

M going 2 order new Promaster

Yep made the decision. When I return 2 Michigan in approximately 60 days will order a new Ram Promaster Van. 1500 136”wb low roof with but a few options frum Dodge’s “build a truck” site. That’s it and that’s that…… jonny boi wanting a new home

vanlivingforum.com

Well I ended up buying it off the lot vs ordering:


Yep, that’s me when I got it back to Kamp Koon on April 20. Next order of business was to read the manual and turn off everything I could that beeped, buzzed & flashed……..
Then I bought a real spare tire for the thing. Few days latter transferred 10,000$ into a new account accessed with a debit card for the build necessities. Have spent about 6 weex of the last 3 months working on it in one capacity or another.

The floor: ordered a Bedrug for it. When it arrived I used it as a template to size the 2 sheets of 3/4”4’x8’ plywood and it worked out great.

Installed thinsulate insulation; ceiling & sides.

Bought 1/2” 4’x8’ plywood; 4 ply not 3. Was only 2 more bux a sheet; also 12 2x2x8’ and started going to work. Much of the other wood I used was stuff I already had laying around.

Wanted the bed frame running lengthwise basically from the rear doors forward about 78”. Storage underneath; shelves for portable solar panel storage. Also propane tank & stove; 20 gallon water tank and spare tire storage under counter space to be on passenger side from side door to rear.

Some initial pix:

And after countertop installation was time for a christening. Thank you bottle of gin. No I didn’t break it on the van. Made me a couple gin&gingers.
jonny boi bringin more

 

[INTJohn]

Added a Scopema swivel to the passenger seat. Like putting in a lazyboy recliner.

Next order of business was ummm since I had 2 big holes in the back doors, it would prolly be a good idea to install windows?
Yeah, prolly a good thing to do.


Well the ceiling liner finally arrived so installed that, below.


Above, installed the aluminum trim plates to the ceiling liner. Did this at the beach.

jonny boi makin headway

 

[Tony's Dream]

Looking good! Be sure to seal the box you have the propane bottle in and cut a vent to go outside of the van.

We looked at all 3 2023 models last weekend. I liked them but the seats were terrible.

 

[INTJohn]

Installed the roof rack; galvanized steel; made by Topper 5’x12’.

Added 5 1”x12”x12’ boards to complete the 2nd story party deck. Need a ladder to get up there right?

Ordered this 10’ Xtend & Climb telescopic ladder

jonny boi not thru

 

[VanFan]

Looks good! I especially like the ceiling finish-out and transition trim.

 

[Carla618]

You got a lot done. Very nice rig.

 

[INTJohn]

Hung a cupboard above the counter. My 2 cupboards; above & upper part of below pik are old 4” cannon ammo crates that I mysteriously acquired some 45ish years ago.

Above: tune box & amp upper left; lower left is 100ah Li Time mini LiFePo4 battery and shelving. 30amp charge controller behind driver seat; below:

jonny is about there……

 

[bullfrog !]

Somebody has been busy! Looking good!

 

[INTJohn]

Sooo what’s a spent 243 casing have to do with a van build you ask? HEY! Thanks 4 asking. No I didn’t get pissed off one day while working on it and put a round thru the van.

While I was wiring up the battery, controller, tune box, amp, 12v receptacles, etc I needed a 4 gauge wire connector. Thought I had one someplace but couldn’t find 1. Didn’t feel like waiting a 4 day order delivery so Called a couple auto part stores in the nearest town - 16 miles away- best any1 could do was 6 gauge.

Hell with it; jonny boi says and grabbed above case and hacksawed the bottleneck off one end and the base in front of the extractor groove on the other; file burrs; insert 4 ga wires; krimp and wrap. Good 2 go.
jonny boi getter dun

 

[rruff]

When I saw the roof rack my knee-jerk was to complain that you said the roof would be a dance floor! Got my answer in the next photo...

If you *do* want to mount some solar panels on it, I'd suggest mounting them on the left side, hinged at the top, with a support to hold them horizontal while parked. I seem to be the only one who thinks that is a good idea though...

 

[Sage]

Jonny, I like what you have done. Very masculine and looks just like what a guy would like to have. I'm building out a 159" WB 2023 Promaster Van. As a woman, I'm doing things a bit differently and needing oxygen at night requires electricity so I'm putting 1000W of solar panels on top. It is going to be a close fit. I'm planning on using 8020 extruded aluminum for the rack. If I figured things right I'll be able to get a fan and sky light (about 14" for each one) and a small deck between them on the roof with the solar panels. If I didn't need the electricity I would have done what you did. It would be a great bird watching place, sunsets, sunrises, too, along with the stars. Enjoy your van.

 

[quilting22]

View attachment 34141
Added a Scopema swivel to the passenger seat. Like putting in a lazyboy recliner.
View attachment 34142
Next order of business was ummm since I had 2 big holes in the back doors, it would prolly be a good idea to install windows?
Yeah, prolly a good thing to do.
View attachment 34143

Well the ceiling liner finally arrived so installed that, below.
View attachment 34144
View attachment 34145
Above, installed the aluminum trim plates to the ceiling liner. Did this at the beach.

jonny boi makin headway

Took posession of new 2023 Promaster 1500 May 19th, 2023. You did a beautiful build out, thx for sharing. I don't want to spend the $ to do a build out, and don't want the decreased gas milage due to the added weight. I use 1/4 x 2" hooks to hang a lot of things from - mainly decoratjve bags full of things. Also have hooked bungee cords to secure things. Boxes under a cot that hold cans, boxes of food. 31 qt fridge that runs off 1500w power station or just plug it into cig lighter. I discribe the interior this way..
...take your closet and turn it upside down, shake well, and VOILA ! LOL ...actually l've rearrange everything a couple of times , eliminating things l thought l would need. Have done other hacks....enjoy, its your life now.

 

[INTJohn]

This pik shows the porta-potti place; in front of the Li Time battery and the 45 qt fridge. I checked into getting a floor mount slide for the fridge but nothing decent was less than 150$ so
bought 4 locking casters for 26$ and mounted them on the corners. Roll it out, it doubles as the passenger seat foot rest.

And this is with curtain down covering the crapper. Blue cube is 7 gallon water jug. I have 2; and 2 clothing bags on lower shelf.

jonny has it livable but there’s a few things yet.

 

[Sage]

Jonny, The casters on that make it look easy to move around. Maybe you are a more genital driver than I am. Even with the locking casters it would be moving on turns and going up hill for me. I hope you don't have that problem with it. I have to strap everything to the wall or floor to keep it in place. Bungee cords are only good enough to keep drawers closed. Maybe the issue is I'm a wild crazy woman driver. lol

 

[rruff]

Maybe you are a more genital driver than I am. Even with the locking casters it would be moving on turns and going up hill for me.

I think we both know that the genital driving is the real problem! Yes I know those long drives can get boring, but I'm not as ambidextrous and multitasking as I used to be... drive safe!

 

[INTJohn]

Well; this threads on its way to going off the road and it’s all because of them genital drivers…. Don’t ya kinda want things rolling around while genital driving?
need to start a thread in chit chat land HEY; any genital drivers out there?! Make ur selves known. NOW!
jonny boi ain’t sayin; I’m jus sayin

 

[INTJohn]

And a pik frum the back.
Only big ticket item left is a trailer hitch & wiring. Draw Tite 75882. But still lotsa lil things can do anywhere anytime.

 

[Sofisintown]

That's a beautiful van you made there Johny. I love it!

 

[Carla618]

Did you do all the work yourself? I like it.

 

[INTJohn]

Did you do all the work yourself? I like it.

Yep. Did everything myself. I’m a solitary dude.