Plan C – Cube Van Planning

[akrvbob]

In many states any 1 ton vehicle or over is automatically registered as commercial--no exceptions, no changing it. You'll want to to know for sure what the law of your state is before you do anything. Commercial registration and insurance will be high.

I had my 1 ton Express van registered in Nevada--it had to be commercial. I changed to personal in AZ and my insurance dropped by $300 a year.
Bob

 

[Almost There]

In many states any 1 ton vehicle or over is automatically registered as commercial--no exceptions, no changing it. You'll want to to know for sure what the law of your state is before you do anything. Commercial registration and insurance will be high.

I had my 1 ton Express van registered in Nevada--it had to be commercial. I changed to personal in AZ and my insurance dropped by $300 a year.
Bob

I was having the same problem with some insurance companies here in Ontario with that as well only mine is a GMC 2500 - 3/4 ton. Only one person asked me for the weight rating off the title. DMV here allows 'personal' use only on the 3/4 ton but not all of the insurance companies follow DMV classifications apparently.

 

[CarCampire]

Oh goodness, good to know!

Will lok into that.
As for the insurance- im almost positive state farm will allow you to register as long as it has a microwave and some other gadgets to be considered a class B ... but now that I think about it, the research I did for converting commercial to 'persona' or 'recreational' was for a van... cube might be different.

Anyone have experience in the new york area?
Will look some things up and get back to you all.

Thanks!

 

[Almost There]

Oh goodness, good to know!

Will lok into that.
As for the insurance- im almost positive state farm will allow you to register as long as it has a microwave and some other gadgets to be considered a class B ... but now that I think about it, the research I did for converting commercial to 'persona' or 'recreational' was for a van... cube might be different.

Anyone have experience in the new york area?
Will look some things up and get back to you all.

Thanks!

If you already own the vehicle, be very careful approaching your insurance broker. If  you're only exploring your options before shopping be very frank with them so you know what the cards on the table are, it might make a difference in your choice of vehicles.

Mine told my insurance company who they were asking questions for. The insurance company is cancelling my policy mid term on the grounds that I am modifying my van. I've spent the last 4 days scouring the web and making many, many phone calls trying to move my insurance because my broker told me they didn't think they could find a carrier for me and I should do it on my own...sigh! An hour ago, they finally told me that they'd found a carrier but didn't have a rate for me yet. In Ontario insurance is mandatory and your rates go sky high if there's an interruption in insurance never mind that I wouldn't be able to legally drive as of the end of the month if I didn't find insurance....

 

[CarCampire]

Ok- just looked it up but the legal terms are a tad confusing:

Link HERE

Does a cube van classify as a 'pick-up truck'?

 

[CarCampire]

...An hour ago, they finally told me that they'd found a carrier but didn't have a rate for me yet. In Ontario insurance is mandatory and your rates go sky high if there's an interruption in insurance never mind that I wouldn't be able to legally drive as of the end of the month if I didn't find insurance....

If all else fails request 'excess lines' coverage. It wont be cheap- but they can then go to an excess lines broker and there are a lot more options when dealing with excess lines anything... thought they may ask for collateral for the 1st term of insurance.

Best of luck to you hun!

 

[Almost There]

Nope, a cube van and a pick up truck are two different animals.

After what I've just been through you also want to explore the insurance ramifications before you make any decision. Just because you can register a vehicle with DMV as 'passenger' doesn't mean that you can get insurance on it except as a commercial vehicle.

 

[highdesertranger]

don't use the right stuff foam for anything. it's open cell, and will absorb and hold moisture. highdesertranger

 

[GotSmart]

While working on my van, I found they had put R-11 bat insulation behind the conversion walls. Light, easy to move / remove and easy to stuff in small places. If you get too crazy in insulating things, you will ALWAYS need to get back inside to run wires.

 

[CarCampire]

Welp… I’m currently at a lack of information…

GMC Savana Cutaway = Max payload of 9157lbs + Max GVWR 14200lbs
Ok, so I’m looking at GMC Cutaway’s – more specifically now due to the fact I MIGHT be able to still register one as a Van- though this was the original idea, once you add a non-van shaped area past the cabin, legal terms get tricky…

The reason this is important is in NYS, RV-modified vehicles (vans in this case)are registered by weight and a few other things…

I’m going to write or call the DMV personally if I can’t find more information soon but as long as I have a few key components for conversion as follows, I should be fine:

Modifications that change a registration from 'Commercial' class to 'Passenger' class

Vans (Part 106.3 (d)) - you can register a van in the 'Passenger' class if the van has
o at least one side window behind the driver
and
o at least one seat or set of seat fittings that is installed behind the driver
or
o camping equipment that is installed behind the driver.
 'camping equipment' indicates that you have a permanent bed, a permanent stove, or a permanent refrigerator in the vehicle
 if this equipment is removed and you use the van, you must register the van as a commercial vehicle

So if I meet the weight requirements (still looking into this) and affix a permanent bed- I should be able to register it as a ‘passenger van’.

You would think the DMV of the state would have more information on these kinds of things…

In other news… my miniature – scaled- model of the interior of the box van will soon gain walls and get to 3d but in the mean time, I got a suggestion that I should make a few ‘little things’ that I will have inside (also to scale) so I will have a good understanding of how big every-day items will be, cluttering up the space- in comparison.

So I’ve added a few ‘little’ things.

Also made the ‘wheel-wells’ which the bed frame will sit on top of when this project gains a vertical aspect.

Thanks for everyone’s post’s. Good information! Keep it coming!

 

[CarCampire]

Found some 'kinks' in the layout and am correcting them as i continue the model but for now, here's what I got...

On a side note, this could work for a 10' trailer or regular 10' box van as well.
Will keep you posted.

 

[ZoNiE]

Nice way to lay it out. One thing, You may want to consider "rewiring" your battery. You have built a bomb! :/

 

[LeeRevell]

So you will be climbing over the bed everytime you enter or exit via the back door?
The 'cat door' is where the gas tank may well be, better check that!
What is the logic of the roof hatch?

Just trying to understand your layout.

 

[LoupGarou]

CAD, cardboard aided design, has always worked for me.

Regarding insurance, it all starts with the VIN number. The insurance company takes it and breaks it down by number and letter to identify what type and kind of vehicle their going to cover. While the vehicle may be classified as commercial it doesn't mean it will be used in such a manner. It's up to you to let them know that.

 

[VJG1977]

Good job on the 3D model.  You may want to start with a box and individual blocks for the furniture, easier to move them about.   If you are working in a standard 1/2" (1:24) or 1" (1:12) scale there are many printable pages on-line.  There are a lot of web sites about building paper models.  Now is the time to consider design alternatives.  I've been drawing on paper but I'm going to borrow your idea, thanks!

You may want to move the batteries forward for two reasons, shorter cable runs and better weight distribution.  The longer the cable runs the more voltage drop necessitating heavier cables.  Too much weight behind the rear axle can affect steering.

 

[LoupGarou]

It won't hurt to tape off the area to full scale on a floor somewhere like in a garage or basement. You can even do so in the cargo body itself. The effort will give you spacial awareness of components as you move about the area.

Casita's website has some floor plans on their trailers that might give you some suggestions.

 

[CarCampire]

You may want to consider "rewiring" your battery. You have built a bomb! :/

Hah! Yes- that would indeed be a bomb... woopsie.
Here's the electrical - Step #9. Please let me know if you see any flaws or have any suggestions.

So you will be climbing over the bed every time you enter or exit via the back door?
The 'cat door' is where the gas tank may well be, better check that!
What is the logic of the roof hatch?

The back door is more for a 'fire exit'- I'll likely never use it(and probably put a laundry basket there) but I want 1 exit other than the cutaway entrance. Also nice to have an openable window that doesn't make it look like an RV- as most utility trucks do have a double back door with windows.

I could also make the bed 'fold half up' and over itself with a few hinges- blocking off the closet but making the door accessable with a few short steps- rather than jumping over the bed.

I will have to look into relocating the cat door... no doubt about that. It's essentially a 5" port hole.

The roof hatch serves a few purposes;
1. I can line a magnetic square and stick a metal-framed screen onto it to use as a vent while cooking.
2. If you notice- the counters are a bit high, this is on purpose so I can stand on them and stick the upper half of my body out to clean the snow off the solar panels or do maintenance.
3. Sky-light with fiber-glass-opegue hatch top.

CAD, cardboard aided design, has always worked for me.

Regarding insurance, it all starts with the VIN number. The insurance company takes it and breaks it down by number and letter to identify what type and kind of vehicle their going to cover. While the vehicle may be classified as commercial it doesn't mean it will be used in such a manner. It's up to you to let them know that.

Thank you!

Good job on the 3D model.  You may want to start with a box and individual blocks for the furniture, easier to move them about.   If you are working in a standard 1/2" (1:24) or 1" (1:12) scale there are many printable pages on-line.  There are a lot of web sites about building paper models.  Now is the time to consider design alternatives.  I've been drawing on paper but I'm going to borrow your idea, thanks!

You may want to move the batteries forward for two reasons, shorter cable runs and better weight distribution.  The longer the cable runs the more voltage drop necessitating heavier cables.  Too much weight behind the rear axle can affect steering.

I could put them under the bed but I read that's a 'nono'...? Will look into it. Thank you

It won't hurt to tape off the area to full scale on a floor somewhere like in a garage or basement. You can even do so in the cargo body itself. The effort will give you spacial awareness of components as you move about the area.

Casita's website has some floor plans on their trailers that might give you some suggestions.

Will look into that, likely will do a test -layout with blue painters tape in a rented U-haul when I finish all the 'kinks'. Thank you!

 

[LoupGarou]

The interior design can be a real head banger. You have to look at the design as a whole and not as a set of discrete efforts or tasks. You can let window and door placement define the interior layout or you can let the internal layout drive the window and door placements.

 

[GotSmart]

I like the emergency light on top.

Sealed batteries can be placed anywhere. I would look hard at putting them in the front passenger side box.

 

[LeeRevell]

Aha! I begin to see the madness in your method..... uh..... 'method to your madness'!
I have been playing with some drawings too, but haven't yet taken it to the stage of 3D modeling - that is a great idea!