My SMB building odyssy begins ...

[travelguy2500]

First a big thanks to all the contributors on this forum. I got the SMB "bug" several months ago when looking for a new tow vehicle for my 28' Airstream trailer and I appreciate the help I've received to date in the forums as I've worked toward my build.

My 2012 Ford E-350 EB arrived at Sportsmobile North over the weekend from Quigley and now eagerly awaits the start of the build process right after the first of the year.

I've posted a pic of my interior layout (pretty customized to my needs) and a few photos of the van as it arrived at SMB. I'm getting a fixed contempo top painted black to match the van (going for a black "stealth" theme here) and SMB plans to have the top installed and the floor laid when I make my first visit to the plant in mid-January to review the rest of the build.

The SMB will primarily be a tow vehicle for my Airsteam though I'm outfitting it with many of the "creature comforts" to make travel on the road more comfortable (and reduce the need for pit stops along the way). 3 front facing seats (me, spouse and our 10 year old) and a couch that can seat 3/4 others for occasional short trips. The couch (really 1/2 of a long dinette) will convert into a single bed for the occasional sleepover in the van (or an extra guest on a camping trip). Our other primary use will be as a "day cabin" when we spend the day at the beach; nice to have our own facilities for a snack/shower/rest when you want to get off the beach for awhile.

The van will have both sat antenna and generator that can supply power and sat signal to the trailer when parked.

As the build moves along, I'll share photos and anything interesting I learn along the way from SMB. To start, I've posted some pics of the van at delivery and my layout in my gallery.

Excited to make my fist visit to SMB as I live in the NY metro area and have never seen and SMB in person. Assuming all goes well, we'll be using our new SMB to tow the trailer on a cross country trip for a month this summer when our son is out of school.