Accrete's Chevy AWD & Ram Promaster projects - Page 29

dhally · 12-07-2019, 12:04 PM

Hey Accrete:
I've enjoyed your build thread over the years. Now we're getting ready to go vagabond and wanting to install some "soft selves" in our van. Looking back through the thread, it seems all you old photos are missing.

Do you still have some pictures of the fabric storage/shelving units you had in the Chevy?

accrete · 12-08-2019, 01:39 PM

Hi, I’m unsure of what Soft Storage you were referring to. We were utilizing the simple folding fabric covered folding boxes.

If the image didn’t shed light on your quest ask away.
Thom

dhally · 12-08-2019, 01:55 PM

Thanks for the picture. Maybe I've got the wrong build - but it seems that a member's wife had sewed some cordura bags and then hung them on the walls of the van, as removable "soft" cabinets.

There are several outfits making similar items now, but they are made to fit a Sprinter.

accrete · 12-08-2019, 03:37 PM

I recall coming across those and they look nice.

I’ve pondered utilizing the soft storage concept if there is a van 3.0

Enjoy the adventure.

accrete · 02-17-2021, 12:32 PM

WOWZER. Cari & I never expected that 2020 would be such a wild ride!

By March of 2020 most of the parks we had been camping/staying at were closing due to the lock down issue we all had to deal with last year.

We found ourselves staying at our property and pondering the possibility that building a Tiny-House on-foundation might be the right thing to do. Originally the plan was to wait until we got the RV-VanLife out of our system in a few more years, but the Lock Down and staying at the property full time in the two vans was the final straw.

So, we met with a local contractor that had many small home builds in our local Southern Nevada area. A couple weeks later and we had finalized a custom plan/build. The van living had shown us once again that we were quite content in small spaces. This was a continuation of the ~5 years of living in a nice fifth wheel at an RV Golf Resort while winding down our 25-year careers at Costco on the Oregon Coast.

Construction began mid-June 2020, and we moved in mid-September and it would benefit us to be on-property during the build.

The summer on the property was tough in the desert heat as we had no AC. The easy-drive-to Mount Charleston was out as the area was closed to non-local-residents, this would have given us an option to go up to cooler elevations.

At the time of this post (mid-February 2021) we are not planning any adventures in the vans this year. We want to experience the area for at least a full year before venturing out again.

...AND...Living in our Tiny House (24ft x 24ft 1bdrm, 1bath) is really spoiling us!

I do have the new blog up and running over at my new domain:
TuesdayTangents.com

Here is a parting shot taken over the summer on our property. We typically have two to three hot air balloons up on nice days...

b. rock · 02-18-2021, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhally

Thanks for the picture. Maybe I've got the wrong build - but it seems that a member's wife had sewed some cordura bags and then hung them on the walls of the van, as removable "soft" cabinets.

There are several outfits making similar items now, but they are made to fit a Sprinter.

Thanks for sharing - those look great.

W6USA · 03-11-2021, 07:40 PM

accrete, thanks for posting all this great info (I just read thru the entire thread found when searching AWD Chevy vans.)

Good to see the update, too!

accrete · 03-12-2021, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W6USA

accrete, thanks for posting all this great info (I just read thru the entire thread found when searching AWD Chevy vans.)

Good to see the update, too!

: ) THX !!
Enjoy the Forum, it has been an inspiration to me over the years.
Thom

accrete · 04-28-2021, 01:32 PM

Testing the waters...

Before retirement i played with the idea of putting the Express AWD van up for sale. I'm glad i didn't go through with it as it was an integral part of the fun adventures my wife and i had through last year. At which point we decided to settle into our Tiny House and the van is no longer used except for resupply runs into town.

So i'm asking for a wee bit of help from the community...

The rig is in really good shape inside and out, and mechanically sound. It just had a bumper to bumper at the local dealership at the 66,000 mile mark (yes it is low miles!) and had _ ALL _ fluids replaced and received a clean bill of health and the usual "Wow" factor comments from the staff. ($1K shop bill)

Now doing a quick KBB i come up with a range for the plain AWD with 66K miles of ~13.5K to ~16.5K price range.

As some have followed the build, this is a partial list of what it has:

Van Specialties of Portland Oregon:
FiberineTop, maxAir, interior upfit (~$9.5K )
Aluminess bumpers front and back with two rear boxes ($7.5K)
Boulder Off Road suspension upgrade and 2.5" lift ($2.7K)
Revelco Anti-Theft pro-install ($500)
Mic Interior mods ($950)
Misc Exterior mods ($1.2K)
Rhino Lining pro-install on Running boards and wells/trim ($750)
265 oversized BFG KO2 on FUEL rims with a measured 3/16" tread ($2K)

Approximate total of mods (yes i kept receipts) ~25K I have a $25K rider on the State Farm policy i carry on the Van.

Here is a link to an updated build thread at my blog:
https://tuesdaytangents.com/chevy-awd-van-conversion/

With all that, realizing any owner has a Rosy Eyed view of their rig, what should i ask for the rig? I'm thinking that adding 11K onto the high of ~16K (it really is a beauty of a rig) and asking a fairly? firm $27K is reasonable? Any intelligent and thoughtful comments are appreciated.

Many thanks in advance!

Post Script Edit note: the morning after i posted this i decided to find all the receipts i kept on the build and updated the original list.

W6USA · 04-28-2021, 05:22 PM

Beautiful van--it was some of the inspiration I took in deciding to buy a new Chevy van. I think you are right on, on the price. I've always used the rule of thumb that sensible, generally desirable modifications like you've done are worth about 50% upon resale, sometimes more. Your van is certainly worth the high end of the KBB range, so adding those two comes in right at your $27K price. Then there's Covid pricing, where every RV seems to sell quickly at way more than it did in 2019. I would suggest start the ask at at least $29.5K and it will probably go quickly.