Project Stealth Astro Camper Van

travel · Apr 19, 2013

Now that I've started to acquire some components for my camper van, I thought it would be a good idea to share the progress. This is my 2005 Chevy Astro passenger van. I've owned it for two years, originally buying it because I needed a practical vehicle to haul stuff around and have extra seating for those times when I need to carry a few extra passengers. It used to be a police van. I will be putting stock GM pickup chrome wheels on it (already have them), and change the blackout grille for one with a chrome center strip, so it looks more like a stock Astro, much as I like the current look. I will no longer be using my van as I have in the past, and for what I originally bought it for. I will be moving into my van in the near future, probably by this summer. If worse came to worst, I could probably move in right now and finish the conversion as time and finances allow. Given the choice, I would have chosen an extended Chevy Express cargo van with a raised roof (it would probably get almost the same fuel economy as my Astro which is gas hog)! But, I have to work with what I've got. My Astro is paid for and in pretty good condition - a few minor repairs and I'd drive it anywhere. And it better be, because this will be home to me and my dog (a 4 year old, 30 pound Boston Terrier/Boxer mix). We plan on going out west, and doing the snowbird thing so we always have nice weather - not too hot and not too cold. Bed First, you'll see the van empty, with the two rows of bench seats removed. It looks quite spacious. Then I put in my new mattress, raised up on some plastic bins to simulate the height it will really be (to allow for storage below, mattress platform will be hinged to allow me to raise it for access to the storage). Last week I got a super comfy twin size mattress (various layers of foam, no springs, one of the better mid-priced mattresses, got it for $300 on sale). A comfortable night's sleep is very important to me, and a foam pad won't cut it for me - tried it before and didn't like it. I decided a sofa bed was neither comfortable as a real sofa, or as a real bed. And the only sofa beds I could find would need some slight modification to fit width wise. I'm 5'10" so I have to sleep lengthwise in the van. So, I decided on a twin size mattress. Storage under the bed When the 8" thick mattress is laid right on the floor, I can sit on it and have space above my head. Elevated 8 inches on those bins, I can still sit on it, but have to lean forward slightly so my head doesn't hit the roof. Compromises... do I want more headroom but very little storage, or vice-versa? I'd rathe have the extra storage and a bit less headroom. At that height, I'll be sleeping at almost the height of the windows. Windows I'm getting super dark limo tint window tinting overtop of my factory tinted windows, an also blackout curtains. That should give me privacy and stealth. I will also make screens to go over the pop-open side and rear windows that will attach on the inside of the van with either velcro or magnets. Fridge Yesterday I bought a used 12V Norcold Tek II fridge from a guy on Craigslist. It's actually 15 years old, but the seller told me he only used it on weekends at his off-the-grid-cabin for 5 years and then stored it at his house in the city for the next 10 years before selling it to me. He said they cost $600. I saw one on Amazon for $750, and other RV and marine grade fridges that can handle the vibrations can cost over $1000. I was prepared to settle for a good quality Yeti 5 day cooler and buy ice once or twice a week, or risk a cheap new "home-use" Walmart dorm/bar fridge. So you can imagine my delight when I was able to buy this one for $200. It's super clean, and he hooked it up to a battery so I could see it working. It definitely cools, and the compressor is very quiet. I thought this type of fridge could also work on 120V, which would be handy if/when I have access to short power. But he said it only works on 12V and according to the label on it, that appears to be true.  Future solar power Now that I have the fridge, I have to rethink my solar power plans. Originally I was going to get a portable solar power system, primarily to power my laptop and maybe occasionally a blender. And maybe a crock pot, but probably with an inverter and plug it into a 12V outlet (powered by the alternator) when I'm driving, since anything electric that produces heat tend to use a lot of electricity. I had to jump on that fridge for $200, which is great, because I really wanted a fridge but thought I wouldn't be able to afford one. Now I did, but it's forcing me to put together a decent solar powered system. It will be a bit cash outlay up front, but short term pain for long term gain (free electricity). I will either mount a good sized solar panel on my factory roof rack, for good stealth. It won't be visible from the ground, only from above if someone's looking from a second story window in a building. Or I might get those flexible adhesive solar panels, but they are 9 feet long, and will be visible by the front part of the roof where the roof went won't be able to block their view. But, I have a dark blue van, so that should camouflage the black solar panels a bit. Of course, I will also need a controller and some AGM golf cart batteries. I can install these in the interior, because they don't need venting. And there's no other place to mount batteries that would need venting, unless I cut holes in the sides of the van, and I'm not prepared to do that. As my funds are drying up, I will have to work on the solar power later, but I will keep checking Craigslist for deals. Thanks to this website, I understand solar power much better now. Cabinets I think I've found someone who will make my cabinets for me. You can see in the sample pictures I've found some layouts and floor plans in other vans that I liked. My van does NOT have a raised roof. Due mostly to the high cost of adding one, and reduced stealth, I will not be adding a raised roof. Which means I can only stand hunched over, or walk on my knees in the van. Not very comfortable for preparing food. So that's why I decided to put my "kitchen" at the back of the van. There will be just enough room (about 12 inches) to put a small counter top with a sink using a manual pump there. Underneath I will have a rectangular fresh water tank and another for gray water (rectangular will make most efficient use of space). The only logical place for my fridge will be on the right side, since there isn't enough space on the left due to the bed taking up so much length. As it is, it will be a tight fit with the fridge. It will also need some venting behind it. I'm still trying to figure out how to do that, and also leave space for another storage cabinet behind the fridge (in the space between the sliding door and the back of the fridge, by the right side wheel well). This is where I want to hide a porta potty and fire extinguisher. And it will be a bonus if there's any more space for storage. Today at Costco I found some great plastic bins that are about 8 inches high. They will fit in well in the storage compartment that will be under my mattress. I don't want the storage compartment too tall, because it will raise my mattress higher and reduce my headroom. As it is, at that height I will be sleeping at almost the height of the windows. I believe it's 43 inches from floor to ceiling. The under-the-bed storage will be arranged into various sized compartments. The mattress platform will be hinged, so I can raise it up and hook it to the built-in clothing hooks in the roof, so it can stay open on its own. Another reason to raise the mattress off the floor is to clear the wheel well and allow me to move the mattress over a couple more inches. If I removed the factory plastic interior panels, I'd have another 4 or 5 inches on each side, but I'd have to put plywood or something to finish the wall. And I'd lose the cup holders and handy storage compartments. I'll make use of the space behind the panels for two 6V AGM golf cart batteries, and amplifier and maybe a subwoofer (yeah, a luxury, I know... I want to splurge and have a decent stereo system for once in my life). Future plans So, that's it for now. As funds permit, I will get the cabinets built, then probably the solar power. Then a swivel base for the passenger seat, so I can have a computer work station (I already have a folding table to use as a desk). And maybe a low profile roof vent, but that might diminish the stealth look for times when I want to discreetly park and camp in urban areas. Below are some pictures of my van as it sits now, and a few pictures of other vans (mostly Astros) that have ideas that inspired me on how to create my own floor plan.

travel · Apr 19, 2013

Forgot to add (and can't seem to edit my last post): Privacy Although my van has factory tinted windows, you can still right through them. I am adding very dark limo tint over top of that. I should still be able to see out a bit in daylight hours, but not at night. No problem, I will usually be parked at night. I will make screens to go over the pop-open windows from the inside to keep bugs out. I will only open a pop-out window when that side of the vehicle is tight against, or back up to, a fence or bushes, so people (hopefully) won't notice. I will get heavy black material to make curtains that I can side left to right for each of the rear windows. And I will make a large curtain to go behind the two front seats. It will be split in the middle so I can walk through to the cab area. But it will be dark enough that it will prevent light from being seen by people outside the van. And an added bonus... I can leave my dog inside the van (only when temperatures are appropriate) and nobody will see him. They may hear him if he barks or cries though. But some self-righteous people get nasty whenever they see a dog in a vehicle, even if it's a nice temp (like 60F or 15C). I've also got an alarm with remote starter that will start and run the engine for 15 minutes. So if I have to quickly run into a store when it's really hot outside, I can use the remote start and leave the air conditioner on. Or if it's really cold, I can leave the heat on. But I plan on being a snowbird and go to places with nice, moderate temperatures, with no extreme heat or cold.

coultergeist · Apr 19, 2013

I have a 1988 GMC Safari that I converted a little over a year ago.  It can be a great vehicle.  Storage was always the challenge with mine.  Take your time and figure out a good cabinet system that will be the most efficient use of your space.  The van I did is listed in the conversion thread.  It might give you a few ideas.  If you have any questions let me know.  I will help or offer any advice I can.  Patrick

travel · Apr 19, 2013

Thanks! Patrick, I found and read your thread on your van in the conversion forum. I have the extended length, so a bit more space, but I agree, you have to be pretty creative with space, as an Astro/Safari can get small pretty quickly. My bed is a bit bigger than yours, and not foldable as it is a standard twin size bed. I decided it was worth it to give up a bit of space for that. But I like your idea of stacking the cabinets floor to ceiling. I could do that over the rear non-opening window. Like you, I have 4 pop-open rear windows and two that do not open. I'm not going to have a microwave or TV, so that saves me a bit of space. I have toyed with the idea of having the bed on the passenger side. I could still do that, and it was nice to see how it would look. But I don't know if I could make use of a swivel front passenger seat then. You have some good ideas on electrical, I'll study those again. At this point, I'm still able to make quite a few changes, though I'm committed to the bed and fridge size now. Like you, I want to keep a fairly stealthy low profile. And making the best use of space will be a challenge in my Astro. Since I plan on moving around as the seasons change, I should usually be in an area where there will be neither extreme heat or extreme cold, so that's one less challenge for me to overcome. Thanks letting me know about your van, I'll keep referring back to your thread on that.

coultergeist · Apr 19, 2013

You're welcome.  Everybody has different needs and requirements.  Just figure out what works best for you.  I'm not sure how much longer the extended length Astro is, but I think your idea of cabinets at the back of the van might be best given the size of your mattress.  I would make part of the cabinetry above the bed.  That way you won't lose any room.  Just use that end for your feet.  A twin mattress is nearly three feet wide.  Really deep drawers would probably make the best use of space underneath.  Just take your time and figure out what you need.  If there's anything I can help with just let me know. Patrick

travel · Apr 21, 2013

I thought the extended length Astros/Safaris were much longer than the regular length, but they're only longer by 10 inches. The wheelbases are identical - the extra space is all at the back, after the wheel wells. From 1985-89, only the "shorty" was available. From 1990-94, both the short and extended versions were available. And from 1995-2005 (end of production), only the extended length was available. I like the "look" of the "shorty" but the proportions still look good on the extended length. And that extra 10 inches is allowing me to put my "kitchen" at the back of the van - something I would not be able to do in a shorty Astro with a twin size mattress. Here's more info: <a href="http://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=15618" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=15618</a>  Other minvans (like the Dodge Grand Caravan and Ford Windstar) are longer than an Astro, but a bit narrower. I love my Astro, but given the choice, I might have preferred something a bit narrower, but longer. I've parked both my Astro, a Windstar and a Grand Caravan in my garage. With the Astro, I have to fold in the side mirrors to fit, but I can walk in front of or behind it when parked in the garage. When I parked a Grand Caravan (or a Ford Windstar), I did not have to fold in the mirrors (but it was still tight), although it just barely fit with one bumper being almost again the wall, and the other bumper being so close to the closed garage door that you could not walk between the bumper and garage door. For some reason, I had always envisioned myself sleeping with my feet behind the driver's seat and my head at the back, by the "kitchen." And I was thinking of a cabinet above the bed to maximize space. In that case, sleeping the other way around, with my head behind the driver's seat and my feet by the kitchen, I could do that, and my head would be beside a hinged pop-open window for ventilation (my barn doors are also hinged, pop-open, but a bit further away, with my kitchen cabinets between us). Only if I did that over-the-bed cabinet, I wouldn't be able to have my hinged mattress platform and lift it up to access storage under the mattress. I've also been toying with the idea of giving up storage under the bed, so that the mattress would be lower and I would not be sleeping at window level. In any case, I'm still at the stage where I can make changes. Like you said, everyone's needs are different, and I have to work with what I've got.

twokniveskatie · Apr 21, 2013

I am about to redo the Rondyvans interior. Thanks for the links and info. I have no idea which length my astro is. Ill find out today!

Wild_E · Apr 21, 2013

Kate. see the little pic above there? see the difference is behind the rear wheels, normal.. shorty is just above.. the longer one, does look longer only behind the wheels, good luck

twokniveskatie · Apr 21, 2013

Headed out to the woods now. Will see if I can tell by looking

coultergeist · Apr 21, 2013

In my first plan for my Safari my mattress was at window height level.  I worked with it a bit, but the roof was uncomfortably close.  When I moved it and made the folding bed, I intentionally lowered it as much as I could.  My suggestion based on comfort and experience is to have the base that the mattress sits on about twelve inches off the floor.  That gives you enough room for storage underneath and the ability to sit on the bed without having to slouch too much.  It helps getting dressed a lot too.  I think you said your mattress was all foam.  Just a thought, but you could cut at the point that it goes beneath a rear cabinet area.  The front part could then still be hinged and allow easy access to storage under it.  I actually thought about a similar thing when I was trying to figure out the last rebuild.  Patrick

twokniveskatie · Apr 21, 2013

I just read travelers post again. Since mine is an 2002 I must have the longer wheelbase.

travel · Apr 22, 2013

Katie, yes if your Astro is a 2002, you definitely have the extended length body. The wheelbases are identical to the older "shorty" body style. The difference is that the body was extended an extra 10 inches at the back. Same wheelbase though, so that means we all have the same issues with placing a mattress in there and having the wheel wells in the way, in the exact same spot. Patrick, although my mattress is made of various types of foam and gel, it's covered in a fabric casing and even has little "dimples" much like a traditional coil or Europtop mattress. So I don't think I can cut it, as I think that fabric holds everything together. If the Astro was longer, or if I didn't need the kitchen at the back, I would have ordered a Twin XL which is 5 inches longer (80 inches long instead of 75", but they are both 39" wide). I was originally going to buy a pure latex mattress, which would have been one large block of latex, and I could have cut it. But the prices were getting a bit too high for my budget. I remembered why I want to sleep with my head closer to the back of the van, and my feet just behind the driver's seat. My feet tend to dangle off the end of a twin size mattress. There will be a bit of space behind the driver's seat to allow for reclining it, the vent duct below the driver's seat, etc. So I will have room for my feet. And, the back side of the kitchen cabinet will also act as a headboard for the bed, so my pillow doesn't slide off the end of the mattress.  I believe it's about 20 inches from the floor to the bottom of the windows. I was going to make my bed platform/storage compartment about 10 inches high (maybe 12"). And my mattress is 8" thick, so I should be just at or slightly below the window line. But I'll be sleeping almost directly next to a window (windows will be dark tinted and have blackout curtains though). A bit higher than I wanted, but I need the storage, and I "think" the headroom will still be OK. Plus, it will clear the wheel wells so I can move the mattress 2 or 3 inches closer to the wall. If I didn't need the storage I'd put the mattress directly on the floor. I've heard of someone else who had an Astro and put the bed too high. It was claustrophobic, and easy to hit your head on the roof when the bed was too high.

wrcsixeight · Apr 22, 2013

A couple things to consider. Your Astro should be getting better MPG's than a extended and raised roof Express.  I would make sure the engine is running as good as possible.  There a re some very active Astro/safari  Specific forums out there to tap that knowledge base for things to check for, like the infamous  Astro distributor. Cooking gasses, how are you going to exhaust them?  Cooking with the doors open will not always be an option.  Them lingering cooking smells can really overpower your dogs sniffer.  When i used to frequent Baja and would be pulled into secondary inspection, the dog they put in my van would always looked stressed  and freaked out and the handler would ask if I cooked inside and I would say every meal.  I did have a roof vent, but not as effective as my current set up. The fire extinguisher should be centrally located where you can reach it super easy, not all the way in the back and hidden next to the most likely thing to start a fire. How often will you be sitting on the bed?  If a lot, then do put it low so it is comfortable, but otherwise storage underneath takes precedence.  I sleep side to side and I put it up higher for maximum storage underneath.   I am only familiar with my buddy's 98 Astro, which does have a raised roof, but the interior trim and panels in the back takes up a lot of space.  He doesn't need every nook and cranny to store items and it doesn't bother him, but I can't handle any wasted space in my full size dodge, and there is none. The unisolar 68 watt panels are 9'4" long, and while flexible, they do not stretch, the any valleys in the roof or double bends will cause the panel to not lay flat. Also 68 watts is not very much. Since you indicate you have a roof rack, I would research the largest panel you can find which will fit within those racks.  It is too easy to use everything the solar can make, but a PITA to realize you went through the effort of installing too little solar for your needs. I painted the frame of my Kyocera panel white to match the color of my roof.  I find most people are completely clueless as to its presence.  I put a 68 watt unisolar on it which runs over the crest of the roof and is visible from the front, and still people who ask me about my van are still unaware I have 200 watts of solar up there These larger panels are all 24+ volt panels requiring a MPPT controller. I am not sure if AGM golf cart batteries have a large advantage over 12 volt AGM batteries, whereas 6 volt flooded GC batteries have a big advantage over most 12 volt flooded batteries that claim "deep cycle" Part of the reason flooded GC batteries are superior is the distance between the bottoms of the plates and the bottom of the battery.  This allows more plate sheddings to build up before the cell shorts out rendering the battery useless.  AGM batteries do not shed plate material, and thus a pair of 12 volt AGMs might store easier inside under your bed, where the much taller GC batteries could present problems if mounted with the terminals on top. The vents on the  chest fridge cannot be obstructed and the better you fridge's compressor is able to breathe, the better it will perform and the less battery power it will use.  It should also not be able to recycle air itself has heated You say the compressor is not loud, but when inside the quiet van, it will be easily noticeable, so arrange it so it is NOT near your head.  My Norcold's compressor drove me nuts, and I went to extreme lengths to mitigate the noise radiated from it, and the result was a front loading fridge floating detached within the cabinet that was lined with noise suppressing materials, and when on the edge of falling asleep, the compressor kicking on would still knock me away from that threshhold, and sometimes it would still cause items in the van to start vibrating and making noise.  Before I detached it from the cabinet so it would float, I could be 10 feet away from the van and hear the compressor running, and put a finger on the body and feel it vibrate the whole van. That fridge Made me angry, and when it failed, going back to ice and a cooler sucked, but when I got my Danfoss powered Vitrifrigo I really kicked myself for not researching better when I originally bought the Norcold.  Can't argue with the price you  paid for the fridge though.  My Vitrifrigo was 50$ more than I paid for the Norcold 5 years earlier. Have fun with the build, and keep weight and maximum storage space in mind when building the bed and cabinets, and access to the space inside/under them.

travel · Apr 22, 2013

Thanks for all those tips and info! MPG's and Astro info My Astro seems to get about 15 MPG. I don't know how those other guys with Astros get 18, 20 or more MPG on the highway. And you're right, I don't even have the raised roof, so the MPG's should be better. My van used to be a police van. Maybe they added some performance parts that improved performance but lowered MPG's. But, I'll work with the van I've got. I'm a semi-active member of astrosafari.com and an occasional member on astrosafarivans.org. What/who is the Astro distributor? Cooking I plan on doing all cooking outdoors on a (soon to be purchased) Coleman propane stove, or over a camp fire/fire pit, when I've got one available. Since my kitchen will be at the back, I will have to walk to the back of the van, open the rear barn doors and set up folding table for the cook stove, and cook on that. It would be nice to cook inside the van, but with a standard height roof, I didn't want to be cooking hunched over, or on my hands and knees, or on my bed. That's actually one of the reasons I moved my kitchen to the back, so I could stand in my kitchen, and not have the van's interior smell with cooking odors (for my benefit, and my dog's benefit <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">). I don't cook that often - more common for me is to prepare foods that don't require cooking, and thus, few odors. The only exception might be occasional use of a slow cooker crock pot on rice pressure cooker that will be plugged in to my 12V socket up front while I'm driving, since they use a of energy, so I would only use them while driving and plugged into the van's stock 12V power outlet. Good point about the sniffer dogs at secondary inspection. I hadn't thought of that. Ventilation I'm still debating on putting in a roof vent. That might happen in the future, but I can probably live without one for a while. Easy enough to get someone to install one for me later. Fire Extinguisher As for a fire extinguisher, I planned on having it located on, or in the compartment that will be next to the sliding door, where I plan on storing a porta potty. I already have a fire extinguisher, the gage still shows it's good, but it's at least 15 years old. I may buy another, in fact, maybe 3 new ones. One centrally located, where I just mentioned. One in the back kitchen area (probably in the compartment accessible when the back doors are open) and one up front in the cab area.  Bed & Seating I plan on using the bed mostly for sleeping, or taking a nap. The only time I will likely sit upright on it will be for getting dressed, putting on socks and shoes, etc. The mattress is 8" thick, and if I elevate it 10" or 12" off the floor, I can almost sit upright, just have to slightly lean forwards. So I definitely don't want it higher than that. I'm getting a swivel base for my front passenger seat, so I can spin it around and use it for reading, working on my laptop (with or without a height adjustable table) or any time that I just want to sit in a chair in the van and have enough headroom. I think I've got about 2" of extra space above my head when I sit in one of the front bucket seats. Hopefully the swivel base doesn't raise the seat. It's not supposed to, but I guess I could recline it a bit if needed. Interior Panels & AGM batteries You're right about the interior panels wasting space - about 4 or 5 inches per side at back, on either side of the wheel wells. Although mine have little storage compartments too, so they make use of some of that space. I like the neat fit and finish the factory panels have, so I kind of wanted to leave them in for that reason. However, I will make use of the space behind them to hide important, but seldom seen items like AGM golf cart batteries (they should fit in there, and don't need to be vented), an amplifier for my stereo system, tire jack (already there), etc. I don't have rear AC (only front AC), so that opens up a bunch of space in the left rear corner.  Solar Panels I just noticed that the Unisolar flexible panels are about 15" wide. So there would only be one rib in the way for each panel. I wonder if I could lay a panel, centered over the rib and seal the gaps at each end with silicone or something. The ribs are not very high. Since my van is dark blue, the black solar panels should blend in nicely. Otherwise, I will find something that fits in the confines of my factory roof rack. That way, it could be elevated, fit between the rails and make it more "invisible." I'm not sure how many watts I should go for, but I agree, 68 is not very much. 130, 150, or 200 would be better. I need to power my fridge, laptop and occasional small appliance. Fridge Now that I have the fridge, I can better plan out my cabinets. I'm thinking of making the rear cabinets taller, about 20 or 22 inches (just at the window level). And the other cabinet, that would stretch from the sliding door opening to the rear cabinet, be lower, like 14 or 16 inches (except where the porta potty would go, that part would be taller). The height difference would allow me to put in a vent cover, front and back (so one directly above the fridge door). Or, if I skip the built in cabinet from the sliding door to the rear cabinet, I could just put vent covers top to bottom where the back of the fridge would go. I was thinking of wrapping the all the sides (except of course, the front door and the back part where the coils and compressor are) in Reflectix, as long as it wouldn't interfere with anything. That might help cut down on noise, and prevent loss of cool air and keep out warmer air from the outside. The compressor "seems" really quiet, but you're right, at night, when everything else is quiet and you're on the verge of falling asleep, even a quiet compressor coming on may seem really loud and wake me up. I guess I won't know until I try it. And if/when the time comes to replace this fridge and buy a new one, I will look for the quietest one that fits in the same size opening. Weight & Space considerations I think pine would be a good material to use. Fairly lightweight for a solid wood (better than MDF). I was wondering how to keep the weight distribution fairly even. Originally I was going to use a VW Westfalia type layout, but thought that will all of the cabinets on the driver's side, it was disproportionally heavy on the driver's side. The twin size mattress is almost the width of the interior, so that should even out weight. Otherwise, having the bed on the passenger side would be even better, but it would use up my floor space at the entrance by the sliding door, and I would not be able use a swivel base on the front passenger seat. I think I can spread out the weight fairly evenly if I make that storage compartment under the bed. And at the back, I'll try to keep the water jugs in the center.

coultergeist · Apr 22, 2013

Sounds like you're working out a pretty good plan.  My Safari actually gets right at 15mpg as well.  My Safari had rear a/c.  I kept the overhead vents and use them as an air intake for the exhaust fan.  I ran a hose from their original duct below and put an inline fan with it that blows the air out through a hole cut through the floor.  That way it draws out hot air from roof level and ducts it out through the floor.  It was easier than trying to put in a roof fan.  You don't have rear air but you could still do a similar thing and not have to worry about figuring out where to put in a roof vent.  Just have a hose that draws air from near the top of the van.  The Astro doesn't have a whole lot of roof real estate by the time you put a good size solar panel up there.  That's why I did it.  I had plans of getting a much larger panel. One other thing to consider.  I've taken off the panels at the back.  The driver side rear panel does have more room behind it than the one on the passenger size does, but its still not very deep.  It is not enough to get a full size AGM battery inside of it.  You might get a smaller one, like a 35 ah or maybe just a little bigger.  My front passenger seat is turned around too.  I just unbolted it and put it back on facing the rear.  I replaced the nuts with non-locking ones so it is quick and easy to turn back around whenever I need to.  Keep up the good planning.  I think you're working it out pretty well.

wrcsixeight · Apr 22, 2013

My Buddy mentioned that the spark plug distributor on the 4.3 engine are problem areas on the Astro which when starting to wear out cause all sorts of issues.  That's all I really know about it. My side  barn doors are my kitchen, when I am just out and out camping with another person.  I have tables which fold out from the doors themselves, and the side of the van serves as a wind block.  It's been a long time since I've done that, and all my cooking is inside.  I have a third chair in front of the side cargo doors that swivels freely, and I cook from this over a single burner stove.

This puts the stove about 14 inches off the floor, perfect  for my 3rd chair height, under the highest part of my roof, which has a powered vent, and reduced the lingering cooking smells by 90%, compared to when the vent had less power and the coleman dual burner stove was rested on the passenger seat.  My white ceiling does not even discolor from cooking inside with about 150 CFM of fan. I imagine with a dog this location and method would not be wise though.   ------ I made tight fitting front window and windshield covers out of reflectix, not just for heat, but privacy, as my front passenger seat also swivels and spends 90% of the time facing the rear. The stock ciggy plug outlets are good for about 7 amps or about 90 watts,  Their wiring is thin, and a long distance and multiple connectors from the battery to the plug causes the wires to heat, resistance, and too little juice making it to the appliance.  Consider a dedicated 12v ciggy/power plug directly from the battery(fused of course) over 10awg wire for these high wattage devices AGM's technically should be vented too, they are just much less likely to ever offgas unless severely overcharged. ----- Your list electrical consumption will be very similar to mine.  My 198 watts of solar is more than needed in San Diego in the Summer and not enough in the winter.  I have 230 amp hours of  house batteries, well I should say had, as I estimate they have about 40% of their capacity remaining, but that is still enough especially with the longer days and no mattress heating pad.  Nobody can say how much solar you can get away with in youy climate and usage as there are too many variables.  The Unisolars are pretty good in overcast conditions and handle partial shading better than most framed panels, but a framed panel can produce a lot more wattage in full sun, using less roof space to do so.  I think 2 of their 68w panels might struggle with your electrical demands, and when you look at price for wattage, the 200+ watt framed panels start looking better and better.  If you can mount it inside the roof rack, instead of on top of it, all the better. I think the amount of solar you get should be dictated by the biggest panel which can fit side to side within the roof racks. The Unisolars can have gaps under them, but this is bad for the van as it will collect leaves and moisture which will be near impossible to remove, and sealing dead air spaces across the valleys will cause issues with the trapped air expanding and contracting with temperature. Some Mount the unisolars to a thin metal plate, then attach the metal plate to the roof.  Another option is filling the valleys with foam and bondo, but I've had issues with expanding foam eating paint, trapping moisture and eating metal. The amp consumption of your fridge will range from 15 amp hours per 24 hours in cool weather with minimal door openings, to 50 amp hours in 90+ degree heat and opening the lid frequently and placing warm items within.  My average is probably about 18A/H in 60f, and about 26 A/h per 24 hours with daytime 90's and overnight 70f. Making sure the Van is not an 130 degree Solar oven helps the fridge greatly.  Regarding extra insulation on the fridge, yes, but reflectix will do little  if anything for noise abatement.  Having a insulated recess in the cabinet in which to  easily slide the chest fridge in and out, designed so that the vents are never obstructed, so that you do not need to remove everything off the lid to open it, as it will become used as a table in between openings. I mentioned weight and space, as I have seen many builds which are overbuilt with 2x4's and  3/4 plywood, when cabinets can get away with 1/4" plywood on a 1x2" frame and the bed can be 2x2"s with plywood on top., or even 1.5x1.5's.  Depends on your capabilities as a carpenter and the tools you have access to.  But the wood itself can take up a bunch of otherwise usable space. Since the minimum bed height is dictated by the wheel well covers, and sitting on a thick mattress might still have you hunched over, then I'd vote raise the bed so that you can store more underneath.  If you have an access hatch from above you can fit in more contents as opposed to having boxes you slide in from the sides, under the frame supports.  Do consider how much the mattress will compress when sitting on it. The weight distribution planning is wise.  I could have done better in this regard on my Van, but the rear airbag helper springs helped level it out.

travel · Apr 23, 2013

C<a style="color: #000000; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" href="/profile/1877620" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">oultergeist</a>, nice to know I'm not the only one getting 15 MPG in an Astro! Of course, I'd rather get more, but I was beginning to think I was the only one who got crappy mileage. That's a good idea for the ducts at the top acting as an air intake. I'll have to take a look at a van in the junkyard and see if I can buy and install the vents that go above the back doors, then do like you did, and run ducts with an inline fan and exhaust it through an opening in the floor. It's stealthy, and leave more room on the roof for solar panels (and one less hole in the roof that could be a source of leaks). I'm still contemplating on taking off the interior panels, or at least the lower portions, to open up some more space. It won't be much, but when you have so little, every bit helps. I kind of like the neat finished look, and built in cup holders and storage compartments of the factory panels, but we'll see. Might be worth it so I can fit in larger AGM batteries, and also they could be somewhat vented, since I'd be opening the rear windows and doors on a regular basis. That's a neat idea to unbolt the front passenger seat and turn it around. I didn't know you could do that! If I don't have enough in my budget (at least initially), that might be an option for me, used with non-locking nuts for quick release and bolt back in facing frontwards when I need it. I wonder if it blocks the view of the side mirror when turned facing back? I like the look of the seat facing forwards when I'm not using it, so when parked, nothing looks out of the ordinary. With a swivel base, that would be easy. I had even contemplated removing the front passenger seat and using that space for storage or my fridge. But, I want the option of having a legal, seat belted seat for an occasional human passenger, and of course, for my dog. And for me to sit in when using my laptop. W<a style="color: #000000; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" href="/profile/1980243" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rcsixeight</a>, I'll get a trusted mechanic to check the distributor. You're right, they tend to wear out after a while, though it's a bit soon for the mileage on mine. Then again, my "check engine" light just came on a couple of weeks ago, so something is up (still gets the same gas mileage though).  I think having my kitchen at the back will work out best for me in the Astro. Using a portable folding table for a camp stove, I can use the barn doors as wind blockers too. I've been thinking about making window covers out of Reflectix for the front windows too. Won't look too stealthy though. I'll see if I need them once I'm on the road. Good point about the stock 12v outlets. My van has a cigarette lighter below the radio, two or three "power outlets" on the side of the dash, accessible from the passenger seat, and one 12v outlet at the back of the van. I might rewire one of them with 10AWG directly from one of my (future) house batteries, or even the starting battery so I can plug in a slow cooker while I'm driving. If I take off the interior panels as mentioned above, it will give a bit of venting to the AGM batteries. I don't think there's any way I could mount them in the engine bay or the underside of the van, but it's worth checking. I'd rather have my batteries on the outside if possible. A 200 watt framed solar panel that could fit in my roof rack is starting to look better - both for practical reasons and cosmetic. Incidentally, my fridge has a door on the front, not the top. It is meant to be built in and has a front facing door that's hinged on the right. I will definitely do whatever I can to insulate it, maybe insulating the opening or compartment for it is best. And ensuring there is adequate ventilation. Thanks for those tips on the type of wood and boards to use. Normally I like to over-engineer things. But due to space and weight limitations in my van, I'll stick to whatever meets the minimum requirements. And once everything is all installed, I'll see if the stock suspension can handle the weight. I'm sure it will a lot more than the two bench seats I took out, but we'll see by how much. My van sits up nice and high, even when loaded up. Maybe since it was a police van, they upgraded the suspension or put in an extra leaf spring.

coultergeist · Apr 24, 2013

Turning the seat around was one of the best things I did.  Makes the van seem like a little living room.  It is really comfortable to sit like that and relax and watch a little tv or read.  You can see the side mirrors just fine with it turned around.  I keep mine like that all the time unless I have a passenger (which is seldom).  I use the space between it and the dash to hold tools and things like that.  I have reflectix covers for all of my front windows too.  Lowes carries long plastic z shaped channels that are used for siding.  They are super cheap.  Cut them down to the length of the top and bottom of the glass in your doors.  Just slide them in with the windows rolled up and they hold the reflectix in place very easily.  Super simple and super cheap.  They work well for the rear windows too.

travel · Apr 28, 2013

I like the idea of the front passenger seat being turned to face the back. I'll have to see how easy it is to flip around in the event I ever need to carry a human passenger. I'm sure my dog won't it facing the back, and there's no seatbelt requirement for dogs. And that space under the dash would be a great place for storing tools or other "once in a while" items you have to keep on board. The nice thing is that it would be a lot cheaper to just flip the seat around than getting the swivel base. I'd like to use that seat for working on my laptop, and like you said, it makes it feel like a living room. I'll have to check out Lowes for the Z channel clips. I wasn't going to put reflectix on my front windows as it might blow my stealth cover when in the city (and a front passenger seat turned around might also draw attention if someone looks in). I'll have a thick blackout curtain just behind the front seats, but I know it's not as effective as reflectix on the windows. I'm getting my back windows tinted darker too. 4 out of 6 of my back windows are the hinged pop-out style, so I could probably use the Z channel clips on those, and maybe have a more permanent solution for the other two windows that don't open (the rear most side windows).

coultergeist · Apr 28, 2013

I kept the molding around the rear windows in my Safari.  If you have the moldings you can use the z channels on the windows that don't open too.  It's a little bit of a tight fit to push them in but it works really well there too.  I used a different approach in the beginning.  These worked much better. Just cut the reflectix to be a pretty close fit.  Put in channels on the bottom and one side.  Then put the reflectix in place.  Then push the channels into the other two sides of the windows.  I've never had one fall out done this way. You can still pull them out super quick if you decide you want to take them down for some reason. 

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