Must-Have Home Built Add Ons?

[Sandi]

So, we're pretty clear on the floor plan - a three-piece removable platform from the rear doors of the E-350, running towards the cab. Storage underneath. Rubber mat flooring. Insulated bubble top, and insulated body with carpeted interior panels. Ledge above the cab, for lightweight sleeping bag storage.

We will probably add in a couple of sliding windows up top in the bubble top, to improve ventilation.

Usage is April-October in CA, no snow camping. Some hot areas, for sure.

Now we're contemplating accessories. We know we want:

- Window shades. Should we get the SMB day/night shades (I've read that they can rattle, and they're not sturdy - the snaps break). Or RV shades? Or cut Reflectix shades to size?

- Curtain for privacy from cab area. I was assuming a collapsible tension rod, side-to-side, with a blackout curtain. Easy to store and remove.

- LED replacement lights for the cargo van. Anyone have any suggestions here? Most of the LED threads have to do with replacing the SMB layouts, not the factory cargo lights.

Do we need-

- A plywood subfloor? I see a lot of home builds doing this, I assume for insulation. Since we've camped for 7 years in our current van, and never had plywood, I guess I'm wondering - what am I missing here? What's the big advantage?

- A fan? DH says not, I say yes. If you have one, which one? Note that we're not putting in extra batteries or an inverter....

What other items have you added to make your trips more pleasant?

Thanks!

Sandi

[WVvan]

Or cut Reflectix shades to size?

Start with the cheapest option. Use the Reflectix first. If you don't like them you can always move on to the more expensive solutions.

Curtain for privacy from cab area.

I'm thinking of something along those lines but only if I want some privacy at short layover like a rest stop. If I'm setting up for the night I'm going to have panels for blocking off the front windows so I won't be giving up the cockpit space. It's not like there is a whole lot of space to start with. The passenger seat will rotate 180 so it becomes part of the rear living space.

- LED replacement lights for the cargo van.

You can buy a drop in LED replacement for any of the incandescent bulbs you already have in the van.
superbrightleds.com

- A plywood subfloor? I see a lot of home builds doing this, I assume for insulation. Since we've camped for 7 years in our current van, and never had plywood, I guess I'm wondering - what am I missing here? What's the big advantage?

My plywood floor is to cover the rigid insulation and give a flat surface for whatever I finally decide to cover it with. I didn't much care for the floor ridges. Since you have experience with the as-is van floor and seem to be happy with the arrangement I'd suggest you leave it.

Note that we're not putting in extra batteries or an inverter

If you're not adding house batteries then you shouldn't add any addition electrical load, like a fan, since you'll have to power it from the starting battery and that's just asking for trouble.

My $.02

[billwilson]

Windows:
We used "day night" shades ordered thru Camping world
i think the the whole rig was less than $300
I like them, so does the wife
no rattle
no broken strings
have not read here that strings are a problem, nor rattle

Front window:
Lowes has beefy Uphostry snaps with one part having a self taping snap
the other with a little rivet tool to attach
Wife stiched up a curtant that snaps in along Driver, windshield and pass window
gives us the entire interior of the rig including passenger seat swiveled as "living space"
on my Westy, i had a exterior window bra with roll up shades and screen cloth
nice, but another big piece of gear, was wet and dirty to store

LED's
gonna swap out my remaining lights, listed source has all parts

"Camp battery"
not installing one????, why?
this is a $200 mod including one group 27 battery and a isolator

Bubble Top
please share with us
pics?
smb top?
other vendor?

[Sandi]

Originally Posted by billwilson

Windows:
We used "day night" shades ordered thru Camping world
i think the the whole rig was less than $300
I like them, so does the wife
no rattle
no broken strings
have not read here that strings are a problem, nor rattle

Thanks, I hadn't heard that strings were a problem, but that rattles were - and that the bottom "snap" could break. I'll take a look at Camping World's stock.

Originally Posted by billwilson

Front window:
Lowes has beefy Uphostry snaps with one part having a self taping snap
the other with a little rivet tool to attach
Wife stiched up a curtant that snaps in along Driver, windshield and pass window
gives us the entire interior of the rig including passenger seat swiveled as "living space"
on my Westy, i had a exterior window bra with roll up shades and screen cloth
nice, but another big piece of gear, was wet and dirty to store

Yeah, we're not thrilled about the window bra solution; a curtain seems easier. Our seats don't swivel, so that's not a consideration.

Originally Posted by billwilson

LED's
gonna swap out my remaining lights, listed source has all parts

OK, sounds good.

Originally Posted by billwilson

"Camp battery"
not installing one????, why?
this is a $200 mod including one group 27 battery and a isolator

We've never needed one before, so it's not high on our priority list. We typically camp for 2-3 days at a time, no kids, and eat from the cooler - with very limited cooking or need for electronics. In fact, that's one thing I like - the simplified approach, instead of having to haul around everything INCLUDING the kitchen sink.

I was talking it over with my brother-in-law last night, and the one reason I could see it being useful is for a fridge or a fan. More discussion is necessary, it seems.

Originally Posted by billwilson

Bubble Top
please share with us
pics?
smb top?
other vendor?

We're looking at a Fiberine top - like here:
http://www.discountvantruck.com/vantops ... antops.htm

The local conversion guy will do the simple mods we're discussing for ~ $4K, and we can always add on as we go. But if we're at all considering things like additional lights or power, I want them wired before we put in interior panels.

Sandi

[Sandi]

Dave, thanks for the comments. They make sense to me - start simple, then move to more expensive or complicated.

I appreciate the input on the battery question. My husband is dismissive of adding on a battery or inverter setup, since we've never had one. But maybe this is worth me putting my foot down, since I can see it as something that we can grow into....

And thanks for the input on the floor. With the bubble top, crawling around on my knees is less likely, and we like the added friction of a rubber cargo liner for the floor. Smooth surfaces = movement and tie down requirements. We figure we'll put in a lip under the bed platform to corral most of our regular gear, but I can see clothing carryalls or the cooler sliding around on a smooth Pergo or lineoleum.

Sandi

Originally Posted by WVvan

Start with the cheapest option. Use the Reflectix first. If you don't like them you can always move on to the more expensive solutions.

[quote:glqsm9m7]Curtain for privacy from cab area.

I'm thinking of something along those lines but only if I want some privacy at short layover like a rest stop. If I'm setting up for the night I'm going to have panels for blocking off the front windows so I won't be giving up the cockpit space. It's not like there is a whole lot of space to start with. The passenger seat will rotate 180 so it becomes part of the rear living space.

- LED replacement lights for the cargo van.

You can buy a drop in LED replacement for any of the incandescent bulbs you already have in the van.
superbrightleds.com

- A plywood subfloor? I see a lot of home builds doing this, I assume for insulation. Since we've camped for 7 years in our current van, and never had plywood, I guess I'm wondering - what am I missing here? What's the big advantage?

My plywood floor is to cover the rigid insulation and give a flat surface for whatever I finally decide to cover it with. I didn't much care for the floor ridges. Since you have experience with the as-is van floor and seem to be happy with the arrangement I'd suggest you leave it.

Note that we're not putting in extra batteries or an inverter

If you're not adding house batteries then you shouldn't add any addition electrical load, like a fan, since you'll have to power it from the starting battery and that's just asking for trouble.

My $.02[/quote:glqsm9m7]

[billwilson]

Bubble top

i like it
GET THE PLYWOOD reinforcement
some day someone is gonna get up there
some day you might want a rack

I also think you will need the windows on the bubble
if not now, later
it is a $500 option now
will cost more later.....

"camp battery"
ya dont need a inverter
only time we use ours, is for the microwave
since ya not gonna have one, dont need one

Fridge / Solar / Ice Box
a thought for the Mrs......
("...since I can see it as something that we can grow into....")
cooler or ice boxes work, however they do leak
and you need to have ice for it to work
things DO get soggy

Truckfridge.com has a small 12 v fridge
same size as on a westy or a large cooler

koycera solar panel 130 watts will keep the "camp battery" topped up

one Group 27, 100 amp hour battery will run your led's, fridge and sterio
(i had this on my Westy, never turned off the fridge, plenty of lights and music)

solar panel
truck fridge
battery
isolator
@ $1,200 if you shop and install yourself

Now $1,200 buys alot of ice and a nice cooler
BUT, sure makes it civilized (and you can have ice cream
and you can add it later....... (remember, pre wire)


at least pre wire for solar, xtra battery, xtra 12 volt

P.S. have you gone to TheSamba.com ( go to Vanagons )
they have TONS of mods for the Home brew guys and gals
that directly transfer to our uses

[WVvan]

I can see clothing carryalls or the cooler sliding around on a smooth Pergo or linoleum.

On my unimproved plywood floor everything already slides all over the place. Once I put down flooring It will probably look like an air hockey game back there.

[Sandi]

Originally Posted by WVvan

On my unimproved plywood floor everything already slides all over the place. Once I put down flooring It will probably look like an air hockey game back there.

That's not a bug! It's a feature!

Sandi

[Sandi]

Originally Posted by billwilson

Bubble top

i like it
GET THE PLYWOOD reinforcement
some day someone is gonna get up there
some day you might want a rack

I also think you will need the windows on the bubble
if not now, later
it is a $500 option now
will cost more later.....

Yeah, we are planning on a sliding window on each side. And we are getting the lined top, which has reinforcement and insulation.

Originally Posted by billwilson

"camp battery"
ya dont need a inverter
only time we use ours, is for the microwave
since ya not gonna have one, dont need one

Fridge / Solar / Ice Box
a thought for the Mrs......
("...since I can see it as something that we can grow into....")
cooler or ice boxes work, however they do leak
and you need to have ice for it to work
things DO get soggy

Not if you keep the ice in plastic ziplocks or Tupperware. We have a tray for our cooler that lifts the food up out of the mush, and it works well. Buy ice blocks, keep them wrapped in plastic, and put food in Ziplocks too = all good.

Originally Posted by billwilson

Truckfridge.com has a small 12 v fridge
same size as on a westy or a large cooler

koycera solar panel 130 watts will keep the "camp battery" topped up

one Group 27, 100 amp hour battery will run your led's, fridge and sterio
(i had this on my Westy, never turned off the fridge, plenty of lights and music)

solar panel
truck fridge
battery
isolator
@ $1,200 if you shop and install yourself

Yeah, DH is handy, so we can do a lot of things ourselves. It's TIME that's the issue, to I'd rather have a complete list of TO DOs for the conversion shop when we take it in for the bubbletop.

Originally Posted by billwilson

Now $1,200 buys alot of ice and a nice cooler
BUT, sure makes it civilized (and you can have ice cream
and you can add it later....... (remember, pre wire)

at least pre wire for solar, xtra battery, xtra 12 volt

Yeah, we'll see. I cannot see DH going for the solar. The extra battery, possibly.

Originally Posted by billwilson

P.S. have you gone to TheSamba.com ( go to Vanagons )
they have TONS of mods for the Home brew guys and gals
that directly transfer to our uses

Great, thanks. I'll take a look.

Sandi

[billwilson]

Xtra battery and isolator to charge when driving is a easy deal
easy to add solar in the future
also there are some "trickle chargers" solar that are a no brainer
i for sure would get one, belive plugs into cig lighter, and stick on dash when parked

i agree w/ ice blocks, baggies, etc
(i like dry ice also)

i also like to be able to gas and go with a quick stop at the
super market, stick in the fridge and go

(we have had a couple spur of the moment trips that were GREAT)

also w/ a built in fridge, or mounted engle, it does NOT flop around....... in the air hocky rink