My new E-350 Extended van

[ainley53]

coultergeist;

Would love to be able to see all the pics of your build on the E350 van but the Forum moderator says they didn't make it over when they switched platforms. Can you provide a link to you pics or repost them? The only ones I can see are on the last page of the thread. I'm planning to buy a 2012 Ford E350 Super Duty van next week with a raised roof and wheelchair lift to convert to an RV so what you've done with yours would be very helpful. Thanks.

David

 

[coultergeist]

Hi David,

Sorry, I haven't been on this site for a while.  I tried to go back and put the pictures back in but it won't let me, so I will start from here and try to add as many as I still have.  Hope this helps you and anyone else thinking about a van like mine. 

These are what she started out as.  It was a handicap patient hauler in a former life.  It was a big mostly empty canvas.

 

[coultergeist]

The first major job was to remove the wheel chair lift.  This wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, but it still wasn't easy.  It was still functional.  I basically lowered it all the way to the ground and then removed the parts I didn't need.  I kept the support frame as seen in the picture and used it as the base to mount all the kitchen area shelving onto.  It is rock solid and is far more sturdy than anything I could have framed out on my own.  The following pictures show the kitchen area shelving in progress.

 

[coultergeist]

I used a piece of countertop I found on craigslist for the kitchen countertop as seen in the last post.  My stove I found at a thrift store. It was from a popup camper as was my sink.  I cut out holes in the counter top using a jigsaw and mounted them up.  I mounted a dorm type fridge and a 700watt microwave.  Space under the microwave holds a small rollaway cooler converted into a grey water tank.  piping from the sink can drain there or directly out of a hose fitting in the door. 




The reason I put the kitchen where it is is that I wanted easy access to plumbing and removal of the grey water tank.  All I have to do is open the side doors to access the area.  I figured it would make it much easier to service the area or make future changes if it was there.

 

[coultergeist]

After getting the major kitchen stuff in, I added an overhead cabinet for kitchen storage.  My first van was a GMC Safari and storage space was always a challenge.  I decided from the beginning that with this build I was going to maximize storage space as best I could.  This was the first step on than road. 

 

[coultergeist]

At this point I was at a crossroad.  Wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to work on next.  I decided that I needed to go ahead and work on the windows as any serious future work would likely cover them and make it more difficult.  My goal two-fold.  On the one hand, I wanted to insulate them as it was obvious that the windows were a major source of heat and cold exchange.  The other issue was adding a degree of stealthiness.  Now, she's a big van, so it is never going to blend in anywhere.  You can't exactly hide in a parking lot.  My logic wasn't so much to hide her as to go with the notion that she was going to be a home built class B and the window coverings were really just for privacy in use. 

The windows themselves have mirror tinting.  During daytime they did an excellent job of keeping out prying eyes.  At night time, however, any lighting inside made the inside very easy to see.  I decided the best course was to permanently black out the windows that would be mostly covered by cabinetry.  I took reflectix and cut it to size for each window.  I then covered each piece with black lawn fabric.  This made the reflectix almost impossible to see through the windows even with a flashlight shining at them directly.  I then cut pieces of plastic panel used for shower stalls to size and covered the windows on the inside.  It added a good degree of insulation to the windows and completely blocked all light from those windows.





It wasn't difficult to do, just a bit time consuming.  I was worried about the nets pulling through the MRP material, so I used metal banding and larger washers from an agriculture supply store to hold the panels in place.  It has held up great over the last year or so with no issues at all, Given the choice, I'd do it exactly the same way again.

 

[coultergeist]

The next minimission that I worked on was back in the kitchen area.  The side doors had pieces of fabic covered foam that covered the upper door panels.  The area behind each was a void about two to three inches thick.  This seemed like an area I could put to use.  On the right side I framed out a narrow cabinet to hold spices or thin bottles like dish soap.  The other side was a bit more complex.  I decided I needed a vent for the stove.  I used two variable speed computer fans, an Rv vent, a 12v outlet and a few switches to finish out the left side door.  The fans are speed adjustable.  There is a 12v outlet in case its needed as well as a bypass switch to turn on the interior dome lights without having to open a door. I also added a fluorescent light fixture that was coverted to 12v dc LEDs.

 

[coultergeist]

Gotta get to bed for now as I have to get to work in the morning, but I will continue tomorrow and try to get it a lot more up to date.

 

[ahh_me2]

Thanks for the re-post with the pics!

 

[highdesertranger]

very nice. what is the material you used for the counter top, around the sink and stove? highdesertranger

 

[coultergeist]

It is a piece of linoleum counter top that I believe was originally on a kitchen island in a mobile home.  It was thick and solid, but easy to cut.  I just had to use a really long jig saw blade and take my time.

 

[coultergeist]

After the extra kitchen work, I started working on the bed platform and mounting the fresh water tank under it.  I started by attaching rails to the sides of the van and then using vertical support rails as needed.  The water tank is held in place by two by fours bolted through the floor.  It's a sixty gallon tank, so full it weighs around 500 pounds.  I probably greatly over engineered its mounts but I didn't want to risk it being able to move at all.

 

[coultergeist]

The next step was to work on the cabinetry on the passenger side between the bed frame and the kitchen area.  I laid out the location of the camping toilet and the portable air conditioner.  I put in 2 x 4 uprights and then spaced out all my general shelving supports.  There is a closet on the upper left.  Two drawers will go beneath that with the toilet compartment below that at floor level.  To the right of that will be the air conditioner at ground level and adjustable shelves above that.  This shows all of that framed out. 

 

[coultergeist]

After framing that area out, I finished up the adjustable shelving area above the air conditioner.  I used a router to cut out slides in the wood on each side of the cabinet and then cut shelves to slide into these.  I can adjust these into multiple configurations depending on what needs to be stored.  The last step was of course to put on the door.  There is a hidden compartment under the bottom shelf that is used for valuables. 

 

[coultergeist]

After getting most of the cabinetry done on the passenger side, it was time to get rolling on the electrical upgrades.  This ended up being pretty involved.  The first step was to install the fuse and breaker panel.  I went with a 50 amp panel built for campers.  It hides out under the bed platform.  It is a combined unit that does both ac breakers and fuses for 12v dc circuits.  It made it pretty straight forward to add all the original wiring plus a few additional circuits over the last year.  I highly recommend it.  It can usually be found online on ebay and other sites for around thirty dollars.  It is well worth it.

 

[coultergeist]

After that, I added in the big switch panel.  My goal was to make sure that every outlet and individually wired devices could be switched on or off individually.  The goal was power saving.  The intent was to be able to make sure that there was no unneeded power loss from circuits being energized needlessly.  The panel is divided into two sections.  One side controls all the 120v outlets.  The other controls all the 12v outlets and devices.  I can individually turn on the things needed and just those things.  It really helps to get the most out of the battery bank.