Newbie with 1996 Chevy Astro

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JennieAstro

New member
Joined
Nov 6, 2018
Messages
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Location
Georgia
Hi, Gang!
I'm a 60 yo female with a white stealth van I'm fixing up.

Plywood floor with bamboo/silver stuff [beach mats] and Reflectix under vinyl hardwood floor runner, 3/4 done.
1 x 2 Furrier strips to be installed on sides and top, to mount furniture to in a sturdy way.

My Target Microwave Cart fits perfectly between the seats in front and rolls out of the way so I can get in the driver's seat and walk back to my bed. This solved my problem of trying to haul myself into the cargo compartment. I am not too flexible and use a walker or wheelchair. I can't get on my knees.

I have small bookshelves that I plan to connect to the plywood floor.

My bed is made of industrial metal shelves with masonite inserts. It's easy to put in and take down and can be put in another van someday.
My 10" foam mattress is in pieces I can handle. Six 1-foot x 30" sections and one 6" strip for the back. The 12 x 30" pieces fit in body pillow slipcases. It's very comfy!

I'm a Ham so my Yaesu 857-D is going into my van. I just ordered a small antenna for 2 and 6 meters. I just have the Technician license right now.

I'm also installing a drill-in roof rack and plan to ground it. Because of the roof rack, the antenna will go in the middle above the 2 front seats.

This is a cargo van, of course. I am also repainting it white. Have some rust on the roof that must go, have been using Loctite Rust Converter and Rustoleum 2X Ultra Cover Paint and Primer. Plan to make final coat the Rustoleum high gloss Professional High Performance Enamel over the old paint, which has been DIY painted in the past.

On the roof rack will go my piece of white-painted plywood [outdoor treated plywood, 7/8", with a 100-watt polycrystalline solar panel. Have a 100 AH marine deep-cycle battery and 30 amp controller. The poor solar panel fell off my old van last year on an eclipse trip and got a fine web of cracks, but I filled those in with a clear coating. I got a marine bus bar to add to my system and a fuse box. I plan to add more solar panels a bit at a time. I will angle the solar panels and change that angle for winter and summer. Angling it will help with the aerodynamics of my van, I hope!

I have Reflectix cut to fit my windows, and neodymium magnets around them to hold them, secured with silver Duck tape. Unlike most, I cut mine large to leave an air gap. I plan to do the entire inside of the van in Reflectix with an air gap so it will be slightly insulated. I live in the sunny South, so I don't need much.

I am very close to being able to go vanturing, but have a mechanical problem [sigh]. In the meantime, I am getting ready!
 

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Welcome Jennie to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you. highdesertranger
 
HI! Sounds like you know what you want and you are doing just that and heading out to go 'vanturing' on your terms. Love that term you posted :) best of luck and enjoy all of it and have a blast! You are making it ALL work for you....like that a lot!
 
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