Another Noober... Questions on Design - Page 2

GrumpyBadger · 04-08-2014, 04:46 PM

Thanks, everyone. I've been trying to learn a lot from this forum and it has helped tremendously to both narrow down what I think I want, as well as help determine what is definitely useless to me or not worth the bother (Fiamma awning is a big example... I'll rig my own for the few times I foresee wanting one! I'm mostly mobile and rarely set a camp where it pays to put up an awning).

The pros and cons of the '50' vs. walkthrough plan... both sides of the story were great to hear - I really appreciate your thoughts on the matter. It's probably one of those worthy topics for "discussion" with some malty BEvERages around a campfire. I think I have settled firmly into the walkthrough because I think that is better for me and how I think I will use the van (I won't have passengers). Good points on the '50', though in regard to bed size... I'm a relatively small guy and I think the PH or extended gaucho should work well. Plus I get to look out the side doors when parked at a good spot!

Windows... assuming the DYO thingy online is not too far off, I am hoping to have nice awning windows across from each other just behind the mid ribs, and a big bay over the gaucho right behind the driver. Hopefully that works - I like the idea of not having to close them in a little rain and those three large (and expensive!! SHEESH!!) windows should really help make the space liveable. I lived in the Smokies area for awhile and hated having to close my truck topper windows in camp every night cuz you could never predict anything there.

Water heater... still on the fence. I don't see using it very often if at all. As for female companions... alas, I am apparently a loser and don't foresee that occurring anytime soon, so I am without that issue. I am leaning toward the 110v for less space used. I figure I can run the van motor for the few minutes it matters if I find myself needing it. I may even break down some time and grab a little generator to take up space in the big-arsed box on the bumper.

PH top... gonna probably stay with the color match if they, though if the metallic van color is a problem with a coated top, I may go with black. Not sure I care for the white with so many other features black (ladder, bumpers, window trim, mirrors, etc.). I'll have to play that one loose until I can see their stuff at the shop and find out what they can do.

Presuming I do this right (first time), my build plan should be in this post:

Note, the monstrosity on the door is as close as I could get to the cool (and again, expensive... WTF SMB?) swing-out galley box on the door a la RB50.

Again... thanks much to all so far!! If anyone thinks of anything, please advise...

dhally · 04-09-2014, 12:06 PM

We designed our van for just the two of us to sleep in one bed, since our kids are gone. It works great for that. But we also sometimes take other people. For instance, I took a buddy to a motorcycle campout, and my wife took our grown daughter to an out of town horse show. My daughter and wife slept together but my buddy and me not so much. Now I sorta wish there was another spot to sleep.

GrumpyBadger · 04-09-2014, 02:14 PM

Ha ha! I hear you on the "buddy not so much..."

Just me in the van. No offspring, pets, or spousal units. Maybe a photography buddy some time if any of them could ever get kitchen passes... and they then get to bring the beer if I provide the shelter and driving. And they get to scrunch up on the gaucho whilst I sleep blissfully in the PH.

mikracer · 04-09-2014, 03:54 PM

It looks like you have tall cabinets on both sides of your van. I have a "30" design and I must say that having everything counter height on the passenger side is very nice. You can see out the rear windows when driving and it doesnt feel claustrophobic inside. On my drivers side, I have the short gaucho, tall pantry, fridge, microwave, heater and closet. I'm going to take the microwave out because I don't plan on staying at a site with full hookups unless I have to. Also, having the counter space is nice when preparing food inside. Just something to think about.

4MacFam · 04-10-2014, 08:26 AM

We went with the EB44 and a door galley. We spent about a year making decisions on our build and tried to visualize camping and traveling in it.

We'd choose the walk through design every time. Everyone comments about the access to everything, but I believe it's also so much easier unlatching the top (one latch in the back) and raising and lowering the penthouse bed. The bed can also be centered allowing one person to stand in the back and the other up front and make up the bed very easily.

We have a shower base in the back with a porta potti and love it. I use the toilet all winter long and don't have to worry about frozen "stuff". The shower is a sit down only in that location, but we're still all right with that. We move the toilet all the way forward in the basin and turn it so your feet are in the hallway. Allows us to use the rest of the basin to store stuff. Also have an exterior shower connection in the back cabinet. Open the rear doors and shower back there when I want to.

Won't go without the water heater either. I had SMB put two inside access doors in the cabinet it is housed in and store stuff in it. Heat it up in the morning, shower, turn it off and it'll stay warm for rest of day. For winterizing I can just use the by pass values and open the drain plug...done. If you decide after the fact to add it...ouch $$$. I rarely ever use the 110v (burns a lot of juice) unless we're plugged in. The gas option is what we use most of the time. I must be a little girlie cause I love to take at least a warm shower at times.

Windows. I had SMB install an awning window above the gaucho because I really wanted to be able to open it up in camp and be able to leave it. We have a small slider above the sink and a small one in back above the shower. I leave the shower one open when on the paved roads and works great for air flow.

Storage is at a premium in a van and we went with tall cabinets on both sides and don't regret it one bit. When in the van with the top down the living space is from the back of the gaucho forward so everything in the back really doesn't matter much. We never feel claustrophobic, but everyone is different on this. Once the top is up you're surrounded by windows. We don't feel closed in with high cabinets. In campgrounds at night we just about always close all the curtains and button up anyway. If out in the middle of no where the view is best enjoyed sitting outside or laying the penthouse.

Give your "no stove" option a lot of thought. Our stove is extra counter top space when not in use. It's not very deep so we didn't lose much in cabinet space. If weather is nice I always cook outside, but if raining or 10º out it's so nice to be able to cook inside. This is another option that can be costly to add later on.

Do you road trip much? We can pull over, "button up" and do everything in the van ANYWHERE. (even with the top down)

Just my 1.5¢ (not even worth 2)

PM me if you want to chat about your build.

**rionapo** · 04-10-2014, 04:03 PM

A couple of thoughts on your plan:

Glad you're using the counter extension as a proxy for the door cabinet. It's not in the design package (duh?) but it's one of the nicest options SMB has. You'll see it in the 50 plans.

I wouldn't put the counter in front of the door, myself. I know people do it for space but one of the nicest things about the3 gaucho is enjoying the outside with both doors fully open.

Not sure why you're leaving the open space at the passenger rear? What are your plans (excuse me if I missed them in an earlier post.)?

I second 4MacFam on the stove. He's right about the counter space, too. Plus, where you going to cook on those rainy days that prompted you to buy an awning window?

Even if you had a portable stove, you don't have space for it.

I had the pleasure of seeing 4MacFam's rig last fall. It's nice and his floor-to-ceiling cabinets were nice, as he says. I'd still come down on the side of the open counter on the passenger side, though. Here's a picture of one in action:

Just need a second ottoman-cum-portapotty when one of the grandkids is along.

Don

Viejo · 04-10-2014, 06:46 PM

My $.02 worth on the water heater... Skip it.

Our van has propane hot water but we never run it. Has a shower unit - never used it. We like to boondock in the desert and 20g only goes a few days with 2 people & 2 dogs. Can't waste any. What little hot water we need we heat on the stove.

GrumpyBadger · 04-10-2014, 08:01 PM

More great thoughts. I appreciate the continued input. This forum really does rock it!

Mik: I don't like the tall cabinets, but can't get around it if I want some storage in this RB - and they really aren't that "tall" when the PH is up. The fridge and food prep on the same side make sense to me, and I wanted to maximize the cabs on the other side, while still trying (hopefully successfully) to squeeze in those nice awning windows. Jonathan didn't freak out when I sent my rough plan, so fingers crossed on that... I'll find out for sure next Wednesday.

4Mac (+Rio)... gave the stove a TON of thought and originally had it in the build. BUT... then I succumbed to "forum fascination / obsession" and determined (with a buddy's help who skipped it in his SMB) that I really probably don't need it for how I see myself rolling in this beast. I have various backpack stoves and the obligatory outdoor propane stove I can sub should I care to eat inside (with my rain-resistant ventilation)... plus the microwave. I try to make up food at home to bring along to heat up, so I need very little prep area and with the microwave will likely have even less need for an inside stove.

As for the windows... I really like the idea of maximizing them as much as possible and think I did a pretty good job with that if Jonathan will let me keep those (I'm concerned about the tight spacing against the ribs as I mentioned previously). And yes the PH will be great for that too.

If I could ever get my work situation a little more settled - as in not being on the road 3 weeks out of 5 - I will road trip more like I used to. It was nothing for me to blast from Denver to the CO mountains, Yellowstone, Moab, Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef, or the Grand Canyon on 3 or 4 day weekends (which was literally every other week on the 9/80 work schedule I had) living in the back of my truck (I road-tripped two factory new pickups into dust in ~12 years). Taking a year off in 2012 and spending 3 months of it cruising the deserts, mountains, and west coast living in a silly Jeep was a MAJOR factor in deciding that my sorry carcass wishes for a little more comfort in my late middle-aged dotage. (oh, and I spent another month that year in a crappy little camper van in New Zealand that also convinced me that wasn't adequate)

(+Viejo) To some extent I am only getting the water heater for resale attractiveness later... I will quite likely disconnect it and remove the onboard water tank in favor of more storage for hiking gear. Can always put it back in. As such, it is going to have to be a 110v since apparently nothing but the RB50 has the space for the propane and I want nothing to do with a flat plate (I have neither the patience nor work space to rastle that creature if it gets uppity). I think I am OK with that... it's just me and no one around to notice my "robust" aura after a few days.

I don't see needing much, really, as I've always done without that convenience in a few hundred thousand miles of photo and hiking road trips from border to border and coast to coast. Consideration of others certainly plays a big part... as does the presence of a female, in general... but I am without such *ahem* "issues". I'll keep it in the build unless it really trashes usable space (the website is SILENT on the goofy thing as far as I could find). It is sacrificial to me, however... if it has to go it will.

Rio... WRT the galley box... The SMB website in general needs a MAJOR overhaul. Much of their info is either too terse, incomplete, or out of date (frustrating when one is trying to absorb as much info as possible before spending his arms, legs, and kidneys). And the DYO thingy needs work and updating significantly (I think a college gamer-geek programmer kid could revamp that and make it spiffy 3-D as a cheap-labor summer job). Hence, the lack of that cool swing out galley. But I persevered!

Open space at the rear is for odd things I want to bring - a big camera tripod, extra cooler, duffel bags, a stack of plastic totes, chairs, easy-up awning (used extensively in the Smokies, but not worth a pinch in the windy Rockies)... you get the idea. The cabinets / closets may be a little too constrictive for some things. I saw that idea on one or two galleries and thought it might be useful for some of the stuff I might want to take. I will probably rig a net across the opening there to hold things in as needed. Might be a bust, but I'm gonna roll with it for now.

I really appreciate the thoughts, everyone!

Since I am planning this alone as I've mentioned, I do not have a ready ear to babble all this at. Well, at least not to anyone who would understand why I am about to spend what I am, anyway (my coworkers are appalled and think I'm cracked)!

Cheers to all here!!

stanw909 · 04-10-2014, 08:19 PM

If you want a real spiffy galley box then go to Colorado campervans YouTube channel and check out Derek's box but be carefull you may end up with one of his poptops and finding a local cabinet maker to do your build.

GrumpyBadger · 04-10-2014, 08:57 PM

I've seen that somewhere here on the forum... nice looking box. If SMB somehow hacks me off for some reason and I walk away from my deposit, I will be giving Derek a jingle.