Which comes first in a conversion?

[M2Travels]

Ok, my decision is made.  I am putting my Lance trailer for sale in the next few weeks and looking for a Ford Transit Van.  I have no carpentry skills and know nothing about how to convert a van other than what I see on forums and youtube. This is what I am thinking about doing.  Hiring someone to put a maxair fan in and put windows in the van.  Also I will need to decide on solar and have that installed.  I know I want at least 300 Watts as I have 320 currently.  So here is my first question.   Do I put the fan and windows in before insulating the van or insulate the van then put the windows in?  From what I see people have done it both ways and I don't know what should come first.  Also I am currently going between the Lake Havasu areas, Quarzsite and Phoenix and would appreciate any recommendations for having the fan and windows installed.   My plan is to live in it in an unfinished state for a couple months until I know how I want to layout everything.

Maria

 

[Almost There]

You need bare walls and ceiling to figure out where to cut the openings. Anything in there would have to be removed anyways so windows and vent go in first.

Plan your solar panel layout before you put the fan in because it's more 'movable' than the larger solar panels are. My only advice about where not to put the roof vent is 'don't put it over the bed'...even with a vent cover you stand a chance of finding yourself, sooner or later, with a wet bed...and it wasn't even any fun...

 

[tx2sturgis]

Installing the roof fan and windows is a lot easier if you do those without interior wall panels and insulation installed.

As AT stated, plan the roof fan around where the panels will be installed. I really like the way the Promasters (IIRC) have a flat area on the roof for mounting a fan. I wish all the vans had this feature.

 

[John61CT]

1. At least a plan for solar, details as to mounting hardware and precise locations, ideally actually install mounts and run wires.

2. Install system for fresh air ventilation if that involves penetrating the bodywork.

3. Detailed planning on fixed interior cabinetry: storage, shelves, bed platform, seating/table, sink/kitchen, battery box, toilet etc

Point is to choose / create mount points for safely supporting / securing all this before insulating.

If you have temporary removable units, still need to get fixed mounting hardware in place

4. Wiring runs, including providing for adds / repairs later. Plumbing, heating/cooling if any.

5. Insulation and flooring

IMO cosmetics, surface skinning the interior happens last

 

[M2Travels]

You need bare walls and ceiling to figure out where to cut the openings. Anything in there would have to be removed anyways so windows and vent go in first.

Plan your solar panel layout before you put the fan in because it's more 'movable' than the larger solar panels are. My only advice about where not to put the roof vent is 'don't put it over the bed'...even with a vent cover you stand a chance of finding yourself, sooner or later, with a wet bed...and it wasn't even any fun...

Thanks as this is exactly what I needed to find out.  Wonder why people are putting how to videos on the net with windows being cut after insulation.  It left me wondering.


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[Almost There]

You know the old saying...just because you read it on the internet doesn't make it true!

The same thing goes for watching You Tube videos...just because some one else did it and made a video doesn't make it the best way to do something!

Since you want to live rough in it for a couple of months, do your roof vent and windows and then insulate. But only insulate between the ribs. That will leave you the ribs bare so once you've figured out where you want to put 'furniture' you will still have the ability to put in cross beams if  needed to secure things to the walls without having to rip out the insulation.

 

[texas0322]

Im actually having an RV repair place install a fantastic fan in my van in 2 weeks. He said to insulate after because he would have to remove it first anyway.

 

[Canine]

I had windows installed first. Then I insulated and paneled the walls, ceiling, and floor. I did the floor first, then the ceiling, then the walls. I installed a MaxxFan after everything was installed, BUT I had previously marked where the ribs were in the cargo trailer, so I didn't need to take anything out to see what I was doing.

 

[highdesertranger]

it also depends on what type of windows you want to install. on some windows the interior trim ring actually mounts on the interior wall paneling. so the interior wall must be in before the windows. this type of window makes it super easy because there is no need to trim it out. highdesertranger

 

[tx2sturgis]

True, but many of the after-market windows have a reversible interior 'clamp ring' that will work with thin sheet metal OR a one inch (or so) interior depth.

 

[breeze]

I just now realized it's the people from Canada who always install insulation first, lol.

As an Industrial Engineer, I try to place essential mechanical parts first, and will leave the insulation and walls last since I live in the South (Winter is December and January 'only' here Bulkhead partition and swivel van ramp were the first items for me. Of course different projects overlap in time. The house electrics is going to be a big project I do not want to rush. I have great Japanese van electrics, so I'm not s going to touch them with my house electrics (which will be designed by an expert and not a web forum.) One of my installers said it's best not to tap into the factory electrics for ANYTHING because new vehicles these days will just stop or do some unexplained thing(s) that even the factory dealers have no clue about. So I will not mess up my (Jap) electronics for anything risky whatsoever. ALL electronics are pretty touchy today including Cheverolets and Fords!

The good thing about the Transit US forum is you can study for weeks almost any change you are contemplating, although there is a great variety of models that posters do not clarify beforehand (or afterwards either.) Ford's may have the greatest variety of all vehicles made today, bar none. So be nice to your dealer It will pay off in dividends over time.

But the very first thing I did was small things like locking gas cap, oem shop manual, GPS, oem side door guards, oem window guards so I can open them slightly in rain, oem hood bug spoiler, ceramic window tint (so my speakers and interior would not deteriorate in the Sun), and a bunch of interior gadgets and cleaning supplies from NAPA auto parts. Sometimes, it's the small things that make the biggest difference, so get comfortable with your vehicle before you start making expensive changes, imo.

 

[becida]

But the very first thing I did was small things like  oem window guards so I can open them slightly in rain

That's a really good point with the window guards, being able to leave the front windows open a bit and not have the rain coming in or having it look like you left them open makes an amazing amount of difference. They are not expensive and you can find them at a lot of auto part stores.