My Initial Plan

[Nomadcat]

Hi All.

Been lurking here mainly, with a couple of posts, but soon I'll be doing my own build.

I'm in NYC and will be coming out to Portland to pick up a Quadvan.

I'm getting some extra stuff bolted on, but it's going to be an empty cargo van.

My plan now is to bring my air mattress and my usual stuff, which I'll unload from my Tacoma to the van.

Then, I'm going to drive it back and spend the next 6 months putting in a floor, insulating the walls and building a platform for a futon. I'm going to keep it fairly empty so I can still transport stuff, but I may end up getting one of those Engel rerigerators. Don't know yet.

The one thing I plan to do on the way back, though, is to place SPL vibration-damping tiles throughout as I go, trying to knock out any rattles. Then, when I get back, I'll start the serious floor work and soundproofing.

I will keep you all posted.

Thanks for all the great advice and write-ups. Keep em coming.

[UJOINT]

Sounds good, enjoy the drive!

[billwilson]

buddy
look at the XL storage
it might be the single best thing in my rig, except my Wife of course!

dont know if it effects 4x4 action, but someone will chime in

if ya want to keep the rig uncluttered, the XL storage aka The Basement, really rocks

[Nomadcat]

Is that XL storage strictly a SMB option or can I get it elsewhere?

I don't know how much room I'll have down there. I like two spares for the back country - always have carried them. The one spare underneath, combined with my standard length, combined with the extra large gas tank will probably make it tight down there.

Still, I would like to look into it.

One thing I can do well, though, is carpentry, and I'm already plotting stuff out in my head regarding storage.

I am eating up every photo and write-up on this site for ideas and inspiration, though. Thanks for all the tips and photos.

[billwilson]

Originally Posted by Nomadcat

Is that XL storage strictly a SMB option or can I get it elsewhere?

I don't know how much room I'll have down there. I like two spares for the back country - always have carried them. The one spare underneath, combined with my standard length, combined with the extra large gas tank will probably make it tight down there.

Still, I would like to look into it.

One thing I can do well, though, is carpentry, and I'm already plotting stuff out in my head regarding storage.

I am eating up every photo and write-up on this site for ideas and inspiration, though. Thanks for all the tips and photos.

I looked all around for the XL storage option
No joy.
Hit a couple of local shops, they were reluctant to build, and twice SMB factory

RB or Regular body
IMHO yo are going to run out of room soon
XL gas tank, two spares and wanting to keep the interior Spartan

I have a EB or extended body
Under rig I have:
XL storage, two gas tanks, one a 27 gal transflow
I do not know the specs on XL stock tanks

Now you gotta consider at least one 4d battery, propane, grey water

IMHO one 4d is a must as well as propane
Some folks run no propane, no fixed stove, no forced air heater, no water heater
Also some folks have diesel heaters, don’t know if you have gas or diesel

Then we have the poptop / fixed top question
No mention of it in your build

Which leads to roof rack / solar / storage up on rack
With or without a poptop, I would look at XL storage, rear swing away tire
And one tire up top

Which leads to front and rear bumps
Aluminess, high cost, worth every penny because of weight and storage

Then insulation/sound damp the rig

The ONLY mistake I made in my rig was not going to bare metal
And doing a full sound damp job

As for carpentry, cool you can do it
There is “ultralight” plywood and composite stuff that will save you the weight
And not come apart when wet

There are also some steel framed folding beds in the RB50 style and Gaucho style avail
(RB50 is the seat perpendicular to the rig, gaucho is along wall)


You don’t mention electrical/water
Sound damp everything you can
PRE WIRE PRE PLUMB, then insulate, then panel
Even if you don’t use it, a few dollars of wire/cat5/water hose/TV cable wont break you

So, I would ask:
What kind of top you getting?
Your thoughts on roof rack?
Front and rear bump choices?
(steel readily available, way too heavy IMHO)
House battery choices?
Solar choices
(solar should be an intregal part of the master plan, not a add on)
Electrical needs
Generator or not
Gas or desial
Propane needs

Will this be a daily driver, meaning do you need all the space
(like you mentioned the engle fridge)

Just my 1:49 am thoughts

BW out

[Nomadcat]

Bill,

All good questions and thoughts. I'll be brief here as I have to walk the dog.

If I can fit something down below, I may very well eventually. I might end up at Fresno, TX or IN SMB one of these days for a top. I am still undecided on that. In the meantime, of course, I got a standard Aluminess roofrack coming, so I'll have to sell that if I ever do get the pop top but, for now, I'm going standard. This means that I cannot build real storage into the inside floor of the van. I'm not three feet tall. The roofrack I'm a little torn on, but my business partner loves the idea - we are filmmakers and it would be a great platform, plus I can sleep up there in the desert. I don't like the idea of all that wind resistance, but it's going on at this point.

The main thing I'm going to do is keep it spare, though. A platform bed, possibly one that I can fold up, with lots of storage underneath. Possibly, just possibly, a smaller platform, about 8 inches high, in front of the bed, creating a stepped effect.

The soundproofing will be first and, as I mentioned, I'm starting that with the dampening tiles on the way home. I'll do real matting over the next few months.

Electrical is the one thing I am having Quadvan do that I might not have. I'm running out of money on this project! They are installing an inverter, wiring in two outlets and two lights, as well as two house batteries in battery boxes. I may very well run some more wires before I put in the insulation. I'm still researching floor and wall options. I had hopes for something called plyboo, but it's apparently kind of heavy.

Plumbing will be non-existent. A porta-potty in a cabinet. For washing, I'll probably keep a washbowl and water around. Spartan, I know, but people survived like that for many centuries and I think I'll be okay, with the occasional stop at a motel or truck stop. I still have my CDL license. I would like propane and a heater, but just cannot do it now. I may have a local RV place - someplace in the Northeast - add that one day. I don't like the idea of a portable propane heater in the van, although I see some people sleep with them.

Bumpers I am having Quadvan do. Rear Aluminess with a swingaway and a small box. Front I am getting Buckstop. It is heavy, but I once was in a car that got totaled by hitting a buck, so I am going for it.

What would pre-plumbing involve if I wanted to add a sink, toilet, etc, one day? Are there any how-to's if I wanted to do it myself?

And the solar panels do intrigue me, I have to admit. I kind of want to make this so that it's a compromise between a permanent build and something I can tear town without too much trouble. That may not be realistic, though.

It won't be a daily driver, but I'd like the option to carry some cargo - band equipment - when needed.

I was torn between EB and SB, but on backroads, I did not want that overhang.

Thanks for listening.

[billwilson]

Just a quick note before walking the dog LOL!

Inverter
What kind and specs
What will you be using it for?

Batteries
What physical size?
What is the amp our rating?

Charging batteries
Putting in HD alternator?
What brand and specs?
Shore power charger?
What kind and specs?

Battery separator/isolator?
I like my SurePower with ability to connect house
To motor batterery to start the rig
If I was to do again will look at the Marine One (cant think of name)

Consider a big ass 4d slung underneath, eliminate interior
Battery cost about the same for equiivlant amp hours
Added cost is welding a bracket

XL storage
Still has my vote
Especiall since you are not doing a pop top
And doing a Spartan design
The XL holds a ton of stuff and means
You don’t have to have Plastic tubs sliding around

Bed / Interior
Easy to make a “knock down/removable bed
And a Galley/Fridge type unit


Windows
You don’t mention them??

Interior walls
Insulate and soundproof up the ying yang
Also do the floors

Interior paneling
Pre wire
Pre plumb
(run the plastic hose from passenger to driver side over rear door)
Ya might never need it but hey…..

Paneling
Pm the guy that did my build
Have him tell you the lightest paneling

Propane
Understand the budget
You can add later
Sling the tank underneath
You can even use a small one from VW bus (@$200)
Suburban or Propex @ $700
You can do later

Bumps
Good choice on rear Aluminess
Understand the Budstop too

Solar
Don’t just buy one to have one
You need to understand your requirements
THEN build a system

Bushwackers
Ya gotta get ‘em
They are just too cool ?

I had an advantage that I have built 3 rigs previously
Live in two of them for quite a while
And the last rig I built was this year in Feb before I bougtht the SMB

Get yourself on TheSamba.com
Virtually all the Vanagon and Scyncro (4x4) guys are home brew
Lots of tips and very cost effective mods and solutons

[surfgeek33]

Originally Posted by Nomadcat

Bill,
I had hopes for something called plyboo....

Plyboo is awesome. So excited to see your interior! I'm really thinking of using plyboo for our build.

Ray

[Nomadcat]

Wow, I'm glad to hear you like plyboo. The whole thing is weight. If the 1/4 inch stuff is light enough, that's what I'm using. I like the idea of a modified, low-level Tiki theme. Or hints of Tiki, combined with industrial strength flooring.

There's a material I have used in the past that I get from The Rubber Store, one of my favorite odd storefronts in downtown NYC. They use it in hockey rinks for people to walk on in skates. I may use that for the floor on top of plywood and insulation.

[Nomadcat]

I have a long ride ahead of me, but am very excited.