Nissan Cube conversion

[aprilenchanted]

Hi! I own a 2009 Nissan Cube that I've done some car camping in over this past year. Right now, it's just short trips but i eventually want to full time nomad in a short bus. For my current vehicle I want to build a snap together camping box that fits a small kitchen and folds into a bed platform. I've seen quite a few European videos with people doing this with really small cars and tiny vans (about the size of my Cube). Just wondering if anyone here has ever done such a thing with their cube? My back seats fold down flat & i want to build this to fit over the seats rather than removing them.

Things I already own & plan to use for this build:
*50w flexible solar panel w/charge controller. (No inverter yet, but that's next) I'm thinking of mounting the inverter, charge controller & any related small components to a small board with a cutout handle to make it easy to remove from the car for storage when not camping.
*A Schumacher 1200a portable power station/car battery jumper/air compressor. I use this to charge my power pig MacBook Pro laptop on the road. It's great. I would love to be able to charge it with my solar setup. I love the multi-functionality of this thing.
*Single burner butane camp stove & various camping cook pans, utensils, etc.
*Camping sleep mat that i used inside the Cube for sleeping. It was ok for comfort but I'd like something a bit more luxurious. Memory foam or some such thing.
*6 gallon water tank & 2-5 gallon water bags that stow pretty easily in weird places.
*1 solar Luci Light that works great for nighttime reading in the Cube.
*I made some cheap window covers with the poly/canvas drop cloths from Harbor Freight. I bound the edges with duct tape after cutting them to the shape of my windows. They stay put with magnets, also from HF. These worked great for such a cheap option and they did provide some insulation from the cold. Last camp trip was the RTR and it did drop down to about 35 degrees at night.
*Used the remaining poly/canvas & Some magnets to fashion a bathroom enclosure to my open passenger side doors. Worked great. Cheap.
*Home Depot bucket toilet. I used the foam roll that keeps your pipes from freezing around the edge of the bucket to make a comfy seat. Works great. Stupid cheap. Cat litter makes this work amazingly well.
*12v fan that sits on my dash in case i need air circulation. I can plug this into the power station at night when I'm sleeping so i don't run my car battery down.

Things I'm probably going to be adding this year:
*1000w inverter
*100w solar panel (for 150w total)
*AGM deep cycle house battery
*Some type of 12v cooler or fridge
*And of course the campbox/sleeping platform.

I want to be able to easily snap this together, pop it in and get the hell out of dodge as often as possible. I also want this lightweight to maintain my 31mpg. I'm thinking of using lite-ply or something 1/4" thick. I want to hinge the pieces together for easy fold away storage when not in use. Would love any and all suggestions.

This video is the closest thing I've seen to what I'm trying to accomplish. It's pretty cool!


April






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[sephson]

My Kia Soul, while not identical, is similar enough that some of what I've done with my build might be possible to adapt to your Cube.

Have a look at my build thread and see if there are any ideas there that you can steal.

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=9848

 

[Trebor English]

Things I'm probably going to be adding this year:
*1000w inverter
*100w solar panel (for 150w total)
*AGM deep cycle house battery
*Some type of 12v cooler or fridge
*And of course the campbox/sleeping platform.

  
Beware of the 12 volt cooler.  The Peltier, thermoelectric, coolers are not appropriate for mobile food storage.  

For food storage they don't keep cold enough for safe food storage.  Their temperature is usually specified as 40 degrees less than ambient.  I the temperature is 90 then inside the cooler it is 50.  You want 35, max 40.  50 is warm enough for good bacteria growth.  

For mobile use the electric power consumption is too big.  The watts rating may be no more than an expensive compressor fridge but it is on all the time.  A compressor fridge running 25% of the time, off 45 minutes each hour, uses a lot less.  The cooler needs more than 200 watts solar and 200 amp hour battery just for the cooler.

 

[aprilenchanted]

I just read through that entire thread. Amazing what you did there!

I really love the snap in shelf system. I think I have some existing hold points in my Cube that I could attach the poles to.

Folding bed platform just for the open spaces. Yes! So easy to do.

I've also been looking at roof rails for my solar panels & also for putting a cargo box on. I don't have the tools or know how for that installation, so I'll probably have a roof rack company here in Denver do that install. I won't be doing any type of permanent install of solar/electrical components in the car. I'll be building it so everything easily removes from the car when not in use. I'll build some kind of lightweight frame that holds my flexible solar panel to the rails & that, ideally, would have a tilt mechanism to face the panel to the sun. This way i can get maximum utilization from just a 50w panel. I don't want to do anything that makes me drill holes in the interior or exterior of my car.

The fuse box strategy you've outlined is so helpful too. You've given me some great ideas and I will post pics as I move along (slowly) on this project!

April

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[aprilenchanted]

Thanks for that info! I have been on the fence about what to do in this area & I still am. For me, I eat a mostly vegetarian diet so i don't need extra cold storage. And because I'm only doing short & infrequent camp trips right now it seems a bit much to buy one of the compressor fridges. But I am planning to go f/t nomad at some point and then it would make sense. I just don't know if i want to spend that kind of money right now. Also, when i get into my short bus for f/t life I'll want a larger fridge option than can fit in my tiny car right now. So I'll probably buy just a small 12v cooler for now. Then add the fridge when the bus manifests. Does that make sense?

I appreciate the technical info you sent on power needs for both option & I'll refer to that when choosing what to buy. Thanks a bunch!

April

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[aprilenchanted]

Sephson, I also wanted to say that I worked in theatre for many years here in Denver. Though I was in the costume shop, I spent lots of time with our set/props/lighting guys, so I totally appreciate that perspective on a build like this.

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[Trebor English]

So I'll probably buy just a small 12v cooler for now. Then add the fridge when the bus manifests. Does that make sense?

The 12 volt cooler will kill your batteries.  You can't run the 12 volt cooler for very long without the engine running. They take about 5 amps, 60 watts.  A big 100 amp hour battery, 50 amp hour at 50%, will last 10 hours.  Your Schumacher 1200a is probably half that, 5 hour run time. They will run just fine plugged into the cigarette lighter while the engine is running.  

Small ice chests are good for short infrequent camping trips.  You keep your cash in your pocket until you figure out what you really want.   I don't recommend spending a bunch of money on a high priced super ice chest since you eventually want a fridge.  If you are only keeping apples, poratoes, carrots, and onions an ice chest without ice will work.

 

[B and C]

I've also been looking at roof rails for my solar panels & also for putting a cargo box on. I don't have the tools or know how for that installation, so I'll probably have a roof rack company here in Denver do that install. I won't be doing any type of permanent install of solar/electrical components in the car. I'll be building it so everything easily removes from the car when not in use. I'll build some kind of lightweight frame that holds my flexible solar panel to the rails & that, ideally, would have a tilt mechanism to face the panel to the sun. This way i can get maximum utilization from just a 50w panel. I don't want to do anything that makes me drill holes in the interior or exterior of my car.

April

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I would suggest that you forgo mounting the panel to the roof rack with tilting.  Tilting adds to the complexity of the setup.

You might think about hanging your panel off the side of the car or the edge of the roof rack in early morning and late afternoon with it flat on top during the middle of the day using bungee cords to fasten it to the rack.  Add a short flexible extension cord (12 GA min) to run in to your battery under a door.  I would not shut the door tight on the wire, and if it is raining, put the whole kit and kaboodle in the car.  You could also put rain guards on your windows and run it through the opening where the window is left down a little.  If the rain catches you by surprise, the panel could be left out if the wind is not blowing to badly.  Put a S hook in each of the upper corners and hook over the door glass or roof rack.  A bungee on the other end tied to a stake in the ground.  This would probably take 10 minutes to hang the panel , drive a stake and attach bungee to panel bottom.  A long enough bungee and you could tilt your panel to say 30-45 degrees to catch that important morning sun.  I use a white rag around the stakes for my panels when I hang them from the awning so I don't trip over the stakes.

Just trying to give you another option.  Good luck!

 

[ArmorAbby]

Apicool fridge. Same comment as the others. I thought getting a cooler would be cheaper but it wasted food,, time and electric. I did find an Apicool fridge that was incredibly cheaper than other fridges and works great and doesnt kill my batteries. And althought not as cheap as a cooler, only $200, so much cheaper than the popular fridges. I know people swear by the other brands, just woke up, can't think of the names... Dometic... but Im so glad I found this one. Its not huge, its entire interior probably holds a total of four gallons of milk of space plus a little taller. But works.

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[DaisyMae50]

Hi! I own a 2009 Nissan Cube that I've done some car camping in over this past year. Right now, it's just short trips but i eventually want to full time nomad in a short bus. For my current vehicle I want to build a snap together camping box that fits a small kitchen and folds into a bed platform. I've seen quite a few European videos with people doing this with really small cars and tiny vans (about the size of my Cube). Just wondering if anyone here has ever done such a thing with their cube? My back seats fold down flat & i want to build this to fit over the seats rather than removing them.

Things I already own & plan to use for this build:
*50w flexible solar panel w/charge controller. (No inverter yet, but that's next) I'm thinking of mounting the inverter, charge controller & any related small components to a small board with a cutout handle to make it easy to remove from the car for storage when not camping.
*A Schumacher 1200a portable power station/car battery jumper/air compressor. I use this to charge my power pig MacBook Pro laptop on the road. It's great. I would love to be able to charge it with my solar setup. I love the multi-functionality of this thing.
*Single burner butane camp stove & various camping cook pans, utensils, etc.
*Camping sleep mat that i used inside the Cube for sleeping. It was ok for comfort but I'd like something a bit more luxurious. Memory foam or some such thing.
*6 gallon water tank & 2-5 gallon water bags that stow pretty easily in weird places.
*1 solar Luci Light that works great for nighttime reading in the Cube.
*I made some cheap window covers with the poly/canvas drop cloths from Harbor Freight. I bound the edges with duct tape after cutting them to the shape of my windows. They stay put with magnets, also from HF. These worked great for such a cheap option and they did provide some insulation from the cold. Last camp trip was the RTR and it did drop down to about 35 degrees at night.
*Used the remaining poly/canvas & Some magnets to fashion a bathroom enclosure to my open passenger side doors. Worked great. Cheap.
*Home Depot bucket toilet. I used the foam roll that keeps your pipes from freezing around the edge of the bucket to make a comfy seat. Works great. Stupid cheap. Cat litter makes this work amazingly well.
*12v fan that sits on my dash in case i need air circulation. I can plug this into the power station at night when I'm sleeping so i don't run my car battery down.

Things I'm probably going to be adding this year:
*1000w inverter
*100w solar panel (for 150w total)
*AGM deep cycle house battery
*Some type of 12v cooler or fridge
*And of course the campbox/sleeping platform.

I want to be able to easily snap this together, pop it in and get the hell out of dodge as often as possible. I also want this lightweight to maintain my 31mpg. I'm thinking of using lite-ply or something 1/4" thick. I want to hinge the pieces together for easy fold away storage when not in use. Would love any and all suggestions.

This video is the closest thing I've seen to what I'm trying to accomplish. It's pretty cool!


April






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[aprilenchanted]

After having done some good long trips in the Cube, I think I have decided against doing a conversion. While it is semi comfortable, I'm just a bit too tall for the available space inside. I would have to remove the passenger seat in front to make it really doable. Sooo...

I've decided to build a very small, very lightweight gypsy style caravan on a 5' x 8' trailer. I've been doing the calculations & if I do this right I can have a teeny tiny house that i can stand up in, sleep in, cook in & work in that will only weigh about 700 pounds (dry weight) including the trailer. I met someone recently that has been towing approx. 1200 pounds with his Cube for the past year without issues. I think this is doable. Anyone have thoughts about this?

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[ratfink56]

Your idea sounds great. Those really have lots of style. Post lots of pics.

My only concern is the Cube's transmission. If yours has the original cvt transmission budget for when it fails if your car is out of warranty.

 

[ClassyGlobal]

If height is an issue I think a small but tall trailer will fit you much better and is a good choice. Though I was rooting for the cube conversion with Euro parts, overall comfort and mobility are a necessity and priority. Keep us posted on your trailer conversion! Check your Door Jam Sticker it should have Weight Capacities listed. Also make sure your trailer has its own momentum or electrical brakes, this will lessen the stress your car when stopping.

 

[aprilenchanted]

Your idea sounds great. Those really have lots of style. Post lots of pics.

My only concern is the Cube's transmission. If yours has the original cvt transmission budget for when it fails if your car is out of warranty.

5 days after I posted this, my transmission started to fail. Since I'm making payments on this car still, i have no choice but to save up my $$ and get it fixed. $4500 at my Nissan dealership. So my entire project is on hold for the time being. But I promise to post pics once I start my build process.

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[aprilenchanted]

If height is an issue I think a small but tall trailer will fit you much better and is a good choice. Though I was rooting for the cube conversion with Euro parts, overall comfort and mobility are a necessity and priority. Keep us posted on your trailer conversion! Check your Door Jam Sticker it should have Weight Capacities listed. Also make sure your trailer has its own momentum or electrical brakes, this will lessen the stress your car when stopping.

That's is what I'm planning to do. I'm building on an 8'x5' trailer, but i will bump out the sides by 1'each making it 7' wide. Similar to this:
https://pin.it/6o4lq6lu22iopd

I'm going to build it to 8' high so I can put the bed platform at approx 4' high. This will allow me to have a closet below the bed and I can sit fully upright in bed. I can also stand up on the main floor. This week also allow cabinetry to go from floor to ceiling & give me more storage space. I'm considering a small woodstove but that may go in after the initial build.

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[ClassyGlobal]

Sucks for the Tranny. But keep going on the build.

Have you priced out working with other mechanics? Found a transmission with these guys for less than $1K - elpasoautosalvage.com GREAT Mechanics are hard to find but often better and cheaper than dealerships anyday...

 

[DaisyMae50]

My avatar picture shows the Cube pulling my teardrop. Keep it light and you should be ok. I haul a lot of the gear in the Cube. I am short and can sleep comfortably in the Cube.

How has the caravan build go? Bob also had some good YouTube videos on small cargo trailer conversions.

 

[DaisyMae50]

Here is the picture of the Cube and teardrop.

 

[Jane E]

Here is the picture of the Cube and teardrop.

ohohmy! This is wonderful. I have just started converting my 2014 Nissan Cube! Please describe more about hauling the teardrop. I didn't think I could even get anyone to put a hitch on my car?